Harpers’ Bazaar says, ‘we mean business’
A few weeks ago I had a meeting with a photographer who was bemoaning the state of the magazine industry. “No one has any money, they’re all slashing their budgets, it’s a nightmare,” he droned. Oh dear, I thought. It wasn’t news of course, I know many magazines are so skint they are hardly doing any shoots, but buying in pictures from their sister editions in the US. Dire. So today I brightened when I bought the March issue of UK Harpers’ Bazaar. Bloody hell, I could hardly pick it up. It’s huge – not only thick (360 pages) but supersized, almost as big as W. And the content this month is great – Roisin Murphy’s fashion picks, a scrap-book style catwalk roundup, interviews with Sofia Coppola and Luella Bartley and a profile of YSL.
The fashion shoots aren’t my bag (way too grown up) but I did like the Balmain dress with the nomad headscarves and the girl with the naughty cigarette.
To me the supersizing is a good move. If the offline magazine industry is seriously threatened by online publications then this sends out a clear message – “We’re significant and we’re here to stay”. Amen to that.
[Double click to enlarge pics]
8 February, 2009 @ 5:54 pm
Wow Harpers UK is getting a lot of love. Is it that good? I am a real mag hag but I admit I have never bought a copy. I will have a flick out of curiosity.
8 February, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
Yes I need to get this as I’ve heard nothing but good reports and I do need to embrace grown up dressing I’m in danger of regressing to 16!!
8 February, 2009 @ 6:33 pm
i was really impressed with Bazaar this month, more so to the fact i managed to score a £12 year long subscription, so for £1 per issue i was floored with the content.
8 February, 2009 @ 11:42 pm
I need to see some truly beautiful magazines to distract me from the bad news elsewhere.
9 February, 2009 @ 6:19 am
YES!!!!!! I must go out and buy this!!
9 February, 2009 @ 6:34 am
I hope to god I can find a copy in Los Angeles!
9 February, 2009 @ 7:00 am
ohmygoodness, i am so excited to get my hands on this!
roisin, emily, sofia, yves, alexa…i could go on.
sounds like a fabulous issue.
x
10 February, 2009 @ 2:30 pm
Worth buying just for the Roisin Murphy picks. Not a magazine I usually pick up though. What do you think of the new LOVE?
12 February, 2009 @ 2:49 am
Someone’s gunning for Glenda’s job, doncha think? I’d say that issue was a calling card to Cathy Hearst if ever I saw one. LLGxx