love for love?

There seemed to be a huge hype for LOVE, Katie Grand's new magazine launch since joining Condé Nast, but I haven't read any reviews of it. I suspect all the people who got a copy have been caught up at fashion week! Well of course I'm not (I am caught up in a huge mountain of work though, where did it all come from!?) and I went home last weekend so it made for excellent train reading.

I was under the impression that it was an exclusive for fashion week and then would be released only to be found in obscure corners of magazine stands. I went to Magma in the Northern Quarter to pick up Lula and saw a huge stack so picked up thehefty copy of LOVE too, which in hindsight was a bit of a mistake to do at the start of my weekly Friday shopping sesh as my arms were falling off by the afternoon! I've since spotted displays in all high street retailers with stacks of the mag so there goes what I thought!

I did lug it onto the train and I believe it's biannually, and so considering Lula is now £6, you do get a lot for your fiver. It really did confuse me though. First I had to read it awkwardly because sitting behind a cover with a naked Beth Ditto on the front does make for some shocked passenger faces! Jeez can't I read my magazines in peace! So yes, I had to fold over most of the pages and skipped the whole of Beth's boobs as I didn' think the lady next to me could cope with the shock if she happened to look over.

Like I said though, it's not exactly like any magazine I've read before. This might be considered a good thing but it takes a while to get your head round what exactly you're reading. First for the cover- the sad thing is that Beth Ditto already appeared naked on the cover of the widely distributed weekly NME rag and she had nothing covering her then but her hands. I've also seen Beth nearly naked in the flesh at Reading a few years ago. So the cover couldn't be described as shocking or innovative or very aspirational; her makeup is divine though. Katie Grand starts with a 'love letter' where she describes her love of Beth and what she stands for, the essence of imperfection in the most striking way, a face of defiant self-confidence.

It's easy to note now that this magazine is truly personal to Grand and really showcases her love of the industry. The first kitschy theme with endless questions to celebs and professionals of 'what's your favourite love song?' and 'what do you love to hate?' will probably not continue, but this issue will be a novelty in the first place, almost like a fresh start for Grand to pour all her past experience into before 100% embracing her new role and moving forward. So it's hard to work through the magazine as it holds no similarities to any other magazine structure, riding straight into a very eclectic A-Z of things the LOVE team, well, love. That's essentially the theme of the magazine- the voices of the writers are extremely apparent and it's a bit like reading the kind of newsletter you'd make as a school project- where all the news is along your agenda. Not that I'm showing any comparison to anything you could make at school, but there is actually a slightchildlike vibe, maybe it's a bit of hesitance from the pressure of testing new waters and being in the industry eye. It's very sweet and appreciative of everything it features.

The A-Z ranges from models to trends to designers to even other magazines. The fact that they said they loved Interview is a prime example that this magazine is not at all about gaining a solely competitive or profitable place in the market, but about creating a reference to what the industry is about at the current time. I keep rreferring to the 'industry', by which I mean the background fashion industry; the editors and journalists and lecturers and photographers and all the people that make things happen, and those who network, building friendships and relationships that gain themselves a reputable status in the contribution to what fashion is today. When reading I don't feel like I relate to the magazine at all, but it's like I'm tasting the buzz that London has and in the article about Central St. Martins, I could almost feel what it would be like to sit in the dated building with the designers of the future all around. There's a lot of 'we love' and even quotes from LOVE contributors on their personal loves; I expect many LOVErs of this magazine will know exactly who they are talking about all of the time and be able to answer 'ah yes CSM is just like that as I remember' and 'oh that designer is like that in person.' It's not magazine to lecture or teach, but more embrace today's fashion culture and basically just love all over it!

And so back to Beth Ditto, who we haven't seen or really heard fromfor two years, and I don't know if I can speak for the whole majority of the country, but I only know her as being successful through her one Gossip song; essentially because it was featured on the Skins advert. Obviously they must have a big fan base and Ditto did make a splash in the fashion world (namely the POP editorial), but right now we haven't seen her for so long, and so I'm not motivated by her or the cover to pick up the magazine to find out where she's been and what she's doing. A few of the stars featured in LOVE seemed a bit strange to me too, for instance Duffy and Kelly Brook. I love the Kelly Brook pictures of her as a Red Indian and she looks stunning in Prada, but I'm not so sure why we want to read about her that much? The article goes on the angle that she's a real woman who has had a pretty eventful life in the media eye, but has always been treated a bit unfairly and has not been given enough credit. As before, it seems like Katie Grand might have a soft spot or admiration of her and featured her purely as an indulgence. I did like reading the article, but it's still a random read! The same with Duffy: why her over, say, Adele?

It will be interesting to see which direction the magazine goes in, as it is not heavy in throw away articles, tips or anything commercial and typical of magazine which promotes an aesthetic, conformist idea of beauty. It's edited down to the core interviews and a few editorials on the strength of acclaimed photographers and models. I believe Katie Grand has produced LOVE literally right from her heart and it was lavish and lovely to read. I think the next issue will go in a totally opposite direction though, but I guess that's the beauty of a biannual magazine. What did you think?

Comments

[Sophie]

Hi, is there a new Lula out? I've had the last issue for months and keep searching but all I can find is the issue I've got.
I love your blog btw...you're style is lovely.
Sophie

[AusAnna]

Hmmm like a coffee table magazine???
sounds interesting, might have to search for an ebay copy.
p.s love your blog. :) added you to my uk link list. hope we can exchange x

[Georgie]

Great review. I totally agree with what you have said about it... It is more like a coffee table mag.
x

[Winnie]

I flicked through this in Borders and remember quite vividly the Beth Ditto boobs pic! Thanks for the review...!

[Cafe Fashionista]

I remember seeing the cover, but I've never looked at it. You have completely piqued my interest.

[She's Dressing Up]

I haven't read my copy yet (waiting to finish an essay so I can curl up and read it with a cup of coffee all relaxed!). I'm very intrigued to get reading and see what I think now I've read your take on it!!

[Theresa]

great review, i need to pick this up, also the cut out dress in your previous post is so so stunning

[Vanessa]

I so want to track down a copy of this. The cover came out wonderfully.

[Rachie]

this is a very good reveiw, and very truthful! I know a lot of other bloggers who review this could hype it up to its name and say all things wonderful, purely so they stay on the good side of this very muched talked about magazine. you reveiw is real and i am sure it will be appriciated by many people! It was a good read ;-)! I may have a flick through this in smiths if i see it lol, then decide whethr it is worth the purchase! CSM is such another over hyped thing! my boyfriend went there, and my sister went to LCF and they said that it was not as great as it was cracked up to be. yes a lot of young designers are from CSM, but there is so much more potential young designers at other unis who create work that is just as good. however they never get the chance to show their work because CSM students automatically gets that 1st step on the ladder purely based on the uni credentials! ergg i sound bitter! but i think it is true!!

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[Helen-LG]

Nice review, thanks for that - I had wondered but not gotten around to picking up a copy.

I agree too about Ms Ditto - the most shocking bit of the cover is her apparent lack of nipples - photoshop disaster or a necessary censor? Who can say, it's slightly odd though, IMO!

In fact I found it so distracting I didn't notice her make up before, it is fantastic though, now I've looked!

[frances]

I did like it but I agree... perhaps Beth isn't really that relevant for a cover right now? Particularly not for a launch.

[Mel]

I saw Love when I was buying Lula and things and I think it's the beth Ditto cover that put me off really. I don't think there's anything wrong with Beth but the cover itself had been done before so it didn't really inspire me to think the magazine would be wonderful. X

[Cordelia]

Hmm, I really don't think she should be on the cover of any magazine. great that she's proud of her body but she is definitely not healthy and therefore, bad role model, equivalent to a skinny and underweight model.

Miss you Selina! I had problems with my internet connection at home for ages but i finally fixed it! :-)

P.s. Do you mind changing Curella Says to Rebelle Chic http://rebellechic.wordpress.com, I am back to blogging tonight!! xxx

[Yvonne]

looks interesting! i hope i get to read it sometime in borders or something...

[susie_bubble]

I was really disappointed with the issue but have high hopes for the next one!

[rollergirl]

Wow, what a well-written, spot-on review. My tuppence-worth:
Yes, what was up with the no-nipples cover?
Got bored with the love-themed Q & As by the time I got to 'G'
Beth article was actually very good
Kelly Brook - clearly just trying to be cool by featuring someone naff and she still looked naff in the pics
Ultimately the whole thing is an 'all about Katie Grand' self indulgent coffee table mag but as she is the girl of the moment it does have some power
I have to disagree with you on the 'like nothing you've seen before' angle. I've been round the block a few times so unforch, I HAVE seen it all before LOL!!

[sharon]

hello selina
found your blog today....really impressive and strangely coincidental, as i too live in birmingham, and a little while (ok, quite a while) ago studied fashion design at Manchester....
also went to art college in Bournville at the same time as Ms Grand.....she was 'too cool for school' even then!
you're very welcome to take a look at "blossom" (not half as impressive or literate as your offerings i'm afraid, but.....) and leave a comment
anyway, take care and I'll pop back soon xx

[chloe]

i bought it a few weeks ago but haven't got round to reading it yet - i want to have plenty of time to do it in so i won't have to interrupt!
it was good to read a review, i'll keep it in mind! x