I’m an addict.
My addiction; fashion magazines. I get such pleasure out of curling up with a cup of tea or glass of wine and a fresh, glossy mag. I love their collage quality. Each page is something completely different from the page before, much like each issue is completely different from the next. I can’t get enough of the clothes, the photography and the creative genius behind them. In my opinion, each issue is a unique piece of art in its own right. Also, for me, magazines represent a snapshot of a space in time that will never come again. I am and have always been a sucker for nostalgia. This month Elle Canada celebrated their 10th anniversary and put out a retrospective issue. It was fun to look back at (and chuckle at) old trends, cover girls and styles. You should pick up a copy for yourself; it was an all-around solid issue! While I’m plugging magazines, I strongly suggest checking out an article in this month’s issue of Flare called, ‘Deadline Obsessed’ by Shawna Cohen. Cohen asks the question, ‘Are your self-imposed plans ruining your life?’ Think about it. It’s a pretty powerful question, no?
I digress.
I fell in love with magazines when I was 12 or 13. Back then I was into Seventeen and YM (R.I.P YM!). I remember sneaking them in and out of my house to share with friends; my dad wasn’t a fan of me reading anything that promoted me wearing lipstick and or ‘snagging’ my crush. Oh, the days of grooving to TLC and cutting out CK One perfume ads so we could save them to use for school dances. Wow, did I just admit to that? Huh. Naturally, my palate has since matured into publications like Elle, Vogue and Glamour. My absolute favourite magazines though, bar none, are Canadian; I’m looking at you Elle Canada, Fashion and, most recently, Flare. As a (goddamn) proud Canadian, I am all about supporting Canadian anything in every way that I can. Magazines included.
This brings me to the crux of this post; I would love to see a Canadian magazine put out just one issue that is front to back Canadian content. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Marc, Louis and Jean Paul as much as everyone else but, they’re established and they’re everywhere. It would be so refreshing to pick up a magazine and see totally new faces, names and their interpretations of fashion. Now, before anyone gets their designer undies in a bunch, I’m well aware that there is already a healthy inclusion of Canadian content in Canadian mags but what I’m talking about here is one issue that is coast to coast, cover to cover, Canadian domination. I’d like to take a second to emphasize the coast to coast bit. I find that the Atlantic Provinces, the North and the Prairies get almost squat exposure in fashion magazines. I often wonder why that is because I can speak for the Atlantic Provinces when I say that there are tons of talented, creative people at work here (I’m sure the same goes for the North and the Prairies) and I want to read about them too!
It makes me really proud that this country is crawling with such mad skills. I’m thinking specifically people like; Kim Munson, Veronica MacIsaac, Lisa Drader-Murphy and Yasmine Wasfy. Never heard of them? My point exactly. I would love to be able to exclusively buy and wear new, diverse Canadian labels. I just haven’t got the time to traverse the country or trawl the internet looking for them myself. I know for a fact that I’m not alone on this. That’s why we need a Canadian magazine to bring us more of our own brilliant talent.
I’m not asking for a magazine revolution here, just a one issue coup! Please?
(Sorry folks, no time for cartoons with this post. I’m getting really for a trunk show next week which will be the subject of next week’s blog – stay tuned)!
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