where Magazines go to die

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"A magazine is like a best friend.
One always keeps Learning from them &
One Loves them more with Age."

I am a magazine hoarder. It is something I admit with a certain sort of Pride-though when dusting across the bookshelves-I say that in hushed tones. It's hard to toss them, always has been.

What would I do without them?
I never thought I'd have to really answer that question. I will never go without, as my stash goes back more years than I will admit. I honestly find many back issues more inspiring than the current issues I see staring back at me on a bench in my sitting room. Why?

What will the landscape of the magazine be in say-ten years, twenty, thirty?
The future looks bleak...

from my prized possession of all the now defunct NEST magazine issues
One of THE Absolute BEST EVER Magazines of its kind
(it was too good for this cruel world)

NEST issues Archives

Magazines are emotional. No one NEEDS a magazine, (No, You really don't), but there is something about the beautifully laid out articles, the gloss, the text and the photography that a blog page can not do." As one veteran editor once explained to me, the best magazines make you feel like tearing open the plastic wrap the second that they arrive in your mailbox and curling up on the couch with them, ignoring whatever plans you had for the evening." (quote from Gabriel Sherman's article The Magazine Isn't Dying) This couldn't be more true- however less and less do I find a magazine that lures me in this way. Why?



What does the our style and design blogging community bring to the table?
Can it fill the gaps that the loss of magazines such as HOUSE & GARDEN, DOMINO, SOUTHERN ACCENTS ? These my dears represent only a tiny bite from the apple. I miss them- but there are so many more defunct reads-check out the site- Magazine Death Pool- sadly, but aptly named, chronicling the magazines demise. It is Truly astounding.



Domino- for me was the substitute magazine sent to fulfill my subscription when HG passed on to the Conde Nast scrap heap.I was angry with Domino for inserting itself into my post box- when I didn't ask for it I was missed my House and Garden. It was like losing a dear old companion-cat and immediately dropping a crazy little kitten at my door. It was darling,but I just wasn't ready. Out of Magazine LOVE, I grew quite fond of Domino though- and then what happens? Domino- does just that- it folds.

So what is next for design Magazines & Blogs ?
With still standing favorites, Elle Decor, World of Interiors- I find myself heading to the middle or back of the issue to read the content. I will admit- I always "read" them that way. Later I will go through the entire magazine and read regular features and columns, quickly skipping over the ADs- and therein lies the conundrum. Advertisers drive the magazine-It's why we continue to get these rare birds in the post.The magazine world has been glutted for a few years now with offspring- Vogue> Teen Vogue> Men's Vogue> Vogue Living. (Personally I think Vogue had something with Vogue Living but-). Booming economy & business, More advertising. Economic decline-advertisers pull ADs from magazines that do not have viable subscriber numbers. According to a number of online sources- This is the key to a particular magazine's demise.



What I love seeing- is an unstyled, lived in home. I love reading interviews with actual quotes from designers. I recently remember a blog post about designer ELIZABETH MARTIN from Lana Burroughs at Topsy Turvy. The post was an interview elaborating on the Elle Decor cover story about Ali Wentworth's home. The house was also featured in The Washington Post too. For me, the story came to life with the designer's interview from Lana Burroughs. The Elle Decor and the Post story emphasized the owner- front and center as decorator, the Topsy Turvy story focused on the designer. Why the print stories focus attention on much of the work as Wentworth's - I do not kn0w, But that is certainly another story? This example for the most part is a beautiful blending of three sources about one home. The photographs from the Post and Elle did not overlap- the content was unique in them all. (I've linked these three stories in this text).
If magazine articles are what drive a blog's content- extending the story should be a prerequisite when deciding to post magazine photographs lifted from its pages. Light content loaded with images does little to elevate an original story taken from any magazine. I ALSO enjoy the NYSD posts about Designers- it is an interview format with unstyled photographs. The NYTimes- T MAGAZINE is one top notch publication in every way. The most some of the most original content, perspective and photography anywhere. The MOMENT blog dovetails with it seamlessly.


What next? Interestingly enough- as I thought about this post and sought comments from respected friends- few responded. Maybe it is the unanswerable question. It is new territory for everyone.
One of my friends in the business did say this:

"Quite honestly I enjoy blogging (reading them) as much actual magazines, however, I can't imagine blogs replacing magazines entirely. I find that blogs are easier to get through in short amounts of time and you get a much broader array of opinions/outlooks. The one thing that I do especially enjoy is being able to rip out magazine pages to add to my ever growing files." Alex

I agree Alex. I do find magazines exciting, let's face it -It is THE original. Certainly every blogger aspires to write for one of the magazine's left on the stands today- Don't they?

..in a SWIDE interview Blogger Liberty London Girl gave her take on Print v. Web

"Although I get most of my news online, & think most front of book pages have been made pretty much redundant by the web, I still prefer to look at fashion editorial in print. There’s something about the smell & the tactile quality of paper, the saturation of the colour and the size of the pages. I do think we will see dramatic changes in the print world in the next five years as advertising revenues decline and audiences become more sophisticated."

SO the Question to pose is- "As the pool of magazines gets smaller and smaller, it will inevitably mean the interiors available to cover will become more competitively sought after. How many people who read style blogs would be willing to read about a full house online rather than in the pages of a magazine?"

Will the future of your favourite be ONLINE- ? or on your shelves labeled "Magazine Death Pool?"
What do you think?

Read More at the following sites:
Ad Age
Mr Magazine "New Launches"
Blog List from the MOMENT NYTIMES

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