V Magazine
V Magazine is an American quarterly of fashion and art since 1991.
V Magazine, born Visionaire, sells 2,000 copies but is more trendy than any other newspaper in the States. Each issue is monothematic.
The Story, Visionaire
Born and directed by Stephen Gan, fashion editor of the monthly Details, the model Cecilia Dean and James Kaliardo, make-up artist and hairdresser. They call it an “inspirational album”. The first issue, released in 1991, cost $10 at the newsstand and $10,000 to produce.
A 1996 fashion issue featured 44 collaborations between stylists and photographers, including Nan Goldin shooting Helmut Lang, packaged in a monogrammed Louis Vuitton portfolio designed expressly for Visionaire. The 2,500 editions sold out in three weeks, though some can be purchased today at Mr Porter for $6,600.
The twenty-fourth, for which Tom Ford, a Gucci designer, improvised art director, was sold in 1998 for $425 and overall the entire edition had absorbed a billion and a half lire. It is practically made by hand and has continuous and financially very expensive packaging inventions. In regards to fashion, he has an ironic detachment. It strikes, without sinking the protagonists of the brands. Humor is, moreover, the key to the success of this magazine which stands without advertising.
From Visionaire to V Magazine
The company has grown: First came V, a six-times-a-year fashion magazine. After that, a male branch, VMan. In 2012, CR Fashion Book, the twice-yearly brick-thick style manual of Carine Roitfeld, the former editor of French Vogue.
In 2014, the three longtime partners abruptly separated. With no official announcement, Kaliardos and Dean moved out of their Mercer Street offices, which had served as a sort of clubhouse for avant-garde designers and fashion enthusiasts.
In 2016, Lady Gaga was invited to be the guest editor of V for its 99th issue, which features a record sixteen different covers. In March 2016, it was revealed that Britney Spears was tapped to appear on the cover of the magazine for its 100th issue. Spears shot three different covers for the milestone issue with photographer Mario Testino.
In August 2019, American singer and songwriter Billie Eilish was selected to appear on the 20th anniversary issue, V121, interviewed by Pharrell Williams.
In July 2020, American model Gigi Hadid collaborated with V on a limited-edition art book titled Gigi Journal: Part II, presenting a medley of 32 exclusive art pieces from around the world, derived from over 20,000 submissions, which reflected experiences in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgence of the BlackLivesMatter movement. The book featured hand-painted cover art, created by Hadid herself, and written contributions from leaders in the racial-justice movement.
In November 2020, ahead of the US elections, V released V127: The “Thought Leaders” Issue, featuring 45 subjects such as Bella Hadid, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift, Chris Evans, Jaden Smith, Jennifer Lawrence, and more. Photographed entirely by Dutch fashion photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the subjects featured within the issue spanned culture, art, and politics, speaking to the American people to exercise their right to vote.
In April 2021, V collaborated with French fashion house CHANEL to create a limited-edition art book titled The Chanel Book, featuring cover stars Lily-Rose Depp, JENNIE, and Margot Robbie. Captured entirely by photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in Los Angeles, New York, Mexico and virtually in Korea, a mix of talents ranging from fashion, music, art, literature, and politics all wore CHANEL’s Spring-Summer 2021 Ready-To-Wear collection throughout.
In October 2021, American musician and actress Madonna was selected to appear on the cover of V‘s V133 Winter issue in an homage to Marilyn Monroe and Bern Stern’s “The Last Sitting”, photographed by Steven Klein. The issue went on to become one of the publication’s fastest selling issues.
Throughout the years, the magazine has continued to expand its print and digital footprint. In addition to the bimonthly print issues, V has released limited-edition monthly calendars, created in collaboration with fashion houses such as GCDS, Guess, Emporio Armani, and EA7. The magazine has collaborated with Parisian luxury house Au Depart for a monogram patterned, magazine slip, sold exclusively on V’s shopsite.
The magazine has also launched its first podcast in 2021, V Wanna Know, which focuses on the concept of having celebrity guests connect with a specialist in an area of interest of the guest’s choosing. Some of music, fashion, and the internet’s biggest names such as Madison Beer, Finneas, King Princess, Emma Chamberlain, Nicole Richie, Tinashe, Banks, 24kGoldn, and more have joined the podcast.
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