Issue 23 —
VMAN heralds its Fall Fashion issue with multiple covers showcasing the winners of its male model search. The two fresh faces that VMAN plans to propel to male model stardom share the honours with a broody Taylor Lautner who sizzles on his own cover, photographed by Steven Klein. Elliot David’s feature article creates a portrait of the rites of passage undergone by Taylor, who - unlike his internationally famous character in 'Twighlight'- has had to forsake shadows in favour of growing up in the glare of the spotlight. Steven Klein’s photos, styled by Nicola Formichetti, create a suitable image for a teen idol.
This is just one of the articles that approach the seasonal menswear collections as a compendium of self-standing features, each addressing a tendency in men’s winter fashion from the idea of a male archetype. Taylor Lautner is The Teen Idol, Scottish actor Luke Evans gets cast as The Tycoon, Hedi Slimane uses his camera to offer a vision of The Heartthrob and so on…
It’s an effective and clear way to make the progression through the magazine whilst never making it hard for the reader to lose the trail of exactly what ideas and looks are hot this autumn. Furthermore, it’s visually stunning. VMAN pulls out all the stops to showcase the highest quality work by top international talents. With the likes of Josh Olins, Steven Klein, David Armstrong and Sebastian Faena, amongst others, all contributing amazing shoots it’s a tough call to single out the best. However, Sølve Sundsbø’s wonderful fashion story ‘The Freak’, styled by Beat Bolliger deserves special mention if for no other reason than its complete reinvention of a familiar punky Gothic iconography. The vampire freaks in Sundsbø’s stark black ‘n white story are pushed out into the harsh light of day and look so much better for it.
And, for those who want something in addition to the fashion and celebrity-heavy fare on offer, there is also a wonderful article on American documentary photographer Lawrence Schiller and all the usual bite-size featurettes on everything from hip new toys to emerging musical talent.
September 2011 180 Pages
The Freshman The Groomer The Informer The Pickpocket The Leatherman The Historian The Idol by Steven Klein The Fighter by Cedric Buchet The Freak by Solve Soundsbo The Narcissist By Sebastian Faena The Undercover by Josh Olins The Heartthrob by Hedi Slimane The Tycoon by David Armstrong
Stephen Gan
Derek Blasberg / Elliott David
Sandra Kang
Our Take —
VMAN is the quarterly baby brother of V Magazine. Born in 2003, to the same creative team responsible for its older sister, VMAN was a savvy move, responding to the hunger for a hip and stylish title aimed at a certain sector of American men. Sliding neatly into the gap between the rather conservative feel of established men’s fashion titles on one side and the boy-next-door jock antics of successful titles aimed at the younger market on the other, VMAN immediately gained a readership amongst aspirant and affluent urban males who were eager for an option that offered sophistication and a bit of luxury without these things being defined in boring traditional terms.
Retaining the breeziness and the bold styling moves of V Magazine, VMAN put a masculine twist on the formula, smartly realising that its target readership were not going to be put off by a less pedestrian approach to men’s fashion, indeed, quite the opposite. Staying true to a the mix of fashion, culture, music, celebrity and lifestyle, VMAN is particularly notable as an American title that operates from the position that its readership is educated and interested in the world outside. Somewhat unusually for a successful American title – given the traditional difficulties in attracting a popular American audience with content from outside its borders – VMAN is one of the few titles that manages to retain its strong roots in its native NYC whilst regularly offering its urbane readership international content. And, just like its older sister, its work with top photographers, stylists and personalities has made it a hit not only at home, but also abroad. There is a certain irony that one of the world’s largest economies actually offers relatively few stylish, upmarket and forward thinking magazines to its male population. But VMAN is almost certainly the top title in that small and special group.
