Indie Magazines: A World of Artistic Inspiration
For us creatives, magazines are a valuable resource. To have the best selection of artistic inspiration at hand, it’s essential to have the right ones. Every artist wants to make their own magazine, but this means there are many out there, and when walking into specialist stockists, it can be hard to know where to start.
Independent Magazines: A More Artistic Approach
Independent magazines offer a more artistic approach to publication compared to the glossy magazines found in mainstream retailers. Created and produced independently by artists passionate about their work, the industry takes commercialism out of magazine-making and produces beautiful bodies of work focused on the storytelling of life.
Top Picks from MagCulture and Magalleria
To discover the best indie magazines available today, we spoke to the founders of two of the world’s leading magazine shops: Jeremy Leslie of London’s MagCulture and Daniel McCabe of Magalleria in Bath. Here are their top picks.
01. Zweikommasieben
• Buy Zweikommasieben for $20.20 from MagCulture
Zweikommasieben is a music magazine made in Switzerland, but the most intriguing feature of the current issue (29) is its design, with the format set up so that the contents of every page is within the shape of a phone screen. "And there’s the bit in the middle where it runs out of power," says Jeremy.
ZKS is not as world-leading as Dazed, but "we always have it and it always ticks over," says Jeremy. It’s a fan favourite that always sells, and a "fantastic, one-off". Each issue’s design is unique too; "it’s always a different format or changes design," Jeremy tells us, so the incredible printed phone simulation that Issue #29 gives us is just a sliver of the wide variety of graphic design you’ll get from this magazine.
02. Apartamento
• Buy Apartamento for $18
Apartamento is an interiors magazine focused on people and their homes in their natural state, and is revered by both Daniel and Jeremy. According to Daniel, its fifteen-year legacy has created a blueprint for independent magazines. "It’s really popular to the point where now competitors look the same," he says.
Similarly, Jeremy believes that it’s one of those "longstanding magazines" that’s always going to be popular in the industry "unless something astonishing happens". Why is it successful? "It doesn’t ask very much of people," says Daniel. "It’s a kind of resource." He adds that "you know that the people they interview are going to be worth reading and have got something to say".
03. Macguffin
• Buy Macguffin for $20.30 from Magalleria
Originally published by Cofina Media rather than Conde Nast (and now published by Lighthouse), Vogue Portugal stands out amongst the other Vogues. It’s known for subverting the norms of what society expects from a commercial magazine; instead of playing it safe, it has the freedom to be controversial every now and again.
04-10. Other Top Picks
• Buy Pleasant Place for an undisclosed price
• Buy Catnip for $23 from Broccoli’s website
Conclusion
Independent magazines offer a unique perspective on various topics, and it’s essential to have the right ones at hand. With so many out there, it can be hard to know where to start. Jeremy and Daniel’s top picks provide a great starting point, offering a range of artistic and informative content for creatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is an independent magazine?
A: An independent magazine is created and produced by artists passionate about their work, without commercial influence.
Q: What are some popular independent magazines?
A: Some popular independent magazines include Zweikommasieben, Apartamento, and Macguffin.
Q: How can I find independent magazines?
A: You can find independent magazines at specialist stockists or online, such as MagCulture and Magalleria.
