The previously successful online magazine Se7enmagazine, that addressed key issues in an accessible way has now launched it’s first issue in print. The aim is to feature arts, music, fashion and film content from all seven continents and with the proceeds, hopefully set up The Seven Foundation that will go someway towards investing in regeneration projects around the world. Before this starts to sound like a stale press release, what jumped out of me from the first issue was their collaboration with TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development) which now has 8 stores in the UK. Carefully selected, unique clothes have been selected from the TRAID banks and edited in this spread. Instead of giving listings of where you can buy such and such, probably our foremost question when we are looking at editorials, a statement of what you can possibly do by buying TRAID clothing is given.
For example ‘Prevent a child from stepping on a landmine while walking to school in Angola’ next to the houndstooth suspender skirt ensemble with a maroon print scarf.
A little hardhitting perhaps when you’re casually flicking through pages of fashion but these are messages we can consider when shopping at TRAID or whatever local equivalent you have. On a more style-related note, it also goes to show what a bit of nit-picking and a shrewd eye can result in.
(Accompanying messages: Train over 60 teachers to work in primary schools for girls in Afghanistan // Facilitate weekly workshops with women and youth on sustainable agricultural techniques and appropriate rural technologies)
"Pretty Vacant?" editorial scanned from Seven magazine, issue 1, photographed by Mike Blackett, Styled by Lyson Marchessault, all clothes from TRAID
the pictures and the clothes are really kl do you know where you can buy them in the uk?
Hi,
I’m going to London in July and I was wondering what are your suggestions for good shopping places that I can visit. I prefer cheap or reasonable price clothing, but I like to know what are your favorite places too. Thanks!
Laura
oh yeah, what are your favorite places to eat in London? i will be staying in Stirling for awhile too. do you if there’s anything there?
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CARLOS
http://caz-07.blogspot.com/
i love the idea of this editorial – glossy magazines expound the wonders of vintage and occassionally charity shops, but don’t really associate them with doing any good… its only ever about image and having things other people don’t – when really it should be about the lives that the charity is improving / saving… and the outfits are really kwl too ;-D – yet another magazine i should try and get my mitts on.
i do so love traid – haven’t been to their remade concession in a while, which i always find great fun… is it still going? i’ve only been to the harrow and hammersmith ones recently.
i do wonder how they’re doing as a charity shop tho, as all their stores seem to be doing ‘everything ¬£3’ thing – i guess people don’t really know what they’re about as much as, say, oxfam, and maybe don’t get as much ‘charity shopping’ foot traffic – i mean, i only know cos they’re in the fashion press occasionally as an innovative charity chain, not because they get their message out to the wider public very much… at least that’s how i see it. hmmmmmmmm.
xxxc
It’s a hard job to have such sobering messages in a fashion editorial, and I think this approach is a good one. Fashion is about escapism to many/most/all(?) and hard-hitting truths sort of work against that, right?
it is crazy that the normal price for jeans or dress is $200 US. who can really afford that? i will occasionally splurge on something $400 or so but for actual everyday clothing its ridiculous. how does the fashion industry support itself? i doubt highly that 98% of the people I know can afford to buy clothes from APC let alone Prada. but its still being churned out. who is buying all of it?
Hi,
My name’s Marc and I’m the guy responsible for Seven magazine. I’ve just had this drawn to my attention. Thank you so much for your kind comments and drawing attention to the magazine.
It’s a great magazine with a lot of cool/political individuals behind it and we’re all working hard to take it worldwide. You’ve 100% understood what we’re trying to achieve, which means a great deal. There’s too much rubbish out there now and it’s a time for a revolution in the magazine industry.
The industry only seems to serve the interests of overprivileged individuals (where‚Äôs the talent these days?) who have nothing to say so they pay a pr company to put words in their mouths. Even when they talk about ‘Africa’ it has to come with a piece on what they’re doing career wise. So we’re just getting down and dirty and addressing the issue on its own.
Oh, and there are problems outside of Africa and the middle east but I don’t think the world knows that because of the TV coverage that is focussed on these regions. I am not going to lie and hold my tongue when it comes to discussing this. Everyone featured in the first issue is an individual/organisation we believe is doing something special and different in their industry. People with a genuine heart and soul.
Shareeka Epps – A fantastic young actress
Ben Whishaw – Super depth of talent. The boy is blessed
Rinko Kikuchi – Best performance in Babel (though I love Cate and Brad).
I don’t necessarily want us to become a publication where celebrities talk about politics. That’s fine, but I think we should focus on the issues on their own as they are important enough. I promise to never feature someone who isn’t genuinely talented. I also promise to never avoid addressing an issue no matter how hard-hitting it might be. There are too many pseudo-political publications out there that affiliate themselves with a political figure to seem edgy. It’s just not necessary. They also compromise what they do by letting corrupt advertisers pay for space so they may look better in the public eye.
Ain’t gonna happen here people.
If people want to advertise they better have a clean rep all the way down the line.
Please embrace the American Apparel shoot as well as it was part of our ethical strand and they’re doing a great job in the industry.
On a final note, to combine hard-hitting issues with fashion is something we can do it‚Äôs just the industry has made us think it isn‚Äôt possible. I‚Äôm sure other publications have tried this before but you don‚Äôt have to be dramatic and in the face to achieve this, which I think the Traid shoot proves. I definitely feel from the feedback I’m getting we’re doing something very different and hard-hitting.
Reading things like this certainly make it worthwhile.
Thank you!
That is one of the most idiotic fashion spreads I have ever seen. Fashion can certainly be radical and even a form of activism: ex. GLBT pride rings, eco-friendly clothing, antifashion and global fashion as seen in National Geographic . But does printing an editorial that portrays typical white models in overpriced charityshop clothing with nothing so radical but very small, altruistic captions really change anything? I understand that the layout is supposed to be somewhat ironic, what w/ the juxtaposition of the “pretty vacant” model poses and the well-meaning text commandments, but even Johnny Rotten did it better! If this charity and magazine collaboration really wanted to be provocative but still editorial it would make the global political concerns it so marginalizes into the main focus of the article! Fashion is great for catching eyes, but ten-point script is no match for the visual impact of a peacock-blue dress! Although the cause of TRAID is noble and justified, the charity needs to be far more insistent and confrontational in its methods if it really MEANS what it says. Those pictures are just so Live Aid that it is sickening. BAN HALF-HEARTED ACTIVISM, NOW!!!!
I find it strange that people still think consumerism is the best way to help others. Good effort here, but buying a dress does not save lives: no matter where the money goes. Minds have to change, people have to take action and become educated about issues. This ad is just too vague to prompt any real change in people.
Kate,
if you actually read the magazine you’d find it trashes Live Aid/8 from a young African’s perspective and that the male model used in the shoot is black and one of the girls above is in fact mixed-race. You’ll also find that it doesn’t marginalize political concerns and actually highlights them. There are faces from all cultures in there and actually very few white. But then perhaps you’ll start arguing now that this is racist against whites.
Oh, and just noticed there’s a black female model in one of the other shoots. She’s got the most pictures, but then would that would be tokenism? Or maybe she was just very good. There will always be cynics.
That’s really neat that you can shop there and make an impact on the world at the same time. That store has really cute clothes by the way. the stores are kind of like Goodwill but International (if you didn’t know: each goodwill store uses the money spent for a charity or foundation)
Traid are doing a great job.
I love the shoot and think its beautiful and inspiring. It shows real innovation as it looks so different to what you expect from usual fashion spreads. I like the fact that when you look for the retail outlet and the price – instead you see where your cash may be making a difference. We’ve all gotta dress ourselves – so why not feel good about helping someone else whilst doing it!
As a person who works in the media industry, shouting your message just doesn’t work – it’s not only patronising, but people have become immune to in-your-face calls for do-gooding. This kind of spread and approach is actually very forward thinking, as it assumes we are all intelligent people who don’t need to be shouted at in order to become politically, socially or environmentally active. Charity shops can’t possibly “over charge” as surely the point is your money, be it ¬£1 or ¬£10, is going to good cause. I’d rather spend ¬£10 in a charity shop than ¬£10 in Primark.
“Kate,
if you actually read the magazine you’d find it trashes Live Aid/8 from a young African’s perspective and that the male model used in the shoot is black and one of the girls above is in fact mixed-race. You’ll also find that it doesn’t marginalize political concerns and actually highlights them. There are faces from all cultures in there and actually very few white. But then perhaps you’ll start arguing now that this is racist against whites.”
I, Kate, was not regarding the magazine as a whole text, but was instead critiquing the obviously dull, half-assed nature of the fashion spread. So what if the magazine points out that Live Aid is stupid? They still use the same methods and are equally as watered-down. And why the hell would I argue that diversity would be racist “against whites?” Nice try at jabbing me for being a committed anti-capitalist! I’m not just some shrill liberal who “doesn’t get” arty activism. No, I simply think this fashion spread is a hypocritical ploy to bring lazy semi-activism into vogue. Praising such tokenism is ridiculous. It is not that the effort here is not commendable, but I did feel the need to critique the scale of the effort. And why not?!
I’m sorry to blabber on (I feel silly for doing so) but the main reason I had such a strong reaction to this fashion spread was the fact that it so reeeks of market research. It is irrelevent as to whether a black model or a multiracial model is featured in this or other editorials in this magazine: they’re still models there for their looks and ability to sell clothes and lifestyles. There’s nothng too liberating or revolutionary about featuring (very conspicuously and without the simple respect of anonymity) models of varied race and background if they are still styled to look white! I am not a cynic by any means. Cynicism is more evident in saying things like “in your face activism doesn’t work.” Who says activism has to be either in your face or tastefully subtle to the point of footnotes!!!!? Sure, I’m an idealist, but why not be a bit more radical, interesting and informative in your encouragement of activism instead of beaten-down and tokenistic. Such advertising does not respect people’s intelligence! It assumes they are selfish consumerist isolatinists who cannot be bothered with the rest of the world. PLEASE, do not prove such senitments right by saying this sort of advertising is the only way. Furthermore, American Apparel does not deserve to be “embrace(d).” As Marc of Seven slyly endorses American Apparel for “doing a great job in the industry” he should consider a company perhaps more well known for true activism than sexist advertising, a misogynist founder and shoddy craftsmanship. I’m sorry to litter this great little blog with my rantings, but I feel strongly about the wrong message well-meaning media sends when it attaches activism almost exclusively to consumerism. Isn’t there another way? Maybe, not. But I hope that magazines like Seven, promising in spirit indeed, will push beyond the constraints of polite suggestion of activism.
Kate,
how can you be an anti-capitalist if you (I presume) live in Western society?
It’s easy to criticise all these organisations but perhaps you should point out ones doing a better job.
Maybe you should be involved in Seven and Traid’s next collaboration and help them to avoid failure next time round.
Alright, I’m gonna step up on Kate’s behalf for this last comment, but I don’t know Kate, or even 100% agree with her. (So apologies to everyone for intruding.)
It’s just that I’m wary of the straw-man arguments that I’ve seen in responses to Kate’s comments. In this particular case, Kate did not say that she was anti-capitalist NOR was it implied in her comments. So you can’t INVENT a stance for her, and then shoot down that stance. In other words it’s not logical to give her grief for not acting like an anti-capitalist when she didn’t say that she was anti-capitalist. (Caveat: I re-read her comments and did not see any claims of anti-capitalism but if I am wrong, of course this entire paragraph goes out the window, and I apologize and burn with shame for my oversight.)
Next, I would like to better understand what jojo meant by her question. Are you saying that all people who live in “Western Society” and claim to be “anti-capitalist” are hypocrites? This doesn’t ring true with me. Moreover, I think many many people in places that we would consider “non Western society” lead capitalist lives. These are not value judgments on capitalism or Western Society. I’m just trying to parse out your argument.
Also, yes it is easy to criticize and it WOULD be helpful to point out organizations doing a better job. Yet I hope that we are on the same page in that we agree that although the foregoing is true, one is not obligated in any way to always say something positive when one says something negative. And that just because someone made a critique without saying something positive to “balance” it out, this does not invalidate their critique.
Finally, jojo I TOTALLY agree with you that Kate should be involved in Seven and Triad’s next collaborations!
Wow, sorry for rambling…
I’m curious though as to how one becomes styled “to look white”?? Is there a formula to looking white?
my such interesting discussion on this blog!. I am curious to hear a response from Mark, in the reasoning behind this editorial. As for charity consumerism, its a slippery slope. I believe that in some ways this is a more effective form of activism. Yes, it is waterdowned but I think in the context of “fashion” it does the job of raising funds. There is a time and place for everything.
Thanks for recognizing that I was only trying to provide relevant criticism. And, yes, I certainly am an anti-capitalist on a lot of levels. And yes, that is possible despite the fact that I am not only a westerner but also a citizen of the USA. I am not going to dignify your knee-jerk refutations with a detailed explanation of that. (Think: there are muslims in so-called “Christian” societies and there were, historically, capitalists in communist societys, and my anti-capitalism fits into my very capitalist society in a similar way). Consuming what one needs to live is hardly capitalism, and I try to confine my consumerism to just that. For that reason I shop almost exclusively in secondhand stores or make my own clothing. I see my anti-capitalism, at its most basic, as the active maintenance of a critical eye toward capitalist advertising and a sustained boycott of companies whose main concern is their bottom line (ha, boy is it unfortunate that I happen to enjoy style (not nec. fashion), right?). In response to the valid question of “what is white styling?” I apologize for sounding a bit like a nut with that one, but I was referring to the fact that the two models in this spread look like they could be identical twins. Maybe that’s bad, maybe that’s actually only proof of how little race matters, but either way I can’t help but think of movie star Lena Horne who was only accepted my Hollywood because she bought into racial sterotypes in her songs, or, conversely, hid behind a very white beauty standard to soften her true racial identity. I only urge magazines who celebrate diversity to celebrate it loudly and proudly, although like I said before, hiring multiracial models is only one minor step toward a less fascistic fashion world.
Hi,
I think it would be good to list how we can make the fashion world less fascist then Seven and other organisations can use this as a reference point.
Idea 1: More designers from diverse cultural backgrounds in the industry e.g Boateng, Wale Adeyemi
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