One of the best things about stopovers at international airports is the opportunity to find a few great magazines, namely ones that aren’t available in Toronto.
In Hong Kong, I picked up three must have magazines from around the globe.
Probably one of the best magazines I’ve seen to date, The Rake is the “modern voice of classic elegance”. Stationed out of Mauritius, this magazine speaks volumes about how a men’s style magazine should be developed and pieced together. The content is thick: articles are technical yet easy to read, images are bold and powerful, and the message of style leans towards classic than trendy. Their website includes a couple articles from previous issues and a costly subscription fee for delivery to our side of the world.
A spread on Pal Zileri caught my eye after I had purchased the magazine (which by the way, cost $7 at the airport, $30 online). LAB by Pal Zileri is one of our more popular off the rack suit designers, and the article details the construction and beliefs of menswear.
“Pal Zileri is different. ‘Our competitors tend to stock largely plain, largely grey suits, with little variation season to season. If there is a strip, it is thin; if there is a check, it is subtle. It is classic, but it lacks a little flair. We are different. We are the Italian dandy’, says Yvan Benbanaste, the brand’s fashion director.”
…
“Benbanaste controls an ever-expanding number of sub-brands … And the newest edition, Lab, has proved very popular in its standalone stores. This youthful label experiements more with technical fabrics and has its own, separate factory.”
If you can get your hands on a copy, do it. You won’t be disappointed.
As for other magazines I picked up, I snagged the latest issue of HUGE Magazine, a popular Japanese high-style magazine. I can’t read 90% of it, but the latest and greatest from the world’s most advanced sure take good photos. The previous January issue had a feature on fashion, which I just missed, but I was able to flip through it while at the OBEY store in Manila. Great magazine.
Lastly, GQ Britian hits another home run with one of the best covers of all time. I’ll leave you with a thumbnail and initials: V.S.
