It doesn’t matter whether you’re on the road or on the divan, because nothing is as cozy as a bit of leisure to sit back and dive into some reading material in the midst of the dreary winter days. In my case, I’ll be savoring the teeny weeny bit of free time in the air reading. Yup, I’m leaving for Berlin this weekend and would love some insider tips by the way. But first, check out the fifth issue of the independent Scandinavian fashion/art magazine SMUG for some reading pleasure. SMUG #5 is finally hitting the magazine stands next week and is hands down one of the best, if not the best, Scandinavian publications out there, at least in my estimation.
The magazine is jam-packed with enthralling articles and editorials, featuring, but not limited to, Patrick Wolf, Yuja Wang, Andrea Mary Marshall, Larry Heard, works by Michael Donovan, and Hedi Slimane. I think my favorite interview is the one with Peter Gatien, which is both a heartbreaking and interesting read about the mogul behind four major clubs in NYC a few decades ago. And as a longtime fan of Hedi Slimane, it’s no wonder that I’m literally exhilarated by the fact that he’s one of the magazine’s contributors. He never ceases to amaze me and it’s a true honor to feature his works in SMUG.
For those of you fashion savvy ladies, you’ll most likely get a thrill out of the conversations with the fascinating and talented Bruno Pieters, Siki Im, Jacquemus, and Katie Gallagher. The Bruno Pieters interview might inspire readers to consume more mindfully, not to mention raise awareness about the subtle political aspects of fashion. And one of the French up-and-coming youngsters featured in this issue, Simon Porte Jacquemus, who has a serious penchant for uniforms and who also wears his favorite clothes over and over again, talks about how he accidentally became a minimalist, his partiality for creating a sense of boredom, and distaste for details.
Anyway, the fifth issue of SMUG is the last one in Norwegian as the magazine will be internationally distributed as of summer 2012. 276 pages of timeless content and impeccable design, paper, as well as beautiful typography. What’s more to add? Well, it’s a magazine people will hold on to for many years to come. And if you happen to be in Oslo on Saturday, don’t forget to hop by the magazine launch party for SMUG #5.
PS: The only place you can get hold of this magazine in the US for now, albeit it’s in Norwegian, is at The Armory Show in New York City!
