THE READING LIST: TWO INDIE MAGAZINES TO PICK UP NOW

TWO NEW INDIE READS

Suitcase Magazine & Arcadia

Magazines have always been a huge and expensive part of my life, as a college teen i’d buy every monthly and weekly there was on day of release and hoard them in my room (up until I went to UNI when a clear out was essential), I’d rip out chic looks to build on my bedroom door collage, and use the Chanel adverts as a wallpaper on my chimney breast. I really was a fan. I went to University with the original ambition of leaving and becoming a magazine editor, the prospect of running my own editorial magazine was just too awesome to think about. But studying English at A level was a barrier, which is how I fell into media – the opportunity to work on those Chanel ads and loosely with the magazines I so adored. Fortunately it was the perfect career choice for me.

And my pipe dream of being a magazine editor in someways came back to life with the birth of mediamarmalade.com. My own little online magazine if you will.

Over the years my magazine reading hasn’t stopped, but some of my favourite titles have gradually shut down (In Style was a real moment), unable to compete with the online competition, and so I’ve had to seek out alternatives. Of course the likes of Elle and Vogue still fill my home each month, but the quality editorial and unique style of indie magazines is a huge pull for me, and there’s two I now adore that I wanted to share with you today.

TWO NEW READS TO INDULGE IN

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SUITCASE MAGAZINE

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I’ve mentioned Suitcase magazine before in my weekly reading lists, after meeting Tona the Fashion Director at a Jo Malone event a few months back, I was intrigued to give Suitcase a read. I’m so glad I did. For me travel and fashion are my two biggest passions, I love writing about them and reading about them too, and Suitcase combines them perfectly. The magazines are seriously high quality, a perfect compilation of locations & stories and also includes fantastic guest editorial and photography (the latest issue has Dolly Alderton of The High Low writing a feature from the Orkneys as she takes some time out to write her book). Issue 19 has just been released but to be honest the back collection is just as worthy of picking up too!

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ARCADIA

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Arcadia is a new magazine I picked up recently whilst lost in the depths of indie mags in Wardour News (honestly the best magazine shop to visit if you’re close to Soho, they really do have it all). The magazine once again focuses on fashion and travel, but whilst for suitcase travel is obviously the core of the editorial, for Arcadia fashion tends to take the fore. What I also loved about Arcadia magazine was the interviews and feature stories with UK talent, Joe Suggs, Niamo Smart and the ‘A Bikini A Day’ duo who are now world famous for their bodies & travels.

Neither of these titles have high culture editorials or economic or political focuses, which for me is actually a plus. Sometimes all you really want is a little escapism and beautiful story telling and both of these magazines deliver on that expertly.

With a long weekend to play with, spending a little time lounging in the sunshine and flicking through some good reads is just what the doctor ordered! I’d love to know if you have any favourite indie reads and recommendations for me to try out?