Passport Thoughts
Tuesday morning is just too early in the week for any sort of epifany but I experienced one nonetheless. A copy of Passport, a London-centric fashion/lifestyle magazine landed on my desk. It's not actually a real magazine for sale but a project created by the London College of Fashion MA journalism students and I had been asked to contribute a column for this Christmas/Festive issue (a little late coming I know!). Looking at it, layout, content, structure, tone etc.... all of the skills that went into putting this together are skills that I could definitely do with now if my dream is to even have a remote chance of happening. I hate to say it and I apologise to my parents who paid my tuition fees and all, but my UCL history degree is suddenly looking a little redundant, despite all of my grammar school upbringing pushing me towards an 'academic' degree as opposed to a 'vocational' one, reasoning that the former is far superior to the other (I now realise that is complete bollocks....). That's not to say that every fashion editor has come from a fashion journalism degree background so perhaps there is hope yet. Still, Passport is polished to such a level that has given me much to think about with regards to my fantasy mag.
The issue is called 'Sense and Scentibility' with the return of scratch and sniff! Except, this time it doesn't smell gross and when you turn to the main fashion editorial, you get a waft of lovely cinnamon, cloves and orange peel.... aka mulled wine (I sampled in total seven varieties of mulled wine over X'mas.... ). I'm just sorry you can't catch a whiff of this over the internet. The illustrations by Sofia Skold together with the dresses which range from vintage to Primark celebrates Holiday dressing which again, is a little late, but useful advice any time of the year as well as being mighty pretty to look at. I love how the illustrations look like they are dancing on the page with a life of their own.
If you are at all interested in my outdated holiday advice, here is my column that I wrote together with a wickedly cool illustration by Laura Jordan that I simply must keep on file!
the scans are amazing. even if you do have a history degree, if i was in your place, i would do what you want to do.
Posted by: cate | 22 January 2008 at 16:09
SUSIE! I don't see why you shouldn't start your own magazine...you're bound to get a lot of investors in your project. And subscribers. Might as well make it an international project. And yay for history majors, I plan on majoring in art history/political science once I get to university. Personally I think it's great that you majored in history :-D yay for Asian history buffs.
Posted by: Noel | 22 January 2008 at 16:37
where can i buy this?
x
Posted by: charlie | 22 January 2008 at 16:45
Susie, you have this natural talent on fashion and you shud definitely not waste it...btw can you put the article you wrote with a larger image resolution?? I wanna read it hehehehe....
Posted by: Diana Rikasari | 22 January 2008 at 16:51
Hi Diana... if you click on the image, you should be able to enlarge it an read it properly....!
Posted by: susie_bubble | 22 January 2008 at 16:53
How fun! I love the idea of involving other senses into the magazine reading process and scent is the strongest sense tied to memory.
Posted by: The Clothes Horse | 22 January 2008 at 16:58
If you ever start that fashion mag of your's, can i sign on? my dream as well.... Passport looks beautiful... dizzy doodles in the margins like i do during classes and yet still neat and professional looking. as you said, exactly what i'd want my magazine to look like. just lovely. totally dream-like.
Posted by: Dana | 22 January 2008 at 17:06
I'm in my final year reading Art History, and while it was my choice to study it i know exactly what you mean by saying your degree feels a bit redundant. I haven't even completed my year yet but unlike my sister whose studying law and will inevitably become a lawyer...i've no idea whats going to happen to me!
I would love to be part of a fashion and lifestyle mag or whatever. But i really do think it's within reach for you, you've already had quite a lot of fashion writing under your belt so i dont think you will have any problems! I'd buy it! Seriously!
Posted by: Winnie | 22 January 2008 at 17:15
The magazine is indeed fantastic! And I am not just saying that because I was in the same MA course as the darling Trisha, who created it!
(To clarify, the Passport magazine was her final project, not a collective one from all of the students)
Posted by: Guerreira | 22 January 2008 at 17:18
Apologies! The magazine was created by Trisha alone....! I predict great things for her.... definitely....
Posted by: susie_bubble | 22 January 2008 at 17:21
Hey Susie!
Thanks for your lovely contribution; you're a star, really! And thanks also for featuring my final project. I'm v. happy you like it! I hope you are not having a migraine from the scent though haha. Actually, of all things, I have a BA in Political Science lol so I guess in the end, we can always do the things we love.
Coming from you Susie, this means a lot. Thanks, you've made my day! Big kiss xx
Posted by: | 22 January 2008 at 17:33
mmmmmmmm yum definitely better and more inspiring than magazines that are really simply advertisement!
Posted by: selina | 22 January 2008 at 18:37
Many people fail to follow a degree-career path. I think this is especially true in today's economy and also true of people who did not get a technical degree (law, medicine, engineering, science, etc) and were involved in liberal arts (your history, my languages).
I have never used my degree for anything. I have, however, used coursework I took in music theory and orchestration (not my major) and I have made money with it teaching in theatres. One never knows what will come in handy or what leads where.
BTW, I am a sucker for anything with birds, and those illustrations are marvelous.
Posted by: Suzanna | 22 January 2008 at 18:59
i would be all for subscribing to your magazine susie! bagsy intern!
xxx
Posted by: emma | 22 January 2008 at 19:40
those illustrations look great!
ah susie, you went (and i still go) to the same grammar school!!! hbs girl.(have i mentioned this before??)we're definetly being pushed towards academic degrees, but one day i would still love a job in the fashion industry.
xxx
Posted by: kseniya | 22 January 2008 at 21:01
BEAUTIFUL!
Posted by: Renée S. / FashionFillers | 22 January 2008 at 21:37
love the column and the accompanying image! you sure know your stuff!!!
Posted by: Fashion Tidbits | 23 January 2008 at 00:33
That's got a beautiful and organic feel. Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: enc | 23 January 2008 at 01:11
Degree shmegree!
Too bad people couldn't be judged by passion or talent!
Posted by: iron chic | 23 January 2008 at 01:37
I wanna shoot for your magazine (whenever you start it)!
Posted by: kitty | 23 January 2008 at 02:13
Those drawings are mesmerizing... and scratch and sniff?!?!
Posted by: heather | 23 January 2008 at 02:59
Well actually, Bubble, you need both degrees. If you are going to do any vocation right, you need to be generally well educated.
Posted by: j | 23 January 2008 at 05:34
I'd love to be able to NOT follow my degree-career path (law)- sometimes it just feels so inevitable that I'll become a lawyer. ..
Enough about me- Susie, you can definitely do this! Passport looks great, but other bloggers have launched online sites (e.g. Fanatique)- I really hope your dream comes true someday.
Posted by: Drusilla | 23 January 2008 at 08:06
Susie, this mag is great - but I really think that with your blog following and incredible style and knowledge of fashion, if you got together with a group of like minded people you could very succesfully start off your own online fashion zine in your spare time (if you have any:) ) You already have an audience in waiting who would lap it up, I know I would. Plus, put that on your CV and take it to Anna Wintour and you'd be hired on the spot!
Posted by: bronwyn | 23 January 2008 at 10:57
i forgot to say, you could probably get ad sponsors and earn money out of it too?
Posted by: bronwyn | 23 January 2008 at 10:57
That's a really cool mag! Waaayyy better than my college's style 'zine!
Posted by: Lyndsay | 23 January 2008 at 16:37
I tell you, I am most definitely giving the magazine some serious thought.... serious in the business sense - bank loans, backing, advertising and all that stuff.....
A big round of applause for Trisha though for putting something like Passport together...
Posted by: susie_bubble | 24 January 2008 at 16:50
i'm doing a psychology masters at ucl right now and am thinking - so how does this come in handy when pursuing a career as a fashion photographer? someone recently put it: you'll just be able to relate really well to your models.
maybe you and your history degree could specialize on vintage fashion? designer wars? how the 14th century influenced gallianos winter collection in 2005?
Posted by: kat | 24 January 2008 at 23:38
I agree with both sides of the fence (coming from a journalism background and perusing a fash journ degree), most fashion editors don't have a fashion journalism background, but I don't think it hurts if you go that route! But either way you have to be creative in this industry, and Susie you def have it to start a pub- degree or no degreee...
I'm coming across the pond soon, do I smell a potential collaboration... Great Post per usual.
Posted by: Stylish Thought | 01 February 2008 at 22:15
Great bit of information. Thanks for sharing.
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