We often tend to complain about the state of the men's press in France (very sparse, and which often has poor mastery of its subject, etc.), but things have changed quite a bit recently with the arrival of two new publications: The Good Life and Center Commercial (the magazine of the multi-brand boutique of the same name). And it turns out that the new kids are very, very interesting.
So since the holidays are here, we tested the new ones and retested the others...
L'Officiel Homme: an essential men's magazine
The first impression that L'Officiel gave me was that of an elitist magazine oscillating between ostentatious luxury, mainstream and precious references reserved for regulars (with sometimes tiring name dropping). And yet, despite this bad start, I was won over by several elements as I read.
Clothing selections
This will catch anyone's eye, most of the pieces chosen belong to the advertisers' brands (apart from in this specific case the presence of Monoprix espadrilles, which we salute). This does not mean, however, that we absolutely have to get defensive and reject everything altogether. Even if the quality/price ratio of mainstream luxury is not up to par, the aesthetic qualities are undeniable and remain a reliable source of inspiration.
The reports
I did not expect, when browsing L'Officiel, to read such a detailed report on firearms in the United States, with well-felt caricatures, worthy of the real news press.
L'Officiel also offers photo reports, for example on the Four Seasons in New York, or, more alternatively, to present a collection on the Hell's Angels.
This copy also included a report on the Charvet house (a little superfluous, 5 lines of text and a few photos, we are left wanting more).
The shootings
Very uneven shoots: we play on the hype with stars highlighted to the extreme like Kanye West and Kim K. If you want to see a close-up of Kanye's three-day beard, go for it.
The other shootings left me with a much better impression: even if we only find advertising brands, the aesthetic qualities are beautiful and very present and the quality of staging is exemplary. It is thanks to them that we understand why L'Officiel remains a reference.
Geoffrey's opinion : It's clearly not my thing, not masculine enough, too much commercial content, and I don't learn much from reading it. The shootings, on the other hand, are exemplary.
Monocle, the mook (magazine-book) from across the Channel
Monocle is a mook (magazine-book) much more lifestyle and design oriented than fashion, unlike L'Officiel, and which tackles much less conventional subjects, while taking us around the world. Unfortunately, I only had the magazine in hand for one afternoon, which didn't give me time to take photos of the pages.
The reports
We discover a file on Medellin, the second most important city in Colombia after the capital Bogota. It retraces in a manner that is both detailed and accessible all the public policies initiated to transform the city with concrete and easily assimilated examples, perfect for bringing out for a family dinner.
We learn, for example, that the city has gone from being a theater of gang war (notably with Pablo Escobar) with a homicide rate of 380 deaths per 10,000 inhabitants (compared to 59 per 10,000 at the height of the war in Iraq) to a developed city, with developed public transport.
Design and style
Design is approached in a very general way, sweeping either architecture or furniture and other interior objects. Style is not left aside and is approached with humor through sections such as "Style Leader" with in this edition an analysis on the non-style of Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko. Less light and more technical issues are also on the program: here the work carried out by the military textile industries to gradually replace synthetic fabrics, which are easily flammable, with wool.
Clothes
The return to tradition and the basics of the 20th century is also a favorite theme with a file devoted to these iconic brands which are making a notable comeback: Baracuta or Joseph Cheaney.
This men's magazine manages to find a fair compromise in the themes covered by remaining halfway between heritage, authenticity and innovation: this is what is evident in particular through the mention of multi-brands like Uebervart and niche salons like Jumble. This is also visible through the end of magazine shoot, where traditional and old school brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Mackintosh, more confidential brands like Incotex or Engineered Garment, and the mainstream with Bottega Venetta or Maison Kitsuné coexist.
Geoffrey's opinion : I'm a real fan, it's a very good read. Nothing to add.
The Good Life, the most balanced men's magazine
Copy of Monocle or not (it is certain that The Good Life is inspired by it, but that will not be our debate), Monsieur Marcel was not mistaken in last year's men's press article: he is really difficult to take away from the journey this magazine takes us on.
We navigate between lifestyle themes and good deals in Good To Know, with design selections that don't forget the geek in every man, with for example this design selection of HD gadgets.
You can echo the guide to the best BG stores with this Good Stores subcategory.
Where The Good Life surprised me was its versatility, with sections like Good World, but also Good Brains which competes with Challenges in its presentation of prominent personalities, while remaining interesting and accessible whatever the theme. addressed.
Other categories like Good Boost or Good Trend describe the facts with the relevance and accuracy of The Economist (which is also the partner newspaper of the Good Paper section). Enough to take a break without feeling guilty if you are in history, economics or even HEC prep school.
The Good Trips section, on the other hand, takes us on a journey in the literal and geographical sense of the term, oscillating between hyped destinations (San Francisco, Hong Kong) and more confidential places (like Kuwait City or Sylt). We are also told of the big dream with the test of the Air France Première at 11,000 euros (or 3,793 Mc Flurry).
The Good Comics section offers comics, generally vintage, which remind us that this is indeed a men's magazine and that we are in good hands.
Let's now move on to the fashion section The Good Look: it is much less specialized than on L'Officiel or on Monocle. The brands chosen for the selections and the shootings are for the most part rather mainstream and conventional and in terms of style advice you won't learn anything (unless you didn't yet know how to differentiate a pair of Derby shoes from a pair of Richelieus) .
Despite a banal theme (the jacket) and fairly common brands, the shooting is rather a pleasant surprise and can be a source of inspiration.
Note that The Good Look category is the only one to make a clear distinction between editorial articles and guest articles.
The Good Toys section is technical enough to speak to mechanic enthusiasts and educational enough to interest even novices.
The Good Vibrations section is a summary of cultural news and, in addition to a musical and cultural selection, sometimes offers unusual subjects, such as here a comparison of vineyards run by stars.
Geoffrey's opinion : It's my reference magazine for cultural and economic news. I like the bimonthly format which avoids falling into too ephemeral news. I also really like the articles on design, and the selections of books and music which allow me to make great discoveries.
However, I deplore a really conventional fashion section, it is often the only one (along with the one on yachts...) that I barely skim through. No interest. It's also a shame that certain characters come back too much, like Philippe Stark, who is today a bit like McDonald's is to restaurants (do they have a deal with him or what? We find him every 30 pages!).
Inventory, the men's magazine for the fashion geek
Inventory is an extremely cutting-edge magazine, particularly workwear oriented: you can see it just by holding it in your hands with a particularly heavy weight paper and a very particular texture.
Given its relatively high price, and its availability limited to a handful of physical points of sale (like FrenchTrotters in Paris): we will choose to study the magazine's blog instead: http://www.inventorymagazine.com/updates/
Room by room
If Inventory lists the releases of new pieces, we stay at a reasonable distance from the hype and confine ourselves to iconic pieces, with either real know-how or a historic brand identity behind them.
Collectible lookbooks
It's exactly the same format: a collection is described in a few lines, we are often treated to completely unknown creators, the opportunity to make great discoveries. The illustrations are on the other hand quite limited, but well chosen enough to give us a clear idea of the particularities of each collection.
Art
A complete lifestyle magazine, Inventory also lists films, documentaries and exhibitions to be interested in. Here again, the chosen illustration is striking and representative of the concepts and the description is concise.
The blog is a very good way to get an idea of the content of the magazine: it lists the files with an extremely concise analysis. If you want to learn more, and be amazed with successful illustrations and exclusive interviews on quality paper, buy the magazine. Otherwise, explore the tips given on the blog for yourself.
Geoffrey's opinion : On a par with Monocle, we still have an excellent mook here. Monocle is more lifestyle oriented, Inventory deals more with fashion. For me, the two complement each other.
GQ, the most mainstream men's magazine
We arrive at the most famous men's magazine of all. The French version is a little more raunchy than its English-speaking counterparts, and is quite reminiscent of the women's press. It is immediately positioned in the mid-range (right in the middle, between cutting-edge magazines like Center Commercial and those that are totally mainstream, in the bad sense of the term, like FHM).
With its particularly catchy title, I tested the March 2013 edition, curious to see if it kept its promises.
I have often been disappointed by the Fashion category, in particular the questions and answers section, whose questions are often completely disconnected from men's expectations, and whose answers are either a little off the mark, or without any justification. (apart from “it’s not good”).
This is once again the case throughout this edition, with barely a few useful information to be gleaned here and there.
The folder
In the end we arrive at a fair balance between commonplaces (smile and play sports) and small gems (a CIA manipulation manual, or even "How to survive an organized massacre").
Olivier Pourriol's philosophical chronicle is also a good surprise: rather accessible and easy to read, we quickly navigate between advanced concepts explained in a clear and educational manner.
While it is possible to draw good influences from GQ, it is not the magazine that will provide you with a solid framework for building the foundations of true style.
To get the most out of it, it is best to only buy the issues with the mini-style supplements, which are still around a hundred pages long and which already offer a more classic and concrete theory (although sometimes erroneous).
The seduction files
With around 5 GQ under my belt, I have never learned anything in these sections which recall basic principles, without ever reinventing the wheel. A section to quickly scan, but which is a little too reminiscent of the codes of the women's press.
The shootings
I'm much less a fan of GQ shoots than those of other magazines: the collusion between advertisers/brands used is ultra-visible here (but it's also the case elsewhere) and you will certainly not discover the new brand of small designers there. with unbeatable value for money.
The aesthetic, on the other hand, is really successful: if certain outfits are busy, it's relatively easy to sort things out.
Trends file
The trends identified are relevant (color block, dandy etc.) but the descriptions are often vague, and you won't really have any instructions to get you started.
On the other hand, we like to have several examples in view.
In short, GQ is ultimately a magazine that is less specialized than the others and for which you will have to dig through numerous pages of advertising and commonplaces to find gems. It's still a good investment (it's not expensive) for a short bus or plane trip.
Geoffrey's opinion : A bit like with L'Officiel, I don't learn anything from the fashion column, but I admire the aesthetic qualities of the shoots. On the other hand, the omnipresence of advertisers annoys me, and the sometimes haughty tone of fashion advice as well: it's not a vision in which I find myself.
That said, I greatly appreciate the columns at the beginning of the magazine, and in particular that of David Abiker or Maïa Mazaurette, often that's all I read, but as there are 6 or 7 of them, I am satisfied with the report magazine content/price. In the end, it's a good complement to more specialized magazines, it's easy to read when traveling or on the terrace.
Note that their special series are more interesting and richer, despite the omnipresence of advertisers within the content itself .
The latest: Shopping Center
The Parisian concept store Center Commercial recently released its first biannual magazine (Fall-Winter 2013). It's a very beautiful work, a "mook" too, which we gladly want to keep and consult again. Printed in a few thousand copies, this magazine aims to introduce you to themes “invisible to the eye”.
The most curious among you will therefore discover a clever mix of reports taking them to the four corners of the world (Finland, USA, Great Britain, etc.), stories telling the stories of atypical families (the Lykov family who lived in self-sufficiency for almost 40 years!) and interviews with people who make up the world today (bloggers, sociologists, brand creators, etc.). All without any advertising interrupting your reading and disrupting your “journey”. HIGH FIVE!
Will the city of Pantin see its Jay Z emerge?
We appreciate the diversity of themes covered and the quality of the content offered. A special mention for the report on the town of Pantin (future "French Brooklyn"?), the story of a family of artisans who make leather bags from generation to generation and the interview with Alexandre Guarneri (founder of the Homecore brand) which brings us a fair and balanced vision of the evolution of the hip-hop movement and its relationship to streetwear.
Alexandre Guarneri speaks with rare sincerity in his interview.
Geoffrey's opinion : Flawless. Almost too "bookish" to be read while traveling: it's not at all the kind of magazine that allows you to peck from right to left while being interrupted every 5 minutes. But that is the whole point of the work. Go there with your eyes closed.
The conclusion ?
My preference goes to GQ and The Good Life, but especially to their English-speaking cousin: Monocle. Only Monocle really manages to deal with specialized subjects in depth, without ever appearing pedantic and with an educational tone which is welcome.
On the edition that I had in my hands, Monocle seemed more complete for the style part, which introduced me to eshops and brands.
Inventory deals with niche subjects, often close to Japanese trends, Americana and workwear. In itself, it is an accessible and pleasant magazine if you read English, but you will really have to be passionate about the subject to invest the 20 euros for the paper version, which is not distributed everywhere.
I believe that you need to have followed men's fashion for at least one to two years before you can really enjoy it.
L'Officiel and GQ seem, compared to the other magazines in this press review, necessarily less sophisticated. This does not mean that they are devoid of interest but, objectively and quantitatively, you will not find such a wide variety of content there. It's more entertainment than substantive content.
There remains Shopping Centre, which turns out to be an excellent publication. To see if it will find its audience, which will allow it to continue. That's what I wish for him.
Happy holiday reading!
