The traditional men’s magazine is on the ropes, with long-lived titles throwing in the towel seemingly every other week. It’s not a surprise. Men’s magazines have been closing for best part of a decade, the old formula of half-naked women, banter and ‘think pieces’ on wild insobriety in some corner of Eastern Europe just isn’t relevant any more.
Which, one might assume, means it’s difficult to remain a well-read man these days. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. A proliferation of niche magazines on everything from football to the art of coffee are currently flourishing, and waiting for you to pick them up. Some you may have heard of. Perhaps your better half has been reading them for years. Some will be new to you. All of them are beautifully designed and have something interesting to say. So get reading.
Popeye
As Isle Of Dogs, Wes Anderson’s recent love note to Japan proved, the land of the rising sun is the coolest country in the world. Look, we don’t make the rules. That’s just a fact. It follows, then, that Japanese street style magazine Popeye should be the one and only stop for hypebeasts out there. As well as covetable garments, you’ll find features titled ‘When I was 20 Years Old’ and ‘City Boys’ Habitats’ – insightful, engrossing and stylish without veering into pretentiousness.
Little White Lies
The long-running film magazine has all the usual reviews, previews and interviews. But what really sets it apart are features delving into the lore and mythos of filmmaking. Everything from ‘Diary of a first-time filmmaker’ to an exploration of the rise and fall of the one-sheet get a look in. Best of all, the paper quality and original illustrations display a real love for magazines. It’ll look great on your coffee table, too.
Positive News
Because, in 2018, we could all use some. A magazine that celebrates the best new advances in everything from economics to environment, offering a fresh perspective and palate-cleanser from the traditional media’s all-you-can-eat diet of gloom and anxiety. Plus, absolutely zero fake news.
Good Sport
Arguably, all sports are good. (Except maybe badminton). But, news coverage can get a bit, well, samey. Thank goodness then, for Good Sport. Covering almost anything you can get competitively worked up about (including road running, surfing, climbing, hockey…) it offers an outside-the-box take on many beautiful games. The interviews are insightful. The features well-thought out, and the photo stories fantastic. Plus, it’s packed with sporting pub ammo, too. Fair play.
Avaunt
The much-loved adventure mag made its comeback this year after a painfully long absence. Glossy, heavy and full of colourful cultural stories, daring escapades and insights into all corners of the world, this is the magazine to make you wish you’d done more with your day. Still, there’s always tomorrow, right? In the meantime, you can always live vicariously through it’s phenomenal photoshoots and profiles. And, at £10 per issue it is, to borrow an old Stella Artois slogan, reassuringly expensive.
Creative Review
Another magazine with a colourful approach to catching the eye, Creative Review is every bit as artistic as the name suggests. Inside you’ll find a little bit of everything from photography to boutique television to podcasts. In one sentence: refreshingly fresh takes to help you broaden your cultural horizons. You just might get inspired, too.
Icon
Browsing a glossy magazineon the subject of interior design might seem like the antithesis of a good time, but if that is the case, you clearly haven’t read Icon. Concerned with architecture and how we utilise the space around us, the magazine is much more than just a sofa catalogue. From brutalist buildings to efficient design and political graffiti, there’s something here to spark any man’s interest.
Vogue Hommes
Even the most fashion-phobic cave dweller is au-fait with Vogue, but it’s male-centric little brother may have escaped your notice. Now’s the time to correct that mistake. Packed with everything from on-the-money fashion news to classic photoshoots, male grooming advice, horology, and culture, it has everything you’ve come to expect from a solid men’s magazine, just in a different, incredibly stylish package.
Brownbook Magazine
This new bi-monthly is a magazine the world could do with browsing because it shines a light on a region that’s always in the news but is poorly understood nonetheless. With a focus on exploring the Middle East’s ‘Urban identity and culture’, Brownbook opens doors to a plethora of colourful cultures most of us know little about. From Tangiers to Tehran, it promises to bring you the most inspiring stories from the region. Each issue is a masterclass in minimalist design, too. And the covers are so good you’ll want to frame them.
New Philosopher
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? How about if that tree is turned into paper, then that’s used to make the New Philosopher? Or how about if we leave that strained analogy there and just tell you why you should be reading this magazine? To put it briefly, wellness – looking after head and heart – is becoming more and more popular. And as a result we’re more ‘woke’ when it comes to entertaining the big ideas. This magazine will help nurture your inquisitive nature.
Union
Like long reads? Like left-field features exploring the grittier side of life? Like glossy photoshoots showing the underbelly in all its grim and grimy glory? Then Union is the magazine for you. With features on everything from strippers to America’s biggest far-right memorabilia museums, and an exploration of American disaster relief workers, it promises an insight into what is most likely a side of life you’re not entirely used to. And it’s absolutely fascinating.
Standart
This quarterly magazine celebrating coffee culture couldn’t be more current. This is a book for aficionados and aspiring experts alike. The design is clean and neat, the features irreverent and informative, and best of all, it’ll look great Instagrammed beside a cortardo. It’ll give you something to chat about with your barista, too.
Rakes Progress
The restorative powers of the great outdoors have long been touted. It was only a matter of time, then, until a high-end mag appeared celebrating all things green-fingered. So in the latest issue there’s a photographic exploration of ‘borders’ (both of the ‘flower’ and ‘national’ varieties) plus everything you need to know to turn that garden/allotment/window ledge into your very own green space.
Eight By Eight
Eight by Eight is a football magazine out of New York. Which means it takes a different approach to the beautiful game than your usual European newspapers and Twitter pundits might. It’s also (we’re sorry to say) a lot cooler than UK alternatives (there is no equivalent). Focusing on top-quality journalism and excellent design, it’s proof that football magazines aren’t just read by 12-year-olds on the back of the school bus. Subscribe here
Put An Egg On It
Like many good things, this food mag is produced in Brooklyn. As such, you’ll get real hipster points for displaying it casually tossed on your coffee table. Recipes, photo features, trends, and more feature, while a zine-like, underground feel makes it infinitely more appealing than Waitrose magazine.
Ernest Journal
A biannual for the curious craftsman, Ernest focuses on everything from how maps are created to how photographers document a given environment. Inside you’ll find explorations of how things are made, from classic tea chests to antique statuettes and more. And, even if it doesn’t prompt you to take up your toolkit, there’s plenty here to keep your mental wheels turning.
Conquista
A high-end cycling magazine focusing on more than your commute, Conquista is the revolutionary niche publication you’ve been waiting for. It’s also another mag where the covers could happily adorn your wall. Inside you’ll fine even more fantastic illustrations, in-depth photo features and high-quality journalism. Just the thing for the stylish cyclist.
