Textual Analysis: Vogue

 

Typography: typical serif font, adheres to the vogue brand identity and is a common convention of lifestyle and fashion magazines 

the colour of the masthead is not only eye catching to potential buyers but is also aesthetically pleasing (matches the colour scheme of the image) 

Layout: conventional layout, slightly larger masthead at the top and centre of the page as to command attention. However the cover lacks coverlines, puffs and other typical conventions of magazines, but it gives a cleaner look to the page. 

Language and images: 

covered up and thin eyebrows - a reference to the 1920s era of thin eyebrows, but also a reemerging trend in the beauty community. Unconventional feature especially for a woman to have no eyebrows, connotation of power and beauty regardless of standards. 

direct mode of address: Rhianna makes direct eye contact with the camera, a direct challenge of power made to the audience, Rhianna is a powerful figure. Contrasted with the feminine based flower crown on her head, and purple gauze around her neck - however she appears dominant regardless of femininity. 

red lip: darkened red lip reinforces the aura of power surrounding Rhianna. Red lipstick often is seen to connote sex, and Rhianna contradicts this stereotype of oversexualizing simple lipstick colours.

camera shot: medium close up, shows only her shoulder upwards, subverts the typical magazine convention to sexualize female models, the 'modest' clothing shows that women can be attractive without having to show their body. The hand resting against her face gives an aura of poise and elegancy, a side to women that is often not shown in the media. 

planning: shoot ideas.

 planning: shoot ideas 

Shoot one: 

Milly Fane (model) 

set up: photography set up (plain background) 

locations: hadleigh, shoebury garrison 

edition: fashion 

outfit ideas: dark/ neutral colours, 'masculine pieces' ( waistcoats, leather jackets etc), 70s vibe

shot types: medium close up, possibly full body. 

Shoot two:

Charlotte Colley (model) 

edition: fashion and beauty 

location: photography set up, barbican center

outfit: bright colours, bold, 'over the top', different textures, coloured blazers etc

makeup: minimal base (skin positivity) bold eye makeup (shadows, liners and lashes), bright lips etc 

shot types: medium close up, some close ups for beauty and detail 

shoot three: 

Marnie Grieve (model) 

edition: beauty and fashion 

outfit: high fashion inspiration, blacks and whites, blouses, boned tops /corsets 

makeup: minimal base, red / coloured lips 

shot types: close up, full body, medium close up. 

shoot four:

Lucy Perez (model) 

edition: beauty 

makeup: bold graphic liner, colourful, minimal base etc 

set up: plain photography background 

shot types: close up / mid close up 

Statement of Intent

 

Magazine and Website flatplans

 

pitch improvements

 

shoots locations: 

- in home shoots, blank set up for plain backgrounds 

- southend pier / beach walls 

- for sustainability topic - hadleigh 

- shoebury garrison 

- barbican centre

intertextuality: 

- recreate / or be inspired by certain looks / makeup looks ( david bowie, madonna) 

lifestyle article ideas: 

- planet conscious or guilty conscience? 

- rock it like the 70s ( why the 70s aesthetic is making a comeback) 

- is it all in your head? ( why now we all should go to therapy) 

- depp vs heard a fight to the death ( and what it means for abuse victims now) 

- a year of firsts/ one small step for man one huge step for the oscars ( how the oscars of 2022 have changed oscars history) 

Planning: pitch

 For my NEA coursework I’m aiming to produce a magazine with two issues that showcases the beauty and true reality of human individuality, and to embrace the differences between each person – while combating the unrealistic beauty and body standards that have held dominant in contemporary society. Because the target audience for the product is a 14-25 aspirational audience I want to encourage aspiration for individuality via my magazine, without setting standards that are unachievable or damaging for an impressionable audience.  

Because the brief requires two issues, I’m planning on adopting the basic conventions of other Hearst magazines and creating one magazine centred around fashion, and another on skin/beauty. Each edition will tackle separate standards and stereotypes that I want to combat, while including a variety of different articles carefully formulated for the target audience. I aim to focus on the editorial and high fashion aspects of other magazine products, while celebrating realistic beauty in an achievable manner.  

Magazine 1: beauty/skincare 

This edition is going to be centred around the growing interest and scientific development of skincare, whilst addressing and combatting the unrealistic ‘perfect skin’ stereotypes that skincare products make the ultimate goal. Embracing textured and different skin has become a hard issue to tackle, especially in the 14-25 age range, and I aim to show that even with a variety of different skin textures, beauty is not affected by what skin looks like.  

In order to achieve this, the models that I use in my photographs will have their skin shown as naturally as possible, with minimal skin makeup to embrace the topic issue, and editing will not be done to remove or blur texture etc.  

Shoot ideas:  

• -Moderate and plain backgrounds, so the pictures of the models are showcased and emphasised in the best way possible 

• -The eye makeup shall be bright, bold and unique, as to adhere and match to the editorial/aspirational nature of the magazine 

• -Face/base makeup shall be kept to a minimum as to not hide ‘natural skin’ and to represent the beauty of not being ashamed to have textured skin 

• -Shots of products that are either mentioned in the articles or just on the cover – adopting the more consumerist conventions of magazines

  -recreate famous makeup looks, for example david bowie or twiggy ( but not those for definite)

 

Magazine 2: fashion / lifestyle 

This issue is going to be centred around the development of individual and unique fashion, by cohering with the typical Hearst magazine layouts as well as referencing to high fashion brands and companies to appeal to the aspiring audience. I am for my covers to have quite simplistic images, focused on the model and the outfits with plain backgrounds and in order for the images and magazines to stand out I aim to dress my models in eyecatching bold outfits that are not considered the ‘norm’ for typical fashion. I’m aiming to challenge societal conventions surrounding individual representation and demonstrate how fashion can be used to enable people to express themselves. 

Shoot ideas:

- different themes and mis en scenes will be shown through different backgrounds in the shots, mainly for the internal images and the online site. 

- plain moderate backgrounds for the front covers, to replicate the higher fashion brands and to ensure that the models and outfits are the main focus of the cover.  

- Fashion should replicate the high fashion individual ' clean' look that’s particularly popular with young people right now. The ideas I have currently is to use female models in typically ‘masculine clothing’ as well as mimicking the high fashion houses appearance on a 'lower budget'

-models will represent a range of different social groups to promote the diversity associated with my magazine - which is important to the target audience (mainly through sexuality, gender and race)

 

Possible articles (either for the coverlines or internal articles):

- review the reintroduction of 90s trends, low rise jeans etc

- 'can tiktok be trusted?' - reviewing the viral skincare and makeup trends of tiktok, seeing if products are actually worthy of the attention they gather online

- interviews of young people that use their fashion and appearance to express themselves, and how they have grown to be more comfortable with themselves over time

- analysing the impossible standard that fashion and beauty standards set for young people (mainly skin and body types)

- the contradicting pressures of the guilt about fast fashion and growing prices on young people.

Textual Analysis: Cosmopolitan

To carry ensure that the product I produce has similar features and a likeness to other Hearst magazines, the second textual analysis I do will also be Hearst owned. This time - Cosmopolitan. 

Typography: exclusive use of sans serif font establishes a common theme and recognisable convention across the covers, as well as creating a bold front that makes the magazine stand out from its competitors. 

Language:

 the image has an heir of elegance and power, mocking the magazine and beauty industries standards for models body types - challenging the industries strictly adhered to standards. The model on the cover - Barbie Ferreria, is well known in the body positivity world, and her confidence brings a freshness to the diversity in the cover. 
Ferreria is dressed in tight form-fitting clothing, challenging the stereotypes about plus sized peoples confidence and fashion, as well as setting an example to be aspired to for her audience. Good representation for the magazine - now associated with inclusivity and body positivity. 

Iconography: the Hearst logo is placed in the bottom left hand corner - reinforcing the brand identity across different products. 

more hard journalism topics mentioned on the cover - the issues and stigma around women's voting, sets apart the cosmopolitan from stereotypical beauty and lifestyle centred stories. Story mentioned on the left hand side of the cover 'truths all black women should know' , opens the magazines audience reach and offers content for a group that are not typically catered for. 

- references to 'girly' topics that are typical of the magazine - 'how to haunt you ex' that the target audience are known to be interested in but hinting at the emerging interest in astrology and spirituality (assumes an open minded audience that are interested in more indie topics)