Today I found myself overhearing a conversation at the newsstand where a group was discussing whether or not to each purchase the March 2014 issue of Vogue Italia. A girl told her companion she was buying the £9.00 magazine because she was almost certain there would be something inside she liked, due to the fact that the magazine was so heavy (the issue and its two supplements weigh in at 2 kg).
I walked out with my own copy, plastic carrier bag almost snapping with the pressure of such a heavy item. A few hours later I realized that I hadn’t even opened the magazine from its shrink wrap, and wondered if I was so compelled to make the purchase myself because it was heavy, thick and seemed to show promise from the unusual cover shot.
As it turns out, the thickness of Vogue Italia March 2014 does not guarantee the issue will be a substantial read. In fact, Steven Meisel‘s story is the only good element, the rest of the issue fades into the background. As for the two supplements which are included (Vogue Accessory and the couture supplement), they don’t hold much promise either. Both supplements are included as free gifts (albeit a free gift I have to pay extra for, due to the added weight and the import charges).
As a magazine collector, I couldn’t care less about the thickness of a magazine. I would much rather have one fantastic fashion shoot, than four or five mediocre stories which would result in a higher page number towards the end of the issue. Magazines should be more about quality than quantity.
