magazine collection: Dazed & Confused

Dazed & Confused was actually one of the first magazines I've started collecting aside from i-D (review on that soon). What I love about Dazed is the art direction of their overall magazine. I would say that their layout is less conventional than most magazines you see on newsstands today. But, after they've re-invented the magazine as a whole since their April 2010 issue with the The XX on the cover, I actually found myself distancing from this. I don't know.. Maybe its how the layouts now (to me) looks more messy and the editorials so far seem very un-inspiring. But regardless, I still purchase every issue in hopes that they might get better as each issue is published. 

So as usual, these are my favorite issues from my collection. 

July 2009, #75 with Kendra Spears

October 2009, #78 with Guinever

December 2009, #80 with Abbey Lee

February 2010, #82 with Magdalena Frackowiak

I've always felt that Dazed's covers always stood out. The color treatment as well as styling wise, its more towards the edgier style of appealing to the masses. However, I am going to admit that the few recent covers have been slightly daft. But alas there's hope!. Haven't even gotten my September issue yet (Singapore is damn slow!) but I'm actually looking forward for their October cover with Kirsi Pyrhonen on the cover in Balenciaga! but god knows I'm probably going to get that in November -___- Anyway, see my whole collection after the JUMP!

So this is my entire collection of Dazed & Confused. As you can see I have two Dazed & Confused Japan which I love very much <3. But anyway, I use to adore the spine Dazed had, the colors stood out in my bookshelf. But ever since their re-invention, they decided to completely take that out and leave it boring and monotonous. Their first new issue even forgot to add the volume and issue number! But it's ok. Minor BIG mistake. 

So this is a photo of my whole collection laid out. As you may have noticed, from the The XX's cover onwards, the Dazed covers have been less than stellar....

Here is an early issue of Dazed as well as my Japanese edition. Note the size differences from the others too. But I don't mind. 

So here are some example of the spreads from the older editions. 

August 2009, #76 with Julia Hafstrom. This editorial is very unique in a way its one of the first ones to push the 3-D idea to the readers. It lets us interact with the textures of the garment. Personally I don't really see much difference with the glasses, but my friends can so it probably does work. Other wise, I love Julia to death and the graphic is stunning. 

February 2010, #82 with Magdalena Frackowiak. Who could ever forget those shredded ball gowns from Viktor&Rolf's Spring/Summer 2010 collection? Well this whole editorial is dedicated to those couture gowns as well as an in-depth explanation to the idea behind the massacre. Magdalena is such a thinspiration in this spread.

July 2009, #75 with Kendra Spears. The reason why I love this spread was both the color treatment as well as the styling. The black leather garments matched with native American feather head gears all added up to a very excellent editorial.

October 2009, #78 with Guinever. The concept behind this whole editorial was to have a variety of different designers spanning from Alexander Wang, Roberto Cavalli to Hussein Chalayan create a mask for Dazed. Being that October was the month for Halloween, the creations were very much dark and very much amazing. I'll post photos from this editorial if you guys are interested to see!

December 2009, #80 with Abbey Lee. "Where the Wild Things Are" was the main inspiration for this editorial and Abbey Lee looked very much like Max. The styling too was very true to the story. Features, claws and horns were very much in abundance for the readers to take in.