Featuring

• Nicola Roberts
• Holly Fulton
• Donatella Versace
• Elvira
• Dame Edna
• Josephine De La Baume
• Erin O’Connor
• Lisa Stansfield
• Pete Burns
• Franca & Carla Sozzani

Editor’s Letter
Issue 02 FW11

It feels longer than six months since I wrote my last editor’s letter. Indeed, it has been something of a rollercoaster ride – an entire season of turbulence, of ups and downs, of indecision and, occasionally, some rather brilliant moments of clarity and vision (though I confess that these were few and far between – it was far from plain sailing!).

That said, I couldn’t be more proud of this issue. It’s taken an exciting new direction artistically under the guidance of our new Creative Director, Peter Hughes, yet overall the magazine still feels very much ‘Ponystep’.

Initially, the issue was going to be called ‘The Woman Issue’ dedicated to women, and women only. While the majority of the issue is simply that, there are exceptions. How could one possibly not want to feature Pete Burns? How could we pass up an opportunity to talk leather luxury with the delightful Stuart Vevers, and how could we refuse Ellen Von Unwerth a couple of hot young chaps? Yes, a few men slipped through the net, but essentially, it is the woman issue. Sort of.

When commissioning the women featured this issue, I felt strongly that we must acknowledge the women around us – around me. While it is all well and good to fill every issue with amazing, beautiful models and celebrities, sometimes its nice to see something else. To read something else. To have an opinion. Each of the women in this issue resonate with me in some way or another – from a very naked Thelma Speirs and a ‘begoggled’ Julie Verhoeven, to Susanne Deeken or Felicity Hayward; these are women I like, respect, and want to spend time with. Why would they not warrant pages?

Of course, I don’t know everyone in the issue personally – though I dream of one day ‘hanging’ with Elvira, of sipping bubbly with Dame Edna, or enjoying a crafty fag with Donatella (I once came very close, but that’s another story). The women featured on our various covers are not obvious cover stars by any stretch of the imagination, but each of them occupy a special place in my heart. Sure, it may be said that I am guilty of self-indulgence, of entertaining personal nostaligia, but how can you not be passionate about the three cover stars? Its not to say that we were not offered scores of models for potential covers – all of whom would have been totally suitable cover material, perhaps even garnering more column inches. Who knows – we can only speculate on that front. What I have come to realize however, and what really hit home this issue, is that we are an independent magazine, we are fortunate enough to have the freedom to push for other extremes, different aesthetics. To offer up something new. And that’s exactly what I feel we have achieved with Issue 2. Our magazine devoted to the less obvious, to the young, to the old. To people like me and people like to you.

— Richard Mortimer, London September 2011

Featuring

• Kylie Minogue
• Jerry Hall
• Janice Dickinson
• Mark Ronson
• Vidal Sassoon
• Michele Lamy
• Vivienne Westwood
• Katherine Hamnett

Editor’s Letter
Issue 01 SS11

Its been almost eight months to the day that I decided I was ready to move things forward and enter the cut-throat world of independent publishing. On reflection, it was a naively ambitious decision, but ballsy all the same. The mere fact that I am sat writing this editors letter is something of a miracle.

Faced with the prospect of putting together an entire issue, and, more importantly, my first ever issue, I set to thinking about who would feature in the magazine. Who do I love? And thats the thing; ‘who do I love’ - not the latest press obsession, not the latest fashion muse, it had to feel more personal than that. This was my opportunity to feature the bold and beautiful people who somehow inhabit my world.

Those who know me well can testify to my love of popular culture, of icons, of celebrity. I think it’s safe to say that our first ever cover stars tick all these boxes. From the start, I had wanted to include Jerry Hall and Kylie Minogue in the magazine. Both having played a major role in shaping my formative years; Jerry mesmerising me as a small child when I first saw her on tv - that face, the voice, the hair, the stories - to me, she had it all. Andy Warhol. Bryan Ferry. Mick Jagger. Grace Jones. Jerry Hall is the embodiment of glamour. That is not to say it’s been an easy ride - but hey, they build ‘em strong in Texas. And then there’s Kylie - a more omnipresent influence for sure. I have followed Kylie’s career religiously from the start, from her humble beginnings in Neighbours, her first chart hits with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the deConstruction days, through to the international Showgirl she is today. But, as we are all aware, it wasn’t all plain sailing. And thats what I like. She was once an outsider, dropped by the industry and destined, it seemed, to a life in Z-list obscurity. Through sheer determination and hard graft, Kylie has clawed her way to the top of the industry. Quite a feat.

Not conventional celebrities by any stretch of the imagination, many of the people featured in the issue represent a more modern, colourful world. Janice Dickinson is a prime example. For all the bravado and in your face brashness, there is a softer side to Janice. Insecure even. And it’s important to celebrate the flaws too. Yeah, she’s funny, but she’s also hard as nails. And she’s had to be. She’s an outsider. And I think that is the real voice of this issue. To celebrate the outsider. From Glamourous Monique, to our profile of young London clubkids, every single person featured in the issue we find inspiring in some way - maybe not in an obvious way, but inspiring nonetheless. So, here’s to the outsiders, the mis-fits and the kooks. Keep it up guys. Your country needs you.