OUGD601: New Romantic i.D Magazine

i.D Magazine was one of the first arts and culture mags in mainstream culture to consistently take clear and visible inspiration from the DIY Zine movement. The introduction of typewriter typography gives a 'bullet point' view on the subjects being discussed, suggesting connotations to nostalgia (pre 1960), as well as case notes and typewriter letters. By assigning type to an image, with the formal lines acting as joiners, the viewer assumes the information present in the paragraph is about the subject they are viewing. The whole aesthetic creates references to cheap collages and photocopy prints, which have always been one of the cheapest means of self-publishing works. These signifiers all relate to the relationship between 'popular' magazines and class- by being a widely distributed magazine with a large print run (which i.D was in the 80's at the time of new romanticism),  the magazine leveraged it's power to tap into popular culture, as well as reflect their difference in the publishing market. They are not trying to fuel the Vogue fantasy, they are wanting to be relatable to their establishing target audience- who, prior to i.D, probably looked to self published zines or even more established magazines such as Vogue (unlikely) or Harpers Bazaar, or possibly nothing at all. i.D and The Face were both descendent of street style magazines, so their intention was to represent what was happening out it the world and reporting it back- with their own individual flare. The styling would not be staged, unlike Vogue, therefore conveying an honesty to their audience (real or fabricated) which does carry an air of believability. Even the style of photography, candid, grainy and often over exposed due to cheap technology used by 'non-professionals', which itself brought an alternative wave of new photographers into popular culture. The impact magazines like these have on society is to influence and inform, yet they can also act as aspirational tools, in terms of dress, lifestyle or personality traits; who do you want to be is the real question they are asking, and it is up to the viewer to the respond.