Ashley Heath on 032c
Ashley Heath, once of The Face and the man who launched Arena Hommes Plus and Pop, contacted us with some comments on the ongoing debate around Mike Meiré’s redesign of 032c, a magazine to which he is a major contributor
“Having commissioned a huge chunk of 032c’s fashion imagery and original photography for the past couple of years and co-conceptualised some of its most prominent themes and cover concepts, I have a couple of thoughts on the Meiré issue/”issue”.
I like much of the graphic design in the magazine a lot although Meiré’s understanding and handling of photography (fashion imagery particularly) is perhaps questionable. The layouts really disappointed a number of the visual contributors. Maybe brave graphic design will always produce this result in today’s environment? I too find this cover to be of questionable quality image-wise, although the red graphic “original 032″ statement is strong to my eyes.
Spreads from the current issue of 032c, art directed by Mike Meiré
Contentious or not, it’s not my favourite issue of the magazine - largely as a result of some clunky collaboration. Great glossy magazines rely on effective team play. This is what usually lifts a collection of inspired content onto a higher plane of magazine publishing. I thought the previous issue designed by Petra Langhammer was a magical moment for 032c. She’ll not be subject to such exhaustive analysis here I warrant, perhaps understandably.
032c remains one of the best independent magazines in the world in my opinion, a benchmark for many far higher-profile glossies.”
Ashley Heath
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I like anti-design, as long as it has a certain aesthetic value to it. And it connects with the content, style and character of the magazine. The idea of design is to have a visual journey that reflects the content. This is simply too ugly for me. I won’t buy this. 032 could have asked a 12 year old or someone who has no design sense to create this… it would have a more of a social comment than this redesign. If this design is just to get attention.. will it in the end improve on sales?
Calvin
03/Sep/07, 10:02 pm