The fashion complement to the award-winning food magazine Woolworths Taste, W premieres with the Spring 2011 issue, which is all about fashion's new modern mood.
"It's our business to read people, and we think we've really got it right once again with this magazine," says Irna Van Zyl, New Media's group content director. "It is in keeping with international retail trends. Retailers such as the UK's H&M and Asos have created their own successful fashion magazines, which add additional valuable channels through which they can engage with their customers."
Editorial talent has been recruited for the inaugural issue of W, which in addition to fashion also features home décor and food. Beauty editor and writer Marianne Campbell of Femina fame brings her take on colour. Overseeing W 's food pages is Maranda Engelbrecht, long-time food journalist/stylist and founder of Babel Restaurant and articulating the home décor is Paul Duncan, head of design and homeware at Woolworths and former editor of Condé Nast House & Garden.
On music, the editorial includes a chat with actress/singer/songwriter Zoë Kravitz of Elevator Fight Jam, South African musician and designer Spoek Mathambo, Machineri band-members Andre Geldenhuys and Sannie Fox and Gabi-Lee Smit, vocalist and guitarist of The Pinkertons.
Sue de Groot chats to Johnny Clegg, the first in a series of regularly slotted interviews that will focus on an iconic South African. Two other regular features are 'New Talent', which in this issue profiles local textile designer Laduma Ngxokolo and 'Fashion History', an informative timeline that follows the evolution of a fashion item. The Flare seems like a fitting choice for this issue, with its mix of the modern and the nostalgic.
The current '70s obsession gets a nod with a retrospective feature on the great Yves Saint Laurent, which reveals how he was shaped by society's own transformation, and how his influence continues to permeate fashion today.
The magazine will also be available for purchase at selected Woolworths stores nationwide for R24.95.
"Our long-running synergy with New Media is based on commitment and a mutual understanding of what really makes the customer tick and we are thrilled to be behind the resulting fashion and lifestyle read," says Hannah Ross, head of customer, Woolworths marketing.
The revamped September issue of Shape features South African surfing icon and model Roxy Louw on the cover and a new look inside. It includes new sections - 'Shape your Life' on emotional wellness, 'Live Healthy', 'Get Fit' and 'Look Great'. The 'Eat Right' section is now edited by culinary and food journalist, Tamsin Snyman and Kate Sidley, feature writer, columnist and humourist will produce a column entitled 'Shape Lite', a funny look at the exercise life.
According to its editor, Tracy Melass, content will include more cross referencing to the website and social networking platforms, in addition to QR codes linked to features, which readers can investigate further. Editorial staff will also 'network' more with readers, with new blogs from beauty editor Elsa Kruger and Melass, who will be 'Taking the Leap' online.
"Integral to the revamp is a new look that boasts bolder, fresher graphics with bite-sized chunks of smart information. Its tone is also fresher; more fun, informal, intelligent and humorous while remaining thought provoking and engaging," concludes Melass.
The September issues of Finesse offers 100 pages of How-to tips including instructions on how to organise, look your best, retire comfortably, look younger without Botox and parenting in a modern world.
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Corrected at 4.29pm on 19 August 2011.
For More list added at 4.50pm on 19 August 2011.
