Suede Magazine’s Manifesto

Suede Magazine’s Manifesto

suede magazine

My favorite magazine of all time is the now defunct Suede Magazine. They may have only printed four issues (Fall 2004 – Spring 2005) but the magazine left an indelible mark on me and the industry.

What I loved most about Suede, aside from the fact that the magazine had an actual pulse, is the way every single word, image and article unapologetically celebrated and championed brown girls. As I watch some of my other beloved magazines make excuses about why they can’t (or aren’t) creating content that is honest, inspirational, aspirational, uplifting and informative, I’m reminded that it CAN be done.

I was looking for some inspiration today which is why I pulled out my old issues.  As I began to flip through them the first thing I saw was their manifesto.

Suede Magazine’s Manifesto:

Style is in our DNA. And we, the multi-culti urbanistas stand at a new intersection of street and chic. Our dial is tuned to the catwalk and the corner. We are fashion crazy. We come from the culture on the come up and use fashion to amplify who we are. We revel in the entire spectrum of black beauty and love the skin we’re in. Feel it.

suede magazine

Suede’s manifesto was a promise to readers that they lived up to with each issue. So many of today’s magazines have lost their way (specifically ones targeting the multi-culti demo) that I wonder if creating a manifesto could help them get back on track with readers.

Obviously a manifesto without any additional action wouldn’t change anything, but I think it could be a step in the right direction.

Thoughts? Should magazines create a manifesto?