Oftentimes, it can be hard to find the value in something that others have written off. As the old saying goes, “out with the old and in with the new.” As our world continues to go more and more towards the route of all-digital-everything, the lost art of printing is too often overlooked. But, as the folks over at lifestyle and fashion collective, HYPEBEAST believe, the world of print publications is something that still holds a lot of value to our lives today.
HYPEBEAST recently debuted its highly anticipated The Hypebeast Paper a few weeks ago. The concise “zine” type print publication aims to capture snapshots within the culture of fashion, skate, art and lifestyle. A stand alone publication from HYPEBEAST’s print magazine, The Hypebeast Paper is geared towards offering an easily consummable and entertaining read. For the inaugural issue, Eric Koston was tapped to tell a brief bit about his thoughts on the world of skateboarding, his career and the future of his footwear designs.
We had the opportunity to sit down with HYPEBEAST’s Publication Manager, Alex Lendrum for a brief chat about the Paper. Giving us a bit of insight into the reasons that prompted the creation of the print publication as well as his overall thoughts on the paradigm shift from print-to-digital, our conversation with Lendrum affords a deeper appreciation for the print niche in our digital era.
Read the interview with Lendrum below and pick up a Free copy of The Hypebeast Paper in-store through our Moreland Ave. location while limited stock lasts.
Can you introduce yourself and talk about what you do at Hypebeast?
My name is Alexander Lendrum and I’m the Editor/Publication Manager here at Hypebeast. In short, I oversee all components to both the Hypebeast Magazine and Paper.
What initially prompted the idea for the Hypebeast Paper?
The initial concept was actually slightly different to what the Paper is now. I wanted to introduce a platform that would serve to educate our readers on the products we carry at the Hypebeast store by offering more selective and insightful stories on what we represent. We then decided to open this idea up to include other lifestyle aspects, rounding off the Paper as an entertaining read for everyone.
For people who are interested in the media and editorial world, can you give us some insight into how you were able to curate the content and make sure all of your ideas, photoshoots and editorials actually came to fruition?
It wasn’t too dissimilar to how I work with the Magazine. We applied an overriding, yet not overbearing, theme to the issue, and working together with our editorial team and overseas contributors, work out a solid contents list. It was then just a case of reaching out and working with our vast network of brands and individuals to gather the material. Everyone was incredibly responsive to the idea of the Paper, which made pulling this publication together a swift process.
In an age when everything seems to be going digital, why did you feel the need to create the Hypebeast Paper, a print publication?
Digital platform will always be prevalent, with access to easy, quick and vast information, so there’s no point in trying to beat it. Instead, we wanted to offer an additional platform into the greater mix, presenting to those that want a newspaper that has the space to display more detailed stories coupled by more qualitative images. The type of stories and the way we tell it is different to digital – it’s not competing against it. Also, whether you take it home or throw it away, having something there to hold in your hands and flip through will always play to our ever-lasting desire of ‘obtaining’ something.
What do you forsee as the future of print in the fashion world?
The first thing that comes to mind is ‘visuals.’ Fashion is all about the visuals, and there’s no denying that a high-grade magazine is able to display fashion at a much higher quality then that on a screen – at least for the time being (If our screens excel above that of a glossy page, then we can open up the discussion on convenience versus heritage). So for now, I believe that print will have a place in fashion for being able to present it in a worthwhile way.
