Visions from some other world

Every so often I like to stop by a bookstore to browse the shelves. It’s partly out of searching for inspiration and another part yearning for the tactile nature of actual printed books, but every once in a while I find something that defies even those quaint expectations.

You do this in bookstores, too, right?

On my most recent trip, I found this unusual treasure.

I found it in the photography section, and although I first assumed it was yet another mildly interesting collection of obscure art, I quickly figured out this wasn’t a book but a single issue of a magazine.

A French fashion and culture magazine called Purple, that is, if I’m honest, far beyond any kind of magazine I’ve ever seen, and I’ve worked for seven different magazines in my career.

Maybe because I’m not one to follow the world of high fashion, or maybe because the magazine business has changed so drastically since I last worked on one in 2015.

This beautiful monster is hardcover bound, over 500 pages long, features some amazing photography and artwork, and most importantly, pushes against my own personal conventions of what magazines are.

You won’t find this in any newsstand, that’s for sure.

It’ll take me some time to really digest everything in it, but for the curious, Purple is also available online.

Meanwhile, if you ever spot an issue that isn’t shrink wrapped, do yourself a favor. Pick it up. Feel the weight. Flip through the pages. It’s a different experience.