PORTER - Against the Current

When I was in Morrison's last month to get a salad for lunch I passed through the magazine isle and usually I can never expect a great deal from Hartlepool's offer of magazines but I saw a new glossy called 'Porter' so I picked it up and had a flick through. I sat and ate my salad reading this magazine then I picked it up to read through every so often in the past month, here is what I thought of it. 

Now with high fashion glossy's they all seem the same to me, the same advertisements, editorials, wealthy women telling me I need to buy the latest Celine bag but this one was unlike any high fashion magazine I've ever read it was packed with exotic, luxurious editorials, stories of strong women and questions that made me challenge whether this was a fashion magazine or a therapist. 

The magazine is called 'Porter' and is powered by the website 'Net-A-Porter' I believe this is a game changer for women's magazines drop your Vogues right now because Porter is going to question your global view on art, social standing, fashion, beauty and what is means to really be a woman. 

I have personally never been so affected by a woman's magazine in my life this magazine presents to me women who I aspire to be, this isn't about hiding your femininity it's about exploring your ideas about the world and then letting you decide on who you want to be. 

Porter doesn't give you a bible that you should live by, it hands you questions that you must go an answer yourself.

The article that caught my eye at first was by Molly Ringwald who'll you will probably recognise from 'The Breakfast Club' which is one of my favourite movies, the article is about the changing faces of heroines and as I was reading through I felt as though she was was answering my thoughts as I was nodding along saying 'Yes! Me too!'. Ringwald talks of how she longed to be a 'Louise Brooks, Jean Seberg and Zelda Fitzgerald' not a sweet teen icon instead she admired the heroines who 'burned brightly and then burned out'. The longing to be an 'F. Scott Fitzgerald heroine, Daisy Buchanan or the infinitely glamorous but emotionally unstable Nicole Diver' I felt the same I saw these explosive, alluring women who were unapologetically themselves. I didn't care for America's sweethearts I wanted to be with the interesting women who were a firework of emotions, always glamorous but dressed for themselves not for any man, women who are their own person.

Beautiful shot of a Valentino playsuit with the caption 'In a shade close to your skin tone, keep the shape fluid, never tight'.

This article is about 'The Rules of Modern Femininity' by Chloe's Clare Waight Kellar is explains to you the mood of the brand 'Chloe' and all the influences that make Chloe a feminine brand but not necessarily ladylike or modest.

It explains to you the effortless Parisian style, how women's lives influence the clothes and what goes into creating the palette for Chloe.

"It isn't about decorating a woman; it is about amplifying an aspect of her beauty."

I fell back in love with art (not that I ever really fell out of love with it, it just disappeared under my radar) thanks to Porter I saw this beautiful painting by Brazilian artist 'Adriana Varejao' called 'Drunken Mermaids' (2009). The vibrancy of the fruit, combined with the calming water flowing around it as the mermaid lets her hand fall through the water the entire atmosphere calms and relaxes me I'd really love a print of this.

This editorial called 'Sheltering Sky' has inspired me the most in fashion to try a new way to dress each image from this editorial I saw something that I dreamed to wear it presents a woman effortlessly glamorous, relaxed in her clothing and displays the silhouette of a confident woman who knows herself. Set in the beautiful Marrakech creating a desert fantasy with a woman who is adorned in opulent fashion but with loose waved hair and a carefree spirit doesn't showcase designer brands but is more focused on textured, well-made pieces that show a love for the feel of fabric on the skin.

Another enchanting editorial focused on the appeal of the Pre-Raphaelite period which presents a rich colour palette influenced by the surrounding nature, hair adorned as a crown on the head.

Porter must have read my mind because just as I was thinking about introducing blue into my wardrobe so that it could be my 'summer colour' I turned the page to the new colour of fashion, the vibrant Fendi ensemble presents a harmony to your eyes while questioning your confidence. 

The article 'Modern Family' is about Sophie Matisse (great granddaughter of Henri Matisse) it interested me to learn more about what a descendant of Matisse thought of his art and how Sophie's relation to him affected her own creativity and career. It was particularly inspiring to see Sophie's own work (pictured above) in the article such as 'Little George' (2005) the vibrancy and colour as well as the intertwining of two worlds interested me greatly. I'm a self-confessed day dreamer who spends the majority of my time thinking about dreamt up places in my mind, it was comforting to see someone else's world and how captivating they are. I could look at Sophie's work for hours and get completely lost in them and think about what story, characters and message she is trying to convey, Sophie is a great artist by her own right.

I really hope this review of Porter magazine has inspired you to go and pick up a copy, I know that this magazine can be read in a few months or years and you'll find a new question to wonder about as Porter has helped me on my way to self discovery. 

It pushes your boat against the current when on your journey but really it's taking you in the right direction so put your oars down, let go, follow the moon and be surprised at your end destination.

Steph Greenwood