Exotism #1

The inaugural issue Exotism, Berlin’s newest fashion title, aims to present a different look at the industry through the lens of motorcycle culture. At first I thought that the magazine was always going to be about motocross… alas it’s not, each annual issue will take a different niche topic for its theme.

The effect of focusing on something very specific is engaging: this particular bike-life special gave me a newfound appreciation for Yamaha onesies, for example. Berlin photographer Timothy Schaumburg’s shoot, running throughout the issue, is particularly stunning; it features an array of motocross garb in a high-fashion context (above). The Berlin-based artist and cofounder of trend forecasting group K-Hole, Emily Segal, writes a thoughtful piece on energy drinks for the magazine, and other contributions include an essay on the history of motorcycle life and an exploration of the vehicle’s use in contemporary art.

There are plenty of independent magazines that move from niche themes to niche theme every issue, but Exotism is one of the first fashion titles that I’ve come across to do so. It’s a stunning debut: distinctly Berlin-ish, its large pages give a thorough, imaginative investigation into how a particular subculture influences and inspires a contemporary aesthetic.

Publisher/art director: Manuel Schlibi