Mike Koedinger, publisher, Maison Moderne
This week we head to Luxembourg and the magazine collection of magCulture friend and ally Mike Koedinger. His company Maison Moderne is the largest independent publisher in that country, and has been producing award-winning magazines for over 20 years, latterly with the help of Jeremy Leslie as consultant creative director. Mike was also the main force behind the Colophon indie mag symposium that took place in 2007 and 2009.
We asked him to select a recent magazine, an old magazine and one other magazine-related object.
A new issue: Magazine, Vol. 2, No 25, Automne 2016
This is one of my all-time-favorites, it’s simply called Magazine and it’s published and edited in Paris by Angelo Cirimele. I carefully collect this magazine since it’s launch in 1999 (and still missing some issues). Magazine is not like any other magazine. It has a simple concept: behind-the-scenes reporting on the fashion, photography and media scenes. It’s an intelligent style magazine, very well written -with opinion- and well researched. Each issue presents a half dozen magazines, both independent and mainstream. The feature I always read first is the off-the-record interview with an insider from the creative industries – it’s anonymous and politically not correct.
A book in two volumes – one for text, one for visuals- was released two years ago to celebrate the magazine’s 15th anniversary. If you want to catch up.
An old issue: Playboy, January 1969, 15th Holiday Anniversary Issue
From a time when mainstream magazines were really surprising and creative. Playboy’s 15th Anniversary Issue is 294 pages of pure pleasure. We know there are great stories to read, funny party jokes and beautiful women (in a time without photoshop), but this issue also had wonderful illustrations, used different paper stocks and dared to hit the newsstands with this exceptional all-in-white embossed cover – so no ad on the back cover. Just precious.
And another thing: The-Colophon-2009-Sneaker by Cut Magazine
Although this is not a magazine, it’s part of my magazine collection – for a few good reasons.
1. It’s a gift from Horst Moser - who runs one of the most impressive magazine collections worldwide.
2. It has been produced by the creative team of German magazine Cut.
3. It was made at a workshop during Colophon 2009…
4… from a poster designed by Jeremy Leslie ; - )