Beauty Papers #14
220 x 285 mm, 420 pages
London, UK
Biannual
First published in 2015
Editor-in-chief: Maxine Leonard
Creative director: Valerie Wickes
Art director: Weronika Ela Uyar
‘Examining the culture of beauty’
Beauty Papers is where the world’s leading artists, photographers, writers and cultural commentators play, provoke, create, confuse and inspire.
This is the ‘Unbound’ issue, opening with a passionate editorial from editor Maxine Leonard, applauding the electric potential of intrigue and exploration: ‘Creativity is rarely born from certainty. It comes from curiosity,’ she writes. Equally, recognising and lamenting our creative climate constrained by fear and the pressure to stay relevant, that can render ‘the beauty of possibility’ out of reach. As ever, imagery takes centre stage throughout this edition, featuring a gritty narrative editorial starring American actor Vincent Gallo, and a gawky shoot with actor Emma D’Arcy featuring a preppy wardrobe styled by Rose Forde.
Toward the back of the issue, aptly aligned with end credits, you’ll find conversations with fashion designer Seán McGirr—who recently left his post as creative director at Alexander McQueen; and performance artist Britt Liberg, who delves into the themes of discomfort, beauty, and openness at the foundation of her practice.