At Real Cool Vibe my knowledge of art, music, and culture is informed by my efforts to engage with the best content on the subjects I care about. To accomplish this, I typically subscribe to a dozen or more printed magazines at a time. My thirst for topical information also extends to digital media where blogs and web based publications enable me to diversify my insights both geographically and thematically.
The following list details one title I have lived with for decades as well as some of my more recent discoveries.
BEAUTIFUL DECAY | beautifuldecay.com
What started out as a black & white zine and then evolved into a full color internationally distributed magazine is now a website. With coverage spanning a number of artistic mediums, their consistently excellent coverage of photography and street art keeps us coming back.
PAPER MAGAZINE | papermag.com
With only a few interruptions my subscription to Paper magazine dates back to the late-1980’s. True story. Focusing squarely on pop-culture and fashion and profiles of both new and legacy artists this staple of downtown New York has chronicled every scene you can think of and then some. If you want to know what the cool kids are into this is a good place to look.
CULTURED MAGAZINE | culturedmag.com
Published in Miami, Cultured Magazine is a relatively new discovery and an instant favorite. Everything from the magazine’s content to it’s design and paper stock resonates. Their coverage of the international art world is insightful and informative. This is the kind of magazine I tend to hold on to and refer back to.
DAZED | dazeddigital.com
Dazed was born in 1991 with the original title of Dazed & Confused. Somewhere along the way they shortened their name but the magazine’s coverage of alternative fashion, music, film, television, art and photography remains intact. While based out of London, the editorial content on the Dazed website feels more like a US publication with an International vibe.
MONOCLE | monocle.com
Monocle started 10 years ago as a magazine focused on the issues of the day in global affairs, business, culture, and design. Since then the brand has extended into guide books focused on subjects such as business, travel, and home design – each of which feel like essential reading for the well informed global citizen. The Monocle website features great content including podcasts and really well made short video segments. If we could recommend only one magazine to take on your next International flight the then current edition of Monocle would probably be our choice.