Gentlemen’s Quarterly, or ‘GQ’ is a monthly magazine that focuses on pop culture, music, sports and fashion. Originally geared towards men, the magazine’s reader base has now expanded to include all genders and walks of life. In order to bring the magazine to the 21st century, I proposed a rebranding that would be centered around the theme of progress and inclusivity. For the inaugural issue I focused on three culturally relevant movements, Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ Pride and the Me Too.
EDITORIAL IDENTITY ART DIRECTION SEQUENTIAL UI/UX
THE ISSUE:
We’re at a crossroads right now. As a population, as a country, as a globe.There is civil unrest literally everywhere you look. I hope if there’s one thing someone could take away from my project it’s that different is beautiful. And different should be celebrated. And it is our duty as empathetic humans to fights for someone when they tell us there’s a problem.
For the Logo mark I wanted to focus on the concept of progress. I wanted the brand to be taken seriously so I took the old logo’s rounded edges and put them on a diet. I bought the cap height of the mark up and added angels to all the edges of the letterforms. I also put the mark on a precarious tilt to signify that sometimes change, especially when it comes from youth, can be hard to balance and not taken seriously but that the outcome is always moving in an upward direction.
THE LOGO:
GQ has a reoccurring opening section with interchangeable topics depending on the issue. They looks at different facets of culture and report on the trends of the moment. For this, I choose to channel the same conceptual thinking as the logo and build a system based on a grid. Just like the logo mark, the page takes on a blank slate approach where parts are interchangeable and moveable.
A grid used for a feature on Nike clothing in collaboration with the brand Cactus Plant Flea Market might use the grid and add vernacular elements from basketball games. Or an article showcasing different books you could read when supporting #MeToo could take out certain blocks and leave ample room for text descriptions. We could even use the type treatment as assets to brand the different issues digitally.
THE SYSTEM:
The issue is divided into three main movements all of which have an element of immediacy at the current moment. Each section has two parts and begins with a spread boldly stating that GQ supports the movement of that section in hashtag form. I believe starting with a declaration like this is important to reiterate the strong stance the publication is taking.
THE FACETS:
The first article, ‘We Are Not Alright’ focuses on police brutality and those who have lost their lives to the atrocities associated. Titled after the song ‘Alright’ by Kendrick Lamar, this article talks about the discography of music that has been birthed from these crimes and the anger and grief associated. I used the vernacular design of a record and not only focused on the songs associated, but also the unspoken discography of deaths and the time stamps on life the victims had to endure. I sprinkled chants and quotes from the movement throughout the spreads in an effort to capture what music notes look like on sheet music. I also designed a tip in that carousels through each one of the songs and talks direction about its impact. This was a heavy topic and one that deserved respect so the final spread directs the reader to respectfully pause and reflect in remembrance.
'ALRIGHT':
‘Why Not’ interviews rapper Killer Mike from the group Run The Jewels. In the article he mulls over his sadness with the state of the world. He talks about the anger he feels towards the way society is treating black people and his hope that through his platform, he can educate people about the hardships faced. Killer Mike is a huge Bernie Sanders supporter as well as a critic of capitalism. For this article I looked at old Russian Constructivist artwork and graphics in attempt to relate back to the frustration felt by both the people then and now.
'WHY NOT':
The first article of the #Pride section focuses on three celebrities of queer identity and their stories. The first is Brittany Howard, a singer and musician in the band Alabama Shakes. The second is Justice Smith, an actor best known for his role in Pokemon and Jurassic Park. And the third is Kerron Clement, an olympian runner who current holds the indoor record in the 400-meter sprint. The title is taken from Nina Simones “Feeling Good’ and signifies a new dawn, a new day, a new life of LGBTQ acceptance. The colors used were an ode the rainbow which is a tried-and-true pride symbol. I took the colors and pulsed an electric current through them to signify a new kind of prismatic lens, a beautiful one that had never seen before. I used Times New Roman, a well known traditional font in the headings but I elongated and tightened the kerning in order to signify a revamping of old standards and taste.
'FEELING GOOD':
The second article of #Pride is a fashion editorial piece from the fashion house of Gucci. It looks at Gucci’s most recent line of LGBTQ clothing and accessories and as the reader flips the pages, bans holding the product information move from one side of the spread to the other as an ode to the beams of a rainbow.
'GUCCI X PRIDE':
In the last section of the magazine we first read an interview with renaissance man Pharrell where he discusses the #MeToo movement and his role. He talks about how he hasn’t always been the ally women need and reflects on his 2013 song “Blurred Lines” which came under fire for portraying date-rape through rose colored glasses. He admits wrong doing and remorse while equating the concept of masculinity to a thorned flower: fragile and dangerous if not handled correctly. He encourages other men to learn from his mistakes and be better.
'SOWER OF MEN':
The final chapter of the magazine is a up close look at actress Jameela Jamil who is a figure head for the women rights movement and a stanch advocate for un-filtering the selfie. She believes in body positivity and unfocusing the male gaze for future generations of women. I choose to design this spread in the style of the opening branding as a way to draw the issue to a nice close. The last spread offers a salutation to the reader and urges them to keep shifting, and a reminder in the words of the late Martin Luther King Jr, that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
