The annual, non-profit print magazine covering the ins and outs of fashion strategy has returned with a brand-new issue.
“Fashion is quite simple in itself,” says Seungmin Lee, an MA Strategic Fashion Marketing student and features editor of STRAT. Magazine. “It's about bringing that excitement and vision into real life, and wanting your audience to transcend into it — everything in between is the strategy part.”
First published last February, the magazine aims to get rid of the seriousness often associated with the word strategy. “Most editors of other business publications are much older than us and try to write from the perspective of Gen Z consumers, but they might not be able to fully grasp what they actually think,” explains Seungmin. Because the editors of STRAT. Magazine belong to the same generation as their readers, they share the same insider knowledge and perspective.
After moving from South Korea, Seungmin decided to get involved in making the magazine to help adjust to life in London. “I thought it would be nice to be part of something with my peers and build strong friendships with people on my course,” he recalls.
MA Fashion Marketing and Sustainability student Camilla Del Latte decided to join the editorial team because she didn’t have much previous experience in the fashion field. “I thought I’d apply and try to understand what it was all about,” she recalls. Initially appointed as Partnerships Manager because of her background in economics and management, her role and responsibilities significantly expanded over time. Camilla started by contacting brands and press offices for ad materials, but soon found herself organizing fashion shoots and preparing a variety of content, eventually becoming the Sustainability Editor.
The editorial team was put together by Hannah Kane, Lecturer in Fashion Marketing and Editor-in-Chief of STRAT. She assigned each student a role based on their passions and skills, and this is how MA Strategic Fashion Management student Ginevra Calo was appointed Productions Manager. Part of Ginevra’s responsibilities included organising the weekly editorial meetings and overseeing communication among the various departments: features, fashion, sustainability, partnerships, PR, digital, and social media.
Since the magazine is published annually, the editors had to carefully select what content, trends, and fashion to feature. “We needed something trans-seasonal which wouldn’t go out of style within a year,” Ginevra notes. When choosing which designers to feature in the fashion pages, it was also important for the editors to highlight fellow creatives from LCF. The latest issue showcases work from students in MA Photography, MA Fashion Design Technology (Womenswear), MA Fashion Design Technology (Menswear), BA (Hons) Jewellery Design, BA (Hons) Creative Direction for Fashion, and more.
The magazine was not only an opportunity to showcase the creative work of other students but also a chance for the editors to discover new talents and passions themselves. Seungmin had done freelance writing for digital publications before, but this was his first experience writing for print. “It was a good chance to test myself before going into the industry and see where my writing skills are right now,” he says. For him, the best part was researching two fashion history articles he wrote for this issue.
Camilla echoes this sentiment, noting that the process gave her insights into how the magazine and publishing world works. “I feel like I’ve gained a lot more confidence in what I do, and I’m less scared of the adults in the fashion industry,” she laughs. “Now, I understand better how to talk to people based on their profession or what I’m trying to ask them.”
Ginevra greatly enjoyed producing the shoots, contacting people, and even solving the occasional crisis, but the best part was seeing the vision come to life. “It’s amazing to see the final pictures and realise that you chose the right makeup artist, hairstylist, models, and brands,” she notes.
Even though working in a team is never a smooth process, Camilla is extremely proud of all the hard work they did together. “You make friends and build good relationships because working together creates trust, so it’s a great journey, even with the ups and downs,” she says.