This post was prompted by something I read on a finance blog, http://cityunslicker.blogspot.com/ The writer predicts that a large number of magazines will fold this year, as a result of the US and European credit crunch. Already Conde Nast have closed Mens Vogue and others are under threat.

It made me think about the magazines I read and I thought that this was an opportunity to express my admiration and support for them. These are not all clothes magazines but the common thread that joins them all up is they all contribute something to being a man, and to my personal style. I hope you like the post. Please feel free to comment with recommendations for magazines that you enjoy. I am always on the lookout for new and entertaining magazines to write about.

Here goes;

Fantastic Man
Originated by two Dutch iconoclasts, this is the magazine that should have failed, but is instead the men’s magazine that all others aspire to, or should. Full of meaningful complex articles about real men, Fantastic Man celebrates men of every style and stripe.

Mostly shot in black and white, the underlying theme of the magazine is what makes a man. Influences include the English idea of a gentleman, European worldliness, a sense of culture and a dry editorial humour. All this adds up to a modern take on the philosophy of what a man could be. Their clothes shoots are striking and original, as they shoot real men, mature men, not models and not young men. They are really good on photographing and presenting high-end clothes and you really get to see how the clothes hang. If you buy no other, buy this one. Total style.

Man about Town
MAT is a relatively new magazine and comes out biannually. I was not taken with the first issue but am really impressed with it now (Issue 3 is on the newsstands). It is by far the most informed men’s style magazine, and has the best understanding of classic brands and their history. Its articles are long, informed and really well-written.

Their interviews are rare treats. They avoid the usual tired subjects (footballers, pop stars) in favour of powerful, creative men who have something interesting to say. They are making the media, television and movies their stomping ground and doing it better than anyone else. Their clothes shoots are good, with some original brands included amongst the usual subjects. Issue 3 also has a magnificently erotic nude photoshoot of Helena Christensen, by Solve Sondsbo.

Buck
Buck is new. It focuses on street style and modern European menswear. It is a one-stop shop for articles and pictures about modern designers like Dries Van Noten, Neil Barrett, D-Squared and other brands that you need to be young, slim and cool to wear. Early days (Issue 2 is on the newsstands) but this is a slick, quick and lively magazine. It covers the clothes and styles that other magazines don’t and does that well, with knowledge and passion. Buck is simply and pleasingly presented and is an easy read. A magazine to watch, it will be interesting to see what they grow in to.

Details
From the new to an oldster. I have always liked Details because it is so useful. Unlike some mags, Details photographs men’s clothes clearly and precisely, so you can see what the deal is. They also provide the details you need to browse and buy. One of the things they do really well is that they put together “looks” combinations that work on real men, unlike magazines who let stylists produce combinations that would only work at a fancy-dress party. Details never forgets that it is a style service for men. Each issue is packed with invaluable information.

Paradis
The mission if you chose to accept it, is to take a men’s erotic magazine completely upmarket. Paradis do this by using good writers, clever illustration and a sophisticated French view of lust. They have staked out modern art (on which they cannot be bettered), historic military personalities and pop culture as their subjects, which they do really well. Their erotic photographs are superb, shoots by famous photographers, often featuring models and actresses you never expected to see nude, in very revealing poses. They do clothes well and men’s jewellery and perfume better than the clothes magazines. Erotica for the grown man. And great style.

Paradis has more attitude than Daniel Craig complaining about how difficult it is to be famous. In the case of Paradis, attitude is a good thing.

L’Uomo Vogue
A limited audience for this one because it is written in Italian. However it constitutes a master-class in good clothes and how to dress well. It has an unerring instinct for European men who have style and interviews them accordingly. One of the main reasons for buying it is the bi-annual style guide, which is a complete catalogue of upscale menswear brands.

The Chap “A journal for the modern gentleman”
A bit of an acquired taste, the Chap takes the view that style and elegance are in the man, not the clothes. That manly style is about a structure, discipline and grace that can be learnt. The polar opposite of the chav and the hippy, the Chap is a man who is competent in the world, knows how to succeed at the game of life and is a true individual. The Chap is basically a modern version of the English gentlemen. Think John Steed of the Avengers, with a modern political sensibility.

The Chap makes fun of itself, in a rather self-effacing British way. For all of that, the humour is razor-sharp and witty. And hidden within the magazine are small articles which really make a man think about who he is, how he lives his life. Interesting and different.

Objekt “Living in style”
Because style is not just clothes. Objekt is a magazine of modern living filled with streamlined, minimal house design, both interior and exterior. Objekt is the work of Hans Fonk, a Dutchman obsessed with modern design, who has never met a plain white room that he did not love.

If you want to know how to design your home with style (without paying for interior designers) this is the magazine to buy. Men who aspire to elegance in all areas of their life can buy this magazine and simply steal from it as many ideas as they wish. Beautifully photographed, with houses and interiors from all over the world, this is design porn for the worldly man. Seriously, this is a great mag and will improve the visual style of your home.

Monocle
Because a real man knows what he is talking about. Monocle is the brainchild of Tyler Brule, who created Wallpaper magazine back in the 80’s and which became the style bible for the 90’s.

Monocle says it is “a briefing on global affairs, business, culture and design”. It commissions articles from the best writers in the world on all of those topics. An issue is likely to have an article on modern Salvadorean politics alongside one on the resurgence of craft industries in Europe. The music reviews will have Japanese pop next to Finnish folk-metal. Clothes photoshoots always include a range of brands (Japanese, Scandinavian) that rarely get a showing in English and American magazines. Packed with facts and hugely entertaining, each issue can be profitably read many times.

This is the worldly man’s magazine. It is intelligent, does not talk down to its readers and is dedicated to bringing the best information to them. As print magazines die and web entities take their place, Monocle is the way of the future for the hard-copy magazine. It’s breadth and depth of coverage, it’s smart and cultured design and it’s devotion to its readers means that it is building an unassailable position in the marketplace. Very smart and very stylish.

AnOther Man
And this magazine really is about clothes. AnOther Man has the best menswear photoshoots of any men’s style mag. They get a wider range of clothes, better photographers, a better understanding of what they are displaying. Their interviews with menswear designers are insightful and perceptive. They have a rare ability to show modern and classic designers in combination without making one look staid and the other look wacky. They check all the menswear boxes, interviews with actors, articles on art and movies, but buy this one for the clothes. A great mag and a visual treat which, right now, is at the top of its game.

So, if the credit crunch continues to bite, these are the magazines I will continue to buy. As men of style, which magazines will you continue to support?