Men’s File magazine.
By Jonathan Campbell
The clever thing about Men’s File is that, at its core, it has an idea: it believes in excellence of style and detail, with a nostalgic twist. It’s unashamedly retro, and has defined its own revisionist culture; one that is gaining in popularity, as more people enjoy and appreciate nostalgic style […]
I first met Nick Clements, the fashion photographer, 6 years ago. We enthusiastically discussed our obsessions, and he instantly understood the concept of The Obsessive. He then asked me if I wanted to write an article for a magazine he was launching, called Men’s File. The article I wrote was the story of Jonathan Lobb recreating his great-great-great grandfather's prospector's boot, complete with a secret compartment in the heel for gold nuggets. The article ran over the 1st and 2nd editions of Men’s File.
The really clever thing about Men’s File is that, at its core, it has an idea: it believes in excellence of style and detail, with a nostalgic twist. This enables the magazine to throw a wide net over its chosen topics. Viewed through the Men’s File lens, subjects as diverse as fly fishing, architecture, surfing, motorcycling, denim, cricket pavilions and the latest Porsche 911 targa can be presented to equally great effect.
Men's File champions artisan creatives who want to make the best possible products for a discerning consumer: someone who wants to invest in quality rarely available in the mainstream. It’s unashamedly retro, and has defined its own revisionist culture; one that is gaining in popularity, as more people enjoy and appreciate the nostalgic style.
The huge success of The Goodwood Revival is testament to this shift in taste and style. Nick and his team are always at The Goodwood Revival, spotting the best dressed people, and shooting them in their tiny portable studio.
The team have been pulling this excellent magazine together on their own, alongside their day jobs, without the backing of a big publishing house, or huge distribution network.
All this effort hasn’t gone unnoticed: the Japanese, who famously love getting every detail of their look perfect, have been enthusiastic supporters of Men’s File, and the magazine is now produced in collaboration with the Japanese magazine, Clutch.
Men’s File magazine celebrates the obsessive in all of us.
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Images. The Obsessive, Jonathan Campbell
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