Photographed by Paola Kudacki and styled by Francesco Sourigues
The cover line reads "Real People, Real Style, Real Fashion" and I'm sold. It's not a secret that the fashion industry have been chided by outsiders for not having a sense of tolerance for people of different ethnicities, weight, or condition. It's ironic how an industry known for its creative minds and supposedly keeping an open mind for the new surreptitiously rejects what's not up to standards. Those standards of beauty, physicality and style set by supermodels and influential industry insiders. For the past few seasons, those standards are seemingly widening, becoming more flexible, forcing people to adapt and include, say, models with a darker pigmentation, or someone who is not a size 2 (more recently, Jean Paul Gaultier opened up his show with The Gossip's lead singer Beth Ditto, and if you seen her before, you know the girl doesn't look like a toothpick).
I love fashion magazines who push boundaries or even break rules. The ones who challenges us, society, to reanalyze what's beautiful? What's sex? What's photography? What's fashion? And as a result we visually absorb and open our minds to new ideas, then we accept another perspective. I believe one of the responsibilities a magazine should do besides informing, is to inspire its readers, to let their minds run free, and most importantly to dream.
Hercules, to me, strives to do so. I have the previous issue (my first), which I wrote here and I felt in love with it. Not only there is thought-porvoking writing, but the marriage of photography and fashion are top notch. Their 2010 fall/winter issue is shot by Paola Kudacki and styled by Francesco Sourigues featuring my fav italian model Mariacarla Boscono and ballet star turned model Roberto Bolle. I love the hot pink background with the subjects clad in black (or should I say Roberto? Mariacarla seems to be butt naked). I don't know if you see it the way I see it, but the way the knee high boot is place between Roberto's legs and the way he's holding the bottom of the boot suggest of something very sexual, maybe foreplay. But I can't complain, I'm intrigued yet I love the sexual tension of the photo.
Below check out the video of the issue directed by one of my favs photographers Mario Vivanco and art directed by the super talented Nicola Formichetti. Doesn't it look like a big circus of freaks? Well, the fashion industry is largely composed of freaks, and that's one of the reasons I find it appealing. I love the party theme, a lot of boobs, naked strippers, and of course lots of fashion. I'm most excited to see ladyfag, Arlenis Sosa and Doug Porter. All pictures from models.com
I have been attempting to post men related-threads, but unfortunately I haven't found anything blog-worthy enough that inspired to do so...until now. I don't exactly know when I heard of Hercules but the first time I saw it resting along it's competitors on the magazine stands at Georgetown's Barnes and Nobles, it caught my eye not only for the title but for the cover as well. That was their issue n.7 (fall/winter 2009) and it featured one of my favorites, the ethereal Iris Strubegger shot by Paola Kudacki. When I noticed it, I couldn't help but latch onto it, flip through it and peep its content. I didn't purchase it for some odd reason, probably because my friend who I was with that day kept nagging that he wanted to leave, so I said let's go and I came back by myself. That cover not only conveyed a powerful message, but the title, taken from a mythological figure leaves a first-timer wondering what is this magazine entails. The fact that it was placed among all these other fashion magazines it hinted that it had at least some type of fashion content. By the time I closed it, I was pleasantly surprised.
This biannual men's fashion magazine based in Barcelona, Spain started in October 2006 by David Vivirido, who is the co-editor-in-chief and fashion director and Francesco Sourigues, co-editor-in-chief and creative director aims to "offer(s) a different point of view, for a reader that knows how to appreciate the best things in life. Tailored to man conscious of style, culture and the social life around him. Hercules is about feeling good, looking good, challenging yourself and living in the present" according to their site.
The 2010 Spring/Summer issue n.8, is imbued by Brazil's tropical and exotic attitude; the colors, culture, texture, places, people, and of course, fashion. The cover above photographed by Giampaolo Sgura features Fred Latsch and the beautiful Gracie Carvalho, who you may have seen in recent DKNY campaigns, Teen Vogue, or Gap ads. I wish this young lady descendent from Sao Paulo would be embrace more by the industry. I believe she posses the talent to pose for major publications and walk for big fashion houses. I hope to see her in Vogue someday, and I mean that in the most realistic tone. The photo chosen to be the cover looks not only refreshing but it also has a subtle sexual connotation, which always sells. If we're talking about the model secretly exposing/covering her breast, it does not look vulgar, instead it sends an ambiguous message to a wider readership. Let's say straight men who don't necessarily religiously follow fashion may be seduced into picking up an issue. And that folks, is a smart sales tactic. Moreover, I love this blur vision of the ocean on the background, and the bold fonts do pop, though most might not understand its meaning, it just sounds good saying it, "tutti frutti", which reminds me of some kind of candy I sued to indulge in when I was younger. I'm not fully confident, but I think the guy is wearing a Bottega Veneta suit...or it might be Gucci. Regardless, he's still part of a sexay! cover.
A preview of issue n.8, so hot.
This picture was posted on Hercules' blog, as a preview of this issue. This black and white shot with all these amazing fully exposed half-tanned asses I would frame it and hang it up on my bathroom..seriously.
A little nipple exposure never hurt anyone, come on.
I love the fact that Hercules has a strong photographic content, as well as fashion. I seen a few magazines who might have a strong fashion content but the pictures look dubious. I think a great photographer can take a magazine to new heights, say, Mario Testino shooting the covers for Vogue, or Terry Richardson shooting an accessories editorial, don't necessarily take Vogue to new, even higher, unreachable levels (more than where it already is), but it gives the magazine a sense of empowerment and exclusivity. Thus they only work with the top photographers in the industry, so it's understandable. I wish more publications would take more responsibility for their photos, nobody likes mediocracy. Moving on, this first clutch of pictures below, are part of "Que Bueno, Que Rico, Que Lindo" an editorial shot by Giampolo Sgura, reminds me of some catalogue from the 80's. It's like watching a gay, brazilian episode of Baywatch (I know the show it's not 80's but get the idea) through a tv that is blindingly colorful. In this editorial, one picture that caught my eye was this second one, with the guy wearing a white Fiorucci tank with a blonde lady on the front that looks like Bridget Nelson sipping on some drink. I just love it (I didn't know what the hell was Fiorucci but according to wikipedia, it was an Italian fashion label founded by Elio Fiorucci in 1967, it also notes that Fiorucci introduced the monokini and the thong from Brazil, so now it makes perfect sense the choice for this brand for this shoot).
sapphires as earrings?...
I just love this tribal print on this shirt, I think it's Dries Van Noten...
I didn't really noticed it at first, but once you take a second look at this picture, and deviate away your eyes from his body towards what's he's touching, makes this picture so genius, thanks to Nacho Alegre.
Now let's get to the good part. When I saw this editorial below shot by Giampalo Sgura, featuring one of my long time favorites Evandro Soldati, it sort of brought back nostalgic memories of hearing stories of people having fantasies with a man in uniform. I don't exactly know if it's the uniform itself, or the man in it, but there is something erotic about that idea. I personally don't have one, but I can see the sexual connotation in it. The use of a sailor, or any other armed forces type is an idea that has been played in several magazines for a while now, but I like the nonchalant, bad-boy, playful twist they integrated in this editorial. And as you probably noticed, I stole the tittle of this editorial, but it caught your attention, so I'm good.
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