magazine

MILAN — Do you remember what it was like to flip through a printed magazine?Even the predominantly digital era we are now experiencing — especially during the pandemic — young journalists and creatives are establishing print publications.
These five independent magazines explore themes of feminism, art, music, culture and sex and the sophisticated and carefully curated pages of each issue contribute to an aesthetically pleasing effect.
WWD has compiled a selection of five Italian zines for you to discover.
1. Dàme magazine
Sara Augugliaro is the 22-year-old creator behind feminist independent magazine Dàme, exploring the theme of the female body and aiming to stimulate a debate on self-awareness, normalization and self-acceptance.

Dàme magazine
Courtesy of Dàme Magazine

The first issue of Dàme is named “Pancia” (belly in Italian) and each page navigates the various meanings of this body part. Augugliaro states, “Over the years, there have been studies that reconstructed the social and cultural meanings linked to parts of the female body, but so far, no one has focused on the belly because it has never been present in the collective imagination, except as the uterus. Therefore, we wanted to explore this part of the body, which is equally full of references.”

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Dàme magazine’s first issue
Courtesy of Dàme Magazine

The magazine is available to buy on the Frabs Magazines website. It is shipping in Italy and will soon be available in the U.K.
2. Virtus Magazine
This independent magazine was founded by Accademia del Lusso, the fashion school based on Milan’s Via Montenapoleone training professional figures within the industry. It is the first Italian publication edited by a fashion school.

Virtus Magazine’s third issue
Courtesy of Virtus Magazine

Virtus promotes the work of fashion students studying areas including journalism, styling and photography. Nicola Ievola, professor of fashion journalism at the institute, and Noemi Vanda Bruni, who teaches fashion styling, are the minds behind Virtus.

Inside Virtus Magazine
Courtesy of Virtus Magazine

Within the pages of the third issue, the magazine explores how the Renaissance movement is coming back with a more modern look. It explores on the historical period, with insights into how its coming back in the fashion industry.
3. Sali e Tabacchi
Sali e Tabacchi is a small, traditional shop in Italy where you buy candies, cigars, spices, cigarettes and chocolate. It is this mix of senses that this independent magazine, born in 2019, is trying to replicate. With a focus on Italian culture, it offers a variety of experimental content, including interviews with internationally acclaimed Italian cultural leaders, visual poetry, academic essays and recipes.

Sali e Tabacchi magazine
Courtesy of Sali e Tabacchi Magazine

Like many independent magazines, photography is one of the main elements that characterizes Sali e Tabacchi. Readers will be able to find secret corners, unexplored landscapes, stories from the past and from the present — the true image of a hidden Italy.

Sali e Tabacchi magazine
Courtesy of Sali e Tabacchi Magazine

4. Archivio magazine
The goal of this fashion magazine is to highlight innovation, aiming to bring to life different fashion and cultural eras. Archivio’s sixth issue explores the ’80s with a fine selection from runways that have made history; it also features writers, poets and politicians.

Archivio magazine
Courtesy of Archivio Magazine

Inside this issue, readers will find exclusive material from Giorgio Armani Atelier; an interview with Gao Xingjian, the first Chinese writer to win a Nobel prize; Vivienne Westwood, and many others who share insights into the decade.

Archivio magazine
Courtesy of Archivio Magazine

The magazine is also characterized by 80 pages of images, ranging from posters, documents, sketches, scripts, artistic projects, agendas, diaries and materials that come from 23 different archives.
5. Carnale magazine
Taste, sight, touch, hearing and smell. Erotic and unconventional, this independent magazine will trigger each of the five senses. Focused on fashion, it celebrates attraction through a cross-media attitude where paper is interactive.

Carnale Calendar 2022
Courtesy of Carnale Magazine

For this reason, Carnale offers augmented reality through the use of an app: by pointing at the print pages, it will show moving images on your screen. This independent publication founded by Augusto Arduini (art director) and Simone Cossettini (photographer), is definitely moving toward a new version of fashion media.