Magazine Review: Lula Magazine

Lula Magazine is a London based bi-annual fashion magazine created by Leith Clark in 2006. It describes itself as “the kind of girl you'd have a crush on, or be intimidated by. Her style is all old-fashioned cameras, 70's dresses, patterned stockings, and heavy mascara. She'd live in an apartment where the wallpaper is peeling off, but it would be held together lovingly by a litter of poems and polaroid’s”. Lulu has a capricious, mild and ethereal aura – girly clothes and vintage pictorials mixed among interviews that sound like late-night chats between friends. Quite possibly a good investment, since previous issues are selling on e-bay for up to £200.

The Cover

I am looking at issue 14. As with every Lula cover the spine is graced with a delicate necklace, in this instance a piece from Hillier. On the cover is model Kelly Mittendorf, Lula covers generally feature models instead of celebrities and often feature little else except the cover image and the title of the magazine at the top of the page, the alignment varies each issue, in this issue the title is centered. The pose and facial expression of the model is quite seductive but in a subtle way. She is wearing a Nina Ricci dress and the make up is quite heavy with a bright pink lip. The lighting is quite strong, the image is strong and the use of a unusual model makes the cover stand out however there are other Lula covers I prefer compared to this one.

The Typography and Graphics

Over the years the fonts in Lula have changed, however the title font has remained the same since issue number one. The font is a serif font that is custom made for the magazine. The font is feminine, classic and fun much like the magazine. At around issue 11 that was edited by Kate and Laura Muleavy of Rodarte, Lula drastically altered its layouts and the fonts used within the magazine. The fonts most commonly used in the magazine are Silhouette LP and Marian 1812. The latter is a thin and whimsical font, which works really well within the magazine.

The Layouts

Lula magazine is put together by art director Charlotte Heal who also creates layouts for Love magazine. The layouts, like the graphics and typography, go hand in hand with the magazines aesthetic and overall feel. The layouts are clean neat and use plenty of negative space. A lot of the editorials and articles are introduced with a title on a blank white page. The magazine is very dream like and romantic and I feel this is illustrated through the art direction.

The Editorial

Lula is very image heavy but also features a wide range of interviews with people the reader would find interesting, from talented illustrators to cool indie girl bands. The imagery is all very dream like, often using soft natural lighting. In this particular issue there’s an interesting piece on Meadham Kirchhoff and also a piece about some of the shows from SS 12. All the stories and subjects featured in the magazine would interest the target market.

The overall feel

Its obvious just from looking at Lula what Leith Clark is trying to achieve.  Lula strives to be romantic whimsical and girly without being too dainty, its still a magazine that commands attention. It markets itself so well for its consumer and you know what you’re getting just by looking at it