One of our best selling magazines, Russh, just came in this morning. As always, it will literally fly off the shelves. Russh is undoubtedly one of the most popular Australian magazines that we stock.
Mag Nation is a massive fan of Russh (despite what we are about to say). We are probably opening up a real can of worms here, but take a look at some of these images.
The cover of this issue says “you’re beautiful just the way you are” on it. Yet Russh, perhaps more than most other glossies, tends to portray women at their very thinnest. As one of our staff members put it this morning “Russh is up there with Pavement (controversial and now defunct NZ magazine) for its love of boobettes” (he was referring to tiny models exposing their little chests).
Admittedly, Russh is firmly a fashion magazine and part of its rasion d’etre is to cover the fashion industry. Therefore, is it their fault that the catwalks feature girls looking more like Star Trek aliens than average women? They are merely reporting and updating us all on what is happening in this world.
However, Russh is widely read by young impressionable girls. Is this the message we want to be portraying to them? Even my wife who is 34 yrs old and weighs 48 kgs feels fat when skimming Russh. Take a look at the next two images. Is this the best way to show underwear and a Kaftan? We can’t even see the Briefs being referred to in the second image (and trust me… we tried). Is this just flesh for the sake of flesh? The question we pose is how does a magazine distinguish between reporting and throwing the blame onto a wider industry which it merely documents, and reinforcing the damaging stereotypes through its own fashion shoots? Why is one ok but not the other? Or are both wrong?
There is nothing new about this debate. And we are probably not the best folks to be hosting it. People far more knowledgeable have been talking about this for quite some time now. However, the last thing I did before leaving home this morning was get a huge hug from my 2yr old daughter. The first thing I did when I got to work today was pick up Russh. I had a mini freak out, especially when I read “you’re beautiful just the way you are” on a cover with these images contained within.
what they really mean is “Your beautiful just the way our advertisers want you to look” It’s a typical fashion magazine scam to pretend that they give a crap about their readers when in fact they just see them as ad revenue.
This is why I don’t buy RUSSH at all, sticking with my beautifully heavy magazines such as Purple, Man About The Town, Self-Service, Summerwinter, L O V E… they don’t set out to be the most awesome thing around, they show what they like, their editors show and write whatever they are passionate about… (intricately passionate, heck, I think if they had to write for free, these magazines would be the ones that get lucky!)
RUSSH is highly superficial. Fin.
As a girl that is quite thin, I would actually prefer some more inspirational fuller figured women in magazines
I really enjoy RUSSH – in fact, I have a subscription to it – but I understand what you’re saying. RUSSH does perpetuate a certain ideal of willowy, semi-naked ingenues, but I’m not sure it is any more guilty of promoting that ideal than any other magazine.
I buy/subscribe to RUSSH because I like their aesthetic and I like the blend of intelligent articles, local/international fashion news and interesting editorials. In the current issue, I found the article on eccentric fashion icons (Isabella Blow, Daphne Guinness etc) to be particularly inspiring. After reading the issue, I felt inspired, not insecure about my appearance versus the appearance of the willowy models. I KNOW I’m not ever going to look like the girls in RUSSH – but I can be as eccentric and creative as Daphne Guinness if I want. And to me, that’s way more important.
I love Russh and while I’m hardly going to lie and say I’ve never wanted to be thin (I’m a tall size 10-12) I know I’m never going to have a 14-year-old girl’s frame. Ever.
For me the editorial images are fantasy and the product they include is a great mix of interesting Australian and international fashion at a variety of price points so there’s something for everyone. There are also very interesting articles covering arts and music which so often get only one or two pages in other fashion magazines.
I can understand where people are coming from in this debate and I do admire magazines like Cosmo, Cleo, Dolly and Girlfriend for their increasing inclsion of models of all shapes and sizes.
Agreed. I think a bit of diversity wouldn’t go astray, especially with a tagline on the cover like that. Then again, I am not their target market as I gave up protruding rib pictorials long ago because I got bored of looking at skeletors.
Russh has pretty pictures but I have to disagree with the comment above that it has intelligent articles. It’s a magazine about trying to be cool.
Hi
Great points! I wrote a review about this month’s Russh on the fabulous blog site Girl with a Satchel.
Here’s the link for anyone interested. http://girlwithasatchel.blogspot.com/2009/07/mags-russh-guest-review.html
Thannks again Magnation.
Alison x
russh doesn’t have intelligent articles ….. anymore . it’s true.
the fashion shoots are also becoming less inspiring. i find the flat lay pages more exciting these days. BUT i still subscribe in the hope that the editors will bring back the rush of past years.
i still love rush. it just hasnt been so great the past few issues.
one last thing while I’m ranting about rush. has anyone read the letters to the editor? is Chris Lilly writing all of them?
Russh is a great magazine, it doesn’t matter if you’re emaciated or big as a house, if anyone has a problem with self image and self esteem then don’t buy ANY magazines at all as they will always show something you may disapprove of.
The same goes when it comes to shopping, the difference is that at a shop they can make you feel great or treat you as if you’re second rate and undeserving of their stock. Chanel comes to mind in relation to the latter, LEFT (Gertrude Street) and Madam Virtue & Co. (Crossley Street) when it comes to excellent service and stock, very hard not to leave feeling uplifted.
And why stop there, take TV as a final example, whether it is cable or free-to-air you just can’t avoid the pressure of being, failing that, looking slim, beautiful and glamorous and nobody gives a hoot about individual achievements or skills, least of all a great personality!
To return to my point of departure, this mag is great, it has beautiful visuals and interesting news and articles and it leaves you with heaps to think if not dream of, plus they do help promote new and emerging photographers, designers and many other people other mags wouldn’t even touch or give a chance to!
So get real, be fair and lighten up!
Hey Alison. We read Girl with a Satchel quite regularly. We are massive fans.
Hey guys, Thanks for the shout-out. I think that as a retailer, Magnation has every right (and the power to back it) to pull a magazine up on questionable content and/or covers. Recently U.S. mag retailer Hudson censored a GQ cover displaying Bruno’s bare butt. While some would argue about double-standards, given bare naked ladies are in cover abundance, I think retailers reserve the right to make judgement calls about what they’re selling. Mags should be held accountable for their content: like businesses are accountable to shareholders, so too are mags to their readers. They are influential and set the status quo: yes, they are a bit of fun, but eating disorders and body issues are not, and these mags have a part to play (however big or small) in their perpetuation. Why would a magazine want its readers to suffer for its “art”? Rant over!
I thought EXACTLY the same thing when I looked through it!
Fair and even handed, as always Mag Nation.
love you, MEAN it.
A
“It’s a magazine about trying to be cool.”
While Russh sometimes does inspire through it’s fashion editorials, I completely agree with you!
I have nothing against the magazine, but I pine for the days when I would rush home (mind the pun) and devour the magazine. Not that it isn’t well edited now, but when Charlotte was editor my favourite section by far were the letters to the editor- and she carried that intelligent, cool as cucumber, writing style all through the magazine.
Maybe I’ve just grown up and out of Russh, but sometimes it’s headlines and articles are a little too we-are-so-trendy for my liking.
this russh issue was the best i have ever read,
great work!
so interesting