Sarah Richardson is not only a name synonymous with i-D Magazine, but also one that the fashion industry effortlessly associates with the city of London. Having already worked for the magazine for a number of years, it seems completely natural to hear that she has been appointed the new Global Fashion Director. When asked whether or not this was a position she has always had her eye on, she admits to being a fan of the magazine since a very young age:
“i-D is a magazine that I have been reading since I was 12 years old. I was always mesmerized by the covers and used to put them on my bedroom wall. It has definitely been a dream of mine to one day be Fashion Director at such an iconic title.”
Regardless of Mercury being retrograde or direct, change has never been a stranger to the publishing industry and will without a doubt continue to be a frequent occurrence. Along with a shifting of the guards comes a transformation of content, so naturally, the first question is about the changes all can expect to see under her new reign.
“I’m very lucky to be working with a strong team at i-D, and we all share a similar vision for the magazine.” She assures. “I want it to keep true to the creative aesthetic of fashion-rebel urban-cool, which Terry Jones and Edward Enninful have championed and which gave me so much inspiration and opportunity over the years. But [I would also] hone it in and make it very specific whilst showing the broad spectrum of fashion’s talent. A big and exciting change will of course be the relaunch of the online, and I feel very lucky to be part of this new chapter of i-D’s history.”
Beyond the general aesthetic of the magazine, Richardson also seeks to focus on the digital area of contributions.
“I feel [i-D] is still one of the only true creative platforms out there, even more so now with the online film collaborations. And I will endeavor to keep it this way and to maintain, at the heart of the commissioning process, a spirit of creative freedom and integrity. [This way,] the best work shines and I hope this will offer some inspiration to both the new and established generations of the fashion industry.”
After many years of the repetitious mantra of Print still bearing more value than Digital content, the idea that someone like Richardson feels such excitement towards their online platform as well is potentially a moment worth celebrating. It leaves the community of contemporary culture expressing a great sigh of relief that equates a loud statement of “somebody finally gets it!” A new era of innovative and industry influencing ideas is upon us, and we await the first issue with baited breath.
