Fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar will defy the media downturn with a special super-sized edition for March.
The fashion magazine will produce a jumbo 330mm x 245mm issue, in contrast with its normal 290mm x 215mm size, for its regular price of £3.99. Harper's Bazaar will use the extra space to showcase spring fashion.
Publisher National Magazines will carry the additional cost in paper and distribution as a "credit-crunch treat" for readers.
The larger magazine will still be on the shelves next month when rival glossy magazine publisher Conde Nast launches its long-awaited twice-yearly style title Love, edited by Katie Grand and costing £5.
Lucy Yeomans, the Harper's Bazaar editor, said: "At a time when everyone's thinking about cutting back and downsizing, it's wonderful to be able to treat our readers to this super-luxe, super-sized March issue at no extra cost.
"I'm delighted also to have British actress Emily Blunt on the cover. Having stolen the show in The Devil Wears Prada, Blunt steps into two major starring roles this month - like our issue she is, literally, the new big thing!"
Tess Macleod Smith, the title's publishing director, added that the magazine was an affordable luxury during the credit crunch: "We are delivering a very confident product and this month we're giving readers something extra-special at the newsstand. In these challenging times we continue to push the creative boundaries and deliver a magazine that showcases a wide range of product to exquisite effect."
The magazine continued its strong run of Audit Bureau of Circulations figures with a headline sale of 109,146 in the first half of last year. This was an 11th successive circulation increase, up 3.1% year on year and 0.1% on the second half of last year.
Previously, Harper's Bazaar, which used to be known as Harper's & Queen, has encrusted its masthead with Swarovski diamonds.
'super-sized issue'
Not her best angle.
