It’s rare to see new print medias flourishing on a market dominated by digital players, yet contemporary menswear magazine ICON is seeking to prove that glossies still have their place in the magazine landscape.
ICON magazine, which first launched in Italy in 2011 before developing in Spain in 2013 and being acquired by media mega group Reworld (which owns Grazia, Psychologies, Auto Plus and more) in 2023, is expanding once more, this time in France with its very own bi-annual edition.
On Friday, March 29, readers will unveil the first issue of ICON on national newsstands. Four different covers have been revealed, and feature actors Vassili Schneider, Madds Mikkelsen and Vincent Lacoste as well as French fencing champion Enzo Lefort. The latter establishing himself as a pragmatic choice of brand ambassador ahead of the 2024 Olympics — to be hosted later this year in the French capital. The cast of photographers behind each cover photo is of high caliber, with poetic visual profiles by John Balsom (Mikkelsen, Lacoste), Dan Martensen (Vassili) and Goldie Williams (Lefort).
The editorial team is also first-rate, with James Sleaford (ex-fashion editor in chief at GQ) spearheading the magazine and Condé Nast veteran Luca Stoppini (Vogue Italia, Vanity Fashion) leading the creative direction. As for Andrea Tenerani, co-creator of ICON, he will be overlooking the general direction of this publication.
Inside the 252 pages of its first release, ICON puts into light sports (once again honoring the forthcoming Olympics), but also style, culture, current events and design. Most notably, readers will find an in-depth interview with Belgian designer Dries Van Noten, who has recently announced his retirement from the namesake brand. A prominent digital presence is also to be mentioned, as ICON France’s TikTok and Instagram pages already boast an impressive 20,000 followers and 600,000 cumulated views.
To celebrate the inauguration of French ICON, a cocktail party was thrown on Tuesday night at Paris’ Bastille Design Center, a cultural landmark on the capital’s right bank that hosts art-related events and exhibitions. Guests mingled amongst the likes of cover stars Vassili Schneider and Enzo Lefort, as well as Emily in Paris star William Abadie and ballet dancer Guillaume Diop.
Massive editorial photos from the magazine were plastered across the walls of the venue, where attendees were treated to champagne and Italian nibbling staples such as chunks of parmesan, carciofi and truffle-filled squares of foccaccia. A night to remember and a magazine worth buying for luxury-savvy men in search of creativity and elegance.