Los Angeles is the subject of several magazines, as are Beverly Hills and other Westside cities such as Santa Monica and Malibu. But West Hollywood, the geographic and creative center of fashion and design in Los Angeles County, hasn’t had a print publication that celebrates that, until now.
West Hollywood Magazine, which will focus on the city’s design, architecture, fashion and style, will launch at the end of this month. The magazine is the brainchild of Josh Stuart, who launched Littoral, a similar publication, in his hometown of Newport Beach at the age of 21.
Stuart moved to West Hollywood earlier this year, in part because of the city’s reputation as a home for creative people. He said he was surprised to find there was no publication here that focused on creative businesses and the people behind them.
“When it comes to architecture and fashion and interior design, West Hollywood is such an amazing place,” Stuart said. “But I’ve been surprised that so many people outside of those industries don’t know that. Most people see West Hollywood as the place to go for nightlife. It certainly is, but there is so much more.”
Stuart said the goal of West Hollywood Magazine is to rebrand the city. He admitted that such a goal might sound audacious coming from a 29-year-old who is a new resident. But Stuart said he has always loved creative challenges.
“This is a city where the creative director for one of France’s leading menswear lines maintains an office,” Stuart said. “It’s home to a home furnishings and design firm that carries on the legacy of Billie Haines, one of Hollywood’s most famous interior designers. And there’s such creativity in nightlife with places like DBA and Bootsy Bellows. We want to make sure the world knows all that.”
Stuart likened the magazine to Ocean Drive, a magazine known as “the Bible of South Beach,” which helped bring national attention to the renaissance of Miami Beach.
He called out the city’s Design District, Visit West Hollywood and the La Cienega Design Quarter for their support for the project. “Ryan Farber (executive director of the Design District) and Darren Gold (president of its board) have been incredibly supportive of this project,” Stuart said.
Stuart said the magazine also has gotten support from major fashion, design, automotive and real estate advertisers.
Stuart has assembled a creative team including Matthew Morgan, a designer with years of experience at a New York City advertising agency, and Paolo Ricartti, principal at Bowery Media. His business partner in the venture is Henry (Hank) Scott, publisher of WEHOville.com.
” I met Josh for coffee at Joey’s Cafe the first of this year and heard his idea for West Hollywood Magazine,” Scott said. “I was impressed. Then he showed me a copy of Littoral, and I knew for sure that I had met someone who could make this happen.”
The magazine will be distributed to guests at many of the city’s major hotels and door-to-door in certain neighborhoods in and around West Hollywood. Copies will be available for purchase on the magazine’s website, which will launch soon.
Interesting. But who reads magazines? They are dying and where will the advertisers come from?
As for the “creative city” – please note that WEHO has lost their book fair and there is no live theatre. Looking at the Weho City Council – suggest you throw away any idea that the WEHO five are creative. More like a group that couldn’t manage a Walmart.
PS: @Danny and most others with similar feelings… I’m confident most of us, perhaps even you were once a fresh – non-native, newcomer to West Hollywood. I cherish those days of pyre when I first arrived in the late 1990s. They were filled with optimism and I was awash in excitement and energy for new ideas. I welcome and encourage that. Besides, it’s not like Josh and the crew have been hiding under a rock, isolated from fellow City dwellers and creative energy. Sit back. Relax. Enjoy the efforts of bright and motivated artisans.
Alison: I would imagine the Eastside will def be a part of the fabric of the book. The Eastside is developing into a real hub of digital and broadcast entertainment. Not to mention design. With city’s expressed desire to focus more on our Eastside I would hope and imagine whoever and wherever the story is they will go. I’m a new homeowner on the Eastside, near the new OWN studios and newer housing developments… I’m looking forward to seeing more of what the City has planned.
I would love to see the poster “Danny’s” credentials. A couple of questions, old Dan boy. How many magazines have you published? How many start up businesses have you succeeded in? When was the last time you attempted anything new? A final question, do you have even a modicum of room in that pee brain of yours for something positive? Let’s see it.
I hope this new venture succeeds and the publisher realizes that the east side is part of the City and it is distributed door to door here.
I would loooooooove to see this creative venture succeed. Fingers and toes crossed that it does. While I support and enjoy digital publications like no other, in my humble opinion nothing beats a smart and sexy glossy magazine. Go get’m Josh, Hank and the team. I look forward to spreading the word. Brian
Well I’m grateful that WEHOville.com is doing well, at least I have something that comes close to being published in the area where I live. 🙂 I am by no means of the imagination claiming to be an expert on what is going to be an economic success but, I would like to see something that would hold its own with other creative outlets in the Nation. Living here I see oppressed minority deference on the part of some of the most creative people in West Hollywood whose potential rivals anything in the country. Having traveled extensively I’m prepared to… Read more »
Often it takes an “outsider” to bring fresh eyes to a subject everyone feels they know so well. A skilled editor and publisher can uncover gems previously overlooked, provide history, continuity and current innovative developments. As a former fashion editor of a major magazine and subsequent creator of unique national publication I have found that gifted skills rise to challenges. That is why it is called creativity.
Bravo Hank, Josh & your associates, wishing you all the best!
Likely too late now, but LA County includes the City of Commerce (usually called Commerce for short) and the City of Industry (usually called City of Industry). Maybe we could rename ourselves the City of Design.
Well, you do sound skeptical 🙂 But I actually was invited to attend the city’s rebranding sessions, and did. It was an incredibly creative process and reinforced my sense that Josh Stuart is heading in the right direction with West Hollywood Magazine. And as for the Design District, that is the new “brand” adopted by the business improvement district that formerly called itself the Avenues. And WEHOville.com’s design is not a “template.” It was created by Matthew Morgan, the incredibly creative designer who is doing that same sort of work for West Hollywood Magazine, after quite a lot of research… Read more »
All the best and look forward to reading. Just a side note: 8899 Beverly Blvd. is part of West Hollywood’s center for fashion and design. Lets hope the new adaptive reuse and remodel of this 1964 building will be approved and truly be the newest catalyst into the 21st century and the Fashion/Design district.
……if they can do that, it’s a great way to feature all things creative and fun about our city and it’s merchants.
Long overdue.