We shelter from the cold and cuddle up with

The Gentlewoman

Words: Kate Rintoul

The first magazine club of the year was donated to The Gentlewoman and while it might not have been our busiest event at least we got some quality time to get to know the much- waited lady.

I'll admit I entered the club adoring the magazine and completely unwilling to hear a bad word spoken, but in the nature of most of our clubs, I left with a more rounded response.

While we were in no doubt that the sheer variety and depth of content of The Gentlewoman made her worthy of admiration we couldn't help but feel that was slightly inferior to her big brother, Fantastic Man.

The brainchild of Gert Jonkers & Jop van Bennekom, both magazines celebrate international men and women in an "intelligent and sartorial" way and while the duo achieve this, some readers at the club felt that more love had been put into Fantastic Man.

From basics like the lower use of use of recycled paper and serif fonts to the more telling exclusion of husbands (the leading profile interviewee,  Inez van Lamsweerde appeared with her husband and working partner in Fantastic man previously only to have him revoked to a few aside comments in this issue), it seems as though The Gentlewoman is less cared for or comfortable in her genre.

As a group we felt that the content is what makes The Gentlewoman so special but that the fashion shoots were a mix of success and failures. The Navy shoot was an all-round winner and though you can't actually see any of the clothes mentioned, the series of close-ups of Parisian's wrapping up was a favourite.

Other less fruitful shoots were 'Long Looks' in which the model appeared awkward in high-waisted pieces and 'On TV' in which Sky presenter Lukwesa Burak sauntered around the news studio in a succession of unflattering combos.

Both issues of The Gentlewoman have been met with open arms by the wider press and a younger group of aspirational fashion lovers. Magazine fanatic and LCF tutor Robert Deniet, who attended the club said that the term has been kicked off with a succession of hopeful third-years all aching to produce their version. When you get to thinking about it wave of affection from aspiring fashionistas, journos and desires is quite tremendous.

This is a magazine that is unashamedly marketed at successful woman above the age of 35. This issue saw Yoko Ono (77), Cathy Dennis (40) and Inez van Lamsweerde (46) talk about their lives and work. Most readers cannot relate to their experiences or accounts but rather than alienating it seems that youthful readers have a hunger to hear about and draw inspiration from the lives of great and good women.

Teamed with these stories are shoots featuring Chanel, Sacai, Maison Martin Margiela and masses of Céline. Never dumbed down or within an inch of anything remotely 'street' the look perpetuated but The Gentlewoman is not something that can be recreated on a basic salary or vintage shop scrummage- instead one must grow up and become equally as successful (rich).

Despite this and in the face of pure decadence the excellent editorial style and brilliant writing does not make us wince at the lives of others, instead The Gentlewoman does exactly what she set out to- celebrate generations of women that embody and define modern womanhood while inspiring the next.