I recently did a post about my creative crush on i-D magazine fashion director Edward Enninful (12/05/2010). I was at my Uni library days after I published the post and I coincidentally came across Smile ID: Fashion and Style: the Best from 20 Years of ID (published by Taschen 2001). Founder and Editor-and-Chief Terry Jones writes, “(i-D) was a cross between a menu and a diary, Smile i-D maps the magazine’s journey beyond the veneer of regular fashion.”
“Terry Jones was at Vogue from 1972 to 1977, only leaving when it became evident that his colleagues didn’t share his enthusiasm for the fresh and exciting new direction in streetstyle that exploded in tandem with punk. Eventually he started i-D in the summer of 1980. Turned on its side, the i-D logo resembles a wink and a smile, ever cover since the first issue has featured a winking, smiling face; a then that has given the magazine an iconic identity” – Dylan Jones (A Wink’s As Good As A Nod – Smile ID: Fashion and Style: the Best from 20 Years of ID)
I think the wink and smile is a hint of Terry Jones’ rebellion towards mainstream magazines. Yet it’s not crazy out of control rebellion – its just stepping over the line. I also think the wink and the smile brings the magazine down to earth – it feels like its casual – not so glammed up, airbrushed image and looking totally unrealistic.
I was flicking through the book and found some amazing afro-images which I scanned. I am especially loving the bright pink background behind Alek Wek and the ‘Soul’ with the lady rocking her Afro. Some the images are the work of Edward Enninful but of course, I forgot to take note which ones they were and I returned the book. My bad!