Form + Function

ARISE Magazine


I was beginning to fall out of love with print all together. Preferring now adays to get everything from my news to my fashion editorials online exclusively. Though magazine subscriptions are supposedly up by large margins, I feel like every magazine I was in love with in the recent past has folded. Or switched their style up to boost subscriptions. Sometimes that means making the magazine smaller, limiting issues, or content for that matter. But I digress... the good news is that I've just recently discovered  Arise Magazine. Though still in its adolescence at just 10 issues old, I'm already loving the frequency. This is a magazine about Africa, that feels very much made for Americans. Although I'm sure that's only part of the thought process for its creators, it most definitely serves to re-frame how people globally think of Africa (the continent). 
The content feels fresh and there are cultural parallels throughout illustrating the ties that bind African and African Americans. There  are no lines dissecting where one Black issue ends or begins geographically, which I love! Its about damn time. And very late might I add. But good things do come to those who wait. 


Try it:
To learn more about Arise go to: http://www.dev.arisemagazine.net/
To become a subscriber go to:   http://www.arisemagazine.net/subscribe.html   

More on Arise Magazine
ARISE – Africa’s first international style magazine – has been awarded ‘Launch of the Year’ at the APA International Customer Publishing Awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding editorialized branded content, were held at London’s Old Billingsgate on Wednesday, November 25. Judges commended the international title, published by Velo, as “a great example of a launch that everyone wishes they had come up with.” ARISE also took Highly Commended in the ‘Best International Publication’ and ‘Best Use of Photography’ categories at the APA awards. These accolades come hot on the heels of the British Society of Magazine Editors awards, in which ARISE took Highly Commended in ‘Launch of the Year’ category. Helen Jennings, Editor of ARISE, said: “ARISE has had a stellar first year, launching at a time of renewed interest in black influence globally. This award underlines the success the magazine has had mirroring the spirit of these times.” 

ARISE is a celebration of African achievement in fashion, music, culture and polity. A media first, it provides an unashamedly positive portrayal of Africa and its contribution to contemporary society across the world. The magazine had its successful soft launch in October 2008, after which the high-end, large-format glossy hit international newsstands as a monthly on February 13 2009 – the date of the ARISE African Fashion Collective show debut at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The magazine’s commitment to fashion also brokered the sponsorship deal for ARISE Africa Fashion Week in Johannesburg and Cape Town, which brought together over 50 designers from 20 countries throughout the continent. ARISE is published on behalf of THISDAY Magazines Group (Lagos, Nigeria).. THIS DAY Group Chairman and ARISE editor-in-chief, Nduka Obaigbena, said: “Africa has much to celebrate, contrary to what much of the international media would have you believe. ARISE communicates the landmark successes that Africans, and people of African descent, have achieved in fields as varied as music, fashion, business and politics. Arise breaks new ground BY celebrating Africa ’s best and brightest...