| Product: |
Nova |
| Date: |
13/06/00 (38 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Interesting and varied articles, innovative fashion spreads
Disadvantages: Perhaps not quite the revolution they make it out to be
Nova magazine was first introduced to an unsuspecting public in the sixties. Until then, women’s magazines had assumed all their readers wanted was a nice recipe, a nice knitting pattern, a nice romantic story (involving secretaries untying their hair to become suddenly visible to the boss: “Why, Miss Jones, you’re bee-yoo-tiful!”) and perhaps a few tips on pleasing (or getting) your husband.
Before you could say ‘cliché’, Nova burst onto the scene with articles on homosexuality, racism and abortion. Standard fare for magazines these days, but then it was a revolution happening at a newsagent’s near you. Their fashion spreads were racy; they ditched the ever-smiling cover girl and launched a whole generation of young women into the world of magazines we now know.
For whatever reason (perhaps the readers got slowly unshockable?) Nova drifted into decline and looked set to remain in the archives of magazines past…until now. This year Nova relaunched and I have just finished reading the second issue.
It does look different, with the retro font title and the cover image uncluttered by ‘free inside!’ or ‘I was a sex mad housewife!’ type sub-headings. It could not hope to revolutionise magazines in the way it did in the sixties, perhaps, but it does make for a refreshing change to the look-alike interchangeable stuff that’s mostly on offer these days.
The articles are varied and well written – from a hilarious piece about 20-something angst (I totally identified!) to a disturbing look at violent girl gangs; cute fashion spreads (with cartoon drawings of the clothes or, in the July issue, origami animals displaying the latest must-have prints) and the latest technological breakthroughs in cosmetics. They interview a bizarre range of people and ask questions like: “Who do you trust more, ‘Boots’ or the Government?”
All i
n all it’s a fun read and far less patronizing than many of the women’s magazines seem to be. I suppose you could say it’s a bit like the best elements of ‘The Face’ mixed with a sprinkling of ‘Marie Claire’ and a good dose of ‘The Level’.
It won’t change your life or cause a national outrage, but it may entertain you and give you something to think about.
Summary:
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