Appreciation
05.11.10
25 Years of Spin Magazine
This month marks the 25th anniversary of Spin magazine. Founder Bob Guccione Jr. was listed on the masthead as Editor, Design Director and Publisher, and was responsible for the original look of the magazine. That look was cool: simple, understated, elegant, geometric, with large photos and plenty of white space. Spin went through a lot of art directors in its day, but the overall look always owed a lot to Guccione's original design. Spin has had a lot of great art directors and has a rich visual history. Here are some classic covers. If we missed any of your favorites, please let us know.
(Above): The first issue of Spin, May 1985. Photograph by Herb Ritts; design director: Bob Guccione Jr.
(Left): August 1985. Photograph by Laura Levine; design director: Bob Guccione Jr. (Right): July 1985. Photograph by George DuBose; design director: Bob Guccione Jr.
The early covers of Spin, designed by Bob Guccione Jr., were spare and elegant, with simple typography and bold images.
(Left): March 1998. Art director: Paul Barnes. (Right): December 1992. Photograph by Guzman; art director: Stephen Webster.
(Left): March 1994. Photograph by Dah Len; art director: Bruce Ramsay. (Right): July 1997. Photograph by David Barry; art director: Bruce Ramsay.
Art director Bruce Ramsay introduced a cool, contemporary selection of original photography on the covers.
(Left): June 2002. Photograph by David LaChapelle; art director: Lisa Steinmeyer. (Right): May 2004. Photograph by Norman Jean Roy; art director: Arem Duplessis.
Art directors Lisa Steinmeyer and Arem Duplessis (currently design director of The New York Times Magazine) brought strong, aggressive typography and design to the covers.
(Left): October 2005. Photograph by Michael Lavine; art director: Kory Kennedy. (Right): September 2006. Photograph by Gavin Bond; art director: Devin Pedzwater.
Former Spin art director Kory Kennedy is now the design director of Runner's World. Current Spin creative director Devin Pedzwater recently oversaw the magazine's very cool 25th anniversary issue.
Link:
Related stories:
Runner's World (art director Kory Kennedy)
Leave a comment