Glam sl Magazine Launch: An Offer I Couldn't Refuse

It's a rare case that I get invited to an SL event of huge interest to me that I can actually attend without rl or time zones interferring. I was lucky that today's Glam sl Magazine launch was one of those times. I could portray myself as a jet-setting, worldly fashion diva who sees these events as everyday and 'routine', but that'd be a lie. Truth be told, I was thrilled to be included and totally in a state of panic about what attire would be best... "I have nothing to wear!" And when you are requested to limit the number of prims that you wear, does that mean you go bald and wear default shoes? Ewww. Thankfully, vanity won out over conservation, because as it turns out, there was hair and shoes a'plenty.

Arriving early, I wasn't sure what to expect. The invite stated 'Launch Party and Fashion Show' and I guess I was expecting more of a press release for the new mag with events centered around that. We were given a very brief, one paragraph typed introduction to the new magazine.

Welcome everyone to the launch of GLAM sl Magazine, we would like to extend our appreciation in your interest. The team has worked for many weeks to present to Second Life a new form in publication. Under the direction of Minnu, Thora, Onyx, and Beau, this publication is focused on introducing high quality and high end fashion to Second Life. We would like to thank the designers for contributing and making the event possible. We would like to open the floor up to questions. To reduce chat spam, we ask that you please take turns and ask maximum of three questions each.

Immediately, I felt like I'd missed something. Was there homework that I'd not realized was assigned? I hadn't even had the opportunity to flip open the cover of the magazine yet. Unfortunately, though I'm sure there were hours and hours dedicated to the creation and launch of this new publication, it seemed at first that this launch was less about christening the new collaborative effort and more about creating hype for the fashion show that was to come. Questions requiring more details about the purpose of the magazine and what would make it stand out next to other publications were answered with a mysterious 'you'll have to wait and read it to find out' at first, before the team assembled before us warmed more to the idea and began to illustrate some of their passion for the magazine. Striving to mirror rl fashion magazines, Glam sl aims to publish a monthly magazine that will:

• Educate and challenge the fashion groups within SL
• Focus more on style than on the current fashion trends
• Bring great designers together to raise the bar
  
• Illustrate the difference between designers and GREAT designers
• Encourage the efforts of great up and coming designers
• Not try keep up with the fashion trends, but to set them

Following the press conference was the fantastic, absolutely beautifully-executed fashion show featuring Ghost, Artilleri, Muism, Lookr, Maitreya, Serene Sensations, MM skins, Nicky Ree, le Cubic Effect, LeeZu Baxter, Veschi, and the debut of Paper Couture's spring line. And I know it was beauuuuutiful, not because I could rezz and take pictures of it myself (puter sucks as it turns out), but because I can look at other people's Flickr sites... haha. Clearly well-produced and pulled off by true professionals, the fashion show exceeded all my expectations. From the set itself... the stark white of the stairs and mystical sheer backdrop where you could see the silhouettes of the models coming and going... to the timing and grace of the models (despite the lag of 80+ people in the sim). In addition to the the musical ambiance provided by dj duckyfresh Watanabe. Striking... bold... utterly mouth-watering. For me, it was an honor to have been able to be there.


It was after all the glitz and gawking (omg I sat next to Ava Lu!) that I was able to pull the magazine out and take a long look at it. I'm a sucker for a good picture and sleek ads and Glam has those... similar in style to Homme Magazine. Noteworthy articles and interviews piqued my interest and kept me turning the page. Glam sl Magazine has set some lofty goals for themselves. It will be interesting to see how they measure up to their ideals and how diverse the publication will be when it comes to design and fashion in SL.

See more pictures from the show at:

• Gillian's Flickr
• The Diva Rockin's Flickr
• Phoenix Chapman's Flickr
  
• My Flickr (warning these are sub par!!)