By Kelly Lovering
Buffalo
could be on its way to being the international hub of alternative fashion
thanks to the launch of Auxiliary Magazine.
“There
is a great creative scene here in Buffalo,” says Auxiliary Editor-in-Chief
Jennifer Link. “So many
artists have come from bigger cities to live a more cost-effective lifestyle.
They can live on a budget and still work on what they love. I really like the
people I have met here. It is more about camaraderie and support than
competition.”
Auxiliary
started out with a basis of fashion and has infused music and culture into its
repertoire.
“Culture
is so tied in with music. Music is what feeds alternative fashion. We didn’t
want to limit ourselves to what is covered. It is more about people and how
they go about living,” said Link.
There
have been numerous music magazines that have highlighted fashion but few
devoted to fashion and music, life and culture, as the basis of style and
editorials.
Do
not get confused by the term “alternative fashion”. There will always be a rage
of do-it-yourselfers that shop all vintage. “That is the heart of style,”
according to Link.
Looking
back at 80’s Goth and punk scene it had a purpose for that political
environment. That movement has since passed. Now it is an art movement. There
are the people that create their own style, and there are those designers that push
elements of fashion and its history. Alternative fashion is not a garage band
thrift style. It is eclectic, thoughtful and edgy, a message that Auxiliary and Link are sharing
globally.
“This
is a global fashion magazine,” says Associate Editor Luke Copping, “There are
readers from more than 60 countries that access our issues online.”
On
demand technology is what has helped to launch Auxiliary into a successful first
year of business. While the magazine has a very regional sense, there is an
even larger willingness to interact with the international market. Buffalo has
become a much more style conscious market, hailing the sophistication of New
York City fashions and the edgy trends from Toronto.
“It’s
important for people to understand that Auxiliary does not try to be
too genre specific,” says Copping. “It is an alternative magazine that focuses is on all
spheres of fashion, with a wide ranging approach to fashion editorials. It is
inclusive of everything from basic to elaborate Neo-Victorian wear.”
Auxiliary upholds a new
philosophy in fashion that appeals to all demographics. Whether about learning
to style, shopping on a budget, or learning about high-end designers, it offers
a range of accessible fashion insight. The founders, both writers and photographers, have even had the
opportunity to pull clothes from the established designers of Lip Service.
“Being
that we offer everything for free online, it’s amazing to see that we’re
getting readers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil and France. This business
is going to that direction,” says Link.
Hard copies of Auxiliary Magazine are available.