 | |
 Travis Scott on the cover of the spring 2021 issue | |
| Editor-in-Chief | Thom Bettridge |
|---|---|
| Categories | Fashion magazine |
| Frequency | Bi-annual |
| Founder | Terry Jones |
| First issue | August 1980 |
| Company | Bedford Media |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based in | London |
| Language | English |
| Website | i-d |
| ISSN | 0262-3579 |
i-D is a British biannual magazine dedicated tofashion,music,art,film andyouth culture. The magazine was launched in 1980 byTerry Jones,[1][2] originally as a hand-stapledfanzine it has since evolved into aglossy publication.[1][3]
In 2023 the magazine's publication was put on hold following its acquisition by Bedford Media.[4] It returned in Spring 2025 as a biannual publication.[5]
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The magazine is known for its innovativephotography andtypography and as a training ground for fresh talent. PhotographersWolfgang Tillmans,Mario Testino,Terry Richardson,Craig McDean,[1]Nick Knight andJuergen Teller started their careers ati-D, as didDylan Jones andCaryn Franklin. Other photographers that have contributed toi-D includeEllen von Unwerth,Robert Fairer, Kayt Jones, Sam Rock, andPetra Collins.
People who have appeared ini-D includeMadonna,Grace Jones,Naomi Campbell,Sade,John Galliano,Alexander McQueen,Kanye West,Helmut Lang,Franz Ferdinand,Chloë Sevigny,Raf Simons,Jun Takahashi,Veronique Branquinho,Lily Cole,Giles Deacon,Timothee Chalamet,Dizzee Rascal,Scarlett Johansson,Rick Owens,Selena Gomez, andRihanna.[6]
The wink and smile on each front cover—a graphic representation of the magazine's logo—are integral to the i-D identity.[7]
i-D was launched in 1980 byTerry Jones. The first issue was priced at 50p, and 50 issues were sold. It was one of the first magazines to coverstreet fashion.[1]
Raf Simons edited the magazine's February 2001 issue.[8]
Avril Mair stepped down as editor in October 2004; she was replaced by Glenn Waldron.[9]
In 2012 Terry Jones sold the magazine toVice Media; however, Jones and his wife Tricia Jones remained partners and partial shareholders.[10]
i-D France was launched in website form in 2015.[11][12]
In 2016,i-D Japan was launched as a print magazine published on a bi-annual basis. The publication's first cover featuredKiko Mizuhara.[13] The magazine's last print issue was published in 2019; however, it is still published digitally. Also in 2016, a Chinese edition of the magazine was launched on digital platforms with accounts onWeibo andWeChat.[14]
i-D Korea was launched as a digital-only publication in July 2021; Songin Han was appointed as the magazine's editor.[15]
In November 2021, the magazine's fashion editor Max Clark was suspended after more than a dozen women accused him of sending sexually inappropriate messages.[16] Clark denied the allegations.[17]
On 14 November 2023, Bedford Media acquired the magazine fromVice Media.[18] Bedford Media is financed by bothKarlie Kloss and her husbandJoshua Kushner, the younger brother ofJared Kushner the son-in-law ofDonald Trump.[19] Kloss was appointed CEO whilst Alastair (at the time Editor-in-Chief) became Chief Creative Officer and Global Editor-in-Chief of the magazine.[20] With the purchase, publication of the magazine was paused.[21]
The magazine's editor Alastair McKimm resigned from his role in February 2024.[22][21]
i-D's digital presence was relaunched in September 2024, with the website returning and a digital cover featuringCharli XCX andTroye Sivan.[23] Thom Bettridge was later announced as the magazine's new Editor-in-Chief, and the magazine will began publishing again from March 2025 as a bi-annual publication.[24][5]
| Country | Operation | Editor-in-Chief | Start year | End year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (i-D) | 1980–present | Terry Jones | 1980 | 2012 |
| Dylan Jones | 1986 | 1988 | ||
| Caryn Franklin | 1986 | 1988 | ||
| Alix Sharkey | 1988 | 1989 | ||
| John Godfrey | 1988 | 1990 | ||
| Matthew Collin | 1991 | 1994 | ||
| Avril Mair | 1994 | 2004[9] | ||
| Glenn Waldron | 2004[9] | 2006[25] | ||
| Ben Reardon | 2006 | 2010[26] | ||
| Holly Shackleton | 2010[27] | 2019[28] | ||
| Alastair McKimm | 2019[29] | 2024[29] | ||
| Thom Bettridge | 2024 | present[24] | ||
| Japan (i-D Japan) | 1991–1993[30] | Kiyoshi Yoshizawa | 1991[30] | 1993 |
| 2016–2019[31] |
i-D operates digitally in Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The magazine previously had a digital presence in Australia,[8] China, France,[12] Germany, Italy,[8] Latin America, Mexico,[12] Netherlands, New Zealand,[8] Poland,[12] Spain,[8] and the United States.
The Straight-Up is adocumentary style ofphotography pioneered byTerry Jones, founder and editor-in-chief ofi-D magazine, in 1977. Taking its name from aWest Country expression meaning 'tell it like it is', aStraight-Up typically captures a head-to-toe portrait of someone street cast with great personal style, often accompanied by a short question-and-answer defining their life, likes and dislikes.
In 1977, inspired byAugust Sander'ssocial documentary portraits andIrving Penn'sSmall Trade series, Jones commissioned British photographerSteve Johnston to photograph Londonpunks head-to-toe against a plain white wall on theKings Road. Jones intended the pictures to run as a cultural piece inBritishVogue, where he then worked as art director.[1] The photographs however were considered too revolutionary, so Jones ran the images in a book he was art directing calledNot Another Punk Book, published byAurum Press.[32] These Straight-Ups went on to form the basis of i-D, a hand-stapledfanzine founded by Jones in 1980.[33] As i-D grew from a fanzine into a fashion magazine, the Straight-Up style of photography continued, culminating in an entire issue of the magazine dedicated to the photographic style in August 2003 (The Straight-Up Issue, No. 234). TodayStraight-Ups continue to be featured ini-D.[34]
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After a seven-month hiatus i-D Magazine is back online with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan on the homepage of its newly relaunched website.
Media related toI-D at Wikimedia Commons