SUITCASE Magazine
Vol. 19 - 33
CLIENT // SUITCASE MAGAZINE
ART DIRECTION // CONCEPTS // DESIGN // PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO EDITOR // ART WORKER
SUITCASE Magazine is a 160-page coffee-table travel and culture magazine distributed worldwide. There are four issues per year, each with an underlying theme – previous examples include Adventure, Nostalgia and Slow. The magazine has a luxurious feel, with high-quality paper stock and printing, engaging long-form stories and award-winning photography that elevates each piece to new heights.
During my time at SUITCASE I was the lead creative on the magazine. This involved image selection, layout and design; typesetting each article; and working closely with the Editor-in-Chief to source and select photographers and illustrators, ensuring a consistent aesthetic throughout. In particular, I enjoyed experimenting with the design of each issue to guarantee that we constantly evolve, keeping things fresh and engaging.
During my time at SUITCASE Magazine we won a German Design Award in 2019 for Editorial design, Best Print Publication (Silver) at the British Media Awards 2019 and were nominated for two Photography Awards at the travel Media Awards, as well as Best Use of Photography at the Stack Magazine Awards.
100ml
Product shoots // Vol. 19 - 33
This shoot showcases high-end beauty products that are the perfect companion for on-the-road readers. It is one of three regular product shoots in each issue that I lead the concept, art direction and shoot production on. When I joined the team in 2017, this was shot on the same plain backdrop for each issue; I was asked to come up with concepts to help reflect the issue theme and produce a more dynamic outcome.
*Shot by Mitch Payne and Set Design by Maya Linhares-Marx
Vol. 25: PIONEER //
I had the opportunity to think outside the box and so started to think about the most pioneering trip ever made: that to space. With this as a key starting point, I looked into how to create a “cosmos” with dry ice and coloured lights.
Vol. 32: HOMEGROWN //
This was created during the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore was focused on the UK. For the 100ml shoot I went with a tongue-in-cheek approach and focused on the weather – us Brits love talking about it, mainly because it’s always raining.
What to pack
Product shoots // Vol. 19 - 33
What to Pack is another regular feature outlining SUITCASE’s pick of clothes and accessories to take on your travels. This has evolved significantly since I started at the magazine, originally consisting of items shot on a white background. We then started shooting these as flat lays on a colour background, but still felt there was room to improve. In early 2019 I was asked to redesign the section with a higher budget and art direct a new type of shoot using a mix of models and still-life products. With the still life being much stronger in my opinion, we cut the models and channelled the extra resources into props.
*Shot by Mitch Payne and Set Design by Maya Linhares-Marx
Vol. 30: HEALTH //
The shoot for this issue features old-school gym equipment, prompting feelings of nostalgia among our 25-40 year old demographic, while a bold, coloured background keeps it feeling contemporary
Vol. 32: HOMEGROWN //
As this issue is UK based, I decided to draw on the idea of allotments, linking both to the theme of “Homegrown” and because they are quintessentially British. Contrasting these set ups with strong colour backgrounds gives them a contemporary feel.
The Carry-on
Product shoots // Vol. 19 - 33
The last of the regular still-life features in each issue of SUITCASE is The Carry On, in which our Editor-in-Chief selects a key figure to interview about their travel rituals and the products they like to take with them. I headed up the still-life shoot showcasing the products with some sort of link to the interview.
*Shot by Mitch Payne and Set Design by Maya Linhares-Marx
Vol. 29: TASTE //
The image featured is of chef Elizabeth Haigh in our Taste issue. She talks about her parents moving from Singapore to England when she was a child, so we selected plates and cutlery from the two different regions to represent how her travels have shaped her career.
Vol. 33: COLLECTIVE //
Anine Bing's story reads like a 21st-century fairy tale. In 2012, the influencer-turned-designer launched her namesake womenswear from her LA garage. With this in mind, I wanted us to recreate what this might of looked like, playing on the contrast and juxtaposition of garage tools mixed within fabrics and textiles tools.
Social Media
Marketing
With working within a small team I’ve often had to multitask and jump across different mediums, one such medium is the forever growing world of Social Media. As a travel magazine we have a large loyal following and we use our social media to stay in contact with our audience and let them know an array of things from our new articles, competitions and of course the release of each new issue.
Fashion videos
creative direction of post production
Working on the creative direction within the post production of our fashion videos with Sebastian Bland and videographer Connor Macleod. Working on the flow and pace of the videos, along with the backtracks and telling the story.
