I-D Magazine

THE HISTORY OF I-D MAGAZINE

i-D is a British magazine that was set up by Terry Jones, who decided to design a magazine not to promote fashion products or consumerism, but celebrate "Street Style" fashion and  youth culture.

The first issue of   i-D was released in the September of 1980, I say "released" instead of published as it was originally a fanzine/DIY magazine which was pieced and stapled together by hand. 

Issue 1. sold a mere 50 copies (each at the price of just 50p - a steep difference from the more recent price of £5.50). Jones felt that the lack in sales was due to the fact that the magazine consisted primarily of "street style" (a concept which has grown in popularity since i-D has become more well-known) and had a very homemade feel to it. The writing was typed up on a type-writer and the models were members of the British public.

"The idea was to break down the pigeon-holing of identity and fashion; to go beyond the facade of fashion, so you could play it as a game. So you could inject more fun into the codes of fashion."

- Terry Jones (Editor-in-Chief of i-D)

Although the magazine has since evolved from a hand stapled fanzine, into a mature glossy magazine, the original mentality of "street style" and "youth culture" remains a prominent part of the magazine, separating it from all of its successors (such as Dazed & Confused or LOVE magazine) and predecessors (Vogue).

Terry Jones

Born in 1945 in Northampton, Terry Jones studied graphics in Bristol (but dropped out in protest when a favourite tutor resigned). 

Jones set up the magazine with his wife, Tricia (whom he married in 1968).

For many years, Terry has established himself as "one of the most experimental creative director of his generation". His career began designing the covers ofVanity Fair and Vogue (both British & Paris) in the 70s.

These covers were a harsh contrast to the more innovative designs used in i-D magazine. 

"The first few years of i-D were controlled chaos"

There was a creative aspect to designing for more established magazines like Vogue, however, i-D proved as a creative risk to Terry Jones. He wanted to venture out, trading in the years of demurely editing photographs for experimental graphic layouts. Terry often massacred images and text with his graphic design layouts, but this was what the magazine industry needed. It was a fresh take on 80s fashion. Post-modern.