Sir magazine
Canadian magazine designed for sophisticated, influential men
By Andrea Weinfurt
Their cover was ready to go. A week left until it went to press. The editorial staff at the Canadian men’s fashion magazine Sir had been busily working on the Fall 2005 launch of the quarterly for months.
But with seven days to press, the editorial team had a scoop on even its American counterparts. International fashion designer Tom Ford came to them with news about his plans for a new menswear line.
So they switched the cover. They swapped the original cover shot with a black-and-white photograph of Ford grinning at readers and wearing designer sunglasses.
Publisher Shelagh Tarleton credited Editor in Chief Jeanne Beker with snatching the exclusive with Ford for the inaugural issue. Beker is a major global television personality and has had a personal relationship with Ford since his days at Gucci. Tarleton views the Ford cover story as a perfect example of what the magazine is about.
“It’s a fashion story about a guy in the fashion business,” she said. “It was news and it was breaking news, about a sexy guy in his mid 40s and of international interest.”
Like its sister publication, FQ, Sir intends “to put Canadians on the international stage,” said Tarleton, adding that there is no editorial mandate to focus on Canada.
And if Sir sounds a lot like another recent launch, Men’s Vogue, Tarleton said it was just plain luck. “The coincidence was exactly that, which we found so delightful that we would be thinking the same thing here in Canada.”
Both magazines are expansions from successful brands: Men’s Vogue from Vogue and Sir from FQ. “The editorial mix and the target are very similar,” said Tarleton. “Our focus is on a man with some experience, some influence. They are both brands where fashion is at the core—a magazine for stylish living.”
Tarleton stressed that Sir is about more than just fashion. Each issue contains content on lifestyle, architecture, food and culture.
She added that Men’s Vogue is a great magazine but written for a different audience. “It seems like it’s written for a much more time-starved reader. The information is much more dense.”
Tarleton believes that Sir’s readers will have time to read the longer articles like those featured in the first issue, which include a look at the fall fashion collections from New York, Milan and Paris; a story featuring designer Giorgio Armani and his yacht; a piece highlighting a cutting-edge winery in Niagara; and an article discussing the cosmetic-surgery trend.
Sir’s 150,000 circulation seems paltry compared with large American publications. “They sell 150,000 copies of Vogue in Chicago alone,” Tarleton joked. But she is confident Sir can flourish on Canadian newsstands, since there is nothing else like it in Canada.
Copies of the magazine can also be found on newsstands in New York, Miami and Paris. Tarleton said it is possible the title could expand to other American markets.
She and Deborah Lewis, the vice president of Sir’s publisher, Kontent Media Group, joked that the editorial department is always interested in worldwide exclusives. Tarleton says they are would like a collaborative effort with public relations professionals.
So what was supposed to be on the original cover?
Lewis has a simple, coy response: “Never tell.”
Pitching Tips
Tarleton said Sir would like a collaborative effort with public relations professionals. Lewis is the best one to pitch, and she prefers e-mail. And pitches don’t necessarily have to be very specific. “Everything doesn’t have to be spelled out. This is a very erudite crowd,” said Tarleton, adding that Sir is always looking for good travel, fashion, lifestyle and architecture pitches. Lewis can make sure press releases and other materials are filtered down to the appropriate member of the editorial department.
In Every Issue
Since the magazine is still in its developing stages, the only consistent feature will be the Shining Knights pages featuring pictures of social events and parties, often including celebrities. Tarleton described Shining Knights as “very part of the FQ brand.”
A similar page, La Dolce Vita, appears in FQ. She said the pages include “not just pretty fashion people.”
The magazine is affiliated with Fashion Television, so it gets access to places other Canadian magazines do not.
Contact Information
Sir Magazine
134 Peter Street
Toronto, ON, Canada
M5V 2H2
(416) 367-7658
