Magazines: The Gentlewoman - Language and Representations

 The Gentlewoman: Language and Representation blog tasks

Close-textual analysis

Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Gentlewoman CSP pages:

Gentlewoman front cover 

1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?

The serif font used for Scarlett Johansson is sued to establish her celebrity status and importance as highest paid actress in 2018-2019

2) How does the cover subvert conventional magazine cover design?

• Bright vibrant colour scheme 
• no cover lines
•  no costume or fashion

3) Write an analysis of the central image.

The cover subverts typical women's lifestyle/fashion magazine. The sans serif font of the masthead gives the magazine that modern look and reflects the values, attitudes of the magazine. There are no cover lines showing off the magazines unconventional traits in relation to their authenticity 

4) What representations of gender and celebrity can be found on this front cover?

Representations of women: subverts female stereotypes with low angle strong/powerful facial expression. This creates a empowering representation as she gives the readers direct address and eye contact. 

5) What gender and representation theories can we apply to this cover of the Gentlewoman? 

Subverts lesbet Van Zoonen's theory of the media sexualising women and presenting them as spectacles 

Feature: Modern Punches

1) How does the feature on Ramla Ali use narrative to engage the audience? Apply narrative theories here.

Using Propps narrative theory, Ramala Ali is presented as the hero and her bullies and opponent being the villain

2) What representations can you find in this feature - both interview and image?

The representations of boxing as a sport is positive as it is presented as inclusive and as a sport that is accepting of other genders + willing to adapt

3) What representation theories can we apply to the Modern Punches feature? 
The rejection of Butler's theory of gender is socially constructed as boxing is a sport that equally respects women and men in the ring. To add to this, it also rejects western beauty ideals also subverting Van Zoonen's theory on the fact that competition, individualism and ruthlessness are masculine values

Feature: Isabella Tree interview

1) Why is this feature unconventional for a women's lifestyle and fashion magazine? Comment on the use media language in these pages. 

Environmental issues are not typical in women's lifestyle and fashion magazines. There us little text and more on nature. Additionally there is an emphasis on the environment and the campaign rather than Isabella tree

2) How does the Isabella Tree feature reflect the social and cultural contexts of contemporary Britain? Think about AQA's discussion of lifestyle, environmental issues and ethical movements.

It focuses on the environment and the protection of nature which is a trending topic in Britain. 

3) What representations of nature can be found in this feature?
The pictures of the tree and the orchard show its important history and is a desperate plea to support the rewilding campaign.

Feature: Stella McCartney and vegan fashion

1) How does this feature reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?

Veganism is a trending lifestyle and is growing more and more in the UK

2) Comment on the typography and page design in this feature.

The page design in unorthodox and unconventional to a magazine page as the front size changes down the page

3) What representations can be found in the image accompanying this feature? 

Representations

Read this Business of Fashion interview with The Gentlewoman editor Penny Martin. If you don't want to sign up to the website (free) then you can access the text of the article on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login). Answer the following questions: 

1) What type of magazine did Penny Martin, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom want to create? 

A fashion magazine with journalistic aspects for and to show fashion in an intelligent way “At that time, we felt there was a dearth of intelligent perspectives on fashion and there wasn't really a fashion magazine for actual readers."  they aimed to produce  long-form journalism

and a personality-centred magazine that has equally eloquent imagery and graphic design.”

2) What representations of modern women did they try to construct for the magazine?

"I'm interested in what [The Gentlewoman] tells you about how modern women live, from the way they drink, dance, drive and speak to the way they sign their letters or conduct their divorces. It's about putting those women at the centre of the material world around them. That

balance is important to us."

3) What examples of cover stars reflect the diversity in the magazine's content? 

Cover stars have ranged from 88-year-old actor Angela Lansbury, shot in a peach

silk blouse and Terry Richardson's black frame glasses, to popstar Beyoncé,

looking calm, strong and composed in Dior with a face free of make-up.

4) What is Penny Martin's view on feminism and whether the magazine is feminist?

it isn't a magazine about those things, it's a magazine informed by those things — among others. Is it a feminist magazine? Well, it's made by feminist people, so what do you think?! But I don't want to make those values and principles fashionable, because I don't want to undermine them by turning them into an aesthetic and I don't want them to pass into the

realm of the unfashionable.

5) Look at the end of the article. How does the Gentlewoman help readers construct or reflect their identity by engaging with events and spaces beyond the magazine? 

"Other things" includes the recently formed Gentlewoman Club which extends the magazine's brand into physical events where readers can interact and chat with editors. "We're starting to develop our website as a kind of portal for real things to happen rather than a bogus virtual community with likes and message boards. I am so not interested in that. I think that's over."