Twelve Magazine is the new webzine worn by 12 young women, whose editorial line is freer, diversified and above all, filled with love and benevolence. For the launch of this new medium, Just Focus spoke with two of its members, Ingrid, the founder and Marie, one of the web editors.
Just Focus: Hello! Can you introduce yourself quickly?
Hi, my name is Ingrid, I'm the founder of Twelve Magazine.
Hi, my name is Marie and I'm a web editor for Twelve Magazine.
JF: What is Twelve Magazine?
Marie: Twel veMagazine is the meeting of 12 people. It's a new magazine that's going to be a bubble of diversity, a bubble of love, it's not going to be a magazine as we know it traditionally. It's really a unique concept that we wanted to create.
Ingrid: Twelve is the place where all the arts can be mixed. We will be able to talk about fashion, make-up, culinary art, all arts are accepted.
JF: Ingrid, you're the founder, why did you create Twelve Magazine and what made you doit?
Ingrid: The idea was to create a place where everyone could express themselves freely, without constraint and with passion. What pushed me to create this magazine is the meeting with these 12 women. Each had a certain talent and passions sometimes common, sometimes totally different. Most of them needed a space to really express themselves, because in other more traditional magazines, there are certain rules, which made them feel restrained in their writing.
Marie: Yes, and our idea is also to bring a touch of diversity and originality. To be different from a traditional magazine that simply relays information. Our goal is to accept everyone as they are.
JF: So you are 12 women to make up the magazine. How did you meet and why an all-female team?
Ingrid: We all met in another media, called Ô Magazine, most of us left but we kept in touch. I specify that the idea is not to copy Ô Magazine. We will propose something different with a different target, different subjects. We had a great time at Ô Magazine, this experience made us grow and progress, it's a very nice experience. It was our experience at Ô Magazine that made us want to create something in our image.
JF: So it's not a lifestyle magazine, it's much more than that. What will be the sections in your magazine?
Ingrid: We have Fashion, Beauty, Culture, Lifestyle, and Society.
Marie: We also have a special section called Les Courriers du Cœur.
Ingrid: Yes exactly! Les Courriers du Cœur was really the centerpiece of the project, because that's where we're going to appeal to readers to express themselves anonymously, even if it's just a thought, a poem, or a deeper reflection, they can send it to us and we will publish anonymously!
JF: Fashion or beauty magazines are often synonymous with stereotypes, how do you see things?
Ingrid: Magazines are a reflection of our society, which is full of dictates. The idea is rather to inspire a new movement, where everyone can meet and accept themselves as they are. Our goal is truly diversity, to represent everyone and always, with kindness. For example, we are going to do an editorial shoot, our goal is not to lock ourselves up to the classic mannequin of 1m80, size 36. We're going to show acne, cellulite, vitiligo, a lot of things that are part of our society as well.
Marie: And above all, unlike women's magazines, we're going to show all this diversity, and we're not just going to target women, we're going to target everyone, that's where our difference lies.
JF: Among the Twelve Magazine team, there are not only web editors, there are also other profiles. Can you tell us more?
Ingrid: In the current profiles, there is for example Marie, who will help me with the Crush Shopping category and PR. The idea is to multitask because they are not only writers, they are co-founders. Without them, the creation of the webzine could not have been possible. Each carries out missions alongside the editorial staff. It can be PR, the management of Courriers du Cœur, community management on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or Pinterest – which is also a good lever not to be neglected in terms of SEO. So, each has its mission in addition to writing.
JF: Do you have an economic model already planned, or is it more a project that you are carrying out in parallel with your careers/studies?
Ingrid: It's a passion project. We invested everything in this project but out of passion. Me, I am ready to leave my current missions to really launch in Twelve, but after, we have to see how the webzine will be received. As I said earlier, Twelve is a place to express oneself. We're not going to start thinking about business and paid partnership right away. We keep in mind that this is a place for passion above all.
JF: Are you also thinking about video formats, with a YouTube channel for example or Instagram Lives that will allow you to interact directly with people?
Marie: We had thought about it, but since we want to do something quite qualitative, and for the moment, we do not have the resources or know-how to offer something good, we prefer to wait. We don't want to offer something mediocre just to offer it, we want the quality to be present.
Ingrid: Exactly! The idea will also be to offer video format on social networks. For example, mini-interviews, small podcasts too. We really want to take the time to have the right people, the right software, rather than offering content that we are not proud of. Let's go step by step!
JF: Do you hope to welcome more people later, recruit volunteers perhaps?
Ingrid: We already have some! There are already people who have asked us to recruit them. We must be 18 now! So yes, there are already people who want to be part of the adventure while the project is not out yet!
JF: Is there going to be something more in the way of writing articles that we will not find in other writings, so that this notion of love, which you talk about in the DP, shines through?
Ingrid: Editors write with more transparency and kindness. I am thinking, for example, of the article on fashion and the LGBT community. What we must remember from our project is benevolence and freedom, and this will be felt in the articles. What we want to offer are authentic items that you won't find anywhere else.
You can now find Twelve Magazine on social networks, as well as on their website here.
Interview by Barbara.
Transcript: Roxane
