Peer Pitch & Concept Refinement Chart

 Concept Refinement Chart

CATEGORY	DETAILS
Film OR Magazine	Magazine
Genre	Fashion (general interest)
Target Audience (Be specific)	An enlightening and tasteful magazine targeted toward young women and teenagers interested in fashion and style.
What is your concept? (Be thorough & specific. Review the links on Blackboard)	My concept is fashion; everything to do with clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Specifically targeted toward a younger audience of mostly women. The magazine will display colorful and innovative content showcasing these garments and outfits. Stunning photography capturing beautiful ensembles of clothes and make up. I want to incorporate useful information and advice that will help girls find their sense of style.  Since it is target to a younger audience advice and tips will be things on a budget that they could afford. Many different local fashion artists and designers will be featured in this magazine. I want to interview these smaller designers to show their story and up comings. This entertaining lifestyle magazine will discuss everything pertaining to beauty and health. Articles about important issues in our generation will be discussed such as, fast fashion. Fast fashion is a pertinent issue in today’s fashion world because it hurts small businesses and drastically decreases creativity. I will write about the negative effects of fast fashion and how it impacts lesser-known designers and local businesses.
How did you conceive the idea for this concept?	I have always been captivated by style and clothing trends from a young age. The first thing that came to mind when I was told to choose a genre was fashion.
What do you believe is unique about your concept?	My magazine will focus on the latest fashion trends. It won’t involve much about politics or coverage on other news. Smaller, more local artists and designers will be included for interviews. Will have creative visuals and an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Why do you believe this product will be of interest to your audience?	This fashion magazine will include tips/ advice from beauty enthusiasts and wardrobe suggestions from admired local designers. I think that this will help young girls build their confidence and style. I believe that these recommendations and ideas will intrigue my intended viewers.
FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM PEERS	Include ‘chic’ in the title  Focus on streetwear  Incorporate local designer interviews  Small artists in the local area  Showcase their work and clothes  Promoting them with ads in the magazine  Tips on a budget for teens  Outfits that fit school dress code  Trending clothing   Info on discounts on local clothing stores

 

   I received helpful feedback from my peers that steered my initial concept in a different direction. My vision changed when someone suggested that I incorporate local designer interviews. Showcasing smaller artists work in clothes from the local area was a great idea that I am looking forward to doing. This particular suggestion completely steered my vision but in an effective way. It ultimately improved my concept by making it more realistic and intriguing. I also really enjoyed the recommendation of including information on discounts from local clothing stores. Having tips for how to stay fashionable on a budget is extremely useful for teens, which is the target audience of this magazine. Additionally, while I haven’t chosen a name for the magazine, I did have some inspiration when a peer recommended including the word ‘chic’ in the title. 

   Furthermore, various reasons and statistical data helped me justify my decision making in choosing a magazine for my respective portfolio project. For instance, evidence from the U.S Magazine Industry website states that, “The number of magazines in the U.S. has also stayed fairly constant over the years, varying from around 7,383 to 7,218 since 2008”, (paragraph 1).  I also discovered that going into the digital age was noticeably difficult for magazines. However, Beth Braverman explains that “Many of the brands that have survived . . . appear poised for a profitable future by leaning into print as a pivotal part of their strategy,” (Magazine Publishing Trends for 2020).  These findings reveal that it is fully possible to continue selling magazines and keeping it alive even through the digital age.  

   Anyhow, it is important to note that editors make impactful changes on the world through their work.  In class I was assigned to read a stimulating article by Camille T. Dungy, I found her thoughts and ideas to be very illuminating. She believes that the work of an editor allows one to stretch our ability to see beauty and potential in new places and ways. Multiple editors were called upon to share their perspectives and discuss the importance of writing. For instance, Mensah Demary explains that as an editor her role is to be “an advocate for a developing and evolving literature and its community”, (The Abundance, Joy, Beauty, Persistence, Power, and Potential of Independent Publishing). Reading this article helped me realize that I can also try and make a difference as an editor of my magazine. My fashion concept can spread joy to my target audience.