Buffalo Zine, created by David Uzquiza and Adrian Gonzalez-Cohen, is one of fashion’s most unique, fun, loveable, and exciting publishing projects. Each issue is a surprise, with the duo always finding new forms for their publication to take; they’ve released everything from newspapers to hardcover books in the past. Their new issue, The Catalogue Issue, is a glorious celebration of material reality, of everything from photography to fashion, household products to perfume. It also marks the moment that they’re moving from an irregular publishing schedule (it took them three years to finish one issue) to a more traditional biannual format. To celebrate the launch of their issue, Uzquiza and Gonzalez-Cohen are also launching a shop, featuring 20 products, made in collaboration with everyone from Martin Parr to Christopher Shannon, along with their own perfume, Aqua di Buffalo. As it hits the shelves today, with seven different beautiful covers, we got the lowdown from David and Adrian.
You made the decision to move to a more conventional publication schedule. Why?
We’ve quit our jobs to dedicate full time to Buffalo and other projects as a creative agency.
Each issue you’ve done has changed and morphed, how did you reinvent yourselves this time? Is it exciting for you to constantly find new ways to present your magazine to the world?
It’s the most exciting part of it. Every issue is a new world we immerse [ourselves] in. It’s very refreshing for us, and we hope for the readers.
It’s called The Catalogue Issue, and there’s a real funny focus on products in the issue, what drew you to this?
We are supposed to live in a very digital world, kind of virtual. But we can’t run from the materialistic animals we are. We need bleach, Kleenex, milk, insecticides, and so many things that cannot be digital… Like fashion. And magazines! It was a celebration of materialism. And ultimately, an exploration on the world of selling and advertising and a fun exercise in being a more conventional magazine.
What was on your moodboard for this issue? What inspiration did you draw from?
Feminine magazines like Italian Vogue from the 90s, the International Male catalogue, Nova, Ikea, Argos, fried chicken, suburban areas like Dalston, Oliviero Toscani, supermarket brochures, teleshopping channels, corporation domination, fast food, junk mail, a sociological approach to humans as consumers, advertising from all eras.
What drew you to the trashy, throwaway aesthetic, you use in this issue?
It’s not nostalgic, but we don’t think it’s looking forward, either. It’s a pastiche of many things and moments in time related to this world of consumerism. Honestly, we never want to be modern. We put more effort in trying to be timeless.
This issue’s also based on consumerism, in a way, with the adverts, references to Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, etc.; do you find consumerism an interesting way to think about fashion? Or more generally, society?
Fashion is ultimately consumerism. As Yann Dall’Aglio says in the intro essay of the issue, it’s very human to communicate and express through consumerism. “Nothing could be less materialistic, or more sentimental, than a teenager buying brand new jeans and tearing them at the knees because he wants to please Jennifer.”
You are also launching a store? What can you tell us about that?
There is a selection of 20 product that you can find throughout the issue, most of them created for this purpose, that will be available soon on our website. Things from a knife set to socks like Martin Parr is wearing, our very own new fragrance, Aqua di Buffalo, or an upcoming merch line in collaboration with Christopher Shannon.
I love the shoot with Isabelle Huppert, Juliette Binoche, and Emmanuelle Seigner. How did you decide on this? It looks incredible!
We met Jonathan Huguet, who is the red carpet stylist of these actresses we totally admire. And we thought it was perfect to have them in this issue, glam the issue up with them, and glam them down for the issue. They are basically playing these women alone in society, overwhelmed and lost in common places. Theres also a parallelism with the role of women of a certain age in the cinema and society in general.
And finally, the whole magazine looks incredible (again!) but what are you most proud of in this issue?
The covers. We love the seven of them. The thing we are most proud of is the way all the contributors embrace the themes and the ideas we propose to them. Eternally thankful.
A limited number of Buffalo Zine’s fourth issue will be available at Dover Street Market this weekend. The issue can also be purchased at buffalozine.com.
Credits
Text Felix Petty