It was the early 2000s and for the first time Melanated women were being recognized on a larger scale internationally in film, fashion, music and art. Corporations were rolling the beginning of their diversity platforms and Canada’s Suzanne Boyd was right their at the forefront of it all.
A style fashionista then and to this day, Boyd rocked the fashion world when she launched the unforgettable “Suede” magazine.
It was ahead of its time. The magazine was sharp, feminine, sassy, provocative and most of all, it was ours. A magazine for Melanated women by a Melanated woman. Different from other magazines for People of Colour.
As a young women growing up in the fashion and entertainment world before becoming an Entrepreneur in Pubic Relations and Mediation, Suede was everything for me and my crew of young fashionistas in the hair, beauty, acting and modelling industry.
We reveled in getting our copies of Suede and enjoyed girls night combing through the pages full of inspiration.
“What I loved most about Suede, aside from the fact that the magazine had an actual pulse, is the way every single word, image and article unapologetically celebrated and championed brown girls. As I watch some of my other beloved magazines make excuses about why they can’t (or aren’t) creating content that is honest, inspirational, aspirational, uplifting and informative, I’m reminded that it CAN be done.”
Sakita Holley, Founder and CEO of House of Success,
Sometimes our people are met with push back when our work is too good. When it outshines the others. Someone, somewhere finds a reason to end our great work. When that happens we have our minds and hearts to use as memories to remind us and inspire our creative flow and output.
For young fashionistas, Suzanne Boyd was a leader and an influencer before social media platforms and her legacy carries today as the Editor-in-Chief of Zoomer magazine.
Suede magazine ran from 2004 – 2005, printing about 4 issues. After becoming defunct, Suzanne Boyd landed the role as Editor-in-Chief of Zoomer magazine after being headhunted by Moses Znaimer, while she was living in New York.
The magazine may not be here any longer, however we can dream that one day it returns as the market is ripe for such creativity. Until then, those of us who got to experience a piece of fashion history will always remember Suede magazine and most of all the beautiful and talented Suzanne Boyd.
The Suede Manifesto:
Suede Magazine’s Manifesto:
Style is in our DNA. And we, the multi-culti urbanistas stand at a new intersection of street and chic. Our dial is tuned to the catwalk and the corner. We are fashion crazy. We come from the culture on the come up and use fashion to amplify who we are. We revel in the entire spectrum of black beauty and love the skin we’re in. Feel it.
THE RESET COMMUNITY 