Printout: relaunches

The relaunch is an essential part of magazine making – an opportunity for editorial teams to refresh their thinking, try new ideas and explore new avenues. For the first Printout of 2015 we’ll take a look back at some of the most successful independent magazine relaunches from the past few months, finding out why the makers wanted a change, how they went about it and what the results were.

We’ll be joined on the night by Alexia Liakounakou from Makeshift, which shifted size and focus in 2014 to become “a field guide to hidden creativity”. It was one of my favourite magazines of the year, so I’m really looking forward to Alexia giving us some behind the scenes insights into the changes.

We’ll also be joined by Steven Gregor, the man behind Gym Class, and a leading authority on the art of the relaunch. Every issue of Gym Class has taken a different size, format or design approach, and while he’d suggested that the last issue would see the start of more continuity, it seems the desire for change may have got the better of him again. He’ll be speaking about the reason for his changes, and giving us a look at the brand new issue.

And finally we’ll also have a video by Erin Spens from Boat Magazine, shot on location in Bangkok, the destination for their upcoming issue. Last year saw a lot of changes for Boat, and the result is a glossier magazine that feels refreshed and rejuvenated, with a greater emphasis on fashion as well as travel.

It’s going to be a great night of magazine talk, and as if that weren’t enough we’ll also have free copies of Makeshift and Boat to give away. Bargain.

It’s all taking place at The Book Club in Shoreditch on Tuesday 27 January, and tickets are on sale now for just £5.95 – book your place and we’ll see you there.

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Will you be in Amsterdam on 29 January? Come along to Stack Live at the Athenaeum bookshop and hear from Peter Bil’ak, the man behind last month’s Stack delivery, Works That Work