Face Forward: How MEGA And Other Publications Are Reacting To The Pandemic

Face Forward: How MEGA And Other Publications Are Reacting To The Pandemic

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Amid the persistent pandemic, MEGA magazine is committed to telling stories of truth, coming together in strength and hope for its latest issue.

Related: Stay Home, Stay Strong: See How MEGA Cover Stars Come Together To Help Produce PPEs

Faced by an unprecedented circumstance, one that has threatened the way the modern world has known to function with unapologetic danger, how does a form of exposition and expression such as a magazine, especially of the fashion sort figure in the unfolding of a new paradigm?

Living in a strange reality, we are confronted by the swaying forces of nature compelling us to decide whether to stay still in what is quickly becoming once was, or to adapt, keeping up with the speed of challenging times? A no brainer, really, as the pioneers that have become before us here at MEGA have reared us, we choose to face forward and rise.

We will have to admit, putting together an issue in the midst of all the chaos and crisis of the global pandemic, was and still is a little unnerving. Not only has every story have to be well taken care of, but that the intent and eventual message speaks to the times that we live in today. So, including the effort of putting together past covers and stories of MEGA women in a bundled special where 100% of the proceeds go to the production of much needed PPES for front liners, we are taking the course of empathy, with a unique undertaking that involved like-minded stars who are stripped of the glitz and glam we typically decorate them with, and instead, present them in their most essential. Raw and real, we asked these celebrities and personalities to take selfies in their most natural, and we collated them to form a quilt of an even bigger picture telling the same story: That we are in this together, discovering, learning, and healing as one.

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United in this effort for the April-May issue of MEGA magazine are the likes of Bianca Gonzalez Intal, Georgina Wilson, Hannah Locsin, Janeena Chan, Kiana Valenciano, Kianna Dy, Kylie Verzosa, Lovi Poe, Maggie Wilson, Maine Mendoza, Majoy Baron, Marco Gallo, Michael Leyva, Mikaela Lagdameo Martinez, Mond Gutierrez, Nadine Lustre, Patty Ang, Regine Velasquez Alcasid, Richard Juan, Tony Labrusca, Vern and Verniece Enciso, and Ylona Garcia, captured as they are, through the lens oft unseen by most. Together with these subtly evocative stills are stories of realization that has enlightened them in a time of perceived darkness. It might seem unusual for a fashion magazine, yes, but it is also a necessary response to the condition the world finds itself buried in as we speak. And while our truths and realities may vary from person to privilege, we are all equally grappling for a grip, navigating this new normal with the same shift in perspective.

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And it isn’t just us, too. All over the world, the realm of publishing and fashion communication have been reacting in their own way, guided by the pervading point-of-view of their titles, as well as staying attuned to the sensibilities of their cultural perimeters. From the brilliant and sublime plain white background of Vogue Italia, the eerily evocative manifestations of Vogue Portugal and GQ Portugal, the awareness to connect and to essay the stories as they should be, laced of course with strokes of creative genius. Others have taken liberties to their purpose, infusing their covers with abstracted veracities such as Billboard, The New Yorker, Vogue Espana, and Elle France. And of course, there were those who took to the front lines, such as Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar Australia, capturing stirring and spine-tingling images to front their latest offerings.

Often we are accused of being disconnected from what the rest of the world is going through, but clearly, and now most especially, this claim is completely unfounded. This time, however, it isn’t just written words and images filling up the pages with insight, but rather, they are front and center, as it should be. Thinking about it, what we all once knew clearly won’t cut it anymore. Luxuries have been turned on its head, and well, the surface-level allure of fashion and beauty are the farthest from anyone’s mind right now. The general consensus is simple: We have to survive—and that is the goal we are all focused at.

In this business, we are taught that the story will always, always come first, and with the violent shift of tides, it has become the most apparent across all platforms, from print to the robust digital landscape. Just like the pioneers before us, especially here in MEGA, we are taking to those blazed trails, committed to keep pushing the creativity and narratives forward, locking them down with hope and strength, whatever the condition may be.

One day, we will all rise from this, stronger than ever. While the world will never be the same, our persistent passion and penchant for stories that matter will forever remain.

 

The April-May 2020 issue of MEGA Magazine is out now. Download the digital version worldwide now through Magzter.

 

 

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