Spindle Magazine is the must-have lifestyle guide for fashion, music and the arts. At the same time, it provides a creative outlet for writers, designers, artists, stylists, photographers and film-makers across the globe. Spindle started life in Brighton and is now run out of WMA Studios, a photography studio and events space in Brooklyn, New York. We caught up with Editor-in-Chief and Founder Heather Falconer about the Spindle story.
How did Spindle come into existence?
It was an idea which I created as my final year project in art college in 2009. The idea was to promote emerging creative talent. It didn’t matter who you were. If you were creative and talented, then why shouldn’t your work be published?
When we interviewed bigger name talent (Spindle interviewed Florence and the Machine back in 2009) it was always about the journey to ‘the top’. We’ve always had that educational aspect. Education is very important to me. Young people are our future and the arts should be accessible to all.
There really have been a lot of serendipitous happenings along the way. Never, ever giving up, and taking every opportunity possible.
Having been friends of Spindle since its beginnings and keen followers of the digital Spindle platform over the past few years, we're thrilled that Spindle is back in print. What egged this on?
Spindle started in print, way before we had the website, and that was and always will be the passion side. It is no longer about one channel, it’s about looking at who the audience is, and what do they do on a daily basis, and how we can disrupt and engage throughout that daily routine.
Tell us about the Brits in NYC feature and Spindle's link to the States?
The Brits in NYC feature came about after having so many conversations with amazing entrepreneurs, founders and creatives who have been working in the UK, but have found their line of work more successful in the US. Also through our relationship with the DIT introducing us to a breadth of homegrown talent now developing in the US. It also came from my own insight and moving from London to New York recently.
You've collaborated with some fantastic international brands, putting on music and fashion events. Tell us about this side of the Spindle brand.
Yes, we’ve been really lucky to work with a load of global brands, which really is down to our fantastic calibre of creative talent we work with, brands seem to come to us to be aligned with our ‘cool’ factor, being able to have our finger on the pulse with our creative network of influencers.
We’re soon to be officially launching Spindle NETWORK – a creative platform where talent can pitch to work on brand briefs. As more and more brands approach us with briefs, we want to be able to offer that to our global creative network.
You’ve recently left London for the Big Apple. Can you take us to some of your favourite haunts in each city?
If I had 24 hours in each city, here is what I would do….
New York
ODD Store NYC
Storm Ritter
The Strand Book Store
Berlin
Back to Life NYC
Ruen Brothers at Mckittrick Hotel (Fridays and Saturdays)
Le Bain, The Standard
Sketchbook Project
London
Barbican
Southbank
Moth Club
Sink the Pink
YMH
Thanks Heather!
Spindle is now on sale in the UK, and the US later this month and is available to buy at Papersmiths.
Details on how you can sign up to the Spindle Network will be available soon. If you’d like to be involved, please register your interest by emailing info@spindlemagazine.com with ‘Spindle Network’ as the header.
Follow Spindle on all social media platforms @spindlemagazine
Follow Heather on Instagram
