Welcome to the First Issue of WYouth
“You should talk to Sara Moonves about a teen version of W.” That was the text Sofia Coppola sent me last year, and how WYouth began.
I first met Sofia through Marc Jacobs, with whom I worked for seven years, while we were all collaborating to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her film The Virgin Suicides. Through Sofia’s work, I had discovered artists and designers such as X-girl, Sonic Youth, and Hysteric Glamour; it felt surreal that someone who had influenced me so much was now introducing me to Sara Moonves, whose vision I’d admired for years. Sara and I connected instantly, reminiscing over old issues of Seventeen and Sassy, swapping stories about our teenage selves, and talking about all the things we loved. Within weeks, we were bringing WYouth (pronounced “Double Youth”) to life.
For this first issue, we kept coming back to the theme of “connection”—something that feels timeless, no matter how much the world changes. Hailey and Justin Bieber felt like the perfect first cover stars. We were drawn to the tenderness of their relationship and everything they represent—from Hailey’s Rhode empire to Justin’s music and fearless approach to fashion. We also feature Tyler, The Creator; Clairo interviewed by Charli xcx; Chase Infiniti and her sister, Dolcé Imani; the incomparable Chloë Sevigny; and many more.
There’s something especially meaningful about making a youth magazine today. The publications I grew up with introduced me to ideas that changed my life. When you’re young, having a trusted voice and a curated place to discover artists, ideas, fashion, and culture can shape the way you see the world. WYouth brings together pop culture nostalgia and everything we’re excited about right now. It also showcases the passions of our young muses, including Romy Mars and our contributing editor Cosima Croquet, as well as established creatives such as Petra Collins; the legendary Larry Clark; and Shoichi Aoki, whose magazine, Fruits, quite literally taught me how to get dressed. Every story in the first issue feels like something I would’ve cut out, pinned to my bedroom wall, or dreamed about making someday. We hope you’ll feel that way too.
Thank you to Sara for believing in me and trusting me. Thank you to Sofia for opening this door. And thank you to everyone at W who poured so much love into this magazine and helped turn a dream into something you can actually hold in your hands.
The debut issue of WYouth hits newsstands September 15.
Top, clockwise from top left: All Rights Reserved. Sassy Magazine, 1988-1996; John Aquino/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images; Courtesy of FRUiTS Magazine; Courtesy of Tyler, The Creator; American Zoetrope/Kobal/Shutterstock.
