Editor-in-Chief | Spencer Bailey |
---|---|
CEO | Marc Lotenberg |
Categories | architecture, design, fashion |
Frequency | 10 times/year |
Year founded | 1993 |
Country | United States |
Based in | New York City |
Language | English |
Website | www |
ISSN | 1091-806X |
Surface magazine is an American publication covering design, architecture, fashion, culture and travel. A branch of Surface Media, the magazine is published 10 times a year. The magazine reports its readership at 450,000.
Surface was founded in 1993 by Richard Klein and Riley Johndonnell. The magazine was based in San Francisco until 2005, when the main offices were relocated to New York City.
In 1994, Surface was called one of 10 magazines as “upstart magazines to watch” by Vanity Fair.
In 1997, Surface introduced its inaugural Avant Guardian issue, which focused on the Avant Guardian Awards, a fashion photography competition. Winners went on to work for fashion houses like Giorgio Armani, Hermès, Banana Republic, Nike, IBM and Levi's—as well as magazines like Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, and The New York Times Magazine. Leaders in fashion and design industries would select 10 finalists to have their work featured in a fashion spread and at a launch event. For several years, the competition was expanded to include designers. Between 2011 and 2013, the Avant Guardian was on hiatus, but was revived again in 2014 and 2015, these times again only for photographers. The 15th and final Avant Guardian issue was published in October 2015.
In 2009, the publication was acquired by Quadra Media. In 2011, Surface was sold to Sandow Media.