When it comes to scooter magazines, there are only really two players for most people.
Scootering, and Classic Scooter Scene. Well, now there’s a third. There’s a new kid on the block, and they’re French. Scooters & Style magazine is now on issue 5, and the tagline ‘Yesterday’s Scooter Today pretty much sums up what they do.
It’s a really classy affair, printed on good quality stock (with a nice thick, glossy cover). The contents, and I’ll run through the full contents of issue 5 in a minute, are very much photography led. I’m not knocking the photography of the ‘big two’ mags, but Scooter & Style does things slightly differently, with the photography really being the hero of every article. There are often full bleed, full page photographs, and a couple of double page spreads, which coupled with the superior stock really make the images look fantastic. It’s the sort of thing you want to leave open on your coffee table, preferably next to a large cafe au lait!! You’ll get an idea from the images below.
The articles are very good, and the magazine in laid out nicely, although being a graphic designer in my day job there’s always things I’d do differently. The fact that all the text appears in both french and English must present the designers with a few challenges, but it doesn’t get in the way for the reader.
Issue five has some great articles; listed below.
First is an amazing ‘secret’ collection of 170 scooters by a mysterious figure known only as Claude. This is a guy who has six, yep six, Lambretta LD’s in his collection (the French built ones, I assume), as well as every single model Motobécane made in the 50’s, and many other marques such as Peugeot, Terot, Magnat-Debon (a new one on me!) Rumi, AGF (Nope, don’t know that one either) Triumph, Durkopp, Maïco and Scootavia (another I’ll have to look up). Fantastic.
The next feature was on a dude from Lyon, Lucas, aka Brus Custom, who makes some really cool ‘LoFi’ hot rod style customs based on a ’57 LD. The kingsize ‘moon-eyes’ gearshift on this machine looks great. There’s a superb double-page spread of this machine in front of a VW bus he’s also ‘done’.
A truly stunning Arthur Francis S-Type style SX 225 is given the respect it deserves, ten full pages on this beaut.
Even if your not a Lambretta fan (unlikely, I know, if you’re reading this blog) Scooter sport features in the form of the Scootentole 10h de Magny-Cours. Vespa fans get their fair share, as well as four pages on Vespa World Days 2015 there’s a lovely Primavera in the tried and tested Gulf racing colours. Always works that combo. When you seat upon it a nice French lady showing more than a little leg, it works even better. Then there’s a great article on the battle-ready Vespa 150 TAP, with its 75mm cannon. Nine full pages on that one.Tech articles, rally news and music complete the offering.
Scooters & Style is a very different magazine from Scootering and Classic Scooter Scene. It’s got more of an ‘artsy’ vibe about it, and the superior paper stock and layout really make the high-quality photography come alive.
To conclude (nearly) I’d highly recommend this stylish mag. It’ll make a great addition to your reading list. It might even help you learn french. Find out more on their website here, and check out how to order your copy now.
I’ll end this post with an apology (I was going to start it with one, but it didn’t seem to hit the right note) Sorry, it’s been a long time in the writing. Thank you for bearing with me Laurent! Now I’m off to look up Magnat-Debon, AGF and Scootavia scooters…
lambrettista.net 