The Gentlewoman: Language and Representation blog tasks

Close-textual analysis 

Gentlewoman front cover 

1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?

The magazine uses a mixture of serif and sans serif fonts in order to clearly highlight and differentiate the celerity name. This is evident not only on the front cover but on the "Stella McCartney" page too.

2) How does the cover subvert conventional magazine cover design?

The picture of Scarlett Johansson is cropped and placed into a box, which is unusual as on conventional magazine covers the celebrity takes up the entire cover. The type of shot is also unconventional, as usually a mid shot is used for a magazine cover, but The Gentlewoman have decided to use a closeup. This may be to highlight her bold and colourful makeup.  

3) Write an analysis of the central image.

The angle of the image is lower which makes it seem as though Scarlett is powerful, which is cohesive with the theme of The Gentlewoman of female empowerment. Her striking makeup may be seen as unusual for a magazine cover but it makes a statement and gives a different perspective to beauty and could be used in an attempt to break the beauty standards for women.

4) What representations of gender and celebrity can be found on this front cover?

The empowerment of women is clear and this is also shown through the fame and power of the celebrity, Scarlett Johansson. 

5) What gender and representation theories can we apply to this cover of the Gentlewoman? 

Mulvey - "The male gaze," is a theory that can be opposed for this cover. The way in which Scarlett Johansson is presented - her makeup for example - shows how this is not a way to please men but to inspire women.

Feature: Modern Punches

1) How does the feature on Ramla Ali use narrative to engage the audience? Apply narrative theories here.

She uses a 'rags to riches' approach with her narrative and Todrov's theory of equilibrium can be applied to this. The disequilibrium of Ramla putting on weight and being teased at school is described but then her love for boxing was found which is the new equilibrium. 

2) What representations can you find in this feature - both interview and image?

The outfit she is wearing in the image contradicts with the Cartier watch on her wrist, however this contrast matches her narrative/background. She did not grow up in affluence but this is now something she has.

3) What representation theories can we apply to the Modern Punches feature? 

Feature: Isabella Tree interview

1) Why is this feature unconventional for a women's lifestyle and fashion magazine? Comment on the use media language in these pages. 

It is more focused on the nature and Isabella's surroundings rather than herself. She is faced away from the audience and so we aren't as drawn to her as readers may be in a conventional magazine where they use direct mode of address for example. The copy descibes her "Rewilding project" and not what she is wearing as you would expect from a lifestyle and fashion magazine.

2) How does the Isabella Tree feature reflect the social and cultural contexts of contemporary Britain? Think about AQA's discussion of lifestyle, environmental issues and ethical movements.

The Isabella Tree feature shows the changing attitude towards environmental issues as this is the focus of the feature and not Isabella herself.

3) What representations of nature can be found in this feature?

Nature is seen to be something that comes first over anything else and Isabella attempts to inspire The Gentlewoman readers that it is something we should care about.

Feature: Stella McCartney and vegan fashion

1) How does this feature reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?

The fact that Stella McCartney creates vegan handbags shows the changing attitude for the environment.

2) Comment on the typography and page design in this feature.

The name of the designer and the phrase "Blazing the fashion frontier," is made to stand out due to the layout of the page. This is cohesive with the reoccurring motif of empowering women.

3) What representations can be found in the image accompanying this feature? 

The background of the image is very unconventional and isn't something you would expect to see in a magazine. It does not seem professional but may be inspiring to readers as it shows them that they can become as successful as Stella McCartney no mater where you start from.

Representations

1) What type of magazine did Penny Martin, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom want to create? 

They looked at a cover from "Town" and a spread from "Bauhaus" and a strange curio. "We started by building up a common aesthetic. Quite Modernist."

2) What representations of modern women did they try to construct for the magazine?

We make sure that the magazine is not just a pornography of product that is supposedly interesting to women. It's about putting those women at the centre of the material world around them. That balance is important to us.

3) What examples of cover stars reflect the diversity in the magazine's content? 

Cover stars have ranged from 88-year-old actor Angela Lansbury, shot in a peach silk blouse and Terry Richardson's black frame glasses, to popstar Beyoncé, looking calm, strong and composed in Dior with a face free of make-up. Meanwhile, on the inside, The Gentlewoman has profiled a wide range of women at the top of their game, including gardeners, entrepreneurs, novelists, artists and news anchors.

4) What is Penny Martin's view on feminism and whether the magazine is feminist?

When people ask me about politics or feminism, I say that it isn't a magazine about those things, it's a magazine informed by those things — among others. Is it a feminist magazine? Well, it's made by feminist people.

5) Look at the end of the article. How does the Gentlewoman help readers construct or reflect their identity by engaging with events and spaces beyond the magazine? 

"Other things" includes the recently formed Gentlewoman Club which extends the magazine's brand into physical events where readers can interact and chat with editors. "We're starting to develop our website as a kind of portal for real things to happen rather than a bogus virtual community with likes and message boards. I am so not interested in that. I think that's over."