World-famous culture mag Off The Rails to give free lifetime subscriptions to people in Manchester
Global art magazine Off The Rails - one of the biggest creative platforms in the world - is offering a free lifetime digital subscription to The Manc readers.
You can tell that Off The Rails has some Manc in it. This is a magazine that’s always been a bit different.
Moulded by creatives rather than a corporation, it doesn’t look like anything else out there, and never really has.
But it’s the content that sets Off The Rails apart; the wild, weird and wonderful words and pictures within its pages.
Inside every issue, fledgling photographers sit alongside world-famous lensmen. Gallery art and social media snaps share the same pages. Daring editorials and images – the kind that other mags feel uncomfortable about posting – get full spreads.
The magazine is going to be available for Mancs, for free.
It’s a move that Manchester’s own Tony Wilson – the supposed author of the famous quote “we do things differently here” – would even applaud.
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What readers get, in every issue, is work they simply won’t see anywhere else.
Photos. Poems. Writing. Art. Illustrations. All new. All different. In a single place.
In 2014, Off The Rails began as a little more than a personal project – something that would prove to be a bit of a release for some pent-up creativity.
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Co-founders Matt and Lee thought they were being overambitious when they came up with the idea for Off The Rails during a tequila-soaked evening in a New York bar.
But half a dozen years later, the party is still going.
“We were just trying to show off some untapped, world-class quality art from unknown artists,” Matt tells us.
“We had no idea it would get as big as it did.”
Today, Off The Rails has more than a quarter-of-a-million followers on Instagram, with thousands more following on Twitter and Facebook.
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The magazine has turned into one of the biggest possible platforms for artists – presenting a space for aspiring creatives to rub shoulders with the famous and glamorous.
The readership is global now. International film stars and musicians are tucked between the covers, with contributions coming in from every corner of the planet.
But, nonetheless, many Mancunian fingerprints are smudged across the print.
Many Off The Rails contributors, stylists and models hail from home turf – and published images from shoots taking place at Heaton Park and Radcliffe have racked up huge engagement online.
Deepening the bond is the fact that Off The Rails struck its first commission deal in Manchester.
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Matt and Lee applied an image bank for multiple brands in order to create graphic t-shirts – which ultimately went on to spearhead the company to dizzying new heights.
They’ve been returning the favour ever since, introducing world art to Manchester and pitching up a studio here so they can remain at the centre of a city that’s perennially abuzz with new ideas.
The magazine is always looking for new contributors, too.
“It doesn’t matter about your reputation in the industry. We invite anyone creative to send us ideas,” says Lee.
“It’s about the quality of the work, not the person. We’re different like that.”
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The brand new issue of Off The Rails has dropped this weekend.
Use code THEMANC at checkout for 100% off your subscription.
Style
Sephora confirms opening date for new megastore at Manchester’s Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
Beauty fans rejoice – Sephora has finally announced plans to open a store in Manchester, and soon.
The world-famous retailer, which stops luxury skincare and makeup brands as well as cult items, has secured a spot in the Trafford Centre.
This will be the third UK store for Sephora, which currently has two shops down in London, and its first trip up north.
And after a fair bit of teasing and plenty of rumours, they’ve confirmed that their next megastore will be right here in Greater Manchester.
Hoardings have appeared inside the Trafford Centre, plastered in Sephora’s black and white branding, around a unit next to AllSaints.
The signs read: “Manchester, you called it. Our first Northern store in 2024.”
Sephora says it will ‘redefine the beauty landscape in the North with an extraordinary product range that caters to the diverse needs of beauty enthusiasts’.
Cult brands stocked at Sephora include Huda Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, The Ordinary, Glossier and Makeup by Mario.
Sephora wrote on Instagram: “You heard correctly — Sephora is coming to the TRAFFORD CENTRE, MANCHESTER.
“Get your shopping baskets ready as we’re on our way up north! More to be revealed soon, see you in 2024…”
The Trafford Centre shared: “You asked, we listened! The wait is over….your @sephorauk opens late Spring 2024.”
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said: “We are extremely excited to bring Sephora to Manchester, one of the most vibrant cities for beauty in the UK.
“Expanding our presence beyond London is something that consumers have been screaming out for, and we are listening hard to them when deciding where to go next.
“The Trafford Centre, known for its iconic atmosphere and diverse retail offering, is the perfect location for our third store.”
Russell Loveland, managing director at Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, said: “This iconic beauty giant already has a cult following, and our own social media has been blowing up with enquiries from excited customers eager for Sephora to open.
“We are very proud Sephora chose the Trafford Centre for its next location, which will be its first store in the North of England, and know it will be a fantastic success and a great addition to our strong international brand lineup.”
One person commented on Sephora’s Instagram post: “This is the best news I’ve heard all year!”
Another said: “OMG ITS HAPPENING, STAY CALM”
And someone wrote on Trafford Centre’s post: “Omg omg can’t wait.”
Manchester’s Club de Padel claps back at ’embarrassing’ copycat ASOS product
Daisy Jackson
A local Manchester business has sarcastically pointed out the glaring similarities between a new t-shirt on ASOS and one of its own designs.
Club de Padel has a range of retro-inspired merch with UN:IK, a small independent streetwear brand also based here in Manchester.
Its collection of t-shirts, hoodies, tracksuits, hats and bags often feature a design of an illustrated padel ball (which to the untrained eye is basically a tennis ball) in motion.
But this week a t-shirt appeared on ASOS that also featured an illustrated padel ball in motion, just in a slightly different colour palette.
The ASOS version, which has now been removed from sale, also undercut Club de Padel’s price by £6.
Since Club de Padel took the ’embarrassing’ copycat product public on their Instagram page, ASOS has launched an investigation and taken it off their website.
The sports venture, based at Deansgate Square and the only padel club in Manchester, wrote: “Love the new designs ASOS, kinda reminds us of something though…
“Ah. Well that’s embarrassing… We’ve got a new line coming soon with UN:IK Clothing you’re just gonna love ASOS.
“In the meantime we made this for you @asos, save your design team a job.”
An ASOS spokesperson said: “We take intellectual property issues very seriously and have removed this product from sale while we investigate further.”
Of the Club de Padel and UN:IK collaboration, aka the real deal, UN:IK says it has ‘served up a staple for us, retro inspired leisure pieces with Manchester’s first ever padel club’.
Club de Padel in Manchester has gone public to poke fun at ASOS
They wrote: “Inspired by owners after a trip to Spain, Club de Padel has hit the city with a wave and the lifestyle brand we have created with them reinforces the fastest growing sport across Europe.
“Our classic vintage washes and oversized fits, working with independent designs as always on this local independent partnership. Don’t be afraid to the sport, we’ll guarantee you love it as much as these clothes.”