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
Chanel fashion show in Manchester brought a staggering £8m boost to the city
Daisy Jackson
The total value of the massive Chanel fashion show in Manchester has been revealed, along with that the amount it cost in public money.
Early analysis of the global event, which saw Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter shut down and turned into a runway, suggests it generated a whopping £8m impact for the local economy.
And it’s estimated that the value it’s had for the city overall through national and international media coverage will be worth at least £100m.
Chanel’s Metiers d’Art fashion show was held earlier this month and had the city in a flurry of excitement, with celebrities spotted including Hugh Grant, Tilda Swinton and Kristen Stewart.
They, along with names like Aitch, Bugzy Malone and Alexa Chung, were seen leaving fancy hotels and partying at venues like Salford Lad’s Club and Victoria Baths.
And now Marketing Manchester has valued the direct impact of the 600 Chanel guests and staff for the show to be worth £8m in direct income.
That includes staying in hotels for three to four days, spending in the local economy while they were here, and other expenditure like venue hire.
The Chanel show in Manchester is expected to attract even more investment, jobs and opportunities for Mancs too.
A main criticism of the show was how much it was costing the city to shut down one of its busiest streets for the week – the answer is nothing at all.
The council has confirmed that Chanel met all the associated costs, including cleaning, road closures, and recompensing the businesses affected by the event, with no cost to Manchester’s public purse.
In addition to that, 50 fashion students from Manchester Metropolitan University were invited to work backstage at the Chanel show, dressing models and supporting rehearsals.
Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “The Chanel event is one of the highlights in the global fashion calendar and the choice of Manchester as the host city received international acclaim.
“But for us it was never about the glitz and glamour – events such as this help cement Manchester’s reputation on a global stage and come with both direct benefits, through the money spent within our economy while they are here but also indirect benefits by showcasing the city and helping to capture investment, jobs, visitors and attention, all of which open up opportunities for Manchester residents and communities.”
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said: “The scale of the impact of the Chanel Métiers d’art show in Manchester will be felt for years to come.
“The global media coverage of the event has put a spotlight on Manchester and its rich heritage in textiles and home of iconic music, which will drive conversations about the city and bring new visitors.
“The £8m economic impact is a welcome boost across accommodation, restaurants, and attractions, and demonstrates the importance of global events in the city.”
Sephora to open megastore at Manchester’s Trafford Centre next spring
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 after a fair bit of teasing and plenty of rumours, they’ve confirmed that their next megastore will be right here in Greater Manchester.
The brand have shared an image of hoardings inside the Trafford Centre, plastered in Sephora’s black and white branding.
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.”