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| Dazed & Confused (magazine) | |
|---|---|
| Title | Dazed & Confused |
| Frequency | Quarterly |
| Category | Fashion, culture |
| Company | Dazed Media |
| Firstdate | 1991 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Based | London |
| Language | English |
Dazed & Confused (magazine) is a British style and culture magazine founded in 1991 in London by Jefferson Hack and Rankin, emerging from the intersection of British fashion, British youth culture, 1990s music, and independent publishing. The title quickly became influential across fashion journalism, photography, contemporary art, and popular culture scenes, featuring editorial collaborations with designers, musicians, actors, photographers, and artists from across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Dazed & Confused was launched in 1991 in London by Jefferson Hack and John Rankin Waddell (known professionally as Rankin) during the aftermath of the Second Summer of Love, alongside contemporaneous publications such as i-D, The Face, and NME. Early issues documented emergent scenes around Madchester, Britpop, house music, and rave culture, while showcasing photographers and stylists connected to Juergen Teller, Corinne Day, Mario Sorrenti, Nigel Shafran, and editors with ties to Hedi Slimane and Alexander McQueen. Through the 1990s and 2000s the magazine expanded into a multimedia platform, launching websites and image-led projects that intersected with institutions such as the Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, and commercial collaborations with houses like Prada and Calvin Klein. In the 2010s Dazed Media diversified into film, online video, and events, engaging figures from K-pop, Afrobeats, and contemporary streetwear movements.
The magazine's editorial profile blends fashion editorials, cultural reportage, and visual art features, often pairing photographers such as Nick Knight, Steven Meisel, David Bailey, Tim Walker, and Annie Leibovitz with writers influenced by critics from The Guardian, The New Yorker, The Independent, and Rolling Stone. Content spans profiles of musicians like Björk, Kanye West, Madonna, Kendrick Lamar, and Rihanna; actors including Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep; and designers from Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Virgil Abloh, Rick Owens, to Gucci creative directors. Features regularly address art-world figures such as Damien Hirst, Banksy, Yayoi Kusama, Ai Weiwei, and Tracey Emin, alongside film and literature coverage referencing Wim Wenders, Harmony Korine, Zadie Smith, and Haruki Murakami.
Notable contributors have included photographers and directors like Nick Knight, Mario Testino, Rankin, Juergen Teller, Richard Avedon, and Helmut Newton-adjacent talent, with writing by cultural commentators associated with Dazed alumni networks and journalists linked to The Face, i-D, Vogue, and GQ. Covers have showcased celebrities such as Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Rihanna, Kanye West, Madonna, David Bowie, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, Grace Jones, Robert Pattinson, Adele, Saoirse Ronan, Zendaya, Janelle Monáe, Pharrell Williams, Florence Welch, Snoop Dogg, Tommy Lee Jones, Keanu Reeves, Julian Casablancas, A$AP Rocky, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Shakira, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, Miley Cyrus, Heidi Klum, Kristen Stewart, Elsa Hosk, Adwoa Aboah, Naomi Osaka, Lewis Hamilton, Yoko Ono, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Greta Gerwig, Jodie Comer, Sufjan Stevens, Arctic Monkeys, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Iggy Pop, St. Vincent, AJ Tracey, Little Simz, Stormzy, Burna Boy, and Rosalía—each cover often pairing photographers and stylists with art directors who later worked at Vogue Italia, British Vogue, and Dior.
Dazed & Confused developed a visual language mixing underground aesthetics, avant-garde fashion, and editorial experimentation influenced by art movements associated with Surrealism, Pop Art, and postmodern visual strategies deployed by creatives who crossed between fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, London, and New York City. The magazine's typography, layout, and photographic treatments influenced art direction at publications like Vogue, i-D, Paper (magazine), and visual campaigns for brands such as Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, and Comme des Garçons. Its commissioning of early-career artists and musicians helped catalyse careers that intersect with galleries and festivals including Frieze Art Fair, Art Basel, Coachella, and SXSW.
Founded as an independent print title, the magazine grew into Dazed Media, expanding revenue streams to include digital advertising, branded content, commercial partnerships with fashion houses and record labels, paid events, and creative agency services working with clients like Nike, Adidas, H&M, Samsung, and Apple. Distribution combined newsstand sales via international distributors serving markets in United Kingdom, United States, Japan, South Korea, and France, alongside subscriptions and online readership through platforms associated with digital publishers such as Condé Nast-era practices and independent media networks.
The magazine has faced criticism and controversy over editorial decisions involving representation, cultural appropriation, and commercial partnerships, drawing scrutiny from commentators in The Guardian, The New York Times, The Independent, and activist groups aligned with debates around Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and diversity in fashion. Specific disputes involved backlash to imagery, advertising collaborations, and internal diversity practices that prompted public discussions involving journalists, photographers, models, designers, and public figures.
Dazed & Confused and its parent company have received industry recognition from organisations and events such as the British Fashion Awards, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, The Fashion Awards, and design accolades from institutions including the Design Museum and industry award bodies within publishing and advertising. Individual contributors associated with the magazine have been shortlisted and awarded prizes across photography, editorial design, and cultural programming.