FHM Collections launch issue surpasses target

SINGAPORE: Men's lifestyle magazine FHM has launched FHM

Collections, a bi-annual men's fashion magazine with a print run of

30,000 and distribution in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Jake Hamilton, editor of FHM, pointed to a need for such a magazine as

men in affluent Asian cities are becoming more style-conscious. "There

is no major men's fashion magazine in Singapore and FHM Collections has

been a very successful brand extension in the UK and US," Hamilton

said.

The fashion title is targeting a slightly older reader - late 20s - than

its racy sibling, which is renowned for its laddish humour and pictures

of scantily dressed women. "The Collections' reader is far more of an

urban creature and from overseas experience we've found a significant

proportion actually work in media or the fashion industry," he

added.

Content in the Spring/Summer issue includes exclusive photos from the

Paris, London and Milan fashion shows and an interview with ageing rock

star Tommy Lee, who also appears on the front cover. This is

supplemented by local content such as editorial on men's fashion in Asia

and interviews with Asian designers such as Singaporean Wykindd

Song.

The title, which hit newsstands earlier this month, said it exceeded its

advertising target, with support from big name fashion labels such as

Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton and Chivas Regal. But some

advertisers - Gucci and Prada - are taking a "wait and see" attitude,

according to Richard Schofield, general manager of FHM publisher Emap

South-east Asia.

"Fashion advertisers want their ads to appear in a high quality

environment and I think this issue proves we can deliver that," he said.

The Autumn/Winter issue will appear in mid-September.