It may seem strange that I’m writing about PULP magazine here, in a fashion and styling blog.  But there are two reasons for this.  First, this is my entry to my sister’s contest in preparation for International Literacy Day (just upload a picture of you with your favorite book!).  I have too many favorite books, but this is my newest eyecandy, a birthday gift from my friend Alvin. 

PULP: Celebrating Ten years of Panty-Dropping Music History

The second (and real) reason: PULP magazine was a source of inspiration and visual delight for me back in college.  This is the magazine that got me into photography (which eventually led me to pursue fashion styling) and made me appreciate visual arts, new media and more.  I discovered Tom Epperson, Xander Angeles as well as multimedia artist Avid Liongoren and comics writer Gerry Alanguilan.

First issue, December 1999.

Nowadays, you see so many people toting their DSL-Rs, but back then it wasn’t so common.  It wasn’t so popular then and I had to make do with my lunch money just to buy rolls of film (and damn if I couldn’t develop them right. What a hassle!). I just wanted to take good pictures like the photographers in PULP.  I usually loved their concepts and the stories behind the photos, how they were made.  I mean, sure, there were hits and misses–same with their digital imaging–but mostly, the material you see in PULP, you don’t see them in any other local magazine.  Their cheeky layouts are, at times, shamelessly after the shock or sex factor (and it’s either just good or bad and nothing in between) but they’re all still appropriately PULP.

One of the best portraits of the late Francis M.

It’s not a rock mag without Basti Artadi

Or at least I thought so until the later issues when they started churning out a bunch of PULP skin.  No offense, I mean, it wasn’t so bad at first but later on it was just taking up too much space in the magazine.  If I wanted that much skin spreads, I would’ve just picked up FHM.  This is probably the reason why I stopped getting PULP; I got bored with it.

I do like Mylene Dizon, though!

Nevertheless, I still salute PULP for what it has accomplished.  We just have to have PULP, there’s no other magazine here with this kind of art direction.  Where else would photographers go wild?  It wasn’t all about pretty things or mainstream fixtures, but it was all about putting a good show and making an impression.  I remember when they dressed up Pepe Smith in what they claim was a bridal gown trampled in the mud and peed on by dogs.  Who knows how true that is; it’s Pepe Smith and it’s PULP.  It could easily be either.

Gorgeously styled Barbie Almabis

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