Because Magazine Screenshot | Source: Because

LONDON, United Kingdom — Fashion editorial has long been a powerful generator of purchasing intent for brands. But ‘intent generators’ like magazines often lose their fair share of sales revenue to ‘intent harvesters’ like retailers further down the purchasing path. Squeezed by shrinking ad sales, major publishers like Condé Nast have become increasingly aware of this missed opportunity — and more and more magazines have learnt to think like retailers, embracing e-commerce to open new revenue streams and monetise their content.

Now, digital start-ups like Because Magazine, created by the team at Tank, are building commerce directly into their business models from day one. Soft-launched back in September of 2009 and currently in public beta prior to a “full scale” launch at London Fashion Week in September, Because is a curated, daily selection of fashion, accessories, jewellery and beauty products that’s a digital storefront as much as an online magazine.

BoF spoke with Caroline Issa, editor-in-chief of Because, to find out more.

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The potential of creative-business partnerships has long been a topic of interest here at The Business of Fashion. However, the focus to date has been on pairings in the fashion apparel businesses — high profile partnerships like those of Tom and Dom and Marc and Robert, or emerging success stories like those of Phillip and Wen of 3.1 Phillip Lim and Victoria and Kikka of VPL.

I recently came across a partnership from a different part of the fashion business altogether — but one with equally remarkable results. Over dim sum and jasmine tea, Masoud and Caroline, the creative-business partners behind Tank, told me how they have developed their fledgling magazine business into a full-service creative agency, described their complementary roles in the business, and shared the (top-secret!) details behind an exciting digital media project which is in the works.

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