I Love Fake

A quick Google search of "online zine" brings up dozens of platforms ready for people to start indulging in their online publishing fantasies.  They can do nifty things with page turning, they can have video elements or you can have animated images popping out from the screen.  The result of these ready-to-go DIY formulas though, is that you encounter an ocean of mediocre zines. Amsterdam-based photographer Jolijn Snijders got into the online zine game fairly early on in 2005 when she was still studying and as such, has had the time to perfect her pet project 'I Love Fake' as well as doing freelance photography on the side. Into issue 14 now, I Love Fake is still in PDF format, which takes about a minute to download but yields an hour or so of reading pleasure.  Their latest issue features the work of Korean subversive photographer Hasisi Park, monster artist Koa and as well as profiles of designers Yang Du and Maureunrol's. Snijders talks Dazed Digital through the ins and outs of I Love Fake as well as her own work.

Dazed Digital: How did I Love Fake happen? Where did the title come from?  
Jolijn Snijders: I started the whole thing in 2005 when I was still at Art Academy studying Illustration & Design. I've always been addicted by (independent) magazines, and used to pick up cut-n-paste DIY zines at punkrock shows all the time. Then i thought about making a magazine for the young people, something that would inspire them. I would search for upcoming creatives over the web, via my friends, and fellow students. It made me hungry for scouting new talent. We also like to approach established artists, so we can place their work next to our "discoveries". It becomes an interesting mix of old and new. When I first started I did't consider my zine, a "real" magazine because it was only digital, hence the name I Love Fake magazine, it also has a submeaning, but you can figure that one out ;)

DD: Why did you decide to make it an online only publication?  
Jolijn Snijders: The advantage of this medium is that you have the freedom to publish anything and anyone you want. It's not bound by advertisers or sponsors who tell you what to publish.

DD: Would you say you champion Dutch fashion with I Love Fake?
Jolijn Snijders: We are definitely ahead of our game in Holland, because we feature a lot of international contributors. Our focus is more global, we don't focus too much on boundaries. I certainly hope that we can challenge the game a bit in NL, and hopefully other magazines will follow and break out of their "safe" zone.

DD: How do you go about choosing the subjects to feature in I Love Fake?
Jolijn Snijders: We pick out a theme for every issue, this is usually just something in the air, that we grab when the moment is right. We then set out ideas, editorials, stories, as well as search for artists, photographers, and designers that would fit in our mood, style and theme.

DD: How would you describe your own photography style?
Jolijn Snijders: I would say; Raw, cinematic, makeshift, moody. What is also typical of one of my shooting's is improvisation, using simple tools and joking around.

DD: What talents (photography, fashion, art, music etc...) are you into at the moment?
Jolijn Snijders: I like the work of Harley Weir, Wendy Bevan, Lina Scheynius, Christian Coinbergh, Hedi Slimane of course and many more. My favorite artists are Antistrot. Favorite designers are Givenchy, Miharayasuhiro, and Lanvin. Upcoming models are Alex Dunstan, Will Eustace, Svea @ Code and check out the new faces "Lil Ones" at One in New York, they are amazing.

DD: What's next for I Love Fake?
Jolijn Snijders: We plan on publishing a compilation issue twice a year, but the focus will have to be on the online variant.