New Magazine Violet Targets Today's Modern Family

Posted on October 15, 2004

Violet is a new quarterly magazine targeted at mothers, fathers and modern families of all kind ... gay, straight and multi-racial. Keki Mingus, founder, editor and publisher of Violet, was tired of magazines aimed at 30 and 40-somethings that contained stories depicting the best ways to get stains out of your young one's best new cashmere sweater. Mingus wanted to publish something new.

Mingus, a successful fashion stylist who has worked with photographers Herb Ritts and Wayne Maser, started her career in the fashion departments of such prestigious magazines as Rolling Stone and GQ and went on to style musicians Aerosmith and Violet's debut issue cover girl Sarah McLachlan. After the birth of her daughter, Bo, Mingus found herself like many first-time mothers, making the transition from a full-time careerwoman to a modern mother and was desperate for intelligent reading material that mixed fashion, music, film and lifestyle stories that were about people like her. Hence, the launch of Violet.

The premiere issue offers such feature stories as Filipino mail-order brides, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and profiles of atypical parents like championship surfer Shane Beschen. A major fashion spread uses a mult-racial family as models. The profile of one of Hollywood's hottest up-and-coming couples talks about their plans for children. And there are sections devoted to travel, music and film, as well as a poignant and deeply personal spread of postcards and telegrams to Mingus from her father, acclaimed jazz bassist Charles Mingus, who died when she was 17.

The quarterly publication boasts art direction from Gary Keopke, founding Creative Director of Vibe magazine as well as Co-Founder and Creative Director for advertising agency Modernista (Hummer, Gap, MTV), and photography from Melodie McDaniel and Michael Muller.