Canadian Magazine Industry News
29 July 2015,     TORONTO
ELLE Canada taps into the virtual world for its September issue
ELLE Canada has pushed the envelope with its latest cover. Not only will its September issue be 236 pages long, but it will also feature a cover and accompanying photo spread that was filmed using cutting edge virtual reality technology (VR).

 
Featuring actress Diane Kruger, the film will be released on Sept.9, at the Tastemakers Lounge during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Samsung will provide VR gear for guests to watch the VR video in the magazine’s photo studio, which will be set up at the lounge. It can also be viewed at Nikki Beach Toronto at the Spoke Club.

Cover model Diane Kruger shot by Max Abadian
“We were the first Canadian fashion magazine to invite our readers to join us live on-set for our covers,” Noreen Flanagan, editor-in-chief, ELLE Canada, said. “For September, we wanted to offer them another unique experience by filming our first virtual-reality cover. It was shot at design icon Tony Duquette’s brilliantly eccentric home in Los Angeles. Readers will actually feel like they are on-set with us rather than observing it from afar.”

ELLE Canada enlisted Toronto-based PCP VR for its expertise.

“Virtual reality convinces the brain into thinking it’s somewhere else,” Erik Peterson, founder of Canadian tech start-up PCP VR, said. “For our collaboration, we wanted to immerse readers in the creation of a cover shoot by allowing them to experience it on the ground, from the vantage point of an ELLE Canada editor.”

The magazine also features another first for the publication—a 20-page photo spread shot by Owen Bruce—the largest the magazine has ever produced. It’s dedicated to exploring the eccentric mood on the fall 2015 runways, and was shot over two days with six models. Executive fashion editor-at-large, Juliana Schiavinatto worked on developing the shoot for three weeks.

 
"It was definitely the most complex editorial I've done so far," Schiavinatto said. "I wanted to ensure it looked current, yet still whimsical and timeless. My goal was to create something magical, cool and relevant. We embraced the Alice in Wonderland mantra: "We're all mad here!" and went for it."'

The September issue of ELLE Canada hits newsstands on Aug.10 for $2.99.
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