2025 has seen an influx of written publications, yet it may be another fleeting trend. Complex relaunched its magazine in late 2024 following an eight year hiatus, and independent influencers spent the last five months attempting to break into tangible mediums.
As the trend begins to take hold of Eugene and its surrounding areas, there are two local magazines involving University of Oregon students that are impressive in their commitment to the subcultures they represent and the media they publish.
The Racks Magazine: Snatched
A new favorite magazine of your iPod-nano-loving, iMac-G3-posting and fashion friend has emerged.
The new second hand store on the corner of East 6th Avenue and Oak Street continues to make waves with the release of their new mag titled, “Snatched.” Released on Feb. 15, the magazine features a visual rendition of the fresh NYC inspired take on the Y2K styling.
According to founder Allyssa Corpuz, “the goal of the mag is to bring back that Y2K nostalgia with teen magazines, similar to the little catalogs that brands used to do in the early 2000s. We wanted to bring that back as well as get together like the fashion community of UO and Eugene in general.”
The group of mostly UO students certainly accomplished their goal, with shoots reminiscent of the grungy tumblr aesthetic that seems to be at the forefront of the collective consciousness.
The magazine also contains a series of tongue and cheek infographics pertaining to dating culture, buzzfeed-esque quizzes and styling tips. The magazine is a perfect gift for your swag-less friend and can be picked up for $10. It’s currently only available in print and isn’t re-releasing, so get down to 6th and Oak and tap in.
Mother Nature vs Mother Culture
Spawned from Jack Whayland’s senior year Align project gone awry, this magazine expands upon the dichotomy of nature and culture.
A recent UO graduate inspired by the Daniel Quinn novel “Ishmael,” the magazine occupies the niche of a philosophical twist on “Outside Magazine,” covering topics from the ephemeral beauty of the wild to modern ski culture, opting for a heady approach without straying into the avant-garde.
Whayland said, “It’s about humans and their relationship with nature, and there’s a lot of nuance and complexity to that.” For those who care, intense strain on the American human psyche is apparent.
“I knew that especially given the political landscape and so many things going on in the world,” Whayland said, “the one thing I can count on anyone being interested in, is the outdoors, like climate, nature and our relationship with nature.”
While masterminding the task of assembling both a team and a magazine from his home in Wisconsin was a strenuous task, Whayland enjoyed the process. He said, “I love leadership in the creative space, leading the photo shoots, guiding the writers, establishing themes and just overseeing everything and connecting.”
Whayland and his media group, Jetty Media, plan to release more creative nature oriented media in the future. For now he hopes that the latest issue’s articles and visuals incite dialogue about the relationship between humanity and nature.
The magazine can be found on Issuu or ordered on the Jetty Media website.
