Esquire in Londontown

As I tried to introduce this entry, I couldn’t decide whether to go for the uber-cringey, “Hallo from across the pond!” or the currently painful cliché, “London Calling!” So I came down somewhere in the middle: “The Pond is Calling!”

And with that decidedly non-descript opener, let me actually begin. I'm Lucie Shelly, a UNC graduate (go class of 2011!), and I write to you as an intern of Esquire magazine in London, and the pond is calling because it is wet, wet, wet. Three months of rain in one weekend. The weather has been the lead story in the daily commuter paper for three days straight; it is a cultural category all of its own — which is why I’m still talking about that and not my actual internship. Sorry. 

Here is a quick background and breakdown for how things work over here. Esquire is a title of the Hearst Corporation, as is the case in the U.S. In the U.K., The National Magazine Company is the subsidiary company of Hearst, so it has many of the same titles including Cosmo, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Country Living. 

As some of you know, the Hearst building in New York is beautiful; a glassy, marmoreal, urban castle. The Hearst building in London doesn’t boast the same edificial prowess, but you would be hard-pressed to find a cooler location. I use ‘cool’ in the truly contemporary sense: the offices are set right in the heart of Soho, so there is a humming blend of chic and indy, upscale and artsy. It’s a trendy, cultural hotspot for people who aren’t afraid to spend a little on the experience — and have the means to do so. Think cobbled alleys; sizzling foods from all over the world; bars, booze and fabulous coffees; shopping for the vintage hunter and the highstreet devotee, (TopShop’s flagship store OF THE WORLD is two minutes away – dangerous for an unpaid intern). 

I live with some family friends in Wimbledon, which is in London and on the train line but not in the city centre, (London is an incredibly sprawling city). I’m in at 10 a.m. every day, and I usually get out at around six. The work is both editorial management, (so more administrative), and strictly editorial, so I’ve had a couple by-lines on the website and I should have two bulletin features in the September issue – out in August, keep a look-out!

I sit in a kind of cluster of desks with the rest of the editorial staff. The editorships are broken up into Culture, Style, Entertainment, and then there’s the deputy editor and the assistant to the editor-in-chief. Everyone is so lovely and really encouraging! One of the best parts is hearing their stories of how they got to where they are! The fashion department is right next to us, the digital and copy team is right behind, and the art department is behind them. It is such a collaborative and free environment. There is a real sense that the editors and staff can direct and run with their ideas. I don’t know if that’s the case in all magazines, but it’s definitely one of my favorite things about Esquire. Every issue really is different, sharp, cultural and creative and I love watching it come together. 

More detailed updates soon! Keep having a great summer!