The Thousands

I recently asked a man friend: ‘Who do you think is the modern woman? Does she exist?’ He answered by walking me to the newsagent and hand-balling me a copy of The Gentlewoman. And thank god he did. The Gentlewoman is a new magazine, the young sister to Fantastic Man, and a recently published bi-annual discussion with modern women on contemporary topics. Now don’t be put off by the Gill Sans and pastel pink – its aesthetics are not ambitiously modern – what’s important is that its thoughts are.

Whether it’s as fantastic as its older brother is questionable – part one could have been braver and the jewellery section doesn’t quite work for me. However it cleverly steps around the ‘cynical cool of recent decades’, engages some incredible interview talents, and shits on most other women’s magazines.

After discussing architecture, intimacy, food, fashion, ambition – topics not exclusive to men or women – and more, I think the modern woman emerges intelligent, business minded, independent, quite philosophical and very feminine. And I like this. I also like the cute reference section in the centerfold which links people and places from all across the magazine. All in all, the modern woman is looking good. She sounds good. And she is someone my young woman self really wants to aspire to.