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GQ Style (USA)
Summer 2017

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The summer 2017 issue of GQ Style (USA) featured actor Brad Pitt on the cover, photographed by Ryan McGinley. Pitt and McGinley embarked on an 8‑day road trip to three American national parks—White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, and Everglades—for the cover shoot. Published as “Volume 2, Issue 2,” this edition combined high‑fashion editorial content with cultural features and in‑depth profiles.

The issue included a raw, confessional interview with Pitt conducted by journalist Michael Paterniti. In the piece, titled “There’s No Love Without Loss,” Pitt discusses his divorce from Angelina Jolie, his struggles with alcohol, and his newfound commitment to sculpture and introspection.

“There’s no love without loss. It’s a package deal.” — Brad Pitt, from his candid interview about family and personal struggles

Table of Contents

The cover featured Pitt photographed against the stark white sand dunes of White Sands National Monument. This cover story represented a deliberate shift for the magazine, as noted in the editor’s letter, toward celebrating “America’s natural works of art” during a politically divisive time.

“At a moment when the country’s psyche is stratified and stressed‑out, it felt like the right time to find some common ground. Common ground like the gypsum dunes at White Sands, for instance.” — Will Welch, Editor‑in‑Chief, in his letter explaining the national parks theme

The photoshoot featured Pitt in various settings within the three national parks, capturing both the natural beauty of these landscapes and the actor in a vulnerable, reflective state that mirrored the content of his interview.

Editorial Team and Contributors

The issue was created by the following editorial team:

Key contributors to this issue included:

Sections and Regular Features

This section highlighted key fashion trends for Summer 2017:

3 Labels on Fire

This feature profiled three ascending fashion brands:

Quick Reads

Special Reports or Investigations

“Project Disrupt Hollywood” provided an in‑depth look at A24, the independent film studio founded in 2012 by David Fenkel, John Hodges, and Daniel Katz. The article chronicled the company’s rapid rise in the film industry, from its early releases to winning the Best Picture Oscar for “Moonlight” in 2017, featuring interviews with numerous filmmakers and actors who had worked with the studio.

Interviews and Profiles

The issue featured several notable interviews and profiles:

Photography and Artwork

The issue showcased exceptional photography, most notably Ryan McGinley’s images of Brad Pitt in three national parks: White Sands National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Everglades. McGinley, described as having documented “the joy of being young, sexy, and wasted in New York City” earlier in his career, brought his distinctive style to capturing both Pitt and the national landscapes.

Other notable visual content included:

Advertising and Commercial Aspects

The issue featured numerous fashion advertisements and product placements from luxury brands. Fashion credits appeared throughout, listing items worn by models and celebrities along with their retail prices. Notable brands featured included Bottega Veneta, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Dior Homme.

Cultural and Historical Significance

The Summer 2017 issue reflected several cultural currents of the time:

Legacy and Influence

This issue represented GQ Style’s evolution as a quarterly publication distinct from the monthly GQ magazine, combining high fashion with substantive reporting and cultural commentary. The Brad Pitt cover story and national parks photo essay demonstrated the publication’s ambition to create content with both visual impact and emotional depth.

As only the second issue in the relaunched GQ Style format, this edition helped establish the publication’s aesthetic and editorial approach, which prioritized quality photography, in‑depth profiles, and a curated selection of fashion trends and brands.

Contributors and Credits

The masthead listed numerous contributors across editorial, fashion, art and production, visuals, digital, copy and research, and communications departments. The publication was released under the broader Condé Nast publishing house, with Jim Nelson serving as editor‑in‑chief of the main GQ publication and Howard S. Mittman as publisher and chief revenue officer.