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GQ Style (USA)
Summer 2017

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This revision was published on 19 March 2025 05:36.
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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 magazine was organized into several distinct sections:

  1. Letter from the Editor (by Will Welch)
  2. What to Wear Now: 10 Essential Summer Trends
  3. 3 Labels on Fire (Needles, Patagonia, Lemaire)
  4. Quick Reads
    • Buying for Value: Low-Key Summer Status Symbols
    • Go Long: A Summer Grooming Portfolio
    • Project Disrupt Hollywood
  5. Features
    • Cover Story: Brad Pitt (by Michael Paterniti, photographed by Ryan McGinley)
    • Great Gardens
    • Your Ultra-Graphic Summer Wardrobe
    • Wavy: John John Florence

Cover and Featured Content

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:

  1. Turquoise jewelry and accessories
  2. Tonal seersucker suits
  3. Artful bandannas
  4. Vintage bicycles (featuring Worksman's Classic Retro Cruiser)
  5. Global weaves (rattan and jute textiles and furniture)
  6. Cool-dad tourist gear (fanny packs and travel accessories)
  7. Matching shirts and pants sets
  8. Designer sandals and slides
  9. Summer jeans (lighter washes and relaxed fits)
  10. Novelty pool floats

3 Labels on Fire

This feature profiled three ascending fashion brands:

  1. Needles: The Japanese brand founded by Keizo Shimizu in 1997, known for mixing American and Japanese influences and gaining recognition among fashion-forward celebrities.
  2. Patagonia: The outdoor apparel company founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, highlighted for its commitment to sustainability and Fair Trade certification.
  3. Lemaire: The French luxury brand by Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, celebrated for its restrained, precise, and relaxed approach to menswear.

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:

  1. Brad Pitt: The cover story presented a revealing interview with Pitt during a difficult period in his life, following his separation from Angelina Jolie. The actor discussed his personal struggles, his turn to sculpture, and his reflections on family.

  2. John John Florence: A profile of the world champion surfer from Hawaii's North Shore, documented at his home compound before he left to defend his world title.

  3. Jesse Williams: A brief profile of the "Grey's Anatomy" actor, highlighting his balance of acting, activism, and fashion.

  4. The Swet Shop Boys, Josephine Skriver, Na-Kel Smith, and Post Malone: Featured in the "Ultra-Graphic Summer Wardrobe" fashion spread, with brief quotes from each.

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:

  1. A renewed appreciation for American natural landscapes and national parks, highlighted in the editor's letter as "part of our identity and our pride... our country's soul."

  2. A moment of national political tension, with editor Will Welch noting the country was "stratified and stressed-out" and suggesting the parks as "one thing that our divided country can (mostly) agree on."

  3. The ascendance of independent film through the A24 story, which documented a shift away from major studios toward more personal, artistic filmmaking.

  4. Brad Pitt's cover story captured a major celebrity at a vulnerable moment of personal transition, revealing a more human side to a global icon.

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.

Published on: 19 March 2025 05:36