A quintessentially British take on an American original, the manual will be published twice a year – March and September – as a seasonal guide to the finer things in life: fashion, grooming, watches, cars, interiors, food, drink, travel. The first issue – Spring/Summer 2013 – will be on sale in the UK from March 2013.
Edited, designed and styled by the senior team behind British Esquire, and calling on some of the best men's style writers and fashion photographers in the business, The Big Black Book is a genuinely useful resource for the aspirational modern man, as well as being a beautiful and luxurious object in its own right, say the publishers.
The Big Black Book, which debuted in the US in 2006, has been a huge global hit with advertisers in the luxury market by reaching high-net-worth men with real influencing power. Editions worldwide including those in the US and China have proved a big attraction for brands in the fashion, watches, cars, fragrance and skincare and premium spirits sectors.
The UK version of The Big Black Book, which will also be available as a digital edition, will provide a “perfect environment and unique audience for advertisers communicating to sartorial gents with high spending power”. The 164-page, hard cover UK issue will retail on newsstands at £6.
Esquire Editor-in-Chief, Alex Bilmes, says: "This is an incredibly exciting new launch for Esquire. There is a huge gap in the market for a luxury biannual men's style magazine that is unashamedly sophisticated but also unapologetically masculine. The Big Black Book is in the business of guiding smart men through the very best of the new season. I'm thrilled that Hearst has given us the opportunity to expand the Esquire brand in new directions. 2013 will be a big year for us. The Big Black Book is just the beginning."
Hearst Magazines UK COO, Anna Jones, says: “The launch of a biannual men’s style guide in the UK is a natural step for a stylish and innovative brand like Esquire. Alongside a growing print, digital and subscription base, the launch of The Big Black Book re-affirms Esquire’s position as a dynamic, multi-platform brand.”
