Mildew is the secondhand fashion magazine, made by Broccoli's wonderful editor, Ellen Freeman. Mildew publishes stories that inspire readers to think about old clothes in new ways, and go beyond “why thrifting is more sustainable/ethical/fun/personal than fast fashion.” This magazine won’t come out until the fall, so please think about timeless stories over time-sensitive pitches. (Secondhand is seasonless!)
Mildew is looking for photography proposals for artful, imaginative fashion editorials featuring *only* vintage, secondhand, and recycled clothing + accessories.
★ PHOTOSHOOTS: Are you a photographer, stylist, vintage collector, or creative director interested in producing a photo shoot? Please send a fleshed-out concept, including the potential photographer, location, models, the story your photos would tell, etc. We love to see mood boards + references!
★ EXISTING IMAGES: We’re also interested in licensing completed photo sets that haven’t already been published elsewhere (Instagram is fine).
Mildew is not looking for photos including fashion made from new materials (no matter how slow and sustainable). Mildew isn’t the right publication for poetry, comics, or fiction, either, and we don’t have opportunities for illustrators or graphic designers at the moment.
Some specific stories Mildew hopes to include in this issue:
★ FLEA MARKET PHOTO TOURS: Seeking photographers from around the world to document your local flea market. (We’ve previously taken readers to Tokyo, Abuja + Enugu, Mexico City, Cairo, and Mumbai.) Preference will be given to photographers living in or from the area who are able to get quotes from vendors and shoppers in the local language.
★ TRASH ART: We want to hear about/from artists who create work (digital, sculpture, musical theater—anything goes) around themes of recycling, old clothes, found ephemera, etc.
★ GEORGIANS: We’re looking for a writer/photographer in/near Augusta, Georgia for a story assignment.
Business owners: If you have a vintage/secondhand/upcycling/mending brand you’d like to share with Mildew readers, please reach out about advertising in Issue 4—we offer accessible options for brands big and tiny. Send us an email at mildewmag@gmail.com. <3
All the important details:
★ Pitches are due at midnight EST on Sunday, February 9th.
★ We’ll be responding on a rolling basis, but we’ll try really hard to get back to every pitch by 2/15. (Thanks in advance for your patience!)
★ Wide selects from photo shoots will need to be delivered by early April.
★ Budgets for photo shoots will be negotiated based on the scale of the commission.
★ If you have links to previously published photography, please include them.
Send pitches to Ellen at mildewmag@gmail.com and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
