Golden Mag Magic
Think Vogue x UMN x the whole Twin Cities community — that is the core of Golden Magazine!
Golden is a visually-compelling student run magazine that has taken the University of Minnesota community — and larger Minneapolis area — by storm. Golden was started in the summer of 2020 by Ava Ekman, a current junior at UMN, at her lake cabin with her cousin Audrey. Ava was freshly a rising sophomore, while Audrey was about to take on her final year at the U. The girls — with little interest in water sports — decided to binge The Bold Type, a cheesy TV show about three women pursuing their dreams of working for a women’s magazine in NYC. They were hooked — which ignited conversation about the lack of opportunities offered on campus for students interested in fashion, photography, videography, and social media, and about the lack of community felt mid-pandemic.
The rest is history — Golden was created shortly after, and individuals through the community had a platform for fashion, creativity, connection, and inclusivity.
via @goldenmagumn on Instagram
Golden is different from other publications because it is centered in community. Ava finds that what keeps Golden so strong is the “friendships that have been made” from it. A community of like-minded individuals who value inclusivity and creativity have found a home in Golden. Students can get involved on the executive board, as a team lead, or in a staff position at the beginning of each semester. Golden also has ambassadors for students who want to get involved, but with less commitment. Also, all of their events are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to go! For any local business owners or organizations who want to collaborate, shoot them an e-mail at goldenmagumn@gmail.com.
Golden’s partnership with #FWMN was started last year during their show at the fall showing. Golden Runway sold out over 250 tickets and showcased four local designers and their collections. All of the details of the show were planned by Ava and the team themselves — and the end result was absolutely spectacular. This was also when Ava’s parents could physically process all of the hard work she had put into Golden, and what it really was.
Golden and FWMN share the same mission of highlighting and showcasing local creatives. Golden Mag is interwoven throughout Minneapolis — whether this be borrowing clothing from small businesses for shoots, independent artists collaborating with them, brands sponsoring events, and their work on us for Fall 2021 FWMN. Their third issue is launching during Fashion Week — Friday, April 29th. This issue tells a story throughout the entire spread — and “everything comes together at the end,” Ava says. They also have some top-secret projects coming up this summer, so you’ll have to stay tuned!
Models for Golden Runway (Fall 2021 FWMN) via The Minnesota Daily
As a student-run organization, they have so much to offer the community, and are making a name for themselves as a creative, fashion-forward, force to be reckoned with.