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Our Take —

Qvest – does one pronounce that as ‘quest’?- is one of Germany’s most established glossy magazines aiming at a unisex readership. Published out of Cologne by Editor in Chief Michael Kaune, it is primarily a fashion and lifestyle magazine. Naturally, its line-up of interesting and informed editorial staff also often set their sites on other cultural phenomena and broader social trends. Arguably the first German-language glossy to recognise the international nature of the readership of luxury glossies or niche creative magazines, it was also one of the first German titles of its kind to produce an international English version. 

Rather than being a ‘fashionista’ title, the feel of Qvest is one of an educated and luxury-loving editorial voice that nonetheless speaks to a broad readership: hot developments in the area of leisure and sports brands are as much of interest to Qvest as the luxury collections pushed down catwalks in Milan and Paris. Similarly, celebrities or talents of a diverse nature are given profile as much as the refined thinking of those in the elite spectra of the design world. 

In many ways Qvest could be taken as a textbook illustrating pervading contemporary German(ic) tastes and aesthetics. Hardworking and successful Germans are famously proud of their status toys and love to treat themselves with a bit of luxury, often of a conspicuous nature. And this penchant for the ostentatious and decorative is certainly evident in many of the stories on bijou must-have items. But, simultaneously, with its strong history of Modernism, German taste can equally favour serene simplicity combined with technical excellence. And these tendencies too are often very evident in the editorial on fashion or design, for example. 

Given that German language cultures comprises a very significant portion of Europe’s population, anyone wanting to keep up with the zeitgeist in this region of the world would do well to pay attention to Qvest.