• by Melynda Fuller , April 22, 2019

Hearst and Dazed Media are set to launch print editions of their brands in China this year, leaping into an ever-growing fashion and entertainment market.

After seeing a positive response to its digital version last year, ElleMen Fresh, a Hearst China property, will publish print issues of the magazine, featuring an emphasis on young talent from the entertainment and fashion industries.

The first issue of ElleMen Fresh will feature four covers, including Japanese model and actor Sakaguchi Kentaro, "Killing Eve" star Jodie Comer, X-Men and Skins alum Nicholas Hoult and Gavin Thomas, an eight-year-old known as “Meme Kid.”

The covers mark a first for three of the stars. The issue is Comer’s first Asia-Pacific region magazine cover, Hoult’s first Mainland China magazine cover and Thomas’s global magazine cover debut.

ElleMen Fresh is run entirely by millennials. Despite the appearance of the word “Men” in its title, it does not consider itself to be a magazine limited by gender.

Similarly, London-based fashion and style magazine Dazed is launching a China edition in collaboration with Chinese media, ecommerce and event platform Yoho!, repor ts WWD. The title is expected to launch in 2019 and is backed by Adrian Cheng’s C Ventures.

Yoho!, a Nanjing-based streetwear platform, includes two magazines, Yoho! Boy and Yoho! Girl, an annual festival called Yo’Hood, ecommerce site Yoho! Buy, brand incubator Yo’Hope and Yoho! Store and Yoho! Blu, its retail stores.

Facilitating the collaboration is entrepreneur Cheng, heir to the Hong Kong-based conglomerate New World Development, jewelry brand Chow Tai Fook, Rosewood Hotel and K11 shopping mall. Cheng is also reportedly in talks to acquire W magazine, WWD reports, and is close to closing the deal, according to sources.

Cheng will take the role of chairman of Dazed China. He stated: “This cooperation reflects C Ventures’ investment theory of bridging the East and the West, and my belief of enriching new consumers’ daily lives through the power of creativity, culture and innovation.”

“By fostering this cooperation, we allow Dazed to synergize with Yoho!’s ecommerce and multimedia platforms for the exploration of a new market, whereas Yoho! will gain much wider access to international brands, as well as Dazed’s expertise in content curation. Further, we believe Yoho!’s retail arm will grow tremendously through this collaboration, and after tapping K11’s offline resources. We believe this partnership will be beneficial for all.”

This marks Dazed Media’s second attempt at launching a China edition of its magazine. The first happened in 2016 with Huasheng Media. The contract for that deal was withdrawn for undisclosed reasons.