60 Sec. With Rich Antoniello publisher Complex

Q. While other men’s shopping magazines have failed, your ad pages rose 17 percent to 295 Apr/May. What does Complex do differently?

A. We’re embracing the fact that this next generation of guys is more brand-conscious and less brand-loyal at the same time. We give them the story behind the story of these brands. Other shopping magazines were more catalogue-y.

Q. How does your multicultural readership help you with your advertisers?

A. People don’t identify themselves by ethnicity and race first. That has allowed us to have a different conversation [with media buyers]. More brands are realizing, when your reaching trendsetters, you cant silo them like that.

Q. You’ve created elaborate customized ads for some of them. What’s an example of something you did?

A. With Adidas, we created a 20-page look book that normally would be for trade, but we made it consumer-focused. Instead of seeing a traditional branding spread, we put all the consumer and lifestyle elements in the setting of a fashion spread. We say, Here’s the bottom you’d wear with that and the shoe you’d wear with it.

Q. Complex gets a mix of high fashion and street brands, East Coast and West Coast. What categories are you still trying to crack?

A. We have opportunities to grow with American designers and consumer electronics. A lot of designer brands take a wait and see approach and aren’t as active as they used to be. With consumer electronics, you have to be around long enough and get the first one.

Q. Whets to most interesting men’s fashion forwards trend you’ve seen?

A. Skate and surf wear are borrowing from streetwear and vice-versa. Upscale and downscale brands are all coming together. In Harlem you’re seeing a lot of surf and skate influence. I never thought I'd see this much crossover so quickly. This is a complicated generation-you’ve got to throw out all the rules.