Meet Metal Mag's Angela Esteban Librero

Angela Esteban Librero is the U.S. editor of METAL magazine. She joined Yolanda Muelas, the founder of the Barcelona-based mag, in June 2006 and set up the NYC office. Since then, she's had a major role in developing the magazine stateside by providing editorial content and coordinating a team of collaborators including photographers, writers and stylists who are all more than up to the task (I should know, I'm one of them!!!). Last Tuesday, I was thrilled to attend their "official launch" party held at the Dactyl Foundation Gallery in SoHo. I'm a huge fan of better late than never, and an open bar featuring delicious margeritas is never something to complain about. Knowing I had a major scoop on my hands, I grabbed Angela and asked her a few questions...

First of all, congratulations, this party is really awesome. The place is PACKED, and the crowd is young and energetic and sexy and the idea to hang shots from your June issue on the walls of this gallery is genius. I love the whole thing. SOO, this is my silly first question, but it's kinda crucial: What is the essence of METAL?
The METAL team is proud to focus on fashion in an unconventional way, by embracing art, music, literature and a myriad of subjects reflecting the Zeitgeist. Our magazine is unique in Europe because of its international scope and because it's mainly devoted to fashion.

What are readers likely to find within the deliciously thick pages of METAL?
METAL features cutting edge articles about art and culture in both English and Spanish and is released five times a year in February, April, June, September and November. The magazine was born out of the desire to provide something new to the Spanish editorial market, which is steadily on the rise. METAL provides a rebirth of real concepts and content and assumes that a different magazine format is not only achievable, but also utterly necessary.

I totally agree!!! The format is really sexy. I HAVE to know who your designer is.
Albert Folch Studio, based in Barcelona. They're in charge of the art direction and design of the magazine. (Check out his website here: www.albertfolch.com)

Well, I love Albert Foch, now. So where are you currently distributing?
Throughout Spain and the fashion capitols like Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam and Milan.

OK, Fashion Week is coming up... What are your predictions for the upcoming shows? Give us some insider perspective please!
I am not a big fan of predictions for trends in fashion. However, I can't wait to see what Gareth Pugh, Yohji Yamamoto, Haider Ackerman, Watanabe or Maison Martin Margiela are going to show.

I must admit, those shows are making my dreams truly weird and amazing at this point. Pugh, especially. Speaking of weird and amazing, do you have a favorite story from a past issue you'd like to share with us?
I don't have one favorite story, however the best stories in the magazine are always the ones shot by the geniuses Miguel Villalobos, Christophe Kutner, Daniel Sannwald or Richard Jensen.

Those guys are ridiculously talented and you're SOOOO LUCKY to be working with them! I'm jealous. I mean, with talent like that, it's pretty obvious where you're headed, but I'll ask anyway: Where do you see METAL in five years? (I love this question!)
Well, in the same place that I see it now, really, but with wider distribution, more advertisers and more support.

Well, you've officially got MY support. And it looks like PAPERMAG is loving you as well. This is like METAL WEEK with all the blogging going on about what you're doing! I'm really looking forward to what lies in store for you guys, I'm sure it will be stunning as usual.