About the Rainwear Review

From Number 11:-

"After many years of considering the production of a straight-forward glossy fashion magazine of really superior quality, the decision was quite suddenly made on 25th June, 1969. Publication date was set for 1 st September, but finally settled as 15th September. The 15th of September, December, March and June have remained as Review Days ever since.

No.1 consisted of only 28 pages, but each page was filled with photographs. The first centre spread: a dramatic shot of Sandy in a striking glossy black rubber cloak.

No.2 sprouted 12 extra pages and included some leather coats and expanded vinyl suits as well as the lovely rubberised satins and glossy black rubber.

No.3 saw the last of leather and vinyl by popular request-readers said that there were plenty of shots of them in Vogue, etc., and so the Review went over strictly to rubberised garments. It was in this issue that we decided that something had to be done about the price of the Review. This had remained at £2 2s. Od. since we started. Now with each issue getting fatter with more and more pictures, some adjustment seemed justified, so we decided on £2 Os. Od. [sic] which it has remained ever since, despite postal increases, 52 pages and colour !

No.4 showed a vast improvement in print quality, but No.5 was the first issue to miss publication date. Twice we refused the printers offering - finally accepting the third printing, but there was an increase to 44 pages.

No.6 really was the turning point. We found European Press at Bletchley and they have given us the finest service possible. Their charge for two pages of colour was half what we had been quoted previously for the front cover alone. Again there was an increase in the number of pages - now 48.

No.7 had its first article by one of the models-Ros Rites - a page of gen and pages made up to 52 where they have stayed ever since (more would now double the postage).

And so through Nos. 8 and 9 to 10 and for the second time we I miss publication date due to illness. However, No.10 appeared on 24th January. Now once again we are late.

Five hundred copies of each Review have been printed and the printing costs have risen from £220 to £472. All issues have sold out except for a very few of Nos. 5, 6, 8 and 10 - though these may have gone by the time this appears in print.

Apart from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, the Review has been sent to the following countries:

Korea, Switzerland, Austria, Bahamas, Falkland Islands, Trinidad, Masirah, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Australia, Persia, Tanzania, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, United States of America, Spain, Portugal, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Malta G.C., Holland, Japan, Bahrain, Hong Kong. Bermuda, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Uganda, Finland, Nigeria, Greece, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Lebanon.

We hope you find these few points of interest."

from Issue No 11 March 1972