Gert Jonkers in BANANATME
BT: These days, we can access so much information through social media. What were your main sources of inspiration and information when you were growing up? Were there any magazines, books, music, or other cultural influences that particularly shaped you?
G: I’m obviously old enough to have grown up without internet, social media, computers, etc. I mean, we had a snowy black & white TV when I was a kid, that was our window into the wider world. Information mostly came to me through the radio (the weekly pop charts were a must-listen) and my father was a massive reader who subscribed to two daily newspapers and about 5 weekly magazines, varying from Christian/conservative to progressive/radical. That surely formed my love for news and printed information.
BT: What inspired you to launch FANTASTIC MAN? In your view, what sets FANTASTIC MAN apart from other magazines?
G: It’s a visual magazine for readers, with a focus on masculinity and what men wear. We’re thrilled to work with the best photographers and stylists, and the textual part is of equal importance to us, so we do care about the writers and journalists we work with. In our view, a column of text can be very sexy.
"...we had a snowy black & white TV when I was a kid, that was our window into the wider world."
BT: What do you like to do during your "BANANATIME"—the time you take to relax, unwind, and recharge?
G: I’m not sure I’m very good at relaxing and unwinding. I still hope to one day find the perfect meditation routine; I know the restorative power of meditation, but I just don’t keep up the routine. Having said that, I love to sleep 10 hours a night.
