Justsmile Issue 9: A$AP Rocky

Justsmile Issue 9 “Somewhere We Know” encourages us to reflect on the past in all its glory and hardship, while reminding us that its spirit lives in the present. Across the issue’s stories, there’s the sense that the spaces we come from have a profound effect on who we become.

Please note: all orders start shipping on October 28th.

This issue’s cover star is A$AP Rocky! In the cover story, From Harlem To The World, Baltimore-based writer Lawrence Burney speaks with Rocky during the European leg of his global tour, and asks — Fifteen years after his debut and on his first global tour in 7 years, A$AP Rocky still holds the world’s attention. How has he managed to keep it for so long? The cover and inside story were shot in Rocky’s hometown of Harlem, and tease a full-length 64-page limited-edition zine by Nick Sethi titled STOP2SMILE, available for purchase separately. 

Also in the issue: 

• Bryan Jiménez and Olivier Rogers, two inspiring young menswear designers who immigrated to New York before their teenage years. Through their eponymous labels, they pay homage to their respective birthplaces.
• Jon Gray, who newly opened the restaurant, Gourmega in NYC, rides through the Bronx with writer Sasha Bonét. Between stops at his old middle school, his go-to Dominican bakery, he shares memories of his upbringing and the moments that led him to his current chapter of creativity.
• Justsmile Fashion Editor Marcus Correa headed back to his hometown of Denver, Colorado, with photographer Felipe Romero Beltrán, who met him all the way from Paris, collaborating on a series of portraits showcasing the locals shaping culture under the Rockies.
• We visit the ceramist Ibrahim Said in Greensboro, North Carolina, who carries forth ancient Egyptian and Islamic craft, pushing clay to its limits in search of beauty, balance, and something altogether new.
• Ahead of the release of his monograph New City, Old Blues, Andre D. Wagner reflects on photography as social work, cameras mistaken for guns, the politics of New York City, and the quiet vigilance required to document it all.
• Fall in Form: Our favorite looks from the Fall runways.
• and much more!