Rachel Dotimas, teen market expert
“It is up to teens to internalize the message from the media and challenge what the media is promoting. From there, you [teens] choose to rebel, follow, or use as inspiration.”
Studying fashion, influence in teenagers, and editorial design in media, Rachel is the mastermind behind KATALYST, an app an a zine. Peers & anonymous style, not celebrities are found throughout. Bold, heavy text, colour, collage and cut-outs arranged dynamically - each page tells its own story and the magazine feels energetic, fun and passionate - like most teens.
ON MAGAZINES:
"I've been collecting magazines since i was 12. Now, I really don't read them as much as a look at the layout. They're in my closet, in boxes. Pages ripped on the old ones." Rachel's newer mags are in pristine condition - treated with a sort of reverence on the bookshelf.
ON TIGER BEAT & J14
"I would buy them almost every month, because Hillary Duff would be on the corner of the cover! They slap a lot of celebrities on the cover, which is smart because teens are oblivious to the sales tactic behind. I still have them, actually. They've got great designs to bridge the gap between teens and younger kids."
ON MAKING A ZINE with PEERS vs CELEBRITY
"Diminishing the power of traditional media, and give power back to teens. What does a magazine look like if you take away the celebrity? You see people you directly relate to. "
Its like a yearbook, when kids get their yearbook, they count how many times they're in there, and how often they recognize their friends. Its more personal"
ON THE TOUGHEST PART
"Branching out and finding my own voice. My mentor pushed me, I was crying for two weeks, then for two weeks I was in the zone developing my concept and layout design." The zone and in the flow of things is where great things are created - always!
ON TEENS
"Teens are fun, they're ready to break out into the world. Its a transition period, they have the freedom to make decisions without worrying about responsibilities of adult life yet"