Ypulse Interview: Gina La Morte, Editor-In-Chief, Boho Magazine

Gina La Morte is the founder and editor-in-chief of Boho, the first green fashion magazine. A graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology, Gina has over 12 years of experience as a celebrity fashion stylist and editor. She will be speaking on the "Green Youth Marketing" panel at the upcoming Ypulse Marketing Mashup East. Remember, the "early adopter" rates end tomorrow. So register now and save.

YPulse: How did you get the idea for Boho Magazine?

Gina La Morte: I’ve had this vision inside me for a magazine like Boho for years and years, but I had no idea how it would ever come to fruition because it seemed impossible. One day I basically just started writing and said "this is it," I am doing this! Then, over about a year's time, the idea organically grew from there. I had all of the concepts in my head forever, and because of having my website TheStyleDoctor.com for over 7 years, that helped show me what young females were really missing and wanting in a magazine that simply didn’t exist. Boho took all of the concepts and ideas that I’ve had for a magazine and rolled them into one. I KNEW this girl existed and I KNEW now was the time, I just knew it in my gut. I also knew that if there were to be any magazine published in this market, the materials to make it needed be sustainable, otherwise it just didn’t make sense.

YP: What has surprised you since the debut of the magazine?

GL: I am so surprised how embraced it has been, by both the media and the readers. I mean, I knew in my gut it was the right thing at the right time, but it was a scary thing to launch a 100% post consumer completely non-coated, UV free magazine in a world full of glossies. The fact that people love the look and feel so much gives me hope that the world is truly ready and desiring all things sustainable.

YP: What was the magazine's launch like and how have you gotten the word out?

GL: We have been featured on hundreds of blogs. That’s one of our favorite things, because it’s real people embracing our concept of boho and telling everyone about it virally. We are all about viral marketing and it’s completely grass roots for us. But that is what the boho brand is about. It has nothing to do with consumerism and everything to do with real people living organic and real lives. We’ve also been doing some fun tv segments and had some really nice press on website’s like the Daily Green.com, Eco-Chick, Eco-razzi and more.

We also launched a college ambassador initiative, so we have ambassadors on college campuses like Dartmouth, Temple, George Washington, and others. Our distribution played a large role in getting the word out as well. Boho is available in every Barnes & Noble, Borders and Universal News across the country. Also, Hudson news and lots of other supermarkets. Next issue, Boho will be in Whole Foods, and will be international.

YP: How have you gone about marketing to "green teens" and eco-conscious young adults?

GL: We don’t believe in marketing. We believe in authenticity. We’ve created something the youth is greatly desiring, which is a focus on the two things they are very interested in: Fashion and the Environment.

This next generation is truly concerned about sustainability, and so if they can find a way to get involved and make the world a little greener, they will be on board with Boho.

YP:Your website is great - do you plan on expanding online or keeping the
focus on the print publication?

GL: Yes, we plan on focusing more online. Because my business started online 8 years ago, we recognize the importance of that. It’s hard to juggle both very well as a small company, but we have a goal that by 09 there will be some type of social networking aspect to the site as well as much more interactivity for readers, and faster content change.

YP: Anything else Ypulse readers should know?

GL: Yes! That no tree was ever cut down to print Boho, we are 100 % post consumer. And no chemicals were used to create our cover, we are completely UV free. This is paramount.

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