By Meghan Decker
Sizzling like any August afternoon in the Lehigh Valley, the first-ever Hot Issue captured all of the ways we heat things up. Making the transition from a bi-monthly to a monthly publication in 2008, each month needed a strong and cohesive theme—and in came the hotness.
Hot rocks, hot looks, hot rides and hot docs shined in dramatic photo spreads that took the look of LVS to another level. Editor-in-Chief, Lisa J. Gotto, and the Style team defined the theme in a very inclusive way.
“The first Hot Issue we used the term “hot” in its broadest form. Our original thought was to try categories,” Gotto says. “It started with hot looks, then we thought about what else is hot in the Valley. It’s a good combination of people, places, and things that would lend themselves to the hot genre.”
Fashion was, above all, the crucial element of this issue, Gotto explains. “We always try to get more fashion into the magazine and this has been a good way to accomplish more of this. We like to give our readers ideas for fashion they can purchase right here and we try to feature very few ‘dot com’ items so stay regionally-based.”
Hot Rocks set things off with models drenched in the most dramatic jewels Valley shops have to offer. The defining word for this category, says Gotto, was “drama.” Unique pieces made from precious gemstones, diamonds, and pearls came from Valley favorites like Bixler’s and Werkheiser Ltd.
Hot Looks featured outfits to wear for every occasion, from walking your dog or heading to the office, to going on a date or a night out on the town. “These were outfits that you could buy here, wear here, and things that would work for every body-type,” Gotto says. Along with Pamela Deller, associate publisher, Gotto hand-picked the pieces and accessories from stores all over the area.
These photo shoots actually took place in the basement of the LVS office. Staffers laid down the black and white checkered tile floor and photographer Ken Volpe transformed the space into a dramatically lit setting for the hip models to flaunt their hot looks. “The space was so tight there was just enough room for Ken, the models, and the lighting equipment,” Gotto recalls.
The Hot Rides section made us all want to trade in our cars and cruise around the Valley in the year’s exciting new vehicles. Sexy, shiny sports cars from Audi and Mercedes, a Ducati sports bike, a gas-conscious Smart Fortwo and even the outrageously fantastical Hawker 4000 jet were just some of the toys featured. (Interestingly, in just two short years, some of the vehicle brands featured aren’t even being made anymore.) Collecting all of these images was an example of the time-consuming effort of putting a Hot Issue together, Gotto says.
Rounding out the Hot feature were the doctors. LVS wanted to showcase some of the amazing specialists who make living longer and healthier in the Valley a possibility.
“They were truly trendsetters in their fields and they utilize the latest technology in their practices. We wanted to feature a wide-range of doctors and included many fields—from a dentist and a dermatologist, to a cardiologist and a veterinarian, among others,” Gotto explains.
Pulling together this issue is no easy feat. There are multiple photo shoots happening at one time and photographers are shooting all over the Valley for each of the hot categories. The Style team needs to agree on the theme and locations of the shoots, as well as find the hair stylists, make-up artists and models, Gotto explains. “Meanwhile, we’re still doing everything else for the magazine while this is going on. It’s very ambitious for our small staff.”
The Hot Issue has come to define August for us and there’s no telling how it will evolve each year, Gotto says. “There are a lot of details; it’s always a challenge; there are a lot of moving parts, but it’s definitely worth it.”
Click here to download our very first Hot Issue.
