Let's Talk Oyster

From what I can tell, no one has really brushed up on this subject but what will soon be me. What I want to talk about here is what used to be my favourite magazine, ever. Oyster magazine was born in Australia in 1994 and deals with the basics; interviews, fashion editorials, beauty etc. I discovered the magazine at a local bookstore in 2007 and knew it was something different. It wasn't the basic kind of editorials, or the basic people you'd interview, or the cliche' beauty tips you'd see in let's say, Marie Claire. Everything about this magazine was edgy and obscure, artsy and at times misunderstood. The magazine was heavy like a book, the pages were large, thick and glossy, and each issue that preceded it seemed to sit upon my hands for what seemed like hours. My first issue (which I collected along with many other magazines I've treasured, including other Oyster's) was Oyster #70, which I couldn't even find a picture of on the internet:

The beauty pages used to look like this, which compiled actual backstage runway makeup looks of the season:

Now in recent issues (this is from Oyster #92's "Beauty News") this is what you get:

Clearly a big difference, right? Not only that, but even some of the recent issues have no beauty pages at all.
Another thing they took away completely were backstage photos and what they used to call "Runway Reports" which looked like this:

If it sounds like I'm bashing what Oyster is now, I am. Nothing can change my viewpoint on this unless it went back to the way it used to be. The magazine has clearly been commercialized by american pop culture. Instead of the weird Australian shampoo advertisements I used to see (and couldn't buy anywhere local), now I see a converse ad or a swatch ad. Instead of reading an interview on what might just be an up and coming designer, I'm reading an interview on Lady Gaga, which I can find in any other damn magazine. The basis of this magazines appeal to me was that it was completely different. I'm not even sure anymore when the change occurred because I went so long without buying a single issue. All I know is, from Oyster #70 and #71 to oyster #91, the size of the magazine has shrunk, the font on the front page has changed, and the quality to me has diminished almost completely. If anyone has any thoughts on this, I'd love to read your interjection.