At a time when most print magazines are going digital, Nantiya “Milk” Praking not only wanted to revive the scene but spruce it up with her creative vision. On International Women’s Day, Milk launched “Other Girl’s Journal” acting as editor, curator, and founder of the bilingual print magazine focusing on fashion, lifestyle, and inspiring personalities. Graduating in fashion design from Silpakorn University and working in visual communications for a fashion brand, she decided to explore another facet of her passion: fashion journalism.
 
 
How did you get into creating your own magazine?
I like to consume art that’s made by women, and I’ve always read a lot of international magazines. So I eventually got really into the behind the scenes and how these things got made. Before I turned to print, I had an Instagram about inspirational people in the creative industry. For example, if I come across a stylist that I like, I’ll look up their previous interviews, translate, and share it with my followers. Once I’d done that for a while, I sensed that it was starting to have a direction, sort of like a mood board. After gathering some content, it turned out, most of the stories I wanted to tell are about women. So I named it Other Girl’s Journal. 

"It’s really exhilarating to see what I have in mind come to life. I get to curate everything and everyone I like in one place. It feels very fresh and it’s super fun to invite other people along with the project."

Nantiya “Milk” Praking

Why create a print magazine when everything is so digital?
Yes, even in my job, the fashion content I work on is online and it can be playful, but I wanted to go back to the classic—slowly turning the page and really taking the content in. It adds value to the work we’ve curated. We’re planning on releasing it biannually so the content is quite timeless.
 

Other Girl’s Journal / Photo: Nantiya “Milk” Praking

 
What are some sources of inspiration for this magazine?
Abroad, I noticed that there is such a diverse range of print genres that are still thriving. But it’s not so popular in Thailand. I’ve done some zines and collected art books before, but that is a little niche and all about the visuals. Our magazine is sort of a fashion lifestyle magazine, so it’s very easy to understand. We priced it at B229 so it’s accessible while having a collectable value. It doesn’t have to be too complex. I just want Thai people to get into reading print again.
 
Why did you choose to make the magazine bilingual (Thai and English)?
I want it to be accessible for the people around me, and if there’s a chance for this publication to find an international audience, I want to go for it too! Or if the Thai market doesn’t really understand what we’re about, then we can try to find a wider audience with English.
 
 

Other Girl’s Journal / Photo: Nantiya “Milk” Praking

 
Could you walk us through the stories in this first issue?
The first issue is called “first page". I interviewed my friend Kanjanapat “Amp” Chaichaloemwong who is part of a Thai fashion design team. I caught her when she was changing directions, quitting her job, and going into freelancing. It’s sort of a new chapter in her life. Another person I interviewed is P’Tanja "Pe" Tanjasiri who is also taking all the rich experiences she accumulated to kickstart her own business. Apart from that, there’s a style journal column where I discuss how I found my personal style, a wishlist, and beauty section. Then there’s the mind journal column which is kind of conceptual, sort of a reflection, an open diary on the writer’s life. And there’s a random journal section which is more visual. It’s a curation of the works of photographers and stylists that I like. Oh, and we also have a fortune telling section at the end. 
 
 

"Even though the concept feels very feminist, this magazine is just another platform to uplift women’s stories. If men came across this, we think it’s also inviting them into our world and our perspectives."

Are there any pros and cons of making your own magazine?
It’s really exhilarating to see what I have in mind come to life. I get to curate everything and everyone I like in one place. It feels very fresh and it’s super fun to invite other people along with the project. But doing it myself, there might be some details I overlooked. So for the next issue, I plan on having a proofreading team on board to help me out.
 
 
Could you give us a sneak peak of the next issue’s theme?
Actually, we haven’t really nailed it down yet, but I want to really flesh out the concept of it being a take on inspirational women. The next issue will probably be out around September or October.
 
Any final thoughts you’d like to leave us with?
I want everyone to give it a shot and pick it up. I’ve gathered different types of women here because in our society or in social media, we tend to focus or celebrate on a specific ideal type of person. I want to show other dimensions of beauty, personalities, and show that we can be whoever we want. We don’t have to follow trends all the time. And even though the concept feels very feminist, this magazine is just another platform to uplift women’s stories. If men came across this, we think it’s also inviting them into our world and our perspectives.
 
 
You can purchase the first issue via their Line Shop or have a little flip through at independent bookstores like Vacilando bookshop and A Book with No Name. Other stores they’re in talks with include Spacebar Zine and multi-brand stores like Blu Lagoon. They're also going to be at Galileo Oasis’ art and design market this weekend, April 6-7.