“The value of something is decided by its beholder.” Rusudana Jacyna

After years as a journalist and costume stylist in London, busty blonde Kira Jolliffe won a poker competition in 1997 and used the proceeds to start a magazine for an as-yet uncatered for readership. Cheap Date's tagline was: "antidotal antifashion for thinking thrifters" and stylish, imaginative, thoughtful and seriously nutty people finally had something non-dictatorial to crumple into their garters. Vogue called it "The hippest new rag in town." and the Times wondered "Is this the start of the trash revolution?" Kira's influences, from zines and comics of the 80s, teen pop annuals of the 70s, National Lampoon and Spy, came across as a crammed pamphlet of lipstick-smeared glamour and it soon became the bible for any clothes connoisseur needing to go to the source for an empowering, stylish and irreverent boost.

After the first four London issues and a cult book, Kira joined forces with old friend, thrift guru and other busty blonde, Bay Garnett and started Cheap Date in New York City. Graphic artist Marlon Richards provided his uniquely poppish brand of visuals. The launch created a stir that surpassed anyone’s expectations. It looked liked the world needed Cheap Date.

The public and press were sent into a frenzy over Chloe Sevigny, Jerry Hall, Liv Tyler and Rachel Weisz's intimately snap-shotted, saucy pin-ups. And when David Copperfield wrote his top ten magical pick-up lines, or Karen Elson tried her best, using her supermodel status, to sell the fashionability of armpit wigs, they cried with laughter and relief.

Now back home in the UK, Cheap Date continues to come out extremely, irregularly. Other Cheap Date projects have included The Pin-up collection, The International Fashion Strike, the Swap Shop, the Jumble Sale and The Cheap Date Guide to Style

Some of our Cheap Date staff at one time or another:

Iris Palmer, Anita Pallenberg, Poppy de Villeneuve, Minnie Weisz, Marlon Richards, Daisy Garnett, Annabel Mehran, Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, Ramona Rainey, Lucie Layers, Mark Pawson, Iphgenia Baal, Charlotte Cooper, Tiffany Limos, Gavin Clark, Jasmine Guinness, Sophie Dahl, Iain Aitch, Karen Elson, Erin O’Connor, Jade Parfitt, Su Goodacre and Paul Sevigny