THE MAKING OF BASIC

As BASIC Magazine reaches its 30th issue, Founder and Editor-in-Chief VIKTORIJA PASHUTA opens up about visual storytelling, and the emotional reality of running an independent magazine.

Words by Kimberly Haddad

Thirty issues later, Editor-in-Chief Viktorija Pashuta still talks about BASIC the same way she talks about people: with obsession, curiosity, and a need to understand what’s beneath the surface. The magazine has followed every version of her life—photographer, filmmaker, producer, editor, creative director—absorbing whatever consumed her at that particular moment and turning it into imagery, stories, and worlds people wanted to enter. Somewhere along the way, the magazine stopped existing as a side project and became the framework around which the rest of life moved. Covers kept her awake at night. Production schedules swallowed entire years. Emotional states ended up preserved inside editorials, casting choices, photography, and aesthetic detours.

What kept BASIC alive through all of it was freedom. The freedom to make every creative decision herself, even the bad ones. Pashuta speaks about mistakes almost possessively—they belong to her, which also means every breakthrough, risk, and evolution belongs to her too. That mentality pushed the magazine into 30 radically different conceptual directions over the years: Picasso-inspired shoots reconstructed through handmade props, old Hollywood glamour colliding with underground fashion, surrealist beauty stories, hypnotic cinema references, celebrity portraiture, darkness, luxury, minimalism, fantasy. Across 30 issues, traces of Latvia, London, New York, and Los Angeles all bleed into the publication’s visual identity, alongside the artists, musicians, actors, and designers who entered its orbit along the way.

This 30th issue gathers every cover that led to this point, alongside a conversation with the woman behind them—the editor, photographer, and relentless creative engine who turned BASIC from an independent print experiment into a global fashion and art publication with its own visual fingerprint.

Thirty issues in, when you look back at the very beginning— before BASIC had any kind of audience or history—what did you think you were making? And where does that version of the magazine differ from what it is now?

I wanted to create a magazine that I wanted to read myself. I created it for myself. I believe when we create something new, it should never come from the point of view of “what is popular” or “what do people want.” It has to come from a place where you cannot find some- thing that satisfies your soul, and then you create it for yourself. It’s like making a beautiful dinner that you would want to sit down and enjoy. I didn’t see anything on the market like BASIC—something less commercial, more focused on art and fashion, but without being too strange or overly avant-garde. I wanted it to showcase the most beautiful and elevated things in the world. I wanted to create a museum on the pages of a publication. That core principle has stayed with me to this day, 10 years later.

People keep saying print is on its way out, but you’ve kept this magazine going for years without turning it into something disposable. What do you see about print right now that other people are getting wrong?

Magazines are the same as books. Maybe they are less popular today, and people switch to audio or digital formats, but nothing can replace holding a real object, touching the pages, smelling the ink. It’s a sensory experience. A time capsule. Over time, print becomes even more valuable because it is rare, more exclusive, and holds historical weight. Especially now, with the rise of AI, print becomes even more of a luxury object, and it should be designed as one.

After 30 issues, how do you keep yourself from repeating what you already know works? What tells you something still feels right for BASIC versus just familiar?

Every issue is a new journey. I constantly improve, test, and experiment. There is beauty in learning what works and what doesn’t, but what worked once can quickly become safe. In art and media, I never want to play it safe. Sometimes I miss, sometimes I fail, but sometimes, by taking risks, I create something completely new and original. And that brings me the most joy.

You’ve been running this magazine through a lot of changes in media and publishing. Was there ever a point where you thought about stopping?

Absolutely. The print business is challenging. Over the years, major distribution companies closed or merged, paper became scarce, and transportation costs increased significantly. The media landscape is constantly shifting, and you have to be a very savvy businessperson to adapt. Running a print publication is not just about creativity, it’s about making the right decisions in difficult moments without compromising quality or vision. When I felt like stopping, I reminded myself: it’s ok to slow down, but never to stop completely. Some periods were very challenging, but they made both me and the publication stronger. Through perseverance, you discover the best version of yourself. Keeping it lean, without starving, is the key.

“I see myself as a catalyst for change—a voice, a platform, a mic that gives others the opportunity to be heard through their art. I am a connector, a magnet. Someone who brings people, ideas, and pieces together, and turns them into something bigger. In a way, I feel like I’m building a universe, one that exists to inspire.”

If you laid out the first issue next to this one, where would you see the biggest change—not just visually, but in how you think?

If I compare the first issue to the latest one, I’ve trans- formed BASIC from being purely art-focused into something that integrates a full luxury lifestyle perspective. I introduced new sections that position BASIC as a tastemaker and curator, highlighting exclusive beauty, boutique hotels, and visionaries across fields like creative direction, architecture, and beyond. The shift from pure art to a curated world of refined, artistic, and unique products and experiences has been the biggest evolution, and one I’m very proud of.

If someone picked up this issue without context, what would you want them to understand about you just from these pages?

I want people to feel a sense of oneness. That we are all connected, regardless of religion, race, or political views. I want us, as humans, to be united through art, culture, beauty, music, and fashion. My ultimate goal is to inspire and to remind people that the world is still a beautiful place, no matter how it may appear through the noise of the news.

This issue centers on “Legacy.” When you think about what you’ve built with BASIC, what do you actually want to leave behind?

I want to leave behind a collection of stories told by creatives from all over the world. A safe space where dreams are realized. Something meaningful and beautiful that can live beyond us and be remembered by future generations. A reminder that beauty and love are the most valuable things we have, and they should be protected. I want it to inspire the next generation, to give them something to learn from, to grow from, and to carry forward.

What do you think a photograph can say about someone that they would never say for themselves?

A photograph is a frozen moment in time. It holds both the subject and the photographer within the same frame. It is vulnerable and curated at the same time. Ultimately, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

What does it look like for you when you’re not inspired— and how do you work through that?

I am human, and there are days when I feel down, sad, and uninspired. But I also know that my consciousness can greatly affect my mood and the way I see things. When I’m not inspired, I force myself to move, whether it’s the gym, a walk, travel, or anything that takes me out of stagnation. Sometimes it’s just one small detail that shifts everything: a book from my childhood, window shopping through vintage stores, or an unplanned short trip. Those moments bring new inspiration. What I’ve learned is that comparison and jealousy are the worst things for creativity and imagination. The focus should always be on becoming the best version of yourself.

Have you had to redefine what success means to you?

I have. I learned the hard way that success driven by revenge or the need to prove someone wrong is empty. When you come from a place of competition, anger, or validation, it never brings true fulfillment. I learned to let that go and focus on what genuinely makes me happy, regardless of how it is perceived or how “successful” it may seem. Ultimate success, to me, is peace, and the freedom to create what I love, regardless of trends or immediate financial reward.

What would the version of you who made the first issue be most critical of now?

My ability to see beauty, and to recognize what’s coming before others do. I’ve always trusted my instinct, my BASIC instinct, even when it wasn’t the popular choice. My ability to curate something truly one-of-one, to look at a thousand options and choose the one that reflects my own aesthetic, has remained very strong.

Which cover or story feels the most personal to you now, regardless of how it was received at the time?

Probably SAGA Issue 9, with the Picasso-inspired piece “A Woman with a Fish Hat,” where I reimagined classical, world-famous artworks through my photography. It was a meticulous process, aligning classical artworks with zodiac signs and recreating them visually. I acted as the photographer and set designer, and also created the props for the entire series. It was a major creative undertaking that transformed some of those images into art canvases. Even though the issue itself was not our top-selling one, it remains one of the most personal to me.

What’s something about running a magazine that people assume is exciting, but isn’t?

The covers. They seem exciting from the outside, but they are the most challenging part. A cover is the face of the entire issue, and it has to do everything at once: stand out on the newsstand, reflect the talent, and carry a strong concept and story. From casting the right person, to developing the concept, to executing it perfectly, it’s constant pressure. It’s the part that keeps me up at night.

What still feels rewarding in a way that hasn’t worn down over time?

Being a messenger for creatives who may not have a voice. Having a platform that can bring awareness to artists from all over the world, that continues to be incredibly meaningful to me.

Who do you feel like you are right now, separate from the magazine?

I see myself as a catalyst for change—a voice, a platform, a mic that gives others the opportunity to be heard through their art. I am a connector, a magnet. Someone who brings people, ideas, and pieces together, and turns them into something bigger. In a way, I feel like I’m building a universe, one that exists to inspire.

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