Lost Magazine explores global travel from a uniquely Chinese perspective

Modern urban living must be having a strange effect on society if the swelling number of independent travel magazines is anything to go by. The concrete confines of our respective metropoles are inspiring a wanderlust within us, sparking wave after wave of print publications with their sights set on adventure. If we’re being brutally honest there are only a few that bring anything new to the table so it’s exciting to discover a title that offers more than jet-setting anecdotes from the one percent.

Shanghai-based LOST aims to carve out its own niche by dealing with the subject of travel in a personal and profound way, exploring the world from a distinctly Chinese perspective. Published in English and Mandarin, its focus is the introspection allowed by visiting new countries, encountering alien cultures and simply being alone on the road. The 14 tales in its inaugural issue cover everything from touching down in Egypt during a period of severe civil unrest to the experience of having a translator inhibit the personal connection between people with no common language.

Design-wise it’s impressive too. Creator Nelson Ng’s day job is a designer for Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai, so he brings some pedigree to the table. The content is pieced together like a carefully considered scrapbook, leaving room for Hanzi and Roman characters to co-exist in spreads without confusion or clutter.

Their mission statement reads: “LOST is a magazine about self-discovery through travel. It is a magazine that features real stories, personal reflections and epiphanies from people around the world. It believes that travel isn’t about fancy hotels or tourist destinations, but about immersing oneself in someplace entirely foreign to feel extremely uncomfortable so that one can learn from it. It believes that travel is a state of mind.”

Go out and grab a copy. They’re already rare as hens’ teeth.