Mb rolls out a new feature today wherein designers and design editors put in their two cents on how publications/shows/brands stack up, design-wise. This month, design editors Julie Lasky of I.D., Bryn Mooth of HOW and Joyce Rutter Kaye of Print tell us what they think of Jane magazine's new look, unveiled for its March issue.

I have to give Paul Ritter, Jane's design director, credit for breaking the cover mold for the typical young-women's-service-slash-celebrity-style magazine; the full-bleed intense closeup photo makes quite a statement. For a magazine that puts readers on a first-name basis with its contributors and sources, it's appropriately engaging. And it's a needed departure from Jane's old cover style, which had young celebs in 2/3-body shots, posed in inconsistent settings and styles. The logo added subtle heft, which gives it a bit more impact; there are fewer coverlines (phew!) and a focused color palette. The cover typefaces work well together: the fat, serif Belucian stands out, and Akzidenz Grotesk is a well-matched companion.

More here.