Reviving Jacques, Leder admits, took some compromising. For “Betrayal” she had to abandon the magazine’s full-size glossy format for a more economical 8 1/2 inch-by-5 1/2 inch booklet format and cut back on distribution by focusing on a small number of high-end retailers. (Locally, Jacques can be found at Half Moon Books on North Front Street.) But the next phase of the magazine’s evolution also brought some new opportunities. Now, there’s a board of directors and a major investor. Advertising remains scarce (the only ads come from controversy-courting clothier American Apparel and Kingston’s own Stockade Tavern) but Leder said Jacques had a dedicated subscriber base and strong newsstand sales.
It’s also a homegrown Hudson Valley creation. Leder said she first became acquainted with the area on weekend trips from the city. When she founded Jacques, she said she was drawn to the “visual goldmine” of Kingston and the surrounding area. Besides scenery, she said, Kingston had also provided a network of supportive and creative people who could help her carry out her vision. For “Revenge,” she worked with Uptown Kingston hairstylists Le Shag; negatives were developed at the Center for Photography at Woodstock and processed at Artcraft in Kingston Plaza. The props were all bought — or the case of a “ceremonial dagger” for “Revenge” — borrowed locally.
“For people working for themselves this is great place to be because we’re all in the same boat, so why not help each other,” said Leder. “And there are tons of people up here who are at the top of what they do.”
