125 Magazine's founding partners and the core editorial team were photographers Perry Curties and Jason Joyce, and art directors Rob Crane and Martin Yates who started 125 in 2003[2] after the realization that no unbiased platform for new work by both established and emerging talent existed.

The first issue (themed Fashion) was released in the UK and received a nomination in the Magazine Design Awards but was not a commercial success.

According to the 125 website they sold in excess of 8000 prints online and through exhibitions with companies and galleries including Paul Smith and St. Lukes advertising agency.

Each issue had a theme and contained the work of 20-25 contributors as well as interviews with creative talents such as Nick Knight, Glen Luchford, Sean Ellis, Don McCullin Rankin (photographer), and Magnum Photos.

High-profile names were commissioned to shoot for 125, such as Rankin, Richard Kern, Perou, Christopher Griffith, Alice Hawkins, Mick Rock, Shinichi Maruyama, Ernst Fischer, and Tim Simmons.