The New York Times recently published an articled entitled “What’s Wrong with Vogue?”
Among other things, the article states that Vogue has become somewhat “stale and predictable” over the years, both due to a lack of a recent significant change to its image and also due to a lack of awareness concerning online media and other web-based technologies.
Nevertheless, what is also recognized is Anna Wintour’s institutional power and prowess; she has what it takes to keep a (the ?) major fashion magazine in circulation:
According to a writer at Condé Nast, who requested anonymity because he works at a sister publication, “Anna’s two great talents are that she understands her readers and she speaks with this incredible authority to advertisers.” Indeed, as the writer points out, Condé Nast, having monopolized high-end magazines, has a rather odd relationship with luxury advertisers — which is that these advertisers cannot afford to go somewhere else, bad economy or not. Luxury brands haven’t yet found a formula for success in digital media. Their relationship, then, with Condé Nast creates an “interesting ecology,” as the writer put it. “They keep each other in business.”
As for recent rumors (which spread like wildfire on the web) stipulating that Ms. Wintour was to be replaced by French Vogue’s Carine Roitfeld?
The rumors were silly — Ms. Roitfeld runs a magazine with a circulation of 133,000, in contrast to American Vogue’s 1.2 million. But silly or not, they were extravagantly denied by Condé Nast, which took out a two-page ad in The New York Times to show Ms. Wintour’s record.
Nevertheless, the general consensus is that while Anna Wintour should remain at the helm of Vogue (and that it would be foolish to think of finding someone new just yet), somethings at Vogue are in desperate need of change. While I appreciate that Vogue has remained a “serious” magazine and not succumbed to the temptations of sound-byte articles which require little attention or time to read, there is something to be said for the need to modernize.
Furthermore, given the current economic climate, Vogue needs to learn to better relate to women of all ages who are on a tight budget. Features exploring the “‘charms’ of WalMart and Target” in times of recession simply will not cut it, and will most likely put the average reader off.
Source: NY Times
