Alexandra Shulman Leaves British Vogue as EIC, *Update* Edward Enninful Confirmed

[honeycombchild]

I think gender is ultimately unimportant in this situation. The correct person, whatever sex they may be, should be talented enough to know that any viewpoint or aspect they lack in themselves should be filled by another team member. If there are aspects of the magazine that Edward might not be able to give the same female-orientated slant to that Alexandra might have done, I trust he'll put someone in place who can. That's the job of the editor after all, to curate the publication and create the team who'll deliver it.

 

[[Piece Of Me]]

This is such exciting news! I certainly wasn't expecting him, but he is a much better choice than most rumoured names (imagine Katie Grand!). I've always admired his work for W and think he can bring a lot more freshness and diversity to Vogue UK, something which is needed as the magazines has been so boring for the last few years. And Naomi will finally get a cover again!

 

[arlekindearrabal]

Yes, but being 50 today is totally different to being 50 back then. Carine took over Vogue at 47 i think and Alt will be 50 this year.

I think those kind of questions are asked at Conde Nast. For some reason i think that Nathalie could also be the EIC of US VOGUE later...

I really don't see anyone who can take US Vogue after Anna other than NM right now...

I'd agree with that. She certainly has the commercial background, and now successful editing experience with Porter.

 

[mercyminx]

Natalie didn't actually edit Porter though. I'm not saying that she wouldn't be good for US Vogue as I think she would, but she always made it clear that she left Lucy Yeomans to run it. Yeomans brought the editorial experience.

 

[Creative]

OMG, the gender thing again. I can't.

I'm glad it's Edward... Not that I'm his biggest fan, and what he's been doing these past years is forgettable at best, but if you compare him with the other candidates it's very good news. At least he has a little bit of a fashion edge, compared to the other beyond boring, politically-correct and "old" (in their soul at least) editors that were being considered too.

First cover wil be for Naomi or Jourdan.

 

[vogue28]

Think we all saw this one coming!

Lucinda Chambers To Depart British Vogue

LUCINDA CHAMBERS has announced that she is to step down from her position as fashion director of British Vogue. She will depart this summer after a career spanning 36 years at the publication.

"Lucinda has been the most wonderful creative collaborator, as well as friend, throughout my whole editorship," said Alexandra Shulman today. "She has produced many of the most influential and inspiring fashion shoots in the world during her time as fashion director of this magazine as well as a huge number of our most remarkable covers. It is impossible to overstate her vision, commitment, imagination and her ability to bring the best out of teams that work with her. I, like her many admirers, will be excited to see what she produces in her next chapter."

Chambers's creative career started when she abandoned her secretarial ambitions and applied for an art course at Hornsey College of Art. During her time at college, she began to make jewellery as a sideline, selling her creations to friends and at Camden Lock Market on the weekends. When one of her pieces made it on to the pages of a magazine, it inspired her to write a letter to Vogue, asking for an interview. She initially assisted a Ms Davies in accounts, before a chance encounter with the PA to then-editor Beatrix Miller led to an interview, which in turn led to her becoming Miller's assistant.

After three years in this role, Chambers became assistant to Grace Coddington, of whom she says "was, and still is, the queen bee of fashion". During her time as Coddington's assistant, Chambers struck up a professional friendship with photographer Mario Testino, which has lasted to this day and has produced some of the most iconic images of our generation. It was after a brief stint at Elle magazine that Chambers returned to Vogue in July 1992 where she became fashion director.
"I adore British Vogue and am so very proud to have been a part of it for so long," Chambers said this afternoon.

Her departure from the title 25 years later comes as long-term editor-in-chief Alexandra Shulman steps down. Incoming editor Edward Enninful will take over in August, it was announced in April.

VOGUE.CO.UK

 

[Benn98]

This is great news!! Like I've said before, the others can still be salvaged, but it would have been very difficult for Lucinda to adapt to a new order. Edward will want more than utility-style piling month after month. Wonder who will replace her???? Not Kate Moss, surely! (I say this because she apparently had a very long dinner with Edward sometime last week).

I think the others will stay put. It would be a bad idea to get rid of Kate Phelan, as she's the one keeping Topshop/Vogue relationship thriving. Besides that, her simple styling is what kept the magazine vaguely interesting for me.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

^ Ugh! I want Phelan gone as well, her work does nothing for me! But yeah, i won't be shocked if we end up with Moss, and start missing the days of Chambers!

 

[magsaddict]

i feel a little bad for Lucinda, she came across as so passionate in that Vogue documentary last year. i know the magazine is stale and needs a fresh team, but at the end of the day a very talented lady just lost her job..

 

[Miss Dalloway]

^ That is actually true, but she will get snapped up in a hot minute because tons of brands will want her, no worries about her future.

 

[dodencebt]

i feel a little bad for Lucinda, she came across as so passionate in that Vogue documentary last year. i know the magazine is stale and needs a fresh team, but at the end of the day a very talented lady just lost her job..

Oh, absolutely. But she is going to get a lot of great styling gigs that pay tremendously well and perhaps even branch out into collaborations like Grace Coddington. I'm sure she is in for an enjoyable second chapter!

 

[Benn98]

i feel a little bad for Lucinda, she came across as so passionate in that Vogue documentary last year. i know the magazine is stale and needs a fresh team, but at the end of the day a very talented lady just lost her job..

She had it coming, I'm afraid! Not to worry though, they haven't sent her into retirement. As with any of the other savvy fashion editors at the top 4, all these editors have regular side gigs which can still serve as a creative outlet. The British Vogue girls are just clever enough to keep these deals in moderation (unlike Veronique Didry, for instance, who may be formally employed by VP, but does more styling outside of the magazine). So in theory, the opportunities are still there.

At the end of the day we must be realistic about this situation. For years the fashion editors of this magazine had the freedom to go about as they saw fit, you would think with that they'd deliver interesting work issue after issue.

Ugh! I want Phelan gone as well, her work does nothing for me! But yeah, i won't be shocked if we end up with Moss, and start missing the days of Chambers!

Aww, I have a bit of a soft spot for Phelan, her style can be very British Harper's (which you also loathe, ).

 

[LastNight]

I'm sad for Lucinda because she produced many great shoots and she's been such a big part of this magazine for so long, but it is definitely time for some new blood at Vogue and I'm glad that Edward's editorship will allow that to happen.

Lucinda always came across as really kind and passionate in all the interviews I've seen of her, she clearly loves fashion and Vogue and I'm sure she'll have a great future outside of the magazine. I'm a little sad to see her go because I did really like her but British Vogue needs a complete reinvention and I'm really excited to see how a new team will shape that in the next few months.

 

[Creative]

Which issue will be Ed's first?

 

[Benn98]

If he's going 'youth', then Phelan will be out as well. Wonder if he'll keep Jaime Perlman!!

Londoner's Diary: Edward Enninful means major wardrobe change at Vogue

Friday 19 May 2017 10:01 BST

Out with the old, in with the new at Vogue. That’s the way fashion works, after all.

Following the announcement of the departures this summer of managing editor Frances Bentley, fashion director Lucinda Chambers and, of course, Alexandra Shulman, there is talk in fashion circles of a massive overhaul of the magazine and its image when Edward Enninful arrives as its new editor. An insider also wonders which other staff members will stay under the new regime.

Enninful, who had been fashion and style director at W magazine in New York, has been assigned a sizeable budget allotted specifically for staff replacements —“just soft talk for redundancies” is the interpretation, says the insider — and will establish a new, younger and more diverse regime at the magazine. Enninful has also been given a sizeable fee in addition to his promised salary. Thought to be a hefty figure — fashionistas believe it is approaching £1 million — this is solely to cover the inconvenience of relocating to the UK from his New York base. Condé Nast declined to comment on future arrangements.

The more precious among the fashion community are concerned at what is expected to be a drastic change for the magazine but it will surely pay off. Anna Wintour started her long tenure at Vogue US by raising eyebrows with her first cover: a model in a jewelled couture jacket and high-street blue jeans — then unheard of for the luxury fashion bible. Expect more forward thinking on a much grander scale from Edward.

Source: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/londoners-diary-edward-enninful-means-major-wardrobe-change-at-vogue-a3543401.html

 

[MON]

Kinda scared with that "younger magazine" they'd try to establish. We all know how "youth" and "for the young" issues go... they always end up being tragic and pathetic.

Do they need to target a younger demographic? Absolutely NOT. What Edward needs to do is to make Alexandra's tired formula work. Catering to the youth is definitely not the answer since they basically don't buy the magazine. I cannot stand the Teen Vogue like covers if that's what he meant.

That's why I kinda like the way Alexandra handled the social media girls, by using them for their name but the cover still has the British Vogue identity she established (no matter how tired that identity was).

 

[GivenchyAddict]

I think the question was more about the staff which was quite old ( Alexandra, Lucinda ) and then tired and redundant more than changing the magazine's vision into something younger.

Edward is not really someone particularly focus on "youth" imo so i don't see his tenure at British Vogue being about this.

 

[Lola701]

Kinda scared with that "younger magazine" they'd try to establish. We all know how "youth" and "for the young" issues go... they always end up being tragic and pathetic.

Do they need to target a younger demographic? Absolutely NOT. What Edward needs to do is to make Alexandra's tired formula work. Catering to the youth is definitely not the answer since they basically don't buy the magazine. I cannot stand the Teen Vogue like covers if that's what he meant.

That's why I kinda like the way Alexandra handled the social media girls, by using them for their name but the cover still has the British Vogue identity she established (no matter how tired that identity was).

That is exactly what they did when Carine was appointed as the EIC of VP. Younger just mean a generation that represent the world we are living.
We can say whatever we want but the VP team was 20+ to 50+ women who were and who understood the world in the 21st century.

Edward's job is to represent the new way of "being british". It has more to do with "What is Vogue UK" today instead of "are Bella & Kendall going to be on the cover".

Alexandra already played that game so this is a non-concern today.

Emmanuelle tried with Kendall on the cover of her magazine but i don't think it worked because the Vogue Paris readers don't care about the Kardashian.

 

[magsaddict]

Edward certainly has a challenge on his hands, although stale, Alexandra's Vogue was commercially successful during the industry's most turbulent time ever. In contrast to magazines that are at circulation and advertising rock bottom and then get brought back to life with a new guard, British Vogue has always chugged along very nicely. Yes, in many ways Alexandra was indifferent towards the fashion industry, but in a sales sense she's a tough act to follow.

 

[Benn98]

I think the question was more about the staff which was quite old ( Alexandra, Lucinda ) and then tired and redundant more than changing the magazine's vision into something younger.

Well, if that's the case then we have all the more reason to be concerned! Edward himself comes from a magazine plunged into irrelevancy on his clock. W's circulation now clocks in slightly under 9K ( and that's for a June/July issue! ). Even if Tonchi was a weak leader, which he is imo, Edward in his capacity as creative director did absolutely nothing to innovate that magazine.

This idea that stylists can beat on their own drum regardless of their audience, or even courting a new audience, is frankly put, outdated. That's exactly the same situation Lucinda Chambers happened to find herself in - the inability to innovate. It would appear that Chambers, like Enninful (for the most part) went about his work without moderation from their superiors. But imo they're as complicit as their bosses.

I will agree that for this job he will need an immensely directional team of editors who are attuned with the British cultural sphere. Lets hope he's able to secure that. Anyone can dream up a pie in the sky, but executing it is a different story.

I think a Carine x VP-style overhaul could work if done properly. Yes, her magazine was overtly 'Parisienne' (which I found a bit nauseating towards the end) but not exclusively. The content still reflected the global cultural scene as well, maybe not like VI.

Above all else, let Phelan stay put! Somehow she seems to have her finger on the pulse with Topshop, so she'd make perfect sense for this 'new, younger and more diverse regime' of his.