ThickGlossies
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BEAUTIFUL
Angelica Cheung Leaves Vogue China *Update February 2021* Margaret Zhang Becomes EIC
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SLFC
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God I hope we are proven wrong, because if this backfires horribly, I mean I guess its gonna be that slap of reality we all have get to the face is that when companies are failing, they tend to not even attempt to try to recover or think differently, rather become even more close minded and greedy.
I guess in terms of my selfish needs, if it backfires thats one less issue I will be tempted buy. The pound against the dollar is inflating and its getting more expensive to buy the place I buy from.
I guess in terms of my selfish needs, if it backfires thats one less issue I will be tempted buy. The pound against the dollar is inflating and its getting more expensive to buy the place I buy from.
PowerDroid
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Wow. Unexpected. Experience doesn't matter anymore in this business.
MON
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As much as I want to remain hopeful for Margaret, I really just can’t. Anna overlooking the last 2 issues and the final output as we all have seen meant one thing — that is exactly what the suits want for Vogue China. And make no mistake, the new EIC will follow through.
I seriously hope she proves all her doubters wrong. However, from where I’m standing, I just see this as the ‘Instagramification’ of Vogue China and the beginning of it’s transition to the digital age.
And true, she has business experience, and was even a photographer. However, no one can deny the fact that she’s an outsider who was appointed to lead the biggest edition in Asia, which rivals that of her Western counterparts. Anna, Emmanuelle, Edward, Farn**i ++ have been in the magazine industry for years long before they ever became the EIC. Your experience in fishing, doesn’t make you qualified to operate a boat.
I seriously hope she proves all her doubters wrong. However, from where I’m standing, I just see this as the ‘Instagramification’ of Vogue China and the beginning of it’s transition to the digital age.
And true, she has business experience, and was even a photographer. However, no one can deny the fact that she’s an outsider who was appointed to lead the biggest edition in Asia, which rivals that of her Western counterparts. Anna, Emmanuelle, Edward, Farn**i ++ have been in the magazine industry for years long before they ever became the EIC. Your experience in fishing, doesn’t make you qualified to operate a boat.
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Benn98
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^Thanks for bumping, have you read this? At first, I laughed out loud at how delusional the Australians are for making it about themselves when it's not, but it's starting to sound as if Margaret wasn't really hired to appeal to the Mainlanders (you know, the target demographic, the ones actually buying the magazine?), but rather to connect Vogue China with an international audience, which.....are we watching Anna Wintour turn Vogue China into American/British Vogue in realtime? The latter two are the only Vogues with an immense international audience. I have nothing against that to the contrary it will just solidify what I've said for some time - that VC is one of the most profitable Vogues. But, I just can't figure out what's the catch because there has to be one. Anna isn't trying to make sure Chinese readers are connected to the world out of the goodness of her heart, there has to be a bottom line. Because the way they're going about this is just far too strategic, like something a government would do.
I predict they'll start printing in English, maybe half English at least.....
Angelica has done a splendid job of taking international trends and fine-tuning them for her readers while also making sure backing Chinese models and photographers. 'The Chinese Leibovitz' wouldn't be as famous as she is today if it weren't for all those Vogue covers she shot over the years.
Via The Guardian
Chinese Australian fashion influencer Margaret Zhang appointed editor-in-chief of Vogue China
Experts say the 27-year-old can help ‘keep the good ties rolling’ between the two countries at a time of ‘political skirmishes’
Elias Visontay
@EliasVisontay
Thu 25 Feb 2021 10.57 GMT
A 27-year-old Chinese Australian fashion influencer has been appointed editor-in-chief of Vogue China in a move experts believe could serve as positive soft diplomacy at a time of increasing tension between Canberra and Beijing.
Margaret Zhang, who was born in Sydney and grew up in the suburb of West Ryde, is Vogue’s youngest editor-in-chief – despite having never edited a magazine.
Zhang launched a successful fashion blog at the age of 16 and has worked as a consultant to brands looking to enter the Chinese market including Airbnb and Mulberry. She has 1.2 million Instagram followers.
Anna Wintour, Vogue’s global editorial director, believes Zhang can help grow the magazine’s reach in China some 16 years after it launched an edition in the country.
“Her international experience, exceptional multi-platform digital expertise and wide-ranging interests are the perfect combination to lead Vogue China into the future,” Wintour said.
Li Li, managing director of Condé Nast China – Vogue’s publisher – praised Zhang as understanding “the emerging trends of a new generation of Chinese”. Zhang previously collaborated with Vogue in China, producing and appearing on two covers of spinoff titles.
“We welcome her creativity and innovation in defining new media approaches and look forward to her bringing global fashion to China while taking Chinese culture to the rest of the world,” Li said.
In announcing her appointment, Vogue described Zhang as “an unmistakable presence on the front row” of fashion shows around the world, noting her trademark brightly dyed hair – which is currently a “vivid shade of blue” – and her “minimal yet eclectic” sense of style.
Outlining her vision for Vogue China, Zhang said “there’s a lot of context about China that is lost”.
“Often it’s looked at as this one monolithic entity, as opposed to a country of individuals and innovations,” she said.
“Vogue China has an immense platform to communicate about those individuals not only to the world but to its own citizens. There’s a huge opportunity to champion local talent — in film, music, and the fine arts, in addition to fashion — and bring it to a global stage because it’s such a recognizable brand and so trusted.”
Zhang’s rise to prominence in the fashion world came as she studied commerce and law at the University of Sydney – where she was involved in campus life, including being involved in law faculty student camps.
She grew up in Sydney, after her parents moved from Huangyan, in Zhejiang province, but has been based in New York for the past five years, while travelling to China every couple of months.
It’s those links with Sydney, and the networks she takes into the role, that will be an important projection of positive Australian culture in China at a time when ties between the countries have deteriorated, said Tim Harcourt, an economist of international business at the University of New South Wales.
The fact Zhang will begin editing the magazine from Sydney – where she is currently living before moving to Beijing when the pandemic eases – adds to the potential for her editorship to serve as soft diplomacy at a time when traditional diplomatic channels are failing.
“Australian fashion designers have done pretty well in Asia in general, and this is just the natural progression of that trend,” Harcourt said.
The academic said there was now a generation of Chinese Australians about Zhang’s age whose parents moved to Australia after the Tiananmen Square massacre and who now operate businesses linking the two countries.
Harcourt, who is working on a television show about Chinese Australians and social media ties between the two countries, said there were many influencers, especially across food and fashion, based in Australia whose blogs and posts on different sites are seen by millions of users in China.
“When something positive comes out of Australia, or from an Australian, there’s the ability to humanise and generate interest in our culture and lifestyle,” Harcourt said, noting there had always been a fascination within China about Australia’s environment.
“Yes there’s rhetoric between our governments, but the Chinese people are still fond of Australia, and vice versa.
“This is another avenue to keep the good ties rolling during the political skirmish. It is creating ties between the Chinese and the Australian people.”
I predict they'll start printing in English, maybe half English at least.....
Angelica has done a splendid job of taking international trends and fine-tuning them for her readers while also making sure backing Chinese models and photographers. 'The Chinese Leibovitz' wouldn't be as famous as she is today if it weren't for all those Vogue covers she shot over the years.
Via The Guardian
Chinese Australian fashion influencer Margaret Zhang appointed editor-in-chief of Vogue China
Experts say the 27-year-old can help ‘keep the good ties rolling’ between the two countries at a time of ‘political skirmishes’
Elias Visontay
@EliasVisontay
Thu 25 Feb 2021 10.57 GMT
A 27-year-old Chinese Australian fashion influencer has been appointed editor-in-chief of Vogue China in a move experts believe could serve as positive soft diplomacy at a time of increasing tension between Canberra and Beijing.
Margaret Zhang, who was born in Sydney and grew up in the suburb of West Ryde, is Vogue’s youngest editor-in-chief – despite having never edited a magazine.
Zhang launched a successful fashion blog at the age of 16 and has worked as a consultant to brands looking to enter the Chinese market including Airbnb and Mulberry. She has 1.2 million Instagram followers.
Anna Wintour, Vogue’s global editorial director, believes Zhang can help grow the magazine’s reach in China some 16 years after it launched an edition in the country.
“Her international experience, exceptional multi-platform digital expertise and wide-ranging interests are the perfect combination to lead Vogue China into the future,” Wintour said.
Li Li, managing director of Condé Nast China – Vogue’s publisher – praised Zhang as understanding “the emerging trends of a new generation of Chinese”. Zhang previously collaborated with Vogue in China, producing and appearing on two covers of spinoff titles.
“We welcome her creativity and innovation in defining new media approaches and look forward to her bringing global fashion to China while taking Chinese culture to the rest of the world,” Li said.
In announcing her appointment, Vogue described Zhang as “an unmistakable presence on the front row” of fashion shows around the world, noting her trademark brightly dyed hair – which is currently a “vivid shade of blue” – and her “minimal yet eclectic” sense of style.
Outlining her vision for Vogue China, Zhang said “there’s a lot of context about China that is lost”.
“Often it’s looked at as this one monolithic entity, as opposed to a country of individuals and innovations,” she said.
“Vogue China has an immense platform to communicate about those individuals not only to the world but to its own citizens. There’s a huge opportunity to champion local talent — in film, music, and the fine arts, in addition to fashion — and bring it to a global stage because it’s such a recognizable brand and so trusted.”
Zhang’s rise to prominence in the fashion world came as she studied commerce and law at the University of Sydney – where she was involved in campus life, including being involved in law faculty student camps.
She grew up in Sydney, after her parents moved from Huangyan, in Zhejiang province, but has been based in New York for the past five years, while travelling to China every couple of months.
It’s those links with Sydney, and the networks she takes into the role, that will be an important projection of positive Australian culture in China at a time when ties between the countries have deteriorated, said Tim Harcourt, an economist of international business at the University of New South Wales.
The fact Zhang will begin editing the magazine from Sydney – where she is currently living before moving to Beijing when the pandemic eases – adds to the potential for her editorship to serve as soft diplomacy at a time when traditional diplomatic channels are failing.
“Australian fashion designers have done pretty well in Asia in general, and this is just the natural progression of that trend,” Harcourt said.
The academic said there was now a generation of Chinese Australians about Zhang’s age whose parents moved to Australia after the Tiananmen Square massacre and who now operate businesses linking the two countries.
Harcourt, who is working on a television show about Chinese Australians and social media ties between the two countries, said there were many influencers, especially across food and fashion, based in Australia whose blogs and posts on different sites are seen by millions of users in China.
“When something positive comes out of Australia, or from an Australian, there’s the ability to humanise and generate interest in our culture and lifestyle,” Harcourt said, noting there had always been a fascination within China about Australia’s environment.
“Yes there’s rhetoric between our governments, but the Chinese people are still fond of Australia, and vice versa.
“This is another avenue to keep the good ties rolling during the political skirmish. It is creating ties between the Chinese and the Australian people.”
MON
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@Benn98 I laughed so hard when I read the first sentence!! Is she an ambassador now? LOL!!!!
Reading that interview just further solidified my point - she's an outsider looking in. Her point of view is very Western. Trust me, that will yield to reality the moment her first issue is out.
The Chinese market/audience is very cut throat. Three strikes, you're out. Even Conde Nast knows that. They never bat an eyelash and "rookie mistake" is never a thing for them. The moment that they feel that your point of view doesn't reflect or match theirs, you're out. They never sugar coat. Honesty is one of their many commendable traits.
The secret of Angelica's longevity was the sole fact that she understood her audience. She knew, followed, and profited off the changing times, and she never dared to change it. I sincerely hope Margaret knows that too.
I've never seen a mismatch this manifest from the get-go.
Reading that interview just further solidified my point - she's an outsider looking in. Her point of view is very Western. Trust me, that will yield to reality the moment her first issue is out.
The Chinese market/audience is very cut throat. Three strikes, you're out. Even Conde Nast knows that. They never bat an eyelash and "rookie mistake" is never a thing for them. The moment that they feel that your point of view doesn't reflect or match theirs, you're out. They never sugar coat. Honesty is one of their many commendable traits.
The secret of Angelica's longevity was the sole fact that she understood her audience. She knew, followed, and profited off the changing times, and she never dared to change it. I sincerely hope Margaret knows that too.
I've never seen a mismatch this manifest from the get-go.
GivenchyAddict
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^The article of BOF about Condé Nast was quite well and I had to be agreed with them. Condé Nast just ignored local talents and it will be the nail on the coffin.
Benn98
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LOL, that line is hilarious not only for the shade of referring to her as an influencer when everyone else seems to be taking the CN-approved line of 'photographer and producer'. But also because it shows how absolutely desperate everyone is for a bit of yuan. So desperate that they think Margaret may impact fashion trade between the two countries. LOL. How can that even be a priority for her at this stage? LOL. She'd first need to tick off a lengthy list of blue chips who pay to play in the magazine, and her next focus should then be native Chinese brands who already feel sidelined by all the different brands.
This move comes at a time when Chinese consumers are very confident, very nationalistic, and very much aware of their spending power and currency. They've also been conditioned to brands adapting everything from advertising to store design to even collections to their tastes. To appease these readers and market the magazine to a global community at the same time seems an impossible feat because both ideas are at odds with one another. Something will have to give.
samoanceleb
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Had to reread subject line and then Google in case another Margaret Zhang existed. I hope we don’t see pretentious vague references and bland pseudo intellectual language by Zhang as a cover up for her shallow experience when compared to other EIC’s who have earned their stripes at a legacy & legendary mastheads. Would love to see more reaction from Chinese nationals/locals to this news. Not convinced myself but hopeful given it is inevitable.
PowerDroid
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Not only that, the restrictions on publishing companies imposed by the government are quite significant. You can just go and shot whatever you want. It has to look a certain way, there are things that you cannot do on a shoot. Can't go too moody, can't do this, can't do that. AC navigated these restrictions for years, it isn't an easy job.
We'll see what will happen....
whataboutlalala
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Conde Nast China decided not to make any announcement on their platforms like Weibo, because the reaction in China was really bad. She is up for a fun ride.
MON
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Oh really!? Do you have excerpts of how Chinese netizens reacted?
Damn. Goodluck Ms. Zhang.
I think we can all agree with you on this and one thing we need to keep reminding ourselves is that that world does not exist anymore. People do not buy fashion/consume media in the same manner anymore. Social media has drastically changed everything. People seem to want to consume relatable fashion nowadays.
Fashion has gone from aspirational to relatable. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back at some point; people will miss glamour. But we seem to be in a different era for now so her appt makes complete sense from what I've read about her (admittedly, have never heard of her before this.)
Benn98
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I didn't want to say it, but this is the blind spot that I was referring to. For an editor or anyone born and raised in China (same applies to Russia and UAE countries) these restrictions are not even a bone of contention. They don't go all shock and horror like the rest of us outsiders who 'simply cannot imagine living under such a totalitarian regime'.
I remember how Angelica almost sounded bored when journalists asked how she navigates around the censorship issue. It was a non-issue for her. Yet despite the fact that she basically entered the workforce in a Chinese setting and had an intrinsic understanding of the culture and taboos, she still had the occasional run-in with the government over petty issues such as nudity.
I'm not saying Margaret will shoot a fashion story on Tiananmen Square (expressly forbidden!), but there will be blind spots, without a doubt. I mean, she's editing her debut issue from Sydney. Even Anna Wintour had the common sense to go to Shanghai to edit VC and 'apparently' look for a replacement. I say 'apparently' because how on earth did she found one in Sydney? LOL. Smacks of collusion.
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Phuel
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^^^ Your expectations are still too high of her. She won’t be challenging any CCP’s traditions nor dare to upset their status quo.
Her Vogue is just going to be the same as Anna’s/Edward’s: Representation, representation, representation— just sitting/standing there. No concept, no story. And the kidz will eat it all up. This younger generation is very consdervative creatively and even more puritanical, socially. People sitting/standing around wearing piles and piles of oversized, hyped designer clothes is a concept to these kidz.
Her Vogue is just going to be the same as Anna’s/Edward’s: Representation, representation, representation— just sitting/standing there. No concept, no story. And the kidz will eat it all up. This younger generation is very consdervative creatively and even more puritanical, socially. People sitting/standing around wearing piles and piles of oversized, hyped designer clothes is a concept to these kidz.
caioherrero
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Anyone knows when her first issue will be released?
velvetandsilk
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Lol, west journalists which emphasizing her amount followers on Instagram. In China nobody care about this, 1.2 million is nothing. They have own social media.
MON
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True! What are her Weibo numbers? 53k. Lol.
All these praises, puff pieces, and excitement around her are through the Western looking glass.
Benn98
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Don't we have any news about Margaret's team? Wonder who she will commission photography and styling-wise...
Anyway, I've set the bar rather low when it comes to her. But she better NOT get rid of beauty director Michelle Zhao!
Anyway, I've set the bar rather low when it comes to her. But she better NOT get rid of beauty director Michelle Zhao!
MON
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Will she even get one? At this point, a one woman show wouldn’t be shocking.
Jokes aside, when will she start? Her first issue is next month?
