Carine Roitfeld leaves Vogue Paris *Update* Emmanuelle Alt named new Editor-in-Chief

[robin alexandre]

WWD

WWD: People say you have continued to work as a consultant on the side, so presumably you will be continuing that work?
C.R.: I don’t do any consulting work or advertising. I was the muse of Tom Ford and Gucci for years, but that was a long time ago. There have always been these false rumors.

well, we all know she did consultancy jobs and advertising (Max Mara Givenchy etc) - if it wasn't herself it was her 'team' which means Carine Roitfeld Inc sort of - on the side so there is not much credit to be given to the interview in general.

 

[Lackuiew]

According to a very reliable source, Carine was fired by some unforgivable mistakes..this is too sad

 

[Pedro]

^bla bla in the wwd article she said much without saying anything. a true performer indeed...

Well she should have said instead: you know, after 10 years where I managed to almost double the magazine circulation, it was time to renew the contract with Condé Nast, and of course I asked for a fair increase, as well as being editor also I work as a stylist and I'm not allowed to do consulting .... but Condé Nast refused... so I decide to leave! (this is only speculation!)

Anyone has any idea what is the fraction of the salary she earns as compared with that of Anna Wintour? I was perplexed by the fact that Carine has said in the interview she gave to the current 10 magazine, where she mentioned that she spent 2.200 euros in a piece of jewellery and that is a lot of money for her! I wonder what miserable salary will she get?

 

[Nicolasa]

In my opinion, Carine has turned, brilliantly, VOGUE PARIS into a (love)mark. Her management has positioned the magazine as a reference among fashionistas and its contributors/models as icons in the industry. This is an atmosphere that only happens every certain years...

It was time to reinvent, yes, but with Carine at the head.

 

[ilaughead]

Has this been posted yet? ~Scandal!~

Last Friday morning, in a surprise move, decade-strong editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld, announced she would be leaving the magazine at the end of January. According to some very well-placed Racked sources, the "resignation" was a surprise not only to the fashion industry and the general public, but also to Roitfeld's staff.
"No one knew about it—not even Emmanuelle Alt or Olivier Lalanne," one source tells us.
The reason no one knew? Because, according to our sources, Roitfeld did not resign—she was fired.
The chain of events that led up to the alleged firing, this way >>
It appears that the Conde Nast-Carine Roitfeld fall-out was a long time coming. Our sources tell us the magazine's parent company was unhappy with all the bad press surrounding Roitfeld's alleged pay-for-play scandals—this year, alone—demanding huge sums of money for extracurricular consulting gigs and the enormous, public embarrassment of being banned from Balenciaga last season for abusing her position at Vogue. In the latter case, Roitfeld allegedly borrowed Balenciaga preview pieces and sent them to her client, Max Mara, to copy—"It wasn't the first time," one source tells us. "One [Balenciaga] precollection ended up, in its entirety, at Max Mara."
There are, allegedly, plenty of questions about Roitfeld's impartiality as an editor. After she awarded this year's ANDAM award—a €220,000 prize for emerging talent in France—to Turkish designer Hakaan, there was an outcry in the Paris fashion community, with implications that behind-the-scenes deals were made. The Independent UK reported:

An angry anonymous letter, which was circulated among French media this week, asked "how a Turkish designer out of nowhere books Natalia Vodianova, Maria Carla Boscono, Lara Stone or Natasha Poly for his show—models asking €15.000 min per show, and who aren't really famous for their charity!" Frustrated about the seemingly unfair appointment of Hakaan, who beat Paris-based designers such as Alexandre Vauthier who according to the author would have been in bigger need of the prize money to develop their businesses, the letter continues, asking "why Carine Roitfeld, Vogue France's editor in chief, and chairman of this jury's session at ANDAM, who never comes to first shows, contrarily to what she claims, is sitting first row, with Kate Moss, untouchable fashion icon [both excerpts translated from French]."
​

The last straw came this month when LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault allegedly threatened Conde Nast International Chairman Jonathan Newhouse with the removal of all LVMH ads from the next issue of Vogue Paris. According to one source, Arnault hated the last issue—allegedly because it contained too few LVMH credits and because of the "poor taste" exercised in the young girls editorial—wherein the children are heavily made-up, "reclining on tiger-skins, or sprawled on beds," wearing luxury adult garments, reports the Telegraph. Conde Nast's furor boiled over this past Friday morning and the Vogue staff learned about Roitfeld's departure via an early a.m. email "talking about a mise à pied," one source tells us, "which means, basically, she was fired."
What's next? Our sources tell us that Le Figaro's Fashion Director Virginie Mouzat is a frontrunner for the position—ostensibly because of her editorial background.
"Carine should never have been appointed editor-in-chief—just fashion director," one source tells us. "She is only a stylist, not a politician or a writer."
As for the other alleged frontrunner to replace Roitfeld, Emmanuelle Alt, the magazine's current fashion director? Our sources say that Alt is even "less literate" than Roitfeld. Alt is also, allegedly, reputed to be even more demanding with pay-for-play—working with "worse brands" than Roitfeld, making Alt unfit to helm Vogue Paris.
Conde Nast is expected to announce Roitfeld's successor in the coming weeks. As for speculation that Roitfeld will join her longtime collaborator Tom Ford in his new womenswear venture, Ford told the NY Times' Cathy Horyn: "Carine and I have no plans to work together at the moment, and it is nothing that we have even discussed, but of course I think she is brilliant and we are close friends so who knows about the future."

-Racked

 

[fantastical]

^oooh...now it's getting very juicy!! although I must say, these allegations seem quite credible. but who knows....



(although I agree about the Hakaan issue I mean homeboy came out of nowhere, and yet managed to have top talent & press surrounding a mediocre clothing label)

 

[Lina5]

she definitely did an outstanding PR job - setting Vogue Paris lifestyle as that of her own and her children ...

 

[Squizree]

Wow, it sure is getting juicy.
Is this the first time we're hearing about the Hakaan controversy or is this old news? I know a lot of people complained when Hakaan came out with his collection and had somehow booked ALL of Givenchy's primary models and looked near-identical to any given Givenchy collection. But I didn't realize that there was more politics involved.

Carine sounds corrupt...

 

[KhaoticKharma]

^oooh...now it's getting very juicy!! although I must say, these allegations seem quite credible. but who knows....



(although I agree about the Hakaan issue I mean homeboy came out of nowhere, and yet managed to have top talent & press surrounding a mediocre clothing label)

I agree, though the argument that Carine being a stylist, not a writer or a creative director, is peculiar to me. Word on the street is that Anna Wintour doesn't even read American Vogue's articles, and considering Glenda Bailey went to school for fashion design, I would assume that her strength, too, is primarily in styling... apart from Linda Wells and maybe Alexandra Shulman, I can't think of a major fashion mag editor whose focus was not primarily on the visual end before helming their rag. Could that really have been so problematic?

 

[Thefrenchy]

I'd believe that version.

When you think of it, it's such a shame she didn't get much **** for doing all this when it happened. Obviously people mentioned it but, unless someone can correct me, no one seemed to care enough to do something (exception being Balenciaga).

 

[Squizree]

^ True, but remember Balenciaga dropped their PR company and as a result Carine got a lashing from that PR company. But that's all I can think of.

 

[agee]

I agree, though the argument that Carine being a stylist, not a writer or a creative director, is peculiar to me. Word on the street is that Anna Wintour doesn't even read American Vogue's articles, and considering Glenda Bailey went to school for fashion design, I would assume that her strength, too, is primarily in styling... apart from Linda Wells and maybe Alexandra Shulman, I can't think of a major fashion mag editor whose focus was not primarily on the visual end before helming their rag. Could that really have been so problematic?

I think these are good points. I actually disagree with the unsourced commenter in the Racked article who stated that "Carine should never have been appointed editor-in-chief—just fashion director, [she] is only a stylist, not a politician or a writer." Carine Roitfeld is a fashion visionary, probably the best one of the last generation or two in the publishing part of fashion, but I would be the first to say that she can go overboard sometimes, but the answer is not to remove her or not put her in the EIC chair, rather it is to "manage" her by either appointing a more business and protocol savvy lieutenant or have her answer to or be monitored by someone at corporate with those characteristics (although this is water under the bridge and years too late when it comes to VP).

 

[Pedro]

she definitely did an outstanding PR job - setting Vogue Paris lifestyle as that of her own and her children ...

She is not the only one to boost her children careers... Franca Sozanni did the same promoting her son's Francesco Carrozzini, making him the leading photographer of her magazine L'uomo Vogue.

It seems that finally the dirt begins to emerge to the surface...

 

[KKnardi]

According to one source, Arnault hated the last issue—allegedly because it contained too few LVMH credits and because of the "poor taste" exercised in the young girls editorial—wherein the children are heavily made-up, "reclining on tiger-skins, or sprawled on beds," wearing luxury adult garments, reports the Telegraph.

Somehow, I must say that I agree with him.

this is becoming uglier and uglier...

 

[Nicolasa]

I don't know whether to provide it credibility but in any area, if there is a conflict in which one of the part are advertisers these tend to win the battle

.

 

[AgrenateD]

the floodgates have opened with that Racked article and sadly all the allegations ring true.

I think these are good points. I actually disagree with the unsourced commenter in the Racked article who stated that "Carine should never have been appointed editor-in-chief—just fashion director, [she] is only a stylist, not a politician or a writer." Carine Roitfeld is a fashion visionary, probably the best one of the last generation or two in the publishing part of fashion, but I would be the first to say that she can go overboard sometimes, but the answer is not to remove her or not put her in the EIC chair, rather it is to "manage" her by either appointing a more business and protocol savvy lieutenant or have her answer to or be monitored by someone at corporate with those characteristics (although this is water under the bridge and years too late when it comes to VP).

idunno about managing Carine. she already manages a whole team of stylists and creatives bursting with her fashion sense, with her established direction, it doesn't make sense to appoint an editor for an editor-in-chief. she is indeed a fashion visionary but you can only push fashion too much if you were given the EIC position (which is why i support the article's quoted statement that she should never have been EIC in the first place); you need to retain your business acumen since all the underlying deals in fashion's publishing industry revolve around money, and when you ruffle Arnault's feathers you clearly aren't doing a good job on it. the Racked article is spot on, her team had way too many blunders under her leadership and if you are to cause scandal in the industry then the EIC position clearly isn't suited for you as there is almost no room for error allowed in her position.

It’s been an incredible adventure, but maybe in my heart and soul, I am more of a freelancer. I’m surprised I even stuck it out this long, but what made me stay is having a boss like Jonathan [Newhouse], who is an incredible man who gave me total freedom, and God knows I pushed the boundaries.

too true Carine.

 

[CrisGalaxy]

So no Oliver Zahm?
I hope Vogue Paris doesnt lose its shock and provocative identity, it would be so sad

 

[MulletProof]

This isn't getting that juicy for me .. they're just listing the series of sketchy moves she pulled this year and that everyone knew, and they're forgetting to add that she pretty much kicked Peachoo + Krejberg out of the PFW schedule in favor of Hakaan.. and possibly with a good 'help' from the Chambre Syndicale.
I don't know, I would say her only fault is being awfully indiscreet/unprofessional but the fact that friends come first and advertisers come second for someone with a job that involves so many financial responsibilities, she was just inadequate for it.. and ultimately it's not just good for CN to 'let' her go but also for herself, for her own reputation..

 

[MulletProof]

Is this the first time we're hearing about the Hakaan controversy or is this old news?

There was some info on it during the shows season. Click here.

 

[agee]

the floodgates have opened with that Racked article and sadly all the allegations ring true.
idunno about managing Carine. she already manages a whole team of stylists and creatives bursting with her fashion sense, with her established direction, it doesn't make sense to appoint an editor for an editor-in-chief. she is indeed a fashion visionary but you can only push fashion too much if you were given the EIC position (which is why i support the article's quoted statement that she should never have been EIC in the first place); you need to retain your business acumen since all the underlying deals in fashion's publishing industry revolve around money, and when you ruffle Arnault's feathers you clearly aren't doing a good job on it. the Racked article is spot on, her team had way too many blunders under her leadership and if you are to cause scandal in the industry then the EIC position clearly isn't suited for you as there is almost no room for error allowed in her position.

But this is like asserting that visionaries like Bill Gates and Steven Jobs can't be CEOs of their companies because while they can create technology that revolutionizes life as we know it, they don't know how to deal with Wall Street, the SEC, FTC, et. al., and therefore let's give the top position to a bean-counter or attorney who knows how to do those kinds of things, although come to think of it that actually did happen to Jobs, but look at him now.

Unless Carine was (is) too stupid and / or arrogant to listen and heed direction / advice given by someone who may be subordinate to her on paper but is there to look out for the overall interest of the organization while she does her fashion visionary thing, she should be the one with the top title, that is not unheard of and happens in companies where CFOs, Chief Counsel and others are checks to the the president / CEO.