Condé Nast to Launch Vogue Hong Kong in Early 2019

[MDNA]

Vogue Hong Kong to Launch Early 2019

The bilingual print and digital publication will have to carve out a niche beside China and Taiwan editions.

By Tiffany Ap on October 28, 2018

BEIJING — Condé Nast International is to debut a bilingual Hong Kong edition of Vogue, the company announced, a title which will be the 26th addition to the Vogue family and tasked with finding a unique voice next to editions for China and Taiwan.

The publication, which will be produced under a license agreement with Rubicon Media Ltd. and led by publisher Desiree Au, will encompass online and off-line media and is targeting a launch date early next year. The news was first broken by the South China Morning Post.

The print version is to be published in traditional Chinese, in contrast to Vogue China, which is published in simplified Chinese. Vogue Hong Kong’s web site will be bilingual in traditional Chinese and English.

“We are delighted to launch Vogue in Hong Kong. This magical city has long been a magnet for shoppers and a center of taste and luxury in the heart of greater China,” Jonathan Newhouse, chairman and chief executive officer of Condé Nast International, told WWD. “With the launch of its own Vogue, Hong Kong truly steps up to the premiere league of fashion excellence.”

The publication is set to vie with Hong Kong editions of Elle and Harper’s Bazaar, both of which are part of the South China Morning Post Group-Hearst venture. SCMP Group, since purchased by Alibaba, began working with Hearst in 1984 when it launched the Hong Kong edition of Cosmopolitan, followed by Harper’s Bazaar in 1988, and Elle in 2012.

Hong Kong is globally one of the biggest hubs for luxury spending, but the market is driven by the Mainland Chinese tourist shopper. The magazine launch will have to contend with what many say is the city’s faded economic and soft influence, and limited population of 7.4 million.

Advertising dollars overall have migrated across the border, and so have would-be magazine cover stars. Cantonese actors and singers dominated the Asian entertainment landscape in decades past, but now the hottest celebrities and creatives are often South Korean, Mainland Chinese, or because of the globalized nature of the Internet, international stars. Meanwhile, Shanghai Fashion Week has established itself as the most-watched platform for emerging Chinese designers, whereas Hong Kong Fashion Week functions as a trade show.

Circulation data for existing Hong Kong fashion magazines show modest figures. According to the magazines’ rate cards, monthly circulation for Elle Hong Kong is 45,000 copies, Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong 32,000, Cosmopolitan Hong Kong 58,000, and Ming’s, the lifestyle magazine offshoot of Ming Pao newspaper, 30,000. In comparison, Vogue China’s numbers are at the 1.6 million mark, surpassing even American Vogue’s 1.2 million.

From a creative standpoint though, Vogue Hong Kong will resonate with readers yearning for a voice that represents a distinctly Hong Kong point of view — a city that is culturally and linguistically distinct to Mainland China, but has been increasingly overlooked for a larger market.

Davena Mok, a long-time Hong Kong fashion publicist who founded the agency, A-Vibe, said the entrance of a new magazine title is “exciting” but noted that “the luxury fashion media market is quite established here.”

She also pointed out that many in Hong Kong, “which is quite an international market, are already huge fans of Vogue US, Vogue UK and even Vogue China.”

In the announcement, Au, who was previously publisher of Time Out Hong Kong and throughout her career wrote for newspapers including the South China Morning Post and the International New York Times, underscored her vision for Vogue Hong Kong would “nourish the creativity and individuality which exists in the city today.”

She continued: “The arrival of Vogue has been a long time in the making, and we are thrilled to now bring it to the region.”

WWD

 

[caioherrero]

Where is Vogue Africa?

 

[Blayne266]

Where is Vogue Africa?

I agree on creating a Vogue that represents a country in Africa, maybe South Africa, Nigeria or Egypt etc so It’s more specific instead of a magazine for a whole continent.

 

[TZ001]

Totally unnecessary.

 

[kasper!]

I will order 100 copies then will resell them after 5-6 years lol

 

[GivenchyAddict]

I agree on creating a Vogue that represents a country in Africa, maybe South Africa, Nigeria or Egypt etc so It’s more specific instead of a magazine for a whole continent.

Definitely a Vogue Nigeria and a Vogue SA. I really don't understand their strategy at all and I don't want to know as Vogue is a sinking ship and is irrelevant.

 

[KateTheGreatest]

Why do they want to launch another Vogue edition instead of making the ones we already have better?
We need better content not more versions.

 

[Benn98]

While the launch of Vogue HK will definitely dent Vogue China's readership for starters, I don't think they'll struggle to keep afloat. There's more than enough advertising to be carved up between China, Taiwan and now HK. If it depended on me, I'd have gone for Singapore first because it's a modern, progressive and diverse market in Asia. Perhaps the best, second only after Japan. And their existing magazines reflect that. Even with lesser magazines the teams in Singapore often deliver content which surpass not only Asian magazines, but also Western ones.

It's interesting that Vogue is now launching in countries where they know for a fact that they won't be getting crazy circulation figures. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Greece, now HK. I doubt any of these editions will surpass the 70K sales mark.

Definitely a Vogue Nigeria and a Vogue SA. I really don't understand their strategy at all and I don't want to know as Vogue is a sinking ship and is irrelevant.

I've asked this very question to someone in the know and the response was that those two are developing countries and it would be considered risky for Vogue to launch there. They're looking to see whether more luxury brands will first establish a foothold in Africa first before launching. Though the response is in fact true, I found it somewhat at odds with Vogue Poland and Czechoslovakia in the sense that they are not exactly tailored to specifically sell uber-luxury goods to a small set either. It seems these magazines are more of a creative platform for locals than anything else. To assume that they do in fact cater to native luxury consumers will have to mean that all those luxury readers share the same sensibility, which is a lie. That's the reason why British and even American Vogue shuffles between youth/mature covers and imagery, because the audience just isn't set in stone.

But back to my initial argument before I get distracted, if part of the basis for starting a Vogue is funneling native creative discussion into a global scope, then surely it ought to be interesting to see what those countries can offer?

 

[Lola701]

This sounds like Money-Grabbing decision but i don't see them being able to deliver a real interesting Vogue. Yes, HK like Singapore has a lot of high fashion customers that are spending like crazy but if the magazine is going to be a sugar free Vogue China or Vogue Korea...What's the point.

Definitely a Vogue Nigeria and a Vogue SA. I really don't understand their strategy at all and I don't want to know as Vogue is a sinking ship and is irrelevant.

While the local fashion & entertainment industry in Nigeria is very much advanced compared to a lot of african countries (you have local brands doing amazing things and even selling abroad and all), the presence of big brands is pretty limited to small exclusive multi-brands boutiques.
What Vogue would be for them?People buy VP, Vogue Uk and US Vogue anyway...

I think it would be more clever to maybe have a magazine like Allure or something or maybe create a specific brand of Vogue for Nigeria with a African market in mind. Maybe a Vogue beauty because the beauty industry in Africa is HUGE and the opportunities are endless. From Lagos to Accra and from Abidjan to Douala, women are craving beauty products and brands are still taking baby steps. Maybe the presence of CN or Hearst could help brands to really invest.

 

[GivenchyAddict]

I understand both of your pov but I think it can be doable. For example, Nigeria has a huge community of fashion/beauty lovers with money who just need to have a magazine that will speak to them and will represent them. Because representation matters a lot and we all know that.

Even if there is not a physical presence of luxury brands, those people travel and there is e-commerce as well to sustain their desire of luxury goods. It is really crazy that Africa is completely ignored when we know people from there are heavy buyers in RTW, beauty and jewellery.

If Miu Miu did an advertorial with Nigeria Nollywood actresses then it shows that brands are ready to target Africa.

If we as European are really not satisfied by VP, UK Vogue and US Vogue. I don't know why they will. Plus I believe that having a proper Vogue in an African country will help to nurture and develop black talents instead of waiting from Anna to have the decency to feature black talents.

But anyway, let's see what HK Vogue has to offer.

 

[phungnam96]

I'm really frightened to see how this edition will go... For sure Hong Kong has achieved its own creative stuff from the movie industry and photography. But people in Hong Kong now only care about the commercial tasteless things, the scene is way too superficial. And I always have a serious question what all the TVB stars are wearing on the carpet.

 

[Srdjan]

Vogue is the new Elle. Jokes aside, with magazines dying out every now and then in every corner of the world, it would be almost ungrateful (at least for us, magazine enthusiasts) not to welcome a new title.

 

[Benn98]

But people in Hong Kong now only care about the commercial tasteless things, the scene is way too superficial.

Thank you! It probably won't go the way of Vogue Taiwan, but you can be rest assured that it will be tacky and cheap in direction. @Lola701 is right, this is a money grab to tailor advertising to locals and drum up more commerce - end of. Don't expect a 'Hong Kong point of view' when it will come to fashion. I wonder what Angelica makes of this development.

@GivenchyAddict It's definitely doable, only CN doesn't see it that way. They don't want to nurture. I used to think it's tasteless for Vogue to exist in a country where poverty is still a blinding reality. Kind of like Vogue India, who once put a Fendi bib on an impoverished orphan. But the recent spate of Nigerian-influenced fashion edits (not for me, but I can appreciate them) and the creativity which I've witnessed myself in South Africa certainly makes an excellent case for editions to be launched there.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

This is even worse then bringing back Vogue Greece! First of all, HK fashion magazines doing amazing is a myth! None of them sell well, all this talk how Hong Kong is an amazing luxury market, when results show that now, more than ever, the spending power has diminished, and reaching new time lows for brands, they sell a Vogue license?!!

Who is Jonathan kidding!!! This move further emphasizes in just what an epic of a disaster state CN is at the moment, and no matter how much PR smoke they try and push, it's pretty clear.

Angelica has nothing to worry about, her Vogue may be super boring now, but it still sells, and THAT matters!

 

[magsaddict]

I think anyone who's visited HK would know how much of a hub for luxury and fashion it still is in the region. The key idea is here not about trying to build a massive circulation, that would be setting them up for failure. It's about catering to a small, boutique audience who have extremely high incomes, HK society being one of the most affluent in the world. It's all well and good to have a big circulation, but if the readers can neither afford the wares nor are aspirational, what's the point?


Also, that article says Elle was launched in 2012... HK has had Elle since at least the 90s. They also have Marie Claire and their local titles like Prestige, and used to have an edition of L'officiel.

 

[mepps]

There's ZERO need for a Vogue HK.
The last I checked, HK was a part of China, and Vogue China already exists.
This is ridiculous and desperate. The equivalent of American Vogue vs Vogue L.A.

Please keep Vogue far away from Africa.
Africans deserve better, and can do better.

 

[szonline]

While the launch of Vogue HK will definitely dent Vogue China's readership for starters, I don't think they'll struggle to keep afloat. There's more than enough advertising to be carved up between China, Taiwan and now HK. If it depended on me, I'd have gone for Singapore first because it's a modern, progressive and diverse market in Asia. Perhaps the best, second only after Japan. And their existing magazines reflect that. Even with lesser magazines the teams in Singapore often deliver content which surpass not only Asian magazines, but also Western ones.

It's interesting that Vogue is now launching in countries where they know for a fact that they won't be getting crazy circulation figures. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Greece, now HK. I doubt any of these editions will surpass the 70K sales mark.



I've asked this very question to someone in the know and the response was that those two are developing countries and it would be considered risky for Vogue to launch there. They're looking to see whether more luxury brands will first establish a foothold in Africa first before launching. Though the response is in fact true, I found it somewhat at odds with Vogue Poland and Czechoslovakia in the sense that they are not exactly tailored to specifically sell uber-luxury goods to a small set either. It seems these magazines are more of a creative platform for locals than anything else. To assume that they do in fact cater to native luxury consumers will have to mean that all those luxury readers share the same sensibility, which is a lie. That's the reason why British and even American Vogue shuffles between youth/mature covers and imagery, because the audience just isn't set in stone.

But back to my initial argument before I get distracted, if part of the basis for starting a Vogue is funneling native creative discussion into a global scope, then surely it ought to be interesting to see what those countries can offer?

Passed

Pinterest

 

[Mathewthew]

There's ZERO need for a Vogue HK.
The last I checked, HK was a part of China, and Vogue China already exists.
This is ridiculous and desperate. The equivalent of American Vogue vs Vogue L.A.

Please keep Vogue far away from Africa.
Africans deserve better, and can do better.

Haha, Im sure you will upset a lots of Hong Konger when you said that under the political status now in Hong Kong.
But I agree with you that there's no need for a Vogue HK , because we already have so much similar fashion magazine in Hong Kong.
Besides, there's so many vogue out there and who cares about a HK version ?
And creatively speaking, I don't think they will have too many budget or have some risky ideas for their editorials.
I hope that they will have some new perspective and approach about the magazine.

 

[Benn98]

I don't think they will have too many budget or have some risky ideas for their editorials.

That's precisely my point. I seriously doubt they'll have a unique creative vocabulary or direction like China, Japan or even Thailand. And the budget won't be big either. If you ask me it will most likely be filled with reprints. Even Vogue Japan relies heavily on reprints and they're a defined edition.

 

[magsaddict]

i can't see why they won't produce their own content if the existing magazines seem to. after all, there are thousands of fashion models shuttling in and out of HK and the region, and plenty of clothes being sent their way to photograph, and plenty of big names seem to do exclusives for HK magazines, Victoria Beckham springs to mind.


i'm glad someone brought up the Singapore experiment... which was short lived and failed for several reasons, and preceded the other asian Vogues by several years. One of the fascinating aspects of it was how it did, through budget constraints and small circulation, manage to forge out a distinct asian identity, which was so fresh then. Could HK do the same?