The Business of Magazines

[dodencebt]

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

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Well that made my day! Yes, yes, yes!

I will say, that I have enjoyed many of her eds for them, however lately it has become seriously lackluster, and it was time for her to leave. In fact i expect more people to go with Shulman, because Enninful should be able to pick his own team, and bring them with him.

 

[apple]

We probably expected that, but it's still GREAT news. I really hope Edward will bring a breath of fresh hair at British Vogue. It is much needed.

 

[tigerrouge]

Fresh air, fresh hair, fresh faces, open the doors wide and clean out the cupboards. Make room for some new dreams. I cannot wait to see his Vogue arrive and evolve. As a baseline for my expectations, it can't be any worse than what we've seen for the past few years.

 

[Benn98]

Here's the 2016 sales for VP. Thanks to MON for the initial source:



There are three main columns, showing the following titles in the first row on top - 'Diffusion France (circulation in France)', 'Diffusion Étranger (circulation outside of France)' and 'Diffusion Totale (French and worldwide sales combined)'. The last column under each of the two headings will give you totals, and the very last column ('Diffusion Totale') will give you the grand total of how each month performed.

I'm surprised to find that Luna's August cover outsold both March and September.....

Source: http://www.acpm.fr/Support/vogue-paris

 

[MagFan]

So Lottie Moss is the worst and November, March and September with Hadids are next. These two can't even sell big issues hahaha

 

[MagFan]

Sorry my mistake, it's April with Cindy and Kaia fourth worst not March

 

[YourMonster]

Edward Enninful just announced Venetia Scott as the new Fashion director for British Vogue on Instagram. Now I'm even more excited for this new transition that British Vogue will be going through

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Wow, the last person i expected, but this also means he wants major change at the magazine!

 

[Benn98]

Having seen Venetia Scott's work for W, can't say it will be a very far departure from what British Vogue is currently doing.

 

[Melancholybaby]

^Me too, I expected someone a little bit different.

 

[lakomka]

I've heard Conde Nast is launching Vogue Poland

 

[Benn98]

I've heard Conde Nast is launching Vogue Poland

It's true! BoF just confirmed it:

https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/vogue-poland-launch-conde-nast-to-launch-international

A few months ago when the Vogue Belgium supplement with Hanne Gaby Odiele was released, I jokingly predicted that Poland would be the next country to get their Vogue, and now it's true!

 

[Miss Dalloway]

^ Hahah, it's the last country i would predict, wow. Always surprised CN hasn't brought back Vogue Singapore! Their Luxury market is better than ever.

Oh and what you said about Venetia already doing similar UK Vogue for W, I don't see it, and a role this big, she will have to really bring and stretch her talent. Not a huge fan of her work, but maybe she makes it work. It will either be great, or super drab!

 

[Benn98]

^ Hahah, it's the last country i would predict, wow. Always surprised CN hasn't brought back Vogue Singapore! Their Luxury market is better than ever.

Why? Of all the international Euro editions (Glamour, Elle, MC, Harper's etc), the Polish ones are always somewhat good. They have a more distinct identity. I actually think Vogue Poland will start on high, like Turkey did. The issue of Malgosia Bela, well, I'm not too sure about that at all to be honest.....

Yet again, I find it interesting that BoF revealed the news 2 hours ago! There's still no word from WWD (maybe due to time constraints, or are they no longer CN's go-to outlet for releases?).

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Somehow I never paid much attention to their magazines, so had no real idea of their market, its why this news surprised me. But it will be interesting to see how it goes, i think Malgosia could be good, and its another edition with a male EIC!

Yes!! BoF is kicking WWD a$$!! They are getting all the scoops, but WWD is still CN's outlet, it just seems they have been getting less direct leaks from them which makes no sense to me, given how WWD is owned by CN.

 

[perhydrol]

I don't know what to think about this and I guess I'll have to wait for the first issue to say anything, but I hope it won't be like Harper's Bazaar that was good at the beginning, but now nobody really care about that magazine anymore. And same with l'Officiel, it was so hyped but it's not interesting at all.

The problem here in Poland is that designer goods aren't that popular because people don't have enough money to buy them. What's more the market isn't that developed, I mean we have one big department store in Warsaw and some smaller ones in two or three cities and that's it. Last year the Burberry store was closed for example. So I'm really curious how they will solve the advertising problem.

 

[Benn98]

Somehow I never paid much attention to their magazines, so had no real idea of their market, its why this news surprised me. But it will be interesting to see how it goes, i think Malgosia could be good, and its another edition with a male EIC!

Yes!! BoF is kicking WWD a$$!! They are getting all the scoops, but WWD is still CN's outlet, it just seems they have been getting less direct leaks from them which makes no sense to me, given how WWD is owned by CN.

I'm not too clued up with how profitable their luxury market is, meaning whether the Vogue Poland reader will be able to drive luxury fashion commerce. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to list 10 of their excessively moneyed intelligentsia. To me this looks like a money grab - Vogue is launching possibly due to the success of other titles in that region.

No, no, no........WWD was sold off in 2014, I'm sure! Must say, WWD is another one who lost their mojo. With BoF there's opinion and character nestled even in a press release write-ups and the content is fresh, whereas that simply isn't the case with WWD. It's just an endless stream of stale and matter-of-fact fashion postings and dull business acquisitions. Basically, like Financial Times, but solely about fashion companies. They should get back to the Fairchild years, when they dished insider gossip and opinion about the American publishing scene.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

^ Ooh, they did sell it few years back, i somehow blocked that out. It makes more sense now that they get so much less CN exclusives. I have to say i still enjoy WWD, their in depth articles about projects, desingers, brand sale figures are top notch. But yes, its a bit sterile, and not as appealing as what they do at BoF!

I don't know what to think about this and I guess I'll have to wait for the first issue to say anything, but I hope it won't be like Harper's Bazaar that was good at the beginning, but now nobody really care about that magazine anymore. And same with l'Officiel, it was so hyped but it's not interesting at all.

The problem here in Poland is that designer goods aren't that popular because people don't have enough money to buy them. What's more the market isn't that developed, I mean we have one big department store in Warsaw and some smaller ones in two or three cities and that's it. Last year the Burberry store was closed for example. So I'm really curious how they will solve the advertising problem.

That is why this news surprsied me, never read much about Poland's luxury market, so this seemed random. It must be what Benn98 said; a classic moneygrab move, but not sure if it will work long-term!

 

[perhydrol]

If the content will be on high level and they won't go for reprints, I'm sure people would buy Polish Vogue constantly since we don't have really good magazines because almost every single one got worse and worse with time. Viva Moda is a good example- I think they changed the layout and EIC and it got totally basic. That's a shame because they used to have gorgeous eds and nice fashion weeks coverage.