The Business of Magazines

[aracic]

We need to move on from basically all the current fashion magazines. Bazaar, W, V, Interview, i-D, Numero, Dazed… They have all lost their glory.

I agree... to an extent. More often than not I find myself enjoying Spanish Bazaar, the latest issue of i-D is the first magazine I bought on the newsstand in over a year and Dazed is kinda interesting to look at since Kamara took over. Even Numéro has its good moments. But I do agree that we need something else entirely.
But perhaps we're stuck in a dry spell currently, where nothing really matters anymore and there is no spark or life or excitement about magazines.

 

[tigerrouge]

People might not be impressed by the fashion-forward credentials of the title, but look inside some editions of Bazaar and you'll see the last vestiges of a willingness to remember that the opinions of people older than 18-25 still count for something in the magazine world, because they have the money to spend on nice things if someone's still willing to sell them that dream.

That said, last time I sang the praises of a magazine's steadfastness (World of Interiors), they announced a few weeks later that Hamish Bowles was taking it over, which felt like Anna Wintour making good on a long-time promise to one of her pets.

 

[vogue28]

And the rumors are indeed true:

 

[caioherrero]

The end of era.

 

[vogue28]

Vogue Netherlands announcing their February 2022 comeback:

 

[mikel]

Interesting! Karin Swerink (Vogue NL’s first editor in chief) is the current editor in chief of Linda. So I wonder if she will return to Vogue NL.

 

[vogue28]

After leaving British Vogue as Fashion News Director, Olivia Singer joins i-D as Global Editorial Director:

 

[Pooky Lee]

Has anyone been following the drama between Conde Nast China and its former president Sophia Liao lately?

 

[Benn98]

Dutch Vogue is hands down the most pointless Vogue edition (which stands to reason), they should've just shuttered that magazine permanently. There's simply no need for it. It will just be another few years of poor fashion, design, and taste.

 

[Xone]

Has anyone been following the drama between Conde Nast China and its former president Sophia Liao lately?

what drama?? Can you give us context? Thanks!!

 

[velvetandsilk]

Condé Nast China Loses Lawsuit From Former President

• Adina-Laura Achim
• September 29, 2021

Ex-president Sophia Liao has won a labor arbitration case against her former employer, Condé Nast China. But did either side gain anything? Photo: Condé Nast Traveler's Weibo

What Happened: Sophia Liao, the former president of Condé Nast China who was ousted in September 2020 after 20 years with Condé Nast Group, has won a labor arbitration case against her former employer, according to WWD. Condé Nast China has already appealed the decision.

Liao talked about the messy situation, saying she believed it was a case of wrongful employment termination. According to Liao, her firing was illegal, violating Chinese law. This month, the Beijing Chaoyang District Labor Personnel Dispute Arbitration Commission ruled that it “does not accept the company’s claim about the discharge, and the commission accepts Liao’s claim that Condé Nast China has unlawfully discharged its labor relations.”

Liao said, “for me, the result of this arbitration is final,” even though Condé Nast China has appealed the result. “It confirmed that the company either really thought it was legal and didn’t know it was illegal or knew it was illegal and still insisted on breaking the law; the former is a matter of professional competence, and the latter is a matter of moral bottom line,” Liao added.

She also stated that her dismissal had to do with “major differences in values and business points of view.” “To put it bluntly,” she said, “it is very simple. We can not see eye-to-eye. I was the president who was trying to make the Chinese branch of an American business the most localized operation, and the other side is a single-minded headquarters trying to centralize all the power to New York. The two sides have such major differences in values and business points of view that we were destined to split.”

The Jing Take: While Liao won the arbitration case, WWD highlights how the commission refused to rectify the situation. In fact, the commission dismissed her request for reinstatement, denied compensation, and rejected her request for continued performance of the employment contract.

In recent years, Condé Nast has been mired in various scandals. From allegations of corruption against Paco Tang, the group’s publisher, to the selection of model Gigi Hadid for its inaugural Vogue Hong Kong magazine. It seems like the publishing group cannot stay out of trouble.

Condé Nast could have handled the Liao situation better instead of secretly searching for replacements from Liao’s clients and interviewing them. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Western companies use the same practice. Essentially, this is just an ethical issue, and most companies understand that they have a moral responsibility towards their employees.

As for Liao, she also could have managed the process better. Any person with her experience and functional skills will find a job easily as long as they don’t speak badly about a former employer. Speaking ill over her termination from Condé Nast will do little to solve Liao’s problems. Clearly, both sides could have found better ways to manage this conflicting situation.
jingdaily.com

 

[Xone]

Condé Nast China Loses Lawsuit From Former President

• Adina-Laura Achim
• September 29, 2021

Ex-president Sophia Liao has won a labor arbitration case against her former employer, Condé Nast China. But did either side gain anything? Photo: Condé Nast Traveler's Weibo

What Happened: Sophia Liao, the former president of Condé Nast China who was ousted in September 2020 after 20 years with Condé Nast Group, has won a labor arbitration case against her former employer, according to WWD. Condé Nast China has already appealed the decision.

Liao talked about the messy situation, saying she believed it was a case of wrongful employment termination. According to Liao, her firing was illegal, violating Chinese law. This month, the Beijing Chaoyang District Labor Personnel Dispute Arbitration Commission ruled that it “does not accept the company’s claim about the discharge, and the commission accepts Liao’s claim that Condé Nast China has unlawfully discharged its labor relations.”

Liao said, “for me, the result of this arbitration is final,” even though Condé Nast China has appealed the result. “It confirmed that the company either really thought it was legal and didn’t know it was illegal or knew it was illegal and still insisted on breaking the law; the former is a matter of professional competence, and the latter is a matter of moral bottom line,” Liao added.

She also stated that her dismissal had to do with “major differences in values and business points of view.” “To put it bluntly,” she said, “it is very simple. We can not see eye-to-eye. I was the president who was trying to make the Chinese branch of an American business the most localized operation, and the other side is a single-minded headquarters trying to centralize all the power to New York. The two sides have such major differences in values and business points of view that we were destined to split.”

The Jing Take: While Liao won the arbitration case, WWD highlights how the commission refused to rectify the situation. In fact, the commission dismissed her request for reinstatement, denied compensation, and rejected her request for continued performance of the employment contract.

In recent years, Condé Nast has been mired in various scandals. From allegations of corruption against Paco Tang, the group’s publisher, to the selection of model Gigi Hadid for its inaugural Vogue Hong Kong magazine. It seems like the publishing group cannot stay out of trouble.

Condé Nast could have handled the Liao situation better instead of secretly searching for replacements from Liao’s clients and interviewing them. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Western companies use the same practice. Essentially, this is just an ethical issue, and most companies understand that they have a moral responsibility towards their employees.

As for Liao, she also could have managed the process better. Any person with her experience and functional skills will find a job easily as long as they don’t speak badly about a former employer. Speaking ill over her termination from Condé Nast will do little to solve Liao’s problems. Clearly, both sides could have found better ways to manage this conflicting situation.
jingdaily.com

Shady business, shady company.

thanks for sharing.

 

[Pooky Lee]

Shady business, shady company.

thanks for sharing.

Other than this, the ex-president has opened a WeChat media account since winning the lawsuit and updated it every Wednesday for weeks, detailing the mistreatment of the company. For instance, she listed all the names of up to 80 high-ranked employees that left Conde Nast China during the restructure in the past year. In the recent post, she heavily criticized the current president Li Li and new editor Margaret Zhang and their lack of leadership and vision and revealed the company lost numerous major advertisers ever since. Link: 一年后，康泰纳仕中国，变得更糟了。

 

[Xone]

Other than this, the ex-president has opened a WeChat media account since winning the lawsuit and updated it every Wednesday for weeks, detailing the mistreatment of the company. For instance, she listed all the names of up to 80 high-ranked employees that left Conde Nast China during the restructure in the past year. In the recent post, she heavily criticized the current president Li Li and new editor Margaret Zhang and their lack of leadership and vision and revealed the company lost numerous major advertisers ever since. Link: 一年后，康泰纳仕中国，变得更糟了。

Wow sounds messy messy...Someone is willing to translate and recap?? Thanks!

 

[Pooky Lee]

Wow sounds messy messy...Someone is willing to translate and recap?? Thanks!

She writes bilingually now: Condé Nast, The Time to Sell is NOW!!!

 

[amby]

Any guesses?

 

[Bertrando3]

^ André Leon Talley?

 

[Bertrando3]

She writes bilingually now: Condé Nast, The Time to Sell is NOW!!!

Thank you so much for sharing, I love reading this piece !!!

 

[0st3nd]

Sophia announced that in the next few days she will be posting the English versions of the seven articles she posted. Then, starting next Wednesday, she will start weekly updates in both English and Chinese.
So here are the very first two articles:
#1 Where the story begins
#2 The China CEO Earning The Most Profit Was Fired!

 

[Xone]

Wow such a mess…and how bad are CN in handling things like this….and like she said there was so many missed oportunities to ends things amicably. Not for nothing is called “Condenasty” lol