The Vogue Factor by Kirstie Clements (former editor of Australian Vogue)

[lucy92]

Clements spent 25 years at Australian Vogue - her book's subhead is 'from front desk to editor' - and steered the ship for 13 of them.

Her departure was sudden - she was called to a meeting and dismissed, forced to clean her office and leave without bidding farewell to her staff - and she was replaced quickly by Edwina McCann, editor of Harper's Bazaar.
Clements describes her sacking simply as a 'regime change' that was part and parcel of the dramatic Vogue narrative, but some critics believe the new book - her first - is her way of exacting revenge on the Rupert Murdoch-owned title. (dailymail.co.uk)






anyone read this yet?

 

[misstarshine]

Good on her

 

[dsamg]

http://www.policymic.com/articles/3...stie-clements-models-eat-kleenex-to-stay-slim
Here's an article about some things she says that I can't post here

I agree with what they are saying; if she really cared about these things she would have taken some action while she was working in the industry. She is just telling shocking stories to get headlines/publicity.

 

[vogue28]

I don't get that impression from the release of the book. Plus, with regards to Kirstie's knowledge of problems within the industry - some things are beyond your control. Even with the Health Initiative that's running within the Vogue editions, editors don't stick to it. Now that agreement was just an attempt for publicity and headlines.

I cannot wait to read the book. Amazon UK have the Kindle edition but I want the actual book.

 

[HeatherAnne]

I think that commenter Marjorie said it best:

...she witnessed these occurrences for 25 years and did nothing. She's merely using these extreme stories' shock value to paint a negative picture of her former employer. In other words, she's just exploiting them in the same fashion (pun intended) as the industry she has just left.

The only thing I ever saw Clements do was put Robyn Lawley on one of her final Vogue Australia covers. After which she really patted herself on back, but whoppity do, Lawley had already been on Vogue Italia's and Elle's cover.

She's not someone like Sara Ziff who exposed the industry's wrongdoings in order to push for sweeping reforms and changes. She seems to only be concerned with her own monetary gain and self publicity.

It's a shame, I really appreciated her work for Vogue Australia and this has soured my respect for her. In the interviews I've read she does seem so bitter, woman scorned -- all of that. She does have a ton of American talk show appearances coming up though, maybe my current impression will soften.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

Why does no one at the top of their game ever criticises this industry?
That's the whole problem, i do not doubt for one minute that shocking things must be going on, but the fact that no one speaks when they wouldn't be accused of hypocrisy, gives the impression to the outside world that at the end of the day it's all worth it. If no one is willing to put their position at risk, it must be because they feel this position so fantastically desirable that the worst it can happen is be outside of it.

 

[HeatherAnne]

Okay, this is probably the best, and most relaxed, interview I've seen with her.

It now seems to me that journalists have taken a very small part of her book [the weight stuff, the secrets] and unfairly spun it into a sensational story. Apparently the basis of the book is in fact to give insight, and motivation, to those wishing to join the industry.

She touches on a lot of things here, including her firing from Vogue Oz.

 

[DelicateFlower]

I just read it! I devoured it all last night pretty much.

It's a fun read, with some great fashion stories about shoots she's been on, how the industry works, etc. She's a good writer and comes across as pretty clever. Her work ethic was/is admirable.

Her attitude of not wanting the spotlight is at odds with the new social media fashion blogger put everything on Instagram thing. I bet the people who chose to replace her with Edwina McCann were thinking more about Kirstie's image (or lack thereof) rather than her work. Edwina comes across as more 'fashion' - however it remains to be seen if Edwina's Vogue will be on the same level and have the same substance as Kirstie Clements Vogue.

I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in the fashion industry (which should be every body reading this site, yeah?) . I couldn't put it down last night, read until waaaaaaaaaayyy too late/too early in the morning!

There were some things that made me ummm a bit at the time but I honestly don't remember them. When I read it again I'll take more note so as to review it better and more critically. In the meantime, if you want a good fashiony read, than this should be your next book.