Editorial musical chairs in the mastheads of the big magazines isn't anything new but the latest appointment is particularly special. As you know, Joanna Coles recently left her editor role at Marie Claire for Cosmo and Anne Fulenwider was subsequently named as her replacement, leaving her editor role at Brides. Now, the Brides job has been given to Keija Minor the first ever African-American person to head up one of Condé Nast's 18 titles.
'I am tremendously excited by this opportunity,' she said in a statement. 'It's an honor to take the reins of such an iconic brand and to lead this extraordinarily talented team in bringing inspiring, innovative ideas to women at this pivotal and joyous moment in their lives.'
There's been talks of Vanity Fair getting a French edition and the move makes sense. After all, the big advertisers are there and on the whole, the French magazine industry is doing pretty well. What has everyone talking, then, is the timing of the confirmation of the news.
Condé Nast, the publisher's behind the title, have only just confirmed that the launch will take place and as a result, many believe that the announcement was a deliberate attempt to try and steal the limelight from the launch of Carine Roitfeld's new magazine, CR Fashion Book. 'The French Vanity Fair is not a response to Carine Roitfeld, but her magazine was surely a trigger for the decision to announce it now,' a French journalist told the New York Times.
As expected, a spokesperson from the publishing house dismissed the reports claiming that any ill-feeling against Roitfeld remains firmly in 'the past'. 'Brands are stronger than people,' Condé Nast France president Xavier Romatet told the title. 'Carine has her new life. Vogue has its new life and that's it.'
It's officially that time of year again. The September issues are just around the corner and the first few are already out. As always, Vogue Australia have released their first and stars Bella Heathcote and Numero Tokyo's CandiceSwanepoel cover has also hit the net. While both magazines have opted for models, their covers are by no means representative of what you can expect from other titles. All of the rest have gone for celebrities and while that does bug me, the fact that Kim Kardashian doesn't appear on any is a bonus.
As we all know, Lady Gaga has been shot by Met & Marcus for American Vogue, as she continues to drum up attention around her debut fragrance. Glamour have confirmed that they've booked Victoria Beckham to cover theirs and I'm excited. Beckham's covers have been really strong lately and she just might be what the magazine needs after those disappointing covers with Mila Kunis and Amanda Seyfried. InStyle has opted for Jennifer Lopez, Marie Claire have gone for Miley Cyrus, W for Penelope Cruz, Interview for Emma Stone and V for Nicole Kidman.
Vanity Fair's decision to book Jessica Chastain makes sense. The actress looks incredible in statement designer pieces and does old school Hollywood glamour like nobody else. Also good is the news that GwenStefani will cover US Harper's Bazaar. Anyone that's followed the magazine since their revamp earlier on this year will know that their covers have been bang on, and their main fashion stories even stronger so I'm sure that's going to be a good'un.
There are some major changes afoot at Condé Nast. WWD reports that the publishing giant has decided to give digital a big push whilst also focusing on integrating the print and digital version of their titles.
With the big changes that will come along with the new focus, it was only a matter of time before a list of names of people being let go would be released. So far Thomas Hartman, the senior vice-president of corporate sales, is the first big name to have been pushed out and according to the report, a new team has already been hired to help implement the changes including Josh Stinchcomb, Daniella Wells and Judy Safir.
Over the last few months Condé Nast has slowly been working away on getting ready to open The Condé Nast College of Art & Design and today the famed publishing house unveiled more information about the project.
Susie Forbes, principal of the college, announced today that the college will be based in the heart of Soho on the bustling Greek Street, a stones throw away from the publisher's London base. 'lt was always my ambition to have the college located within walking distance of Vogue House, the Condé Nast headquarters, so Greek Street couldn't be more perfect,' she explained. 'Major refurbishment is about to commence and we are delighted to be working with Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios who have so much experience in the education sector.'
Inside the college will be an in-house exhibition curated by students and invited guest designers, stylists and industry insiders.
With only a few months to go before CarineRoitfeld launches her new magazine, CR Fashion Book, the industry is abuzz with excitment but if recent reports from Page Six are anything to go by, you can cross the powers that be from Condé Nast off that list.
According to the column, Condé’s chairman Jonathan Newhouse 'sent word to photographers including Mario Testino, Craig McDean, David Sims and the Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott team 'remininding' them of their exclusivity with Condé Nast to shoot for its titles including Vogue, W, Glamour, Vanity Fair and Allure.' Even those without exclusivity contracts have reportedly been discouraged from working with Roitfeld on the new venture.
After much anticipation, last month Condé Nast finally dropped the debut issue of Vogue Netherlands. Overall the cover wasn't too bad. All of the pretty pastels that we've been seeing everywhere appeared on the backs of Romee Strijid, Ymre Stiekema and Josefien Roderman and the cover story inside was pretty strong too.
Where many felt disappointed though was with their choice of models for the big cover. As top Danish models go, they had quite a few to choose from so many were expecting either Saskia de Brauw or Lara Stone to make an appearance to mark the big debut. All is forgiven now, though, because the magazine put Lara Stone on their May issue, which dropped this week. At one stage it refreshing to get a break from Stone because she seemed to be in just about everything but considering that we haven't seen much of her in a while besides that recent Vogue Turkey cover, it's good to see her back again.
I've always been a fan of David Bailey's work but he wasn't the person that excited me the most on the list of speakers at Vogue's Fashion Festival over the weekend. Unfortunately I was unable to attend but from the reports, the majority of the guests went away feeling that Bailey was amongst their favourite speakers from the weekend and it quickly becomes clear why.
His comments were honest to put it mildly. 'Don't ever sign anything for fucking Condé Nast or Hearst,' he reportedly said rather frankly. 'I had a ghastly contract with American Vogue,' he revealed but despite that, he always had a good relationship with the magazine's former editor Diana Vreeland. 'I used to have dinner with her every Thursday. I really loved Vreeland, though I didn't like working for her.' His blunt confessions didn't end there. Talking about an editor a Vogue he said, 'I used to sprinkle rat shit on her pillow every night, and she used to pick i up with a Kleenex that had flowers on it and say 'Bailey, what do you think that is?' I'd say, 'It looks like rat shit.'
Where you there? What did you think of Bailey's talk?
After much speculation back in December Condé Nast confirmed that they were launching a Dutch version of Vogue and now it's finally here. The cover of their first issue dropped this week and stars models Romee Strijd, Ymre Stiekema and Josefien Rodermans who were shot by Marc DeGroot. While the cover isn't bad, I was expecting it to be more stand out and feature one of their bigger models like Saskia de Brauw or Lara Stone.
Over the past 12 months we have witnessed a lot of changes at W and Vogue and both Condé Nast titles continue to make editorial changes. W has axed senior fashion and market editor, Carolyn Tate Angel, as Edward Enninful wanted to make some changes to the magazine's masthead to take the magazine in "a new direction."
Tate Angel isn't the only editor to get the axe. Senior accessories editor Filipa Fino departed from Vogue on Friday after 11 years at the magazine a result of alleged inappropriate behaviour.
