Carine Roitfeld hasn't shied away from discussing the creative restrictions she experienced as editor of Vogue Paris. In a recent interview with FT she explained that bosses at Condé Nast France were not happy with her controversial Tom Ford issue. "Me, I like to push boundaries, I am irreverent, but [they] would prefer something softer, more mainstream. Maybe [they were] anxious about the future because magazine sales are going to be harder and harder."
In an interview with WWD she revealed that she has creative projects in the works that allow her to have creative freedom but refrained from going into detail, leading many to believe that she's planning to start her own magazine. At the El Muse del Barrio Gala last week she laughed when asked whether the rumours were true: "Maybe," she said. "Now I have freedom like a butterfly, so I can go from one place to another."
No, he didn’t like it. Me, I like to push boundaries, I am irreverent, but he would prefer something softer, more mainstream. Maybe he was anxious about the future because magazine sales are going to be harder and harder.
It's official: As expected, Emmanuelle Alt will replace Carine Roitfeld as the new editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. The news was released yesterday at a press conference by Condé Nast France president Xavier Romate.
"Vogue Paris is doing very well, and I wanted to entrust the editorship to someone who can provide continuity while bringing new life," he explained. "I give [Alt] full confidence to lead and embody this demanding and prestigious brand and let it live in all its dimensions, including digitally." Roitfeld hasn't gone just yet. According to sources she's still in the office working on the final touches of the March issues before Alt takes the helm of the magazine and gets her name at the top of the masthead in the April issue.
Today I write this post saddened by the news that Conde Nast has rejected the idea of launching Vogue Africa. As expected, the news has caused differing views. While many were left disappointed and saw this as evidence that the West are still not willing to accept Africa and its creativity, it has been equally argued that Africa should build on it's own magazines as opposed to trying to align itself with a powerful brand like Vogue.
That said, the idea was the brainchild of Cameroonian make-up artist and photographer, Mario Epanya who has boldly expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation. "I read my first Vogue in 1979 and have been buying it ever since," he said. "I always felt that African creativity was not represented."
Not content with the current state, Epanya contacted the director of Conde Nast directly but was dismissed. ".....About a month ago I sent the director of Conde Nast France a message via my friend, asking how I would go about getting a licence for Vogue Africa. He replied that no, it would not be possible to do the project."
Without using the racial card, having looked at the cover prototypes and read Epanya's ideas for the magazine it's hard to understand what grounds the concept was dismissed. Vogue is already published in 18 different countries including India and China so why not Vogue Africa? In an article written more than 25 years ago, it was predicted that black women will be responsible for over 50& of the health and beauty industry so why Africa continues to be ignored as a fashion and beauty hub is questionable.
