Are Twitter-checkers causing magazine sales to slide?
This is an interesting snippet about why fewer people are buying print magazines. According to Biz Report, the ‘mobile blinder’ effect (people hypnotised by the constant feeds on their cell phones) means customers aren’t picking up magazines at the supermarket checkout anymore. In the US, newsstand sales of magazines are down by 8%. I’m definitely one,of those people who checks Twitter at any given moment (but I’m trying to break the habit). Are you?
[Image: Miles Aldridge/NYT]
London Fashion Week AW13: Day three highlights
Today I truly experienced the luxury and convenience of a concierge service. I’ve been working with Amex to experience all they have to offer this Fashion Week, which in reality means I’ve had cars booked to ferry me from show to show, my on-the-go catering needs seen to, plus all manner of other requests – small and large – dealt with. Amex asked me what my ‘pain points’ were during Fashion Week and I said transport issues, wi-fi issues and just general juggling of everything. Continue reading
Elle Decoration visits ‘top bloggers’ at home
Check this out! I was really chuffed to be asked to be featured in the March issue of Elle Decoration (along with Shini and Fred) talking about design, blogging and homesy things. I nearly turned it down as I don’t really like having to tidy up my crap pose for photos but … Elle Deco, people!!! And lovely Tara Darby did a great job with the pictures, while Talib Choudhry did well to to edit my ramblings into something coherent. Also, gotta love the fact that Fred, Shini and I all included Susie Bubble (AKA the patron saint of UK fashion blogging – ha!) in our top three must-read blogs.
UK Vogue launches Miss Vogue: Why this is interesting…
The Twittersphere went mental last Friday, at UK Vogue’s announcement of the forthcoming launch of Miss Vogue (first issue to be sold with the June Vogue). I’m thrilled too. I love Vogue, I love Teen Vogue, I love teenagers, I think I’ll like Miss Vogue. But from a news point of view, this is why it’s interesting…
1) It’s youth-focussed
My background is in teen mags. I had the funnest time of my life working in the ‘young women’s market’ but towards the end, we found young people just weren’t buying our magazine. Or any teen mag. J17, Elle Girl, Sugar all tried to last in print but couldn’t. Partly because we found that teenagers just read their mum’s mags (Grazia, Heat, Vogue) or weren’t reading magazines at all, they got all their information online.
2) It’s a print mag
Magazines are dying! Oh no they’re not! Vogue launching a new print magazine is news indeed. I always maintain that young people don’t have the ‘nostalgia’ of print and instinctively gravitate to online, especially now with such incredible mobile platforms. If Vogue is launching a magazine for young people, I’m sure the package will include web and mobile apps. But I really hope they can prove that young people are interested enough in print too.
3) It’s a new launch
You’d think the fashion content market was saturated by now, especially with all the blurring going on between editorial publications and commercial publications. With ASOS, H&M and Topshop all regularly producing excellent, free magazines, what more can Miss Vogue possibly have to offer?
I guess the important thing here is Authority. I’ve just been watching this great 2000 documentary on Anna Wintour in which she maintains that Vogue stands for excellence. Vogue is known as the authority on fashion – even now. And as the media and fashion worlds have become democratised, suddenly everyone has a voice and a point of view. While other young women’s magazines like Look and Company have embraced bloggers and readers’ input, Vogue is still very much about the editors’ view. And I think there is still a place for that. Maybe more so than ever before.
From the vaults: Anna Wintour by Ellen von Unwerth
What a great find these photos are! They’re by Ellen von Unwerth from Interview magazine 1993, unearthed from a ring binder of goodies that I’m glad I never threw away. The photo of Anna with a (pre-Starbucks?) paper coffee cup surely epitomises the ambition of every long suffering intern that ever slaved over ‘returns’, dreaming of her Devil Wears Prada moment and the one below of Anna sharing a joke with Hamish and Camilla proves that – yes! – the Chanel sunnies stay on at all times… Continue reading
WANTED: More Dash Than Cash 2013
Dear Vogue, please can you publish an updated version of More Dash Than Cash for millennial recessionistas? These two ancient copies have been well-thumbed over the years because their advice and pictures still ring true. But how good would it be to have some updated images from David Sims, Daniel Jackson and Alasdair McLellan in amongst the Bruce Weber and Arthur Elgort goodies…?
Vogue February – Angelo Pennetta shoots the Brit girls
Groups of girls are quite the thing for SS13 editorials and ad campaigns. Chanel has Stella Tennant, Ondria Hardin and Yumi Lambert; Balenciaga has Kremi Otashliyska, Sam Rollinson and Kirstin Liljegren, and did anyone else choke on their morning muffin at the sight of not two or three, but four girls in Chloe’s latest campaign? Continue reading
The Artist In His Studio
Years and years ago I bought a photo book by Alexander Liberman called The Artist In His Studio (it’s out of print but you can still find it on Amazon and eBay). I was (and still am) a bit obsessed with artists and their paraphernalia.
In this month’s US Vogue, Annie Liebovitz has produced her mini-version, featuring the studios of Jeff Koons, John Currin and Jasper Johns. I loved the accompanying interviews and the close-up of Jasper Johns’ charcoals and pastels. I definitely think she should do a follow up to the Liberman book.
On a side note, another publication that offers regular peeps into artists’ studios, and writers’ abodes, is Apartamento. I’ve just finished reading the last issue which featured the bookseller Conor Donlon and the writer Duncan Fallowell (below) who has every nook of his atelier stuffed with books. I can’t decide if this is heaven or hell…
Grace Coddington is i-D’s next cover girl
It’s going to be hard to avoid Grace Coddington over the next few weeks – girl’s got a memoir to promote! But why would you want to avoid the flame-tressed one? So far, I’m loving this i-D cover with its barely-there coverlines, Celine cobalt coat and cheeky wink. On the stands next week, there’s also an interview with i-D’s Terry Jones to look forward to…
Postcards from Vogue: 100 iconic covers
Like the music industry, the publishing industry has become about selling product as well as content. So brand extensions are flourishing like nothing before. But what Vogue has is quite unique – its content is its brand extensions. It uses its incredible archive of photography, illustration and editorials to produce all manner of products, from books to beach towels. Continue reading
