The Business of Fashion

Q&A | Dolly Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue.co.uk

Back in 1995, Netscape Navigator was the dominant web-browser with a market share of more than 90%.  People were talking about the launch of Altavista, an Internet search engine that acheived 300,000 hits on its very first day. On the fashion end of things, the New York Times' Amy Spindler was tearing apart Donna Karan and raving about Mark Eisen in her review of the New York A/W 1995 collections.

Today, Netscape's share of web-browser use is less than 1% and Altavista is a relic. Donna Karan still puts out collections in New York, but she scarcely merits a full length review in Cathy Horyn's reviews. Nobody even remembers Mark Eisen. In the worlds of Fashion and the Internet, things can change very quickly indeed. Combine the two together, and things travel at lightspeed.

That's why the longevity and continued market dominance of  the UK's VOGUE.COM, which also launched in 1995, is remarkable. I spoke to Editor Dolly Jones about the new technology and content underlying the relaunched site. Not one to rest on her laurels, we also discussed the business imperatives for keeping VOGUE.COM at the top of its game.

The Business of Fashion | Talks to Vogue Korea

It's turning out to be fashion magazine week on the Business of Fashion.

A couple of months ago, Dominic Sohn, a newly appointed Fashion Editor at Vogue Korea, contacted me to get some thoughts on the revolving doors for designers at major fashion houses. This was before Lars Nilsson was turfed from Gianfranco Ferre (just days before his first runway show) only to be replaced by Tomasso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi of 6267 and before Paulo Melim Andersson was sent packing after three seasons at Chloe, making way for Hannah MacGibbon. Dominic's questions were timely indeed.

Excerpts from the interview have just been published in an article in the May 2008 edition of Vogue Korea, along with the reflections of Sally Singer of American Vogue. It was such an interesting exchange that it's posted here for BoF readers.

Fashion Magazines | Balancing advertising and editorial

The other day I nipped out to grab a coffee in London's Hanover Square. As I was waiting, who should walk in but Alexandra Shulman, the Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue. There was no entourage or chauffeur or huge sunglasses. Rather, she very normally ordered her skinny cappuccino (without assistance and without attitude) and waited like the rest of us to be served.

It got me to thinking that (thankfully) some people in the fashion industry are completely normal (despite the caricatures that may be painted of them in the Press), and it also got me thinking about the business of magazines -- fashion magazines in particular. It turns out Ms. Shulman has been quite the business woman during her respected editorship of the magazine.

Links: Giancarlo Giametti Q&A, Andre J and BoF Publishing

On the Runway: Q&A with Giancarlo Giametti
In a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into the evolution of Valentino's business over the past 45 years, his business partner Giancarlo Giametti provides his candid thoughts in a frank exchange with Cathy Horyn. He lambastes financial investors for thinking they can profit from the industry without understanding and respecting its creativity, admits to the over-eager (but lucrative) licensing period in the 80s, and provides a history of the various suitors and owners of Valentino over the years.

New York Times: A Cover Girl Who's Simply Himself
We first came across Andre J. on Malcolm Harris' Cut Sew and Blog which was featured on the Business of Fashion in September. Andre had been selected by Cut, Sew and Blog's community as the face of Mal Sirrah's collection for S/S 2008. Then, Andre J appeared on the cover of French Vogue in November and now, in this article from Guy Trebay, we learn how all of this came to happen.

Business of Fashion:  In the Financial Times, Style.com and JC Report
We have started publishing articles in other important publications. Our first article for the Financial Times on Italian investors in fashion has finally been published online along with the rest of the FT's superb Business of Fashion supplement. We also shared a little tidbit about Daniel Craig's disappearing act at the Walpole Awards with men.style.com. Stay tuned for upcoming articles in the December issue of L'Officiel India, a curated tour of new Fashion 2.0 sites in JC Report later this week, and our lowdown on how luxury companies should think about Web 2.0 in the next FT Business of Fashion supplement.

Photoclip courtesy of New York Times. Andre J/Carolyn Murphy cover courtesy of Paris Vogue.

Vogue: India has arrived

I wanted to share with the BoF community an exciting step in the evolution of Indian fashion that marks the official arrival of India on the global fashion scene.

For years, Western designers and global brands have  used Indian craftsmanship, culture and history as  an inspiration for fashion. From intricate embroidery this season on Marchesa's "Raj and in Charge" dresses for Spring/Summer 2008 to khaki's from Gap, Ralph Lauren and Abercrombie and Fitch that have outfitted generations of Americans, India's influence on global fashion goes all the way from the high-street to the high-end.

Today, my good friend Bandana Tewari, Fashion Features Editor of Vogue India , graciously sent me an image of the first cover for the newest magazine in Vogue's stable of global fashion magazines, which now number 17 in total. From Japan to France to Mexico to Switzerland, Vogue has been the undisputed arbiter of fashion and culture for over 100 years, since its launch in 1892 as a society magazine.