The Death of American Vogue

Art by Chassidy Stephenson

The public was shocked when Anna Wintour announced her departure as Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue, anxiously waiting to see how the magazine would change. For Vogue, fashion, and Condé Nast, this is a huge deal. It's also a significant milestone for Wintour, who has been in the role for 37 years. When she first arrived at the position, she streamlined the staff and made the magazine more current and culturally relevant. She put celebrities and A-listers on the covers, not just supermodels; she established the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund supporting emerging designers. She mixed low and high fashion, her first cover styling a $10,000 Christian LaCroix sweater with $50 faded Guess Jeans. Wintour’s standards and budgets were notoriously high; she freely killed stories, generously paid staff, and became one of the most feared figures in fashion and publishing. But a change has been long overdue. Readers are fed up with revolting covers using AI Models or Lauren Sanchez’s Bridal Spread—American Vogue has undeniably fallen from grace. Vogue covers over the last few years have served up well-known models posed in front of a studio backdrop. But Wintour’s first cover in November 1988 with Michaela Bercu was so incredible because she did the exact opposite of what we see today.

Wintour recently named her successor as Head of Editorial Content at Vogue, and it’s caused a bit of backlash. While I don’t doubt that Chloe Malle, daughter of Emmy and Golden Globe winner Candace Begren, put in hard work to achieve this position – Wintour even states in an episode of the New Yorker Radio Hour that Malle had to consistently prove herself and show up with fresh ideas– her access to these opportunities is exclusive to those with “connections.” 

Malle hopes to make her mark by focusing on the magazine's print editions. She intends to completely reinvent them by replacing monthly print editions with less frequent, high-quality, collectible versions. These new editions will follow different cultural themes. It is undeniable that print media is dying, and one of the reasons for this decision could be declining profits. However, Vogue's decision to take this step reflects a concerning reality: we are moving closer to becoming an even more tech-centric society. Several people who are already dissatisfied with Chloe Malle's appointment have taken to social media to say that she is making a mistake with this new strategy. Is it necessary to make the already aspirational Vogue even more inaccessible? Should we believe the rumours that printed Vogue editions will become luxury items? Being the first to report on every cultural event, from politics to music to red carpets, is one of the challenges of working in the fashion industry, yet with fewer print editions and fewer posts on American Vogue's social media accounts, Malle hopes to change this. Given her intentions, which Wintour is obviously aware of, the former Editor in Chief contends that "She understands immediacy" is one of the factors that led to the appointment of her successor. The peculiarity of this long-awaited change in power is only increased by this contradiction. 

The American viewership has its eyes on Malle as she transitions into her new role. This shift could be seen as a change in our economy and hiring practices and a reflection of our political state. Both the magazine and our society are slipping into an already budding “exclusive” utopia, where the rich and powerful decide everything from our jobs and income to style and influence. 

Jett Jenkins