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British Vogue

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the UK magazine. For its parent publication, see Vogue (magazine). For other uses, see Vogue.

Vogue
Cover of the May 2000 issue, featuring Kate Moss
Head of Editorial ContentChioma Nnadi
CategoriesFashion
FrequencyMonthly
Circulation1.8 million
First issueSeptember 1916
CompanyCondé Nast Publications
CountryUnited Kingdom
Based inLondon
LanguageEnglish
Websitevogue.co.uk

British Vogue (stylised in all caps) is the British edition of the American fashion magazine Vogue. The magazine was launched in 1916 by Condé Nast, linking together fashion and high society.[1]

British Vogue is the third most profitable edition of Vogue worldwide (other than the American and Chinese editions).[2][3]

Background

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British Vogue is the British edition of the American fashion magazine Vogue. The magazine is published monthly twelve times per year. Within the United Kingdom copies of the magazine come without the 'British' in the 'O' in the publications logo.

Circulation

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Total print circulation (United Kingdom and international)[4]
Year 2020 2022 2024
Circulation 682,709[note 1] 1,764,164 1,821,693

Editors

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Editor Start year End year Ref.
Vogue (1916–present)
Elspeth Champcommunal 1916 1922 [5]
Dorothy Todd 1923 1926 [6]
Alison Settle 1926 1934 [7]
Elizabeth Penrose 1935 1939 [7]
Audrey Withers 1940 1961 [7]
Ailsa Garland 1961 1964
Beatrix Miller 1964 1984 [7]
Anna Wintour 1985 1987 [8]
Liz Tilberis 1988 1992
Alexandra Shulman 1992 2017 [7]
Edward Enninful 2017 2023 [9]
Chioma Nnadi 2023 present [10]

History

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Early years under Chapcommunal, Todd, and Settle (1916–1934)

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During the World War I, Condé Nast (publisher of Vogue) dealt with restritions on overseas shipping and paper shortages in the United States. To answer the problem the decision was made to launch a British edition providing Vogue coverage across the British Isles, with the American edition unable to be shipped to Britain.

Under the editor Elspeth Champcommunal, articles included 'society and sporting news... Health and beauty advice... travelogues... and editorials', making a 'skillfully mixed cocktail'.[11]

Dorothy Todd became editor in 1923 and was renowned for her boldness, especially blending the arts and fashion. Under her leadership the magazine shifted its focus from fashion to literature, featuring articles from Clive Bell, Virginia Woolf, Aldous Huxley, and more.[12] However, the magazine also lost much of its audience due to these changes and she was replaced by Alison Settle in 1926.

Pre and post-war under Penrose and Withers (1935–1960)

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Audrey Withers became editor of the magazine in 1940 (replacing Elizabeth Penrose Howkins who edited the publication from 1935 to 1939). During the World War II the magazine reported on events of the war. In 1944, Lee Miller was sent to Normandy by Withers to produce an article on wartime nursing; then following the Allied advance through Europe reporting on the liberation of Paris and Buchenwald concentration camp.[13]

Under Anna Wintour and Liz Tilberis (1985–1992)

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Anna Wintour served as Editor-in-Chief from 1985 to 1987 before taking over House & Garden, only editing the magazine for ten months before becoming Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue a position which she is still in.

Liz Tilberis then took over the magazine running the publication until 1992 when she joined Vogue's rival Harper's Bazaar in New York City as editor-in-chief.

Under Alexandra Shuman (1992–2017)

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Under Alexandra Shulman the magazine drew over a million readers. Shulman developed collectors issues of the magazine such as the 'Gold Millennium Issue'. Shulman was also praised for her use of up and coming photographers like Mario Testino.[citation needed] Shulman pushed designers to stop using 'size-zero' models and attempted to 'change the face of fashion'.[citation needed]

In 2016, Shulman collaborated with photographer Josh Olins to shoot Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge on the cover of Vogue's centenary issue. The photographs were subsequently featured in the National Portrait Gallery, London[14] The magazine under Shulman was the subject of Richard Macer's behind-the-scenes BBC documentary, Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue (2016).[citation needed]

Current era under Enninful and Nnandi (2017–present)

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Edward Enninful was confirmed as the new editor-in-chief of British Vogue on 10 April 2017.[15] Condé Nast International Chairman and CEO Jonathan Newhouse announced him as the successor to Alexandra Shulman, calling Enninful "an influential figure in the communities of fashion, Hollywood and music which shape the cultural zeitgeist", adding that "by virtue of his talent and experience, Edward is supremely prepared to assume the responsibility of British Vogue".

Enninful's first issue as editor-in-chief was 2017's December issue, featuring British model and activist Adwoa Aboah on the cover.[16]

The magazine's September 2020 triple gatefold cover featured pictures of 20 activists often associated with the Black Lives Matter movement, including Marcus Rashford and Adwoa Aboah. The Activism Now edition was photographed by Misan Harriman and was the first British Vogue cover taken by a black man in the magazine's 104-year history (Nadine Ijewere was the first black female to take a cover photograph).[17]

Actress Dame Judi Dench became the oldest person at age 85 to be featured on the June 2020 cover.[18] In 2022, actor Timothée Chalamet became the first, solo male print cover star, in the magazine's history.

In June 2023, Enninful announced his departure from the magazine and his last cover was the March 2024 issue.[19]

Chioma Nnadi succeeded Enninful as editor, and was the first Black woman to be head of editorial content at the publication.[20]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Missing January and May to October issues

References

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  1. ^ König A. (2006). Glossy Words: An Analysis of Fashion Writing in British Vogue. Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, 10(1/2), 205–224.
  2. ^ Lisa Armstrong. "Vogue China celebrates 100 issues with Mario Testino edition". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Angelica Cheung is arguably the most powerful Vogue editor in the world. Anna Wintour may be more famous, but Cheung's Vogue - the Chinese edition - is so commercially successful...
  3. ^ "China's in vogue so Vogue's in China". People's Daily. 21 July 2005. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Vogue - ABC UK". www.abc.org.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  5. ^ Pentelow, Orla (10 April 2017). "Vogue Editors Through The Years". British Vogue. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  6. ^ Dazed (8 February 2018). "The 1920s lesbian power couple who transformed Vogue". Dazed. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e "VOGUE UK". VINTAGE VON WERTH. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Anna Wintour | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". The Business of Fashion. 4 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  9. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (10 April 2017). "Edward Enninful as British Vogue Editor: A Barrier-Breaking Choice". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  10. ^ Ferrier, Morwenna (18 September 2023). "Chioma Nnadi to replace Edward Enninful as head of British Vogue". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  11. ^ Mahood, A., Fashioning Readers: The avant garde and British Vogue, 1920-9 in Women, 13 (1) (2002), pp. 37–47
  12. ^ Aldous Huxley: Selected Letters". p. 144. Ivan R. Dee, 2007
  13. ^ Drusilla Beyfus, 'Withers, (Elizabeth) Audrey (1905–2001), magazine editor' in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2005)
  14. ^ "The Duchess Is Vogue's Centenary Cover Star". Vogue UK. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  15. ^ "British Vogue hires first male editor". BBC News. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  16. ^ Gilbert, Sophie. "Can a New Vogue Editor Make Britain Great Again?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  17. ^ Davies, Caroline (3 August 2020). "Marcus Rashford scores cover of British Vogue's September issue". The Guardian.
  18. ^ "Judi Dench, 85, is the oldest British Vogue cover star ever — see her photo shoot!". TODAY.com. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  19. ^ Mzizi, Yola (8 February 2024). "Edward Enninful's Final British Vogue Cover Features 40 Former Cover Stars". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  20. ^ Ferrier, Morwenna (18 September 2023). "Chioma Nnadi to replace Edward Enninful as head of British Vogue". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
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