2.1.2

Vogue - Context

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Vogue Context

Vogue is an international fashion magazine. The issue published in July 2021 covers Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani education activist.

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Product history

  • Vogue was first published in New York (1892) as a high-society diary.
  • It was bought by Condé Nast (1905) and turned into a fashion magazine for the upper class.
  • British Vogue launched in 1916 due to World War I – American issues couldn’t reach the UK.
  • Today, Vogue remains one of the most influential global fashion magazines.
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Vogue readership

  • British Vogue is a glossy, monthly, women’s lifestyle magazine.
    • It is known as “the Fashion Bible” – the leading voice in fashion, beauty and culture.
  • In 2021, it had:
    • 191,000 print copies sold monthly
    • 5.3 million digital subscriptions
    • 14.3 million social media followers
  • The magazine's target audience is ABC1 women, fashion-conscious, educated, and wealthy.
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Economic context

  • Vogue relies heavily on advertising revenue.
    • Most pages feature high-end brands like Gucci, Dior, and Chanel.
  • Readers spend an average of £8,000 per year on fashion and £1,000+ on cosmetics.
    • This wealth and status make Vogue’s readers valuable to advertisers.
  • The magazine must balance editorial content and commercial interests.
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Institutional context

  • Vogue's publisher, Condé Nast, is a global media company with titles like GQ and Vanity Fair.
  • British Vogue’s first Black male editor-in-chief in Vogue’s history was Edward Enninful (2017 - 2023).
  • His leadership brought:
    • Greater diversity and inclusion in fashion media.
    • More digital and social media engagement.
    • Broader representation of women from different cultures and backgrounds.
  • After he stepped down, he was replaced by Chioma Nnadi.
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Social & cultural context

  • Early Vogue represented upper-class, white, Western women.
    • Fashion and beauty ideals were narrow and exclusive.
  • Over time, Vogue evolved alongside women’s rights movements and changing beauty standards.
  • The July 2021 cover featuring Malala Yousafzai symbolises this modern direction, linking the magazine to issues of education, feminism, and empowerment.
    • It connects with younger audiences who value global issues and challenge old-fashioned stereotypes of women.

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