Women’s publications have always attempted to bridge the personal and the political, the serious and the entertaining. Particularly, Vogue has been regarded as the essential fashion publication in the world because of its extensive international reach and capacity to affect the content of other trade magazines. The articles in Vogue are frequently accompanied by or incorporate numerous images, multimedia, and visually appealing graphics. As a result, the journal has expanded its audience and enjoyed widespread acclaim.
The magazine was established in 1892 as a weekly high-society journal for New York City’s social elite, edited by Arthur Baldwin Turnure, covering news of the town’s community, high-society customs, and etiquette (Jones, 2020). Condé Montrose Nast, the creator of Condé Nast Publications, acquired Vogue in 1909 and turned it into a women’s fashion publication emphasizing elegance, beauty, and manners. When Anna Wintour took over as editor of Vogue in 1988, she quickly changed the magazine’s covers by emphasizing the woman’s body more than just her face and by frequently using Hollywood actors rather than conventional fashion models, starting a global trend.
Vogue has utilized its brand power to address social, political, and cultural issues. In an attempt to expand the publication, Vogue Italia’s 2008 “The Black Issue” featured only Black models while criticizing how White people typically dominate the fashion business. The Vogue Health Initiative, which pledged not to engage with underage models and to maintain safe working conditions for models, was signed by all Vogue editors in 2012 (Jones, 2020). However, in general, the fashion publishing sector has slightly improved. It is still blamed for “disseminating unrealistic and unhealthy weight standards, taking advantage of young models, and perpetuating racial and ethnic stereotypes.” The fashion industry and magazines have voiced their political opinions recently. There was a noticeable increase when well-known fashion publications like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and Teen Vogue made political statements for the first time during the 2016 presidential election. These journals and other fashion periodicals are now openly political and gain access to influential individuals. For instance, the clothes worn by first ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama were closely tied to their message, which later was analyzed and stated in the Vogue articles. The criticisms directed at the fashion publishing sector and the attempt to take action continue to show how the sector is inextricably linked to and affected by social, political, and cultural issues.
While the fashion business, women’s magazines, and feminism may seem incompatible, feminist fashion has become more prevalent in well-known publications like Vogue. Vogue has published pieces for women with a more feminized perspective, especially after 2008 (Jones, 2020). The magazine changed its focus from how women might please their partners to about women. However, the magazine’s detractors question what the publication is doing to alter the patriarchal institutions in the sector. The publication’s future involves expanding towards the most critical issues of societies, which can be addressed through style. The magazine’s influence allows its creators to navigate fashion trends and social perception as a tool to make changes and express opinions. For instance, by emphasizing particular movements and designers in the future, Vogue can shape the fashion community to make it aware of relevant topics.
Therefore, the magazine Vogue, founded as a fashion publication for women throughout its history, significantly expanded its influence. The changes show that articles demonstrate direct connections to social, political, and cultural issues in the latest publications. However, there are many possibilities for the creators to expand the area of work to reflect the trends and ideas of essential issues such as feminism or healthy self-perception of a person.
Reference
Jones, K. B. (2020). American Vogue and Sustainable Fashion: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 38(2), 104-118.