BSME committee member and editor of Grazia, Hattie Brett, chats to former editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman. Alexandra is a worthy first guest in the BSME’s new virtual series of talks with industry experts. You can view the recording below to hear her insights into the reality of 25 years of editing Vogue and life after one of the biggest jobs in magazines - during which she’s written her new book Clothes... and Other Things that Matter.
10 Things We Learnt
Summarised by Megan Dickson
BA (Hons) Journalism, University of Roehampton. 2016-2019 – First-Class Honours.
The BSME held its first BSME LIVE! In Conversation With on the Wednesday 5 August. Hattie Brett, editor of Grazia Magazine spoke to former British Vogue editor, Mail on Sunday Columnist and author of Clothes…And Other Things That Matter, Alexandra Shulman, about the future of the industry, editing a magazine institution for 25 years, and life after leaving the top job in fashion print media.
1. Niche titles could be the future: Speaking about the days prior to Covid-19, Alexandra said: “I don’t think I had one professional conversation that wasn’t about what is going to happen with print media? I very much felt that that it would be the survival of the fittest or the survival of the most unique. I think we are seeing a lot more niche magazines actually doing quite well, and indeed, starting up.”
2. Print still has a place in the digital age: And perhaps the power of something physical now holds even more value for consumers who are spending all day looking at screens whilst working from home in the COVID-19 world. Hattie said: “I definitely think there is a new appreciation to holding something in your hand.”
3. Dial up the escapism: When asked what Alexandra would be doing if she was still the editor of Vogue, Alexandra responded with: “Now I feel like I want to see inspiring things, beautiful things. I don’t want to see depressing, dull images. I want to feel as though there is a future out there. So, I think I would be trying to create as optimistic publication as I possibly could.”
4. Put the reader at the heart: When Alexandra became the editor of British Vogue in 1992, her main aim was to make the magazine more relatable to a wider audience. “My mission was very much to take it away from being a magazine that was about fashion per se and it was more about every woman, and to bring in more of the readers’ voices and what your average woman might be wearing,” she said.
5. Being original never goes out of fashion: When asked what her favourite issue of Vogue was, Alexandra said she couldn’t choose but was most proud of the ones that had original ideas in them. “I liked the ones where you threw the whole thing up in the air and it came down differently,” she said. Alexandra also added that with newsstand sales in decline anyway, editors today have more license to experiment with covers and themed issues as their criteria for success is about more than just copy sales.
6. What makes a successful cover: Hattie said that having a successful magazine cover today goes beyond sales on the newsstand but also has to create a story in itself on social media. Alexandra added that covers can be incredibly formulaic, and she said: “A successful cover is one where you notice it is different from the one before.”
7. Sometimes unexpected is best: When speaking about Vogue’s centenary cover, where the Duchess of Cambridge was on the cover, Alexandra spoke of the conflict of choosing the final image. “I had wanted to do tiaras and balls gowns,” she recalled. However the Duchess of Cambridge, perhaps mindful of the images of her late mother-in-law in Vogue, had wanted to wear more casual clothes that she felt better reflected her personality. Even so, Alexandra shared that the final cover choice – in which the Duchess wears a hat and trench coat – wasn’t anyone’s first choice, but rather the resulting compromise of discussions over a cover of such a significant issue. Shulman also shared that there is an alternative cover hidden away in a drawer somewhere that she loved but the Duchess of Cambridge didn’t even want in the mix.
8. Be willing to start at the bottom: Alexandra said if you’re considering a role in the fashion industry right now, expect to start as an assistant and look to public relations agencies. She said: “I would say the key thing is to get the foot in the door, whatever way you get that foot in, and then you can try and slither your way into the fashion area.” Hattie added that you have to be resilient.
9. Frequencies might change in the future: When asked about the future of print media, Alexandra said that whilst she was sure magazines like Vogue would survive, their format may change. “I am not sure whether I would say in five years’ time whether a magazine like Vogue will publish twelve times a year. I am sure it will exist. In the future I could see it becoming more of a coffee table product,” she said.
10. Be brimming with ideas: Alexandra’s top tip for those starting out in journalism? Have a large pool of reference and to read as much as you can. “You got to have ideas, not just copy what has been before,” she said.
Social media co-ordinator: Jasmina Matulewicz
BA (Hons) Journalism, University of Roehampton. 2017-2020 – First-Class Honours.
