With the end of school approaching, people are asking me what I want to do when I finish school. When I tell them I want to work for a fashion magazine, one of the most common questions is, "Isn't that kind of a dying field?" While I had never really paid much attention before, I started to realize that there is a rapidly growing number of 'fashion & style' websites that are easily accessible and updated much more frequently than the monthly or quarterly magazines. So I started a little investigation, in 2011 a large number of fashion magazines including Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, and Glamour were facing 15-20% declines in sales, but their digital versions weren’t taking off either. If you look at several fashion magazine websites, you will notice that they have incorporated frequently updated fashion news, a live twitter feed, exclusive interviews, and so much more. Its almost as if they are creating a second magazine for just their website content. The Ipad app for numerous fashion magazines provides a convenient way for readers to go through the magazine. These apps are certainly more advanced and where our future is headed, but with online luxury retailer sites like Net-a-Porter, Shopbop, and Shopstyle all providing magazine-like look books with the option to buy the clothing as they view a look, what will fashion magazines do to stand out once they turn completely digital? These online luxury retailer sites have already been so innovative by making a shoppable online fashion magazine that the current magazines will be years behind, and unless they can find something different to offer their readers, they will soon be extinct. Net-a-Porter releases weekly magazines as opposed to monthly or quarterly.
Net-a-Porter Ipad app. Shop while you read.
I have been reading fashion magazines since I was 8. Starting with Seventeen magazine, to the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and Elle (UK editions of course!). For me, nothing beats sitting down with a coffee and a magazine and indulging in the latest trends and creative editorials. One thing you can never do with an Ipad is cutout images and use them for school projects or inspiration boards. So to all of you fashion lovers out there, don’t let the print magazines die! Let me know what you love about your favourite fashion magazines!
The PAST.
The FUTURE.
Next time….
I’ll be writing about trends that need to disappear!
Jamie Duncan
@JamieLDuncan
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