1980’s
magazines,
editors + writers
A pre-internet decade saw magazines as a key platform to share knowledge and information, especially through a rebellious and anarchistic youth. The young and artistic amongst them used this medium as a way of expressing themselves freely. “Thatcherism had just started. We had nothing so we had nothing to lose.” Often independently published and printed, zines soon began to pick up pace and developed into well known titles such as i-D magazine. i-D was founded by designer and former Vogue art director Terry Jones in 1980. The first issue was published in the form of a hand-stapled fanzine with text produced on a typewriter. The issue focused on street style of the time, a typically punk style based around revolt and unrest. Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine, although first published in 1969, gained traction in the eighties and after Warhol’s death in 1987, went under changes to see the magazine go from niche to mass published. The magazine focused around unedited, raw interviews from celebrities of the time, and often shunned photography in favour of illustrative front covers.
1.
Blitz Magazine was at the forefront of rebellion and post modernistic ideas. Deemed as ‘the style bibe’, for eighties youth, the magazine often showed the influence in which dire political circustances had on the UK. The magazine often documented the misfits of London club, The Blitz Club, in which they share the same name. Iain Webb, fashion editor of the magazine, described the magazine’s style as one that was “creating personas, and that came from clubs. You would have a Rockabilly next to Little Bo Peep, next to an existentialist.” The Face, by Nick Logan, was a huge influence on eighties youth, as it covered both music and fashion, which are intrisically linked and of vital interest to youth culture. Similar to Blitz and i-D, The Face championed the New Romantic style, with Adam Ant as a frequent cover star.
The 1980’s marked the start of Elle’s domination over the fashion magazine industry. Once a struggling publication, Elle was taken over by Daniel Filipacchi and Jean-Luc Lagardere which then lead to launching the magazine on a global basis. Elles iconic feministic views and womans fashion saw the frequent occurrence of Elle Mcpherson on the cover of elle in the 1980’s. The style of the magazine was set to cater towards the baby boomers, the parents of the eighties kids, and tapped into their classic aesthetic. Contextually, the French origins of Elle could have provided these women with a sense of escapism and luxury, something which Thatcherism was depriving them of.
John Fairchild was born on 6th March 1927, described by many as a charismatic and outspoken publisher of two of the most powerful magazines Women’s Wear Daily and W Magazine. He is also the author of the book named ‘Chic Savages’ which was published in 1989. This is a ‘tell all’ insider’s perspective into the fashion publishing world which is based on fashion designers and their clientele. Designer, Tory Burch has recommended Fairchild’s book on her blog as ‘book of the week’, quoting to say ‘it’s as fun a fashion read now as it was in 1989.’
The 1980s saw Anna Wintour becoming editor-in-chief of American Vogue who completely revitalised the brand by making it younger and approachable aiming towards the baby boomer generation and a wider generation in general. This led to new concepts of fashion and giving an alternative view on the way women were perceived. Grace Coddington added that vogue “endorsed a democratic new high/low attitude to dressing, added some youthful but sophisticated raciness” Vogue effectively mixes political, social and economic matters gaining it a loyal following and making for a successful worldwide magazine.
2.
Valerie Steele, who was born in 1955, is an author who has written many books, including Fashion and Eroticism which was published in May 1985. This book is an overview of the changing fashions and why they happened from the early nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, it focuses on certain topics, such as, the changing technologies, political events and other issues that had an influence on womens fashion. Steele has explained in the book how eroticism created the Victorian ideal of feminine beauty and fashion.
As a writer for The Face magazine, Jon savage was a high profile journalist during the days of the Punk era which he covered in depth in his articles. Audience of The Face were 18- 25 year olds so Savage’s reviews were anticipated inspiration for the youthful readers of the UK. Savage is the author of England’s Dreaming: Sex Pistols, Teenage: The Creation of Youth 1875-1945 and Punk Rock as well as creating the film ‘Teenage’ with Matt Wolf. Being primarily a music journalist, naturally Savage was reporting on night clubs of the 1980’s and the clothing worn by clubbers, making him an influential writer of the New Romanticism pop-culture movement.
As well as being an author, Steele is also an editor, public intellectual and director and chief curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. It has been quoted that Steele has been instrumental in creating the modern field of fashion studies and also in raising public awareness of the cultural and social significance of fashion.
3.
In 1983 Art Cooper was appointed editor of GQ magazine and changed the magazine to the one we know today. The estimated readership of GQ in america is 824,334 which is down to Cooper changing the magazine to suit a broader range of readers. Cooper introduced mix of not only fashion and style coverage, but fiction, political profiles, investigative reports, firstperson articles, sports and other coverage. Cooper bought in the likes Tom Junod, Michael Kelly, Gay Talese, James Ellroy, Alan Richman, Michael Paterniti and Elizabeth Gilbert.
Anna Piaggi (Italian Vogue, Vanity 1980-1983) – Known for her extravagant fashion sense, Piaggi is a household name within fashion whose ‘Double pages’ laid down the law of all things glamour. Although he role as editor at Vanity was short-lived, her name and reputation from Vogue gained a cult following for the magazine. Andre Leon Talley (Ebony, Vogue 1983) – As the most authoritative voices in fashion, Talley offered his knowledge through many mediums including as a critic, writer and television personality. His Vogue column ‘Life with Andre’ gained a loyal following who regularly poured over his fashion explorations and anecdotes.
In terms of social context, the eighties was a decade divided. The poor were worse off and London became a disconnected bubble of new money. This was highlighted in print and publications of the time, although television was the dominant platform, magazines still held importance. Designers and luxury boomed as a result of a hedonistic society, and magazines such as Elle fuelled consumer’s desire. On the reverse, niche publications such as Blitz and The Face were platforms for reality and grit, acting as a platform for showcasing the reality of London’s creatives and self-expressionists.
4.
cultural influences cultural influences cultural influences
Beatrix Miller is responsible for starting or progressing the career of some of the most well known icons in the fashion industry such as, Grace Coddington and David Bailey. Miller interviewed Grace and hired her as junior editor, she said of Grace “If she went to China, she would become Chinese.” Grace Coddington is now one of the most influential creative directors in the industry and her career was started by Miller.
Anna Wintour (Vogue 1988 - present) – Anna Wintour predicted her fate by telling her co-workers at Harpers Bazaar that she wanted to edit Vogue and witnessed this dream come to fruition in 1988 when she was made Editor. She had strong ideas regarding the future of the magazine, evident in her first ever cover which was so unlike the typical close-ups Vogue readers were used to seeing. Despite gaining nickname’s such as ‘Nuclear Wintour’, her sharp and impatient nature aided her in her mission to restore Vogue’s pre-eminence and produce iconic and inspirational publications.