Modern fashion journalism is fashion journalism present in fashion articles in magazines, newspapers, and even digitally on websites and blogs. Fashion Journalism consists of several different sectors. These sectors consists of: fashion writers, fashion critics, fashion reporters, fashion interviews etc. Fashion critics usually criticize clothes lines and brands or fashion events, such as fashion week. Fashion reporters, report on the latest trends in the fashion world, and fashion writers are responsible for the write ups of fashion articles and columns in fashion magazines, websites and blogs. Additionally, fashion journalism consists of fashion interviews with designers and influence people in the fashion world and fashion photographers. Fashion photographers are in charge of capturing clothes, styles and events to share it with others.
History
The history of Modern Fashion journalism originated in the 18th-century, when the fashion dolls was replaced by the fashion magazines, notably the Cabinet des Modes. During the 19th-century, numerous fashion magazines were published, employing fashion journalists reportin on the latest trends from Paris. Among the earliest in Great Britain were Ann Margaret Lanchester, who published her own fashion paper, the Le Miroir de la Mode, and Mary Ann Bell, writing for the La Belle Assemblée in the early 19th-century.
In 1892, Arthur Baldwin Turnure, an American businessman founded Vogue, a weekly newspaper aimed for the New Yorkupper class. At that time, Vogue concentrated on documenting and sharing the upper class life style, mainly fashion for the female audience, but it also consisted of sport and entertainment for the male audience. In 1905, Conde Montrose Nast purchased Vogue and expanded the magazine overseas. The magazine, shortly after, shifted its focal audience to women but specifically elite women. Conde Montrose Nast, decided to release the first issue of the Magazine in France in 1920. Later in the late 1930s, Vogue led to the decline of Fashion illustrations when they started to replace their well known illustrated covers with photographic images. In 1973 Vogue became a monthly publication and under the editor-in-chief, Grace Mirabella the magazine when through drastic changes to respond to the change in lifestyle of the audience they were currently targeting. Mirabella was later interviewed and stated that she was chosen to create those chances in Vogue because “ women weren't interested in reading about or buying clothes that served no purpose in their changing lives”. She changed the magazine by adding interviews, art coverage and health pices, however she was fired in the 1980 when that type of lifestyle became outdated. Currently, Vogue is run by editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour who chained Vogue’s image to a younger and more approachable image for a large audience. This change allowed the magazine to maintain its high consumption up to this day.
Fashion Journalism in the 21st Century
Fashion Blogging
A Blog is a discussion or informational website as personal diary, created by a person, small groups or companies. Fashion Journalism have been affected by blogging. Now regular people blog about what they think about fashion, clothes and personal style. Bloggers can be sponsored by fashion industries in order to talk about what they think of their products.
Vlogging
Fashion vlogging is similar to blogging. The main difference is that instead of writing, people post videos about things such as clothes, make up tutorials, and accessories. Vlogging is a new type of branding where anyone could post about how to use this products or what they like or not. Many of this videos are posted to YouTube.
Education
Fashion Journalism is a career people can pursue now. Several colleges have majors on this such as:
Fashion Journalism has made a drastic change since internet became part of people lives. It is more accessible than ever before. Fashion industries now publish many of there articles on the internet. A huge change for the 21st century is that people can subscribe to the magazines they want online.
Social Media
Some fashion magazines have created apps where they post articles featuring in the physical magazines. Where people can do things such as quizzes and read about different subject about fashion. Photographs have been big for Fashion Journalism and now with social platforms they are speaking louder than words, in social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram fashion journalist post pictures about clothes, accessories, etc.
Big icons of Fashion Journalism
Carmel Snow : Revolutionized the idea of fashion journalism. She opened the doors for photography, art, home, and fiction writing in the magazine's pages in addition to regular fashion stories.
Grace Mirabella : Came from the business world. She became editor in chief of Vogue magazine without lots of experience in the fashion world. During her 17 years as chief, she demonstrated to the fashion journalism world that business skills were necessary and vital in the editorial world.
Franca Sozzani : Is a fashion editor in Vogue Italia. She is known for supporting models of any ethnicity or size. In many occasions, she displayed plus-size models in the cover of the magazine and devoted a whole article to all-black models, and an issue of African cultures.
Suzy Menkes : Is a famous critic of Vogue magazine. Her opinion is known for being able to make or break a collection. In the 1990s, she wrote about a new channel bag, inducing it was out of style. Recently, she made a strong critic of a Marc Jacobs show that started two hours late.
Anna Wintour : is characterized by her short hair, dark black sunglasses and her passion for young fashion. Since 1998, she has been the Chief and editor of Vogue Magazine featuring in the covers mixing high and low fashion with lots of costume and jewelry. Her main focus is portraying fashion as a lifestyle.
