Fashion magazine supremacy; it helps to have a lot of online traffic
Forbes magazine says that Cindi Leive, the editor of Glamour magazine, is America's most influential fashion editor. What gave her the edge and nudged her ahead of Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue was Leive's online performance. The magazine considered annual gains in revenue, circulation and price but also used the monthly unique visitors measurement to determine how well the editor's title was transitioning from print to online.By Forbes's measures, Wintour tied for second with Elle magazine's Roberta Myers, followed by Kate White of Cosmopolitan and Charla Lawhon of In Style.Leive was named editor-in-chief of Glamour in 2001. Under Leive's helm, the magazine has reached its highest circulation ever: 2.4 million, according the Audit Bureau of Circulations, a Schaumburg, Ill.-based third-party organization that monitors the circulation of American publications. In 2005, the magazine won the most coveted award in the industry: The National Magazine Awards' prize for General Excellence.
What's more, Glamour.com's traffic--which becomes increasingly important as the Web garners a larger share of advertisers and viewers who prefer to get information online over print--has increased by 118% from July 2007 to 862,708 monthly unique users in July 2008, according to comScore, a Reston, Va.-based company that measures online traffic.
Although they weren't in the running (I'm sure Forbes doesn't even consider them) I wonder who would be considered Canada's most influential fashion editor? Click on comments below and give us your thoughts (and why).
posted by D. B. Scott at
11:54 am
21 Comments:
No doubt: Ceri Marsh
Agree with Ceri!
for sure, Ceri Marsh
OK, Ceri Marsh of Fashion magazine. But why?
As crazy and self-absorbed as Suzanne Boyd was (or is), she was one of the only Cdn fashion editors that had a dynamic character... David Livingston also was that breed of dynamo, and he definitely has the sharpest eye and wit.
Between Flare and Fashion, Ceri Marsh wins by default. Ceri Marsh is believable as a fashion editor, Lisa Tant is not. Lisa is the one without personal style, she has no idea how to wear clothes, in fact her clothes wear her (instead of the other way around). Lisa Tant is a fashion follower (and not a fashion leader) and this translates through the magazine.
Take a look at her competition--Flare reads like Cosmo light and Elle Canada puts you to sleep.
Not Ceri. Fashion mag is rarely interesting or original. Every time I read it I feel like it's just a little recycled and flat. Lots of snob factor for sure. Elle can say it's based on a franchised look and tone, and at least Flare has some personality.
Puh-leaze. Flare? It's embarassing and so junior, more like Teen Vogue than Vogue. Lisa Tant doesn't know from fashion. The only sophisticated style magazine produced in Canada is Fashion. Ceri Marsh and Susie Sheffman consistently put out a great product.
Okay, I was hoping for a slightly more elevated level of analysis than "I like her clothes" or "We need a diva." The US item looks at which mag editor has the most influence, based on how essential her brand is to fashion-conscious consumers (presumably at least in part due to her leadership and editorial abilities). Do consumers flock to her website? Is the magazine a must-read--and do you measure that based on sheer volume of readership or on who reads it? Ceri might be the most influential but so far no-one has offered anything close to a convincing argument in her favour--just a lot of hissing and spitting.
I agree; some of the comments we've received are "hissing and spitting" rather reasoned analysis, which is what I'd hoped for.
Hey, ivory tower boys, this is fashion. Hissing and spitting is what we DO. Meow.
How interesting that Cindi Leive edged out Anna Wintour for the number one spot in the fashion influence contest. We all know how Anna Wintour puts herself together (those shades! that bob!), but who among us retains a mental image of Cindi Leive? We've all shared dishy stories about Anna's imperious ways, but Cindi rides the elevator to work alongside her underlings and quietly gets the job done. I'm sure there are those who said, "Puh-leeze!" when this news broke. To be honest, I too was startled...for about 10 seconds. Then I remembered what editorial influence is all about: becoming the subliminal guiding voice inside the heads of readers, including readers you'd never know or even want to know; pushing what's new and next down to street level in communities across a country or a continent; seeing one's impact reflected in subscriber loyalty, online traffic and imitators trying to catch up. Here's to Canada's Cindi Leive, whoever she may be.
Who cares what Lisa Tant wears or doesn't wear? The magazine has never read or looked better in years. Remember how self centered and egotistical it read before she took it over? Today it is by far the most influential magazine out there and always puts out the best stories and covers in Canada. I also think all fashion editors are followers but in terms of influence through substance and intelligence, Flare is winning my vote right now.
Lisa Tant has MADE Flare - it is such a great read and looks/feels like a european magazine with Canadian sensibility. Fashion tries too hard to be high-brow and it comes across like that. Elle piggybacks on their American counterpart. Flare is, and will always be, the number one fashion magazine in Canada.
@ anonymous 6.08
PMB would be to differ.
In the realm of Real Fashion, FLARE has become a woman's magazine, putting more celebs on it's cover than actual models. To me, a long time reader, that is NOT what fashion is about. Bravo to FASHION Magazine for actually reporting on the Art of Dressing.
anonymous @ 10:21: wouldn't it be nice if someday, someone actually reported on the fallacy of PMB? We all know that name confusion helps (Did I read Fashion magazine recently? Hmm, well I read a fashion magazine--I think it might have been called fashion--Why yes, I read Fashion magazine!) and that "Canadian" in the title gives you a bump too. I know that at least we're all being measured by the same yardstick, and ad buyers love it so it must be good--but is there a single soul out there who actually believes the readership baloney that PMB spits out?
Just wondering...
I agree. PMB is a joke. And so is the title of Fashion for a magazine. I never see anyone read that magazine on the subway, ever. The race is between Flare and Elle Canada. And since Elle Canada's stories are completely beneath Elle U.S. or Elle U.K. and seem like a read through People, I'd say the most original fashion magazine in this country is Flare.
Seems like someone at Rogers doesn't want to open their eyes. The numbers don't lie and FLARE has failed to impress over the past few years. End of story.
Suzanne, just let it go.
Not sure if you're referring to Suzanna Boyd, but believe me, this is not her.
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