Of course, such disregard for fashion's forces of conservatism is what makes Roitfeld's work so exciting. Her arrival at French Vogue in 2001 brought a youthful energy to an ageing institution which, she readily admits, 'hadn't been so good' since the mid-Eighties. At that time, Paris was undergoing a wholehearted rejuvenation, with a generation of designers barely into their thirties being appointed as head designers of its most famous fashion houses: Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga, Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme, Phoebe Philo at Chloe. Roitfeld's appointment at Vogue seemed to anoint the arrival of this new generation. And while her youthful irreverence may have ruffled a few fusty feathers, it has revived the magazine's fortunes: in 2005, advertising revenue leapt 60 per cent, making it the best year for ad sales in two decades. 'I make big errors,' she says modestly, 'and I may be a bit punk sometimes, but I try to make it exciting for the reader. And the readership figure goes up. It will never be 'uge - because if it is 'uge it will be a different sort of magazine, too popular. So I cannot be too big. But we keep going up bit by bit ... the boss is happy.'
Another advantage was that she could focus on bringing up her children, while she watched overworked colleagues guiltily juggling motherhood and career-maintenance. 'I only start to work really hard when they grow up. Now I work every day, Saturday, Sunday - but the children are big, they study far away.'
Sunday February 25, 2007
The Observer
Yasmin Yusuf agrees that there's a dearth of ideas for women who are too old for clubbing but too young to make their own chutney: 'There isn't anything really slick and sexy for this market yet. It's such an opportunity. What is available is generally expensive - it's all about beautiful cut, something to give confidence, and that comes at a price. The middle-market retailers should be looking at this: the 35-plus group aren't going to stop loving fashion just because they've had another birthday.'
This year for the first time, women over 40 will make up more than 50 per cent of the UK female population. Many have money. Most have perfectly adequate bodies, thanks to a
Mimi Spencer is a columnist for You magazine
paris vogue is yes, rather brilliant and highly charged, but also rather arrogant.
american vogue is becoming far too unoffensive and bland.
british vogue however manages to please everone by demonstrating young london edge, whilst maintaining its english aristo classique.
not to mention articles with some real substance, which paris and american lack.
I would, however, not mind seeing someone replace alexandra shulman, she is slightly too sloaney for my liking.
(above from a blog on fashion
Another advantage was that she could focus on bringing up her children, while she watched overworked colleagues guiltily juggling motherhood and career-maintenance. 'I only start to work really hard when they grow up. Now I work every day, Saturday, Sunday - but the children are big, they study far away.'
Sunday February 25, 2007
The Observer
Yasmin Yusuf agrees that there's a dearth of ideas for women who are too old for clubbing but too young to make their own chutney: 'There isn't anything really slick and sexy for this market yet. It's such an opportunity. What is available is generally expensive - it's all about beautiful cut, something to give confidence, and that comes at a price. The middle-market retailers should be looking at this: the 35-plus group aren't going to stop loving fashion just because they've had another birthday.'
This year for the first time, women over 40 will make up more than 50 per cent of the UK female population. Many have money. Most have perfectly adequate bodies, thanks to a
Mimi Spencer is a columnist for You magazine
paris vogue is yes, rather brilliant and highly charged, but also rather arrogant.
american vogue is becoming far too unoffensive and bland.
british vogue however manages to please everone by demonstrating young london edge, whilst maintaining its english aristo classique.
not to mention articles with some real substance, which paris and american lack.
I would, however, not mind seeing someone replace alexandra shulman, she is slightly too sloaney for my liking.
(above from a blog on fashion
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