No, I don't mean the extensive photoshopping that has become the norm with virtually all fashion magazines. I'll give you ten seconds to peruse the illustrations below taken from the July 2008 edition of U.S. Harper's Bazaar and identify what is absolutely rotten with this magazine. I'll bet you'll need only five. No less than forty (40) pages of editorial coverage not to mention a cover were dedicated to US-based cosmetics conglomerate Estee Lauder in anticipation of the launch of its new fragrance. While no advertisement for the new fragrance appears as such in the issue, all four of the Estee Lauder spokes models appear in a total of 38 pages of the consecutive advertising-free section called “the well” plus 2 pages in the beauty section. (Source) Glenda Bailey might as well have changed the name of this formerly venerable magazine to the Estee Lauder catalogue. Is is any wonder that consumers are turning away from fashion publications altogether? To think of the blood, sweat and tears that her predecessor Liz Tilberis poured into this publication to bring it into the same league as Vogue. Thank you Glenda, thank you Hearst - your contempt for your readers is truly heartwarming.
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
Cover and images from U.S. Harper's Bazaar, July 2008.
first of all whoever made the color scheme on the cover didnt waist much time, and completely ignored that the title is to close in color to the dress therefor making it hard to read !second the title is beauty at every age "aha !!" where is the age range on this one they all look very much similar, plus !! they are all too beautiful to compare to normal folk lol. Thank you for this article i didnt know who the models are exactly but, there you go ! i think true fashionists look to freelance writers, blogs and the streets, our sources are changing and the magazines have to take note!
Posted by: muhajababe | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 at 17:52