Are Fashion Magazines Still Relevant in 2021? (2024)

I recently wrote this piece for a university assignment, but I wanted to share it here too. Personally, I love fashion magazines, but I have a complicated relationship with them for various reasons—their promotion of consumerism and unrealistic depictions of women are just the tip of the iceberg. In this essay, I try to unpack whether we still have a need for fashion magazines in a post-COVID-19 world.

Are Fashion Magazines Still Relevant in 2021? (1)

Image by Charisse Kenion via Unsplash

When you’re living in a world ridden with climate change, a global pandemic and economic crises, it can be easy to dismiss fashion magazines as trivial “vehicles for luxury fantasies”. But in the wake of it all, these glossy publications are ditching their once-shiny veneers and opting for a more humanist approach.

It goes without saying that in recent years, magazines have taken a hit. Baur Media has torn Australia and New Zealand’s local industries to shreds, closing popular titles like Cleo, Cosmopolitan and Grazia. Similarly, media giant Mercury Capital took a hit to their advertising revenue due to COVID-19 and had to close eight titles in Australia (formally owned by Baur), including Elle, InStyle and Harper’s Bazaar.

It may look pretty dire on the surface, but there’s still hope for print magazines in Australia. Despite being in an increasingly digital world — of which I reluctantly am contributing to — Australians still seem to be preferencing the print magazine over the digital. Roy Morgan research found that in 2019, more than 13 million Australians were still reading print magazines each year. That’s more than half the population. In the same year, Vogue Australia’s readership increased by 29 per cent and Marie Claire readership went up by 18.7 per cent. Sadly, these numbers went backwards in 2020 due to the impacts of you know what, but most of these readerships have still had a net increase since 2018.

Despite the setbacks in numbers, fashion magazines are far from dead. Local fashion and style print titles like Frankie are continuing to cater to over 260,000 readers a year. With trends towards shopping local gaining traction in 2020, Frankie’s focus on local businesses and ethical fashion might be one of the reasons they’re surviving while the glossies fall down around them.

Similarly, Peppermint Magazine and Fashion Journal continue to publish articles on local businesses and fashion brands with a strong focus on ethics, sustainability and inclusivity. Even Vogue Australia appointed a sustainability editor-at-large in 2018, responding to the growing demand for sustainable and ethical fashion.

These local trends are indicative of a wider change in fashion titles around the world. Fashion magazines are shifting their focus away from catwalk reports and trend-forecasting (although these elements are still present), to “serious events and the social issues of the day”.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the Italian Vanity Fair featured a surgeon on the cover, the UK Grazia cover featured NHS workers, and the Portuguese edition of Vogue displayed two models kissing through facemasks. Prior to COVID though, some of the biggest titles were already breaking away from the glossy norm. The duch*ess of Sussex guest-edited the ‘Faces of Change’ edition of British Vogue which featured stories from inspiring women, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, inclusivity activist Sinead Burke and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The duch*ess said she wanted to “steer [the magazine’s] focus to the values, causes and people making [an] impact in the world”.

Over in the US, Teen Vogue has been rebranded in the last few years as a platform for activism, feminism and style that represents a new generation of readers. The change has been spearheaded by the youngest ever Conde Nast editor, Elaine Welteroth, who got the job at the age of 29. She was also the second black editor to hold the position. The magazine has reported on issues relating to the Black Lives Matter movement, #MeToo, gun control and climate change.

So, if you’re still wondering whether we need fashion magazines in 2021, the answer is probably not, but we still seem to want them. The question for me is more about the relevance of their content.

The last few years, and 2020 especially, have shown that consumers care about where their clothes come from as well as what they look like. Fashion, and clothes more generally, are responsible for 8 per cent of global carbon emissions, and the industry employs approximately one in every eight people globally. Personally, I’d like to see fashion magazines including more stories about clothing production, brands working towards sustainable futures, diverse designers, and garment workers — basically, the fashion industry as a whole, not just the consumer-driven, retail and fashion week-focussed end of the spectrum.

Are Fashion Magazines Still Relevant in 2021? (2024)

FAQs

Are Fashion Magazines Still Relevant in 2021? ›

According to the Alliance for Audited Media, which tracks the performance of such publications, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Elle and InStyle all saw readers of their print magazine or online magazine editions decline to varying degrees in 2021, compared to 2020.

Do people still read fashion magazines? ›

Despite the setbacks in numbers, fashion magazines are far from dead. Local fashion and style print titles like Frankie are continuing to cater to over 260,000 readers a year.

Why are fashion magazines still relevant? ›

Fashion magazines are primarily published to give its readers tips on how to improve their style, highlight current trends and inform readers on how to improve their careers.

Why are fashion magazines in decline? ›

They sell readers on consumerist dreams, sandwiching glossy images of supermodels and stars between advertisem*nts for $50,000 watches and $250 moisturizers. The new coronavirus pandemic and lockdown orders have derailed those dreams. As a result, fashion magazines have been derailed both in production and purpose.

Who are fashion magazines aimed at? ›

The publisher's purpose for a magazine is to give its advertisers the opportunity to educate their readers about their products (what those readers want). It's the same purpose that any corporate website has. Fashion magazines are mainly aimed at an older audience and a female audience.

Do Millennials look at magazines? ›

According to a Customer Focus Research study published by Quad Graphics, 62% of Millennials prefer to read printed magazines, with 49% of this age group having read a magazine in the last 7 days, covering a large part of their media consumption.

Who reads magazines anymore? ›

More adults reported reading physical/printed magazines (68.5%) than print newspapers (61.6%), but they tend to read them slightly less frequently. About 3 in 10 adults reported reading magazines on a weekly basis, including 1 in 12 (8.4%) who do so daily.

Are magazines dying out? ›

Over the past few years, we've seen print numbers decline with more people turning to digital media for their entertainment following the rise of online publications and the Covid-19 pandemic. Verticals like men's magazines have been hit especially hard by online competition such as Instagram.

Are magazines on the decline? ›

Estimated revenue from Periodical Publishing dropped from $40.2 billion in 2002 to $23.9 billion in 2020. There was a 20.7% revenue decline from 2002 to 2010, and a 25.0% decrease from 2010 to 2020.

Does Gen Z read Vogue? ›

People appears in the top two for both groups, and Cosmopolitan and National Geographic also rank in the top five for each. As for differences, Gen Z was more likely to name Seventeen and Teen Vogue, while Millennials were more likely to name Time and the New York Times Magazine.

Which is the world's leading fashion magazine? ›

DON'T MISS A THING
  • Vogue. Founded in 1892 as a weekly high-society journal, Arthur Baldwin Turnure created Vogue. ...
  • Elle. Founded in Paris in 1945 and first sold as a supplement to France-Soir, Elle is now one of the world's largest fashion magazines. ...
  • Harper's Bazaar. ...
  • Cosmopolitan. ...
  • Vanity Fair. ...
  • Marie Claire. ...
  • Allure. ...
  • InStyle.
Apr 14, 2023

What is the world's most influential fashion magazine? ›

Vogue. This is arguably the most famous fashion magazine in the world – it tops all charts. Vogue was first published in 1892 as a weekly newspaper that slowly turned into a fashion magazine.

What are the Big 4 fashion magazines? ›

The Big Four, sometimes referred to as The Big 4, is the name given in fashion to the four most notable Vogue covers; American Vogue, British Vogue, Vogue France and Vogue Italia. The term is commonly used when a model completes all four covers and is considered one of the biggest achievements in the fashion industry.

What age group is Vogue aimed at? ›

Helmed by prolific Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, American VOGUE attracts a primarily female audience (approx. 80%) and covers a broad age range, though primary demographics range from 17-29-year-olds.

How do fashion magazines influence society? ›

Fashion magazines are important communication agents to engage the people in society. In addition, they also talk about the newest news from the style industry. Also, magazines helped in transforming as well as adapting social changes.

Which is the top magazine for fashion followers? ›

Top 10 Fashion Magazines in India for 2020
  • Vogue Magazine. Vogue India Magazine is an Indian edition of Vogue and the world's top best fashion magazine for women. ...
  • Elle Magazine. ...
  • Harper's Bazaar Magazine. ...
  • Femina Magazine. ...
  • Woman's Era Magazine. ...
  • GQ Magazine. ...
  • Man's World Magazine. ...
  • Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Do Gen Z like fashion? ›

Gen Z is a lot more conscious of where their clothes are coming from. When they're choosing between brands, they want to know not only if the clothes are in style, but also if the brand stands for something bigger than itself. Clothing brands that offer unisex or gender-fluid clothing are all the rage.

Should I throw away my old magazines? ›

Not all old magazines can go in the recycling bin, even if they are printed on clay-coated paper. Stained magazines should go to the landfill instead of the recycling center. If you've used your old magazines to protect your floor while painting or to line the bottom of the cat litter, toss it in the garbage.

What age cut is Millennials? ›

The Brookings Institution defines the millennial generation as people born from 1981 to 1996, as does Gallup, Federal Reserve Board, American Psychological Association, CBS, and ABC Australia. Australia's McCrindle Research uses 1980–1994 as Generation Y (millennial) birth years.

What are the trends in the magazine industry? ›

Key trends in the magazine industry include the growth of digital and mobile platforms, the emergence of new business models, the rise of influencer marketing, and the increasing importance of data-driven decision making.

What is happening to the magazine industry? ›

The U.S. consumer magazine industry shrunk by more than 20% in the past five years, due largely to print advertising declines, per PwC data. But the rate of decline is expected to slow slightly in the next five years, thanks to new efforts from online media companies to acquire and digitize traditional print brands.

What is the future of magazine publishing? ›

Around the world magazine publishing is expected to continue growing by between 1% and 0.5% per year to 2026, according to a recent report. Smartphones and tablet devices are contributing to the continued popularity of magazines.

Are magazines worth keeping? ›

Most any older periodicals can have some value depending on how many people want it. As an example, to those who gather sports memorabilia, finding a copy of the first Sports Illustrated magazine published in 1954 can be a real treasure. They easily retail for thousands in excellent to mint condition.

Should you always keep magazines loaded? ›

The one concern that's fairly common with keeping magazines loaded involves the spring. Over time, it's possible for loaded magazines to cause some degree of wear to this important part. The potential problem is that a worn or “less springy” spring could contribute to firing difficulties or malfunctions.

Where do outdated magazines go? ›

1. Your Local Library. One of my favorite places to donate both books and magazines is to my local library. Even if the library does not need the magazines itself, for its patrons, many libraries hold a Friend of the Library Sale where they can sell your used magazines to help with their own fundraising.

What popular magazines no longer exist? ›

H
  • Hands-On Electronics (1984–1989)
  • The Hard Copy Observer (1991–2012)
  • Harp (2001–2008)
  • Harper's Weekly (1857–1916)
  • Harper's Young People (1879–1899)
  • Harvest (1980–1992)
  • HDI, CMP Media (1998–2001)
  • Healthy Kids, American Baby/American Academy of Pediatrics/PRIMEDIA (1989–2001)

Is InStyle magazine still printed? ›

The last publication of InStyle will be released in April 2022. Reportedly, the step towards launching a digital magazine will result in the loss of around 200 jobs.

What percent of Millennials read magazines? ›

Ninety percent of Americans under 25 read print and digital versions of magazines – and 63 percent of millennials (Americans aged 25 to 40) say that, even in the digital age, they love the touch and feel of a printed magazine.

What is Gen Y fashion? ›

They love bold colors and pieces that make a statement without being too over-the-top. They'll take risks with their fashion choices, and they aren't afraid to express themselves through clothes. From fluorescent colors to graphic prints, Generation Y takes pride in standing out from the crowd while embracing trends.

What is considered attractive to Gen Z? ›

Body positivity and natural beauty are genuine values of Gen Z, but that doesn't stop thin, fit, traditionally beautiful bodies from being the most celebrated. As 17-year-old Maya Al-Jamie told HuffPost, Gen Z is told to idolize women with bodies that fit the beauty standard for being body positive.

What is Gen Z fashion sense? ›

“With shorter trend cycles, a lot of Gen Z creators are moving away from dressing to fit hyper-specific aesthetics,” says TikTok content creator Pierrah Hilaire. “They overlap, and trends like cow print or deconstructed fashion can transcend a lot of niche fashion styles.”

What is the oldest running fashion magazine? ›

Harper's Bazaar: The First Fashion Magazine

This extremely early date is somewhat astonishing, as is the personality of its founder, Mary Louise Booth. This feminist before her time wanted to provide women with a magazine keeping them up to date with fashion, society, literature and the arts.

Who is America's biggest magazine seller? ›

People magazine had the largest audience in the United States in the final quarter of 2022, with an average monthly reach of 82.07 million people. Allrecipes ranked second with a reach of 53.11 million, followed by AARP The Magazine with a total audience of just over 52.5 million.

Which is better Elle or Vogue? ›

Vogue is very high-end and pitches its articles to a somehow older type of an audience, while Elle is accessible to a wider range of people. Of course, if you are a true fashionista, or at least an aspiring one, you will buy Vogue, even if you will only have it on the coffee table.

What are high fashion magazines? ›

Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair are all fashion magazines.

What is the number 1 magazine in the world? ›

Top 50 magazines in the world
RankOutletTotal Visits
1T: The New York Times Style Magazine552,459,440
2The New York Times Magazine552,459,440
3T Magazine552,459,440
4The Observer Magazine322,065,156
46 more rows

Who is the most influential person in the fashion industry? ›

Anna Wintour is quite literally the most powerful fashion magazine editor in America.

What is the big four fashion capitals of the 21st century? ›

The 'BIG FOUR” London, Paris, New York, and Milan. These are the fashion capitals of the world. The fashion capitals are the cities that have a major influence on international fashion trends, designs, production, and retailing. Also on the events that have a huge impact on the economic output.

Which is the top magazine in the US in terms of circulation size *? ›

AARP Magazine — the United States' largest-circulation magazine, with about 35 million readers — helps people 50+ live their most fulfilling lives.

Which country has the best Vogue? ›

The British Vogue, launched in 1916, was the first international edition, while the Italian version Vogue Italia has been called the top fashion magazine in the world.

Who is the oldest woman on Vogue? ›

A 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines named Apo Whang-Od has set a new record by becoming the oldest person to ever grace the cover of Vogue.

Who is the target audience of GQ? ›

GQ uses the data about its primary audience to demonstrate the magazine is a viable option for advertisers looking to target affluent men interested in travel, technology, grooming, fitness, and fashion.

Who is the oldest woman on Vogue magazine? ›

Well, their April issue is out now and the magazine has revealed that their cover star is Apo Whang-Od, 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines, who now has the distinction of being the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.

Why do people buy fashion magazines? ›

Fashion magazines are primarily published to give its readers tips on how to improve their style, highlight current trends and inform readers on how to improve their careers.

What is the relevance of fashion magazines? ›

Fashion magazines are an essential component of the fashion industry. They are the medium that conveys and promotes the design's vision to the eventual purchaser.

Why do fashion magazines exist? ›

Fashion magazines are the most well-known and easily accessible source for readers to learn current trends. Their main purpose is to disseminate fashion news, styles, and trends to the reader.

Do people read magazines anymore? ›

Print Magazine Readership

More adults reported reading physical/printed magazines (68.5%) than print newspapers (61.6%), but they tend to read them slightly less frequently.

Are magazines still relevant today? ›

Although younger generations are being raised in the digital age, they are looking like promising generations of print consumers. The majority of the population still prefers printed magazines to their digital counterparts as a trusted source of information and even a form of relaxation.

Should I throw out my magazines? ›

Not all old magazines can go in the recycling bin, even if they are printed on clay-coated paper. Stained magazines should go to the landfill instead of the recycling center. If you've used your old magazines to protect your floor while painting or to line the bottom of the cat litter, toss it in the garbage.

Is People magazine going to stop? ›

People magazine will continue to publish weekly, as it has for nearly 50 years, and benefit from the significant investments we continue to make in People's brand and products,” the spokesperson added.

Why do most magazines fail? ›

Here are a few reasons why some publications fail: Faulty editorial judgement – producing a book or publication that is poorly written or too long or short; poor copy editing; breaching copyright or causing defamation.

What is the target audience age for Vogue magazine? ›

vogue.com Audience Demographics

Audience composition can reveal a site's current market share across various audiences. vogue.com's audience is 33.58% male and 66.42% female. The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 year olds (Desktop).

Does Gen Z care about fashion? ›

According to Forbes, one in three Gen Zers feel as if they're addicted to fast fashion. Social media perpetuates the circulation of trends — and subsequently, fast fashion brands — and encourages buyers to prioritize cheapness and convenience over quality.

Should you keep your old magazines? ›

Get rid of old magazines you have lying around, because chances are you aren't going to read them again. Find places where you can donate your magazines to such as child care centers, doctor's offices, nail salons, nursing homes, and libraries.

Are magazines a dying business? ›

Not quite. While magazines may not be as popular as they once were, there are still many people who enjoy reading them. And, more importantly, there are still many magazines that are thriving. Here's a look at the current state of the magazine industry and what the future may hold.

Are magazines a waste of paper? ›

While magazines are treated with certain additives to make the pages look glossy, they can be recycled with your normal paper products.

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