People Are Talking Dec 2, 2008 @ 9:57am

Carine for Anna? Mon Dieu!

by Natalie Hormilla

carine and anna oh boy.jpg Maybe it’s because she’s just finished two decades on the job, or maybe it’s just because people like to talk (especially when the rumors fit a certain movie’s plot line so eerily), but rumors of Anna Wintour’s departure from Vogue have hit a fever pitch, officially last night.

First, it was that the Editor-in-Chief of Russian Vogue, Aliona Doletskaya, would replace her, though those rumors were so random they were largely ignored.

But now? Gawker’s saying that Si Newhouse has left early for his annual year-end vacation, this time heading to Vienna to meet with Carine Roitfeld to discuss her takeover of American Vogue effective January 2nd.

But this is a pretty heavy rumor with a lot of nagging details that kind of drag it down into the depths of improbability:

Firstly, while it’s true that the Vogue empire Anna’s created has faltered quite a bit this year (the closing of Fashion Rocks and Movies Rock, the downsizing of Men’s Vogue, the quiet death of Vogue Living), many other publications are facing problems right now, including other Conde mags (Portfolio’s been downsized, and DNR was just folded into WWD.) So it’s not like Anna is personally to blame for any failures her projects have encountered - we are, after all, in a nasty recession.

Secondly, to put it bluntly, Anna’s got her hand in so many pots, it would take a long, long time to transfer everything over to a new Editor. There’s no way this rumor could pop up today and then come true in exactly one month, unless every person involved kept their mouths zipped until last night (also, in this micro-city, seemingly impossible).

Lastly, why does anyone assume Carine even wants American Vogue? Her work at Vogue Paris is markedly different (edgier, more avant-garde, humorous - frankly, way more interesting), so who says she even wants to trade that in for spread after spread of Oscar de la Renta on Natalia Vodianova (unless, of course, that’s why Si’s supposedly bringing her in)?

It’s fun to consider, and even funnier to visualize, but we just don’t know. But if you know, well, you know who to e-mail…

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posted by houseofholland

Dec 02, 2008 10:05AM

Oh my gosh, if this is true, I don't know what I'd do with myself. Vogue would be so much bettere. I'm freaking out just reading this, I mean, Carine Roitfeld??!! This is amazing if it's true.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 10:21AM

Hallelujah!!! It would totally make sense. Internationally, people would start buying American Vogue and actually caring. Which would only mean more money for Conde.

Pleasepleasepleasepleaseeee! We love you Anna but Carine, in New York? Hell YA

posted by sarahchivonne

Dec 02, 2008 10:30AM

what is WITH carine's legs in that picture?!? they are twisted up something crazy.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 10:37AM

i think it's true...EVERYONE is talking about it!!!

posted by sarahchivonne

Dec 02, 2008 10:39AM

and doesn't CR not even like new york? why would she make it her home if she avoids it...

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 10:46AM

Julia is here, though. So maybe she's making an effort to add New York to her stomping grounds.

posted by macaroonsfortwo

Dec 02, 2008 10:48AM

at first I thought this rumor was ridiculous, but now I'm comming to my senses.
bring on carine!

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 11:00AM

I do think Vogue US needs a change asap, but I also think Carine is perfect where she is. Vogue US wouldn't be a good creative vehicle for her. :(

posted by Lala

Dec 02, 2008 11:21AM

I hope this is not true, simply because it would mean the end of Roitfeld's brilliance, she would not be able to do half the stuff she does now at VP.

But i think Anna is overdue for replacement,she is just out of touch and Vogue under her is way to sterile.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 11:22AM

American Vogue will never look like Vogue Paris. You are living in a dream world if you think that suddenly or in the near future those magazine will ever be similar. I'm sorry but if Carine comes over what she and her team will produce will be a watered down Paris Vogue or a slightly less irritating American Vogue. Things that work in a tiny publication cannot translate to something as mass produced as American Vogue.

Carine probably has a whole lot more freedom in deciding what to do in Paris. If she comes to NYC she will have Si, CN corporate, Tom Florio, Gawker, and all the other nyc media watching everything she does to see the "big change." Why take that mess on? Seriously, will Carine be able to push Vogue advertisers while still creating those beautiful editorials of her past while not offending the sensitive american public and their dwindling 401Ks? Will beauty and fantasy win out over practical and budget consciousness?

The other thing I'm wondering is will Carine bring her team of editors with her from Paris or will she inherit Anna's editors? The problem with the magazine I think isn't Anna but the editors below her. I say replace them let Anna stay.

What will happen to ALT? Carine HATES fat people. Anyone that read that amazing NY Magazine article from the winter knows this.

Also, what does that mean for American designers. Carine has a very specific aesthetic and will she be able to champion American designers the way she has European designers? Will Balmain replace Alexander Wang? Will Comme des Garcons, Jil Sanders finally make it in on a consistent basis.

I have lots of questions about this. The best thing I think would be for American Vogue to promote someone from within the American fashion industry to come in and create a new face/voice for the magazine not stick Carine in and expect the magazine to suddenly become Paris Vogue.

Julia does live in nyc and has for a while. I would love to see Julia on the vogue masthead with or without Carine at the top.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 11:26AM

That's awesome! I've been buying French Vogue the past few years instead of American Vogue. Carine has a 'fresher take on things'.

That last Vogue cover with Aniston's blah blah about Angelina may have been the death knell for Anna.

posted by brett_kane

Dec 02, 2008 12:14PM

I HATE when people say that Anna Wintour and/or Vogue American are boring or annoying.

The magazine is consistently beautiful, informative and has defined a visual style as its own. You can look at something as prosaic as a piece of stationary and recognize it as VOGUE.

Anna has spent 20 years defining her vision. Carine has had 7. Maybe she isn't as groundbreaking as she was in the early stage of her tenure, but one could argue that someday, french waifs in aggressive black clothes will look like the establishment.

Ms. Wintour is a treasure, and I will feel a great sadness the day she retires.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 12:28PM

I hope they make the change. Anna Wintour has gotten stale, as has American Vogue. I used to love it (have subscribed for 15 years) but this year I seriously considered saving the money. I barely read it now--I used to love the photo spreads and the features but it has become a parody of itself--socialite-heavy and full of stale designers aimed at UES matrons. Even the edgy photography has dwindled. I now flick through the back pages and the featurettes on new designers/fads at the front. Even those have been redesigned to look like something out of 1995 Mademoiselles (just before that magazine died).

Even if there is a recession, there is no denying AW has lost her touch. There was a recession in the early 1990s and AV was amazing back then--under AW.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 12:36PM

American Vogue has become so irrelevant with whats "in the now" that I don't even waste my time to browse it. Its absolutely boring and uncreative. The celebrity covers and spreads have to go! They obviously don't sell the magazines the content sells the magazines and when every other story and spread is about Jolie and Aniston why buy such nonsense. I rather pay 2 or 3 times and buy a euro mag or V or W. Its about time that SI replaces that entire American Vogue crew, we need a change now!

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 12:55PM

VOGUE is still great but it needs something new ....I'm so sorry. I love Anna and love the staff at Vogue but maybe it could use something I don't know I agree with brett kinda but I mean Vogue is starting to feel like women 40 and up ....it's becoming non relevant. I'm sick of seeing actresses on the Cover ...Anna should stay true to fashion and use models. Brett said it himself that maybe she is not as groundbreaking as she was when she first started, so why not get someone that will do groundbreaking things with Vogue?

posted by fauvism3

Dec 02, 2008 1:04PM

If Carine does step in, what will happen to the Vogue masthead? Will CR bring any of her girls with her? What's interesting is that the Paris Vogue team dresses similarly--lots of black, neutrals, studding, all semi-aggressive, almost brutal. It's always interesting to see them walking together, like a flock, to the shows.

Anna and Andre have their own uniforms, but the other American Vogue girls--Virginia, Meredith, Sylvana, Sally, Valerie, Filipa, etc--have style independent of their EIC's.

And say what you will about American Vogue, but it is a great magazine and always well put together, even if it has stumbled as of late...

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 1:19PM

I love Anna and would be so sad to see her go. I love what carine does for VP, but for some reason i just dont trust her for american vogue.. something about it doesnt sit right with me. Perhaps i beleive that the editor in cheif should be american.. i dont know.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 1:33PM

Honestly Vogue is horrible- its about time they give it a makeover. Sorry Anna- but you've had the same hairstyle since birth- you're BORING!!!

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 1:50PM

#17--Anna Wintour is only half-American and was raised in the UK. Grace Coddington is also British (I believe).

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 2:07PM

#17 Diana Vreeland was also British born of a British father and American mother just like Anna.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 2:20PM

While I do think something should change at AV, I can't help but shudder at the idea of censored Carine Roitfeld.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 3:45PM

In response to everyone who's afraid Carine would be watered down at AV:

Carine has always had a fierce attitude around her. She seems like the kind of editor who would make a drastic change to AV if she truly believed in it.

Whenever I pick up AV, I feel like there is always at least one photoshoot that either takes place on a farm in New England or is based on a long ago time-period. Carine would most likely get rid of these. New York can be edgy, and Carine would encourage that. Censorship and pressure from publishing executives will probably be there, but I don't see her as giving in to that. She's the kind of editor who knows what she's doing and won't submit to commercial pressures.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 3:47PM

I think for a start they should get rid of all the socialites that work there, I mean seriously, who cares? Its fairly easy to style a shoot when the model is in a head to-toe look from one designer. #2, they should make the magazine slightly more accessible like British vogue is. #3 ugf the focus on the same old deesigners ALL the time - and I dont mean the ones who actually shell out for advertising. Sure Philip Lim is great. Sure alexander wag is a visionairy but there are other designers out there!
The think I love most about elle is the trend pages. Vogue needs better and more accessible trend pages. This is pretty funny since anna has always said that she was going to make Grace Coddington the EIC when she leaves.....Maybe they will bring Kate Betts back.

posted by adristar

Dec 02, 2008 4:40PM

isn't this the plot of "the devil wears prada"?

posted by Pretty Young Thing

Dec 02, 2008 4:53PM

Please. No. I love Carine Roitfeld and I love French Vogue. I also love Anna Wintour and kind of despise American Vogue. But Carine taking Anna's job is like Christophe Decarnin replacing Oscar de la Renta. It just doesn't make sense! It's like casting the wrong model for a shoot or putting the wrong bag with a dress. It wouldn't work.

Guest 23, I completely agree (except the British Vogue part- eww). Guest 22- If Carine does get the position and doesn't submit to commercial pressures, she won't be able to stay at the top of the masthead. American Vogue HAS to sell to the American public, and the majority of Americans don't want risky fashion that doesn't fit into their lives or work for their jobs. It's an unfortunate truth that many commenters are forgetting...and especially in this trashy economy no one's going to want to be taking extreme risks that could cause a major magazine to fail.

It would seriously stink if Carine moved to American Vogue- what would become of our beloved Paris version?? I want Carine to stay where she's at, because seriously, American Vogue will never be edgy, fierce, or dangerous. It's always been glamorous and pretty, and that's what Americans expect. Conde Nast's new magazine with Katie Grand can be the rogue glossy of the house, but I'm not ever going to plan on prim and proper Vogue to take that spot. Obviously changes need to be made at Vogue so that it can keep up with the changing pace in the industry, but that doesn't need to come about with a polar-opposite editorship.

P.S.- I just wrote a paper about Carine and she's said several times that she wouldn't want to work for American Vogue or take Anna's job. She's also said all she cares about is fashion and that business and power are not concerns for her. Don't think it would suit such a sexy fashion woman to start concerning herself with such trifles, yes?

http://pytmedia.com

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 6:01PM

I adore Carine and Paris Vogue and despite having a real dislike for its American counterpart, I do have a lot of respect for Anna Wintour. I do believe a change is needed at American Vogue but I just can't bare the thought of what might happen to Paris Vogue should Carine leave. Just an Idea but how about Marie Amelie Sauve? She does style some American
Vogue editorials already, she has the strong ties with designers, look at her relationship with Ghesquière plus her style provides a new edge but at a more accessible level Does she have the leadership qualities to be such a figurehead? I'm not so sure but thought I would just throw that into the mix.
To be honest I'm not putting too much faith in this rumour.I'm of the opinion that when Wintour leaves it will be on her terms. She just seems like too much of a strong character to not be in some sort of control regarding this decision.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 8:55PM

I dont think Anna should go. I think everyone under her should be fired especially Andre. He has no taste. Don't forget what he made Jennifer Hudson wear to the Oscars :-/

We also can not blame Anna. Americans dont know fashion.

What Anna needs to do it put models back on the cover and take some risks.

Carine should stay in Paris and let her creative mind run wild with no restrictions.

posted by Mahalia

Dec 02, 2008 10:51PM

The biggest problem with American Vogue isn't so much Anna is that it's an American "lifestyle" magazine. It's not a whole lot different really than affiliated Town & Country or any of the other glossy, faux-elite mags my grandmother carefully arranged on her coffee table years ago. It seems to be more about promoting an upscale, product-focused image than it is about fashion. In short, the Ami Vogue is all about marketing and there isn't a whole lot of art or soul in it.

posted by guest

Dec 02, 2008 11:03PM

two quick things:

1) I loved vogue living...so sad! I highly suggest that any readers of this blog who focus their magazine powers solely on fashion begin making the shift to include decor magazines, if nothing else. No one who ONLY knows about fashion REALLY knows about fashion (Meaning you should be aware of what is happening in other aesthetic pursuits. It doesn't count if the other thing you know is like, accounting or something, obviously.)

2) I think I read all the posts, but I am not sure if anyone mentioned this yet. Anna has been at Vogue for 20 years, and she may want to go out on top. her leaving wouldn't necessarily have to equal being fired. Hasn't anyone heard the rumors about Anna being an ambassador or having some kind of cultural role in the Obama administration? That would be a nice cherry on top of a great career. Again, apologies if someone already mentioned this fact.

posted by guest

Dec 03, 2008 12:30AM

if this is true i will subscribe to vogue.

posted by guest

Dec 03, 2008 6:39AM

oh no! i read french vogue and i don't want carine to leave this magazine! i am addicted to the testino/roitfeld series.

posted by guest

Dec 04, 2008 3:18PM

As much as I love Carine and French Vogue, I hardly think that she would be right for its American counterpart. Even just the notion of it seems preposterous.

Ever since Fabien Baron launched the redesign for Interview magazine, I can't help but feel a little hesitant to come to terms with the idea of another French editor at the helm of an American magazine. Don't get me wrong - his work is amazing; his signature aesthetic is unmatched in its attention to detail... But that's exactly the problem: his design is so distinctive that Interview now has "Fabien Baron" written all over it.

That's why Carine would be wrong for the job. Open any issue of Vogue Paris, and you'll find that it's not just any fashion magazine, but the embodiment of French arts & culture. Her editorials speak for themselves. In the same way that you can recognize Fabien Baron's work, Carine has a sense of style and particular touch that is very French. On her part, it would be a question of Paris vs. NYC. Though I have to say, working at an American magazine would hardly do her justice!

That being said, each magazine has its own niche: when I pick up Vogue Paris to get a glimpse of what the fashion industry is like in that particular fashion capital; American Vogue showcases what it's like on this side of the Atlantic (Hello, advertising!).

When it comes down to it, Anna Wintour turned out a magazine that is so quintessentially American, and so it should remain (with or without her). The "Vogue"s of the world may be united under one name, but I think we can all agree that each one needs to carry its own image.

It would be a bad idea to remove Carine from her current position. And I think it's just silly to think that she would even give up French Vogue.