People Are Talking

Is the New: Interview and Britney Spears

maggie g interview cover.jpgToday is Britney Spears Re-invention Day.

The 90’s pop tart’s launching both her Candie’s campaign and her new world tour which means she’s back to being a girl after being a Rodarte-wearing woman for a moment.

We’re drawing a twisted parallel to Interview - one of our favorite magazines that just can’t make up its mind. Its inner turmoil is awfully public and its readers are awfully confused. When Fabien Baron and Karl Templer took control last summer, they bled fashion into the magazine with a heavy dose of rock n’ roll edge. Kate Moss landed the inaugural cover, Stephanie Seymour was named Fashion Contributor and there were models in Margiela all over the place.

But now, with Baron and Templer out and Paris-based creative team M/M in, they told The Daily they’re going for “model-lite editorials” and a more retro design - not so interested in being on the cutting edge of the fashion world, apparently, which is strange since we’re pretty sure those who inhabit it are the ones who read Interview.

How much can a magazine drastically change its appearance, content and focus before seriously alienating its readers? More importantly, while all the controversy and behind-the-scenes drama has garnered Interview loads of press this past year, at some point, might it not be best to handle the changes and transitions quietly and let readers learn for themselves what is changing, instead of publicly and loudly declaring a new mission every eight months?

Comments

avatar
1

posted by guest

Mar 03, 2009 2:33PM

Ugh, no. It's called "Interview" and for years, that's why you read it. Exclusive interviews between different artists. It might be music, movies, literature, you name it. The fashion spread was in the back, and limited in terms of page numbers. It wasn't a fashion magazine. If you're a subscriber, and I am, this past year has been torture. Interview used to be dependable for film and music reviews, and now those are done as well. It's just fashion photography, and we can get that dozens of other places. Boo.

avatar
2

posted by guest

Mar 03, 2009 3:51PM

this is mildly off topic but this cover of Interview is a little odd. It looks like maggie is taking a picture with the baby-version of herself....

avatar
3

posted by guest

Mar 03, 2009 5:14PM

Hmmm....I think you've missed the boat on this one -- Interview has been a culture magazine since its inception, not a fashion magazine. I hardly think the fashion editor "took control"....imagine the fashion guy lining up stories with dozens of great artists, musicians, authors, actors -- negotiating an interview with someone like Woody Allen....
A funny thought actually.

avatar
4

posted by guest

Mar 03, 2009 11:09PM

#1 and #3 got it. Interview historically was a culture magazine with all sorts of interesting windows into the worlds of music, theater, art and fashion. To lop it off at the knees and make it more kitty litter box lining for forward fashion is criminal. It just shows the toxic climate that suffocates magazines these days. Too much influence is being forced down their gullets by low brow blogs and fashion infected media little wigs.
fluff chance
http://emperorsoldclothes.blogspot.com/

avatar
5

posted by guest

Mar 04, 2009 12:50PM

I don't get how Britney is relevant to this story?

Post Your Comment