Elaine Welteroth Is Leaving Condé Nast [UPDATED]
Elaine Welteroth at Glamour's 2017 Women of the Year Awards in Brooklyn, New York. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
It looks like Condé Nast is losing another major editor-in-chief: Elaine Welteroth is stepping down from Teen Vogue, according to an internal email sent to staffers on Thursday afternoon.
Welteroth was officially appointed editor-in-chief at Teen Vogue in April 2017, a role she assumed after sharing leadership duties with Digital Director Phillip Picardi and Creative Director Marie Suter for nearly a year.
Welteroth's editorial career kicked off at Ebony, where she started off as an intern before climbing the ranks to land the position of beauty and style editor, a role she filled from 2008-2011. From there, she moved to Glamour in a similar role before joining Teen Vogue as the publication's beauty and health director in 2012. When Welteroth was later named editor-in-chief at Teen Vogue, she was both the youngest person and only the second person of color to ever have held that title at any Condé Nast publication.
Welteroth has been credited with helping transform the print branch of Teen Vogue into a politically-engaged, buzz-generating publication, a movement that was started by its digital team; Teen Vogue ceased print publications in November 2017. There is no word on what Welteroth's next project will be, but we're sure all eyes will be on her.
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UPDATE, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, 6:00 p.m.: A spokesperson from Condé Nast has responded with the following statement:
"We talked to Elaine about a number of different opportunities but ultimately she decided to go in a different direction. She was instrumental in the successful launch of the Teen Vogue Summit and know that she will carry that same passion and enthusiasm into her next venture. We wish her all the best in what we know will be an incredible career."
UPDATE, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, 7:20 p.m.: According to an exclusive by The Hollywood Reporter, Welteroth has signed with CAA, sparking further speculation she may be pursuing an on-camera career. Welteroth has previously made a cameo on "Black-ish," and has also co-written an episode of its spin-off "Grown-ish." Per THR, "CAA will work with Welteroth to expand her opportunities in film, television, digital, branding and endorsements as well as speaking engagements."
UPDATE, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, 2:07 p.m.: Teen Vogue will reportedly not replace Welteroth, according to a WWD report published on Friday. The story also alleges that, per a source, Welteroth wasn't under consideration to replace Cindi Leive as editor-in-chief of Glamour, as was widely speculated, following Leive's own departure announcement in September. (That role went to CNN's Samantha Barry, which was just announced on Monday.)
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