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Brea Milenkevich
ENG3803
Stephen McElroy
April 30, 2013
Vogue in Print Verses Vogue Online
Vogue Magazine has been an authority on fashion since it was first published in 1839. In
1909 the magazine was acquired by Conde Nast Publishers (Vogue History). Vogue is unique in
that it doesn’t just report on fashion trends, but is frequently credited with predicting trends and
being the first to showcase such trends within the magazine. Vogue has catapulted many models,
photographers and designers to fame and it continues to do so today. As Vogue Magazine
continued to gain popularity and prestige over the many years it has been published, it has
expanded into an international publication printing versions of Vogue in eighteen different
countries including the United States. With the international success came the need for more
accessibility to the magazine and its content. Vogue can now be accessed digitally and offers a
website filled with content, photographs and new stories. Every edition of Vogue has its own
website than can be accessed in that countries language. Vogue can be read in Russian, Italian
and Korean to name a few. While the online component of Vogue is a useful resource and allows
people access who may otherwise not be able to read Vogue, the online tool serves its own
purpose and will always be a companion to the magazine but never a replacement.
Both the printed magazine and the website serve their own purposes while sharing similar
objectives. Both print and online feature an abundance of advertisements selling products from
Louis Vuitton bags to Lancome Mascara. The print features full page colored advertisements,
while the online version features direct links to the online retailer in which you can purchases the
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products. The functionality remains similar in terms of advertising, however, differs when it
comes to the availability of content. While the printed magazine gets published once a month,
the online version of Vogue functions as a constant resource and guide to fashion and social
news between issues of Vogue being printed. The online version of Vogue does offer an archive
of all the content ever published in Vogue. There are stories, photos and entire copies of every
magazine including the first one ever published. While this feature is not accessible to everyone,
it costs around $1500; it does serve an important function. The archives not only preserve the
history of Vogue, but serve as a jumping off point for inspiration in fashion and design for many
people in the industry.
The intentionality of both online and print is basically the same. With both online and
printed Vogue having almost the same intentionality, it makes the case that both are of equal
importance and that they serve as companions to one another without the intention of replacing
either medium of Vogue. The intentionality of both Vogue in printed form and Vogue online is
to inform the audience which trends are currently “in” as well as predict future trends before they
have caught on widespread. Vogue is known as fashion's bible where the elite and the aspiring
alike turn for the style of the moment, and the past (Altschul). The magazine has been creating
trends and launching careers of models and designers for decades. The intentionality of the
magazine has been transferred into the online version of Vogue. Both mediums are meant to
inform, inspire and guide the millions of subscribers who read Vogue each month.
The materiality of both mediums is where we see the largest gap between the print and
online versions of the magazine. My copy of Vogue is the French Vogue from August 2012 and
features Marion Cotillard on the cover. My Magazine was published in the French language and
features glossy paper with a thick tri fold cover which advertises Dior’s new collection. The
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advertisement is done in black and white and the photographs were shot at the Palace of
Versailles, and feature the website to the French Dior online store. My copy of the magazine is
eight months old, yet it has retained its shape and is not missing any pages, nor does it have any
wear and tear. The materiality of Vogue allows it to hold up against frequent use and travels
well, seeing as how I brought it here from Paris. The materiality of Vogue online is digital print
and media. The content is online and is viewed on a computer screen. The articles and pictures
cannot be literally held in your hands and can only be viewed by navigating through tabs on the
website. The website is clean, organized and easy to navigate through and find what section you
are looking for. The layout is composed of feature stories on the main page and offers a link to
the content that is from the most recent issue of the magazine. The website also features
additional content that is not featured in the magazine such as the social sections with photos of
fashions from recent high profile events such as the Met Gala.
While some could make the argument that digital media will eventually replace print
entirely, seeing as how it allows for easier, more constant access, I believe that Vogue Magazine
will never be replaced by Vogue online, but rather the online resource will only continue to
enhance the Vogue experience. Vogue has been so influential for many decades and is
responsible for elevating designers to acclaim and changing the way magazines were published.
Vogue was revolutionary in the way Vogue connected with readers and continually evolved with
changing times. In the 1960’s, American Vogue, under the leadership of Diana Vreeland had
become the symbol of a new era – more creative, emancipated and sexy (Vogue History). With
the direction of current editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, editor since 1988, Vogue has continued to
be the authority on fashion and trends. Reading Vogue each month and waiting to see who will
grace the cover and what the trends will be has become a fashion experience that the online
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version of Vogue simply cannot deliver. The biggest example of this “experience,” is the highly
anticipated September Issue of Vogue. This is the issue that determines what all of the fall trends
will be for the year and is usually the longest issue of the year. People anxiously wait to see what
trends are “hot” and what designers have come up with for their fall collections. "To be in Vogue
has to mean something," said Anna Wintour, who has been Vogue's editor-in-chief for 23 years.
"It's an endorsement. It's a validation.”
Vogue Magazine is an American icon with international acclaim and appeal. Vogue is
where trends begin and where careers can take off from. Vogue has been a fashion institution
since the 1800’s and continues to be highly anticipated and relevant today. Vogue has continued
to evolve and has moved content to a digital medium. The materiality, functionality and
intentionality of both the print and digital mediums all work hand in hand to create an overall
experience and continue to allow for the online version of Vogue to serve as a useful companion.
And while the online resource is useful and a great way to stay up to date and informed on
fashion and society, it serves as a companion to the magazine and will continue to enhance the
Vogue experience, but never replace.
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Works Cited
Altschul, Serena. "Vogue Puts Its 120-year History Online." Newsgroup. CBSNews. CBS
Interactive, 11 Dec. 2011. Web. 28 Apr. 2013. <http://www.cbsnews.com/83013445_162-57340950/vogue-puts-its-120-year-history-online/>.
Conde Nast. Vogue Online. Vogue Magazine. 2012. Online Magazine. 29 Apr. 2013.
"Vogue History." Conde Nast Russia. Conde Nast, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2013.
<http://condenast.ru/en/portfolio/magazines/vogue/history/>.
Vogue Paris. August 2012. Print.