High fashion is a world of harsh judgements, where appearance counts for all. Now America’s male population is about to face the ultimate fashion test — are you a Vogue man or not?
The answer will be yes for 200 000 lucky fashionistas. That’s the number of men, carefully selected from the secret subscriber databases of publisher Condé Nast, who will be sent a free copy of Men’s Vogue — a male version of the fashion magazine — when it launches in America next month.
For those unlucky (and unfashionable) enough not to be picked, a further 400 000 copies will be distributed on the newsstands for the next three months.
The elaborately planned launch of the quarterly reflects the risk of including such slovenly creatures as men within the haute couture Vogue brand. Men’s Vogue will now seek to clothe fashionable American men just as its sister publication has done for US women since it was founded in 1892. To set the tone, staring from the first issue’s cover is the elegantly attired actor George Clooney.
The magazine is also hoping to capitalise on the growth in America of a trend towards men using beauty products. ‘There is a growing vanity trend with American men. Perhaps this will tap into that,’ said Gina Pia Bandini, editor-in-chief of the influential online magazine FashionFinds.com.
The magazine is aimed at the high end of the men’s market. There is no place for the slacker dressed in jeans and a T-shirt sipping a Budweiser beer and doing his shopping at WalMart. Instead, the advertisers buying space in the first issue include luxury shops such as Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys. Alongside those ads are others for such must-have consumer items as Hinckley yachts, rare Scotch whiskies and Kiton suits.
The content is in a similar vein. It focuses on themes such as the redesign of a New York townhouse belonging to Nathaniel Rothschild and a photographic portrait of modern artist John Currin in his downtown Manhattan studio. There is a lengthy piece examining the fashions and mores associated with English weekend shooting parties under the headline: ‘A Bloody Good Time’, an article on wine and another on tennis player Roger Federer and what’s inside his tennis bag.
It is a long way from the dominant men’s market titles of Maxim, FHM and Stuff, which sell millions of copies to men in their twenties with a focus on scantily-clad women, drinking and gadgets. Men’s Vogue’s business plan is aimed at readers aged 35 and above who earn at least $100 000 a year and are put off by the tone of the rest of the men’s magazine market.
The magazine, which hits newsstands on 6 September, is the latest addition to the Vogue empire, headed by revered Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour. Two years ago, Condé Nast launched Teen Vogue with its emphasis on high fashion for teenagers. Wintour is also reportedly mulling Vogue Living, which would have an emphasis on general lifestyle.
The editor of Men’s Vogue is Jay Fielden, a protege of Wintour. Texas-born and 35 years old, he is the son of a dentist and a ballet teacher, he began his career in the typing pool of the New Yorker, another Condé Nast mainstay. He was hired in 2000 as arts editor of Vogue by Wintour.
One of his toughest tasks will be to convince American men that they actually need a style bible, especially one with a name that is so strongly associated with a women. ‘As macho brand names go, doesn’t Men’s Vogue sound more or less like Men’s Ladies’ Home Journal?’ wrote one fashion journalist scathingly.
The elite men’s market is a crowded one. A year ago Vitals magazine was launched by Condé Nast rival Fairchild, with a pitch to the luxury living market. It was joined by Cargo, which also has a focus on high-end shopping and the area is already inhabited by magazines such as GQ and Vanity Fair. That means tight advertising revenues in a ruthlessly competitive market.
But there are signs that US men might be ready for their own Vogue. Even in small-town America male fashion trends, such as an obsession with physical fitness, waxing and skin care, are becoming the norm rather than the exception.
For all that, there are signs that America’s women may disapprove. A recent survey of 2,000 readers by Playgirl magazine on what they looked for in a man found a distinct preference for men who were rough around the edges, not neatly groomed and presented. ‘It’s the average Joe who came out on top,’ said Playgirl editor Jill Sieracki.
You are a Vogue man if …
1. You shave – and not just your face. In fact, a real Vogue Man is not afraid to wax.
2. You agree that facials are not just for girls.
3. You think yachts and rare whiskies are potential purchases.
4. You buy wine by the vintage, not the price tag.
5. You care about the world of interior design.
6. You think fast food is something Other People eat.
7. You have your suits tailored.
8. A six-pack is not something you drink, but sculpt working out at the gym.
9. You care about shoes as much as Carrie from Sex and the City – and you are not afraid to show it.
10. NY-LON is your transatlantic route, not a pair of synthetic tights.
– Guardian Unlimited Â