Book Review: In Vogue
The illustrated History of the word’s most Famous Magazine
“Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess”
The quotation is by Edna Woolman Chase, who was the longest running editor-in-chief, serving for more than 37 years, in the magazine’s 125-year history. Today, the name Vogue is synonymous with fashion, luxury, and serious stories on political and cultural topics. It suffices in the latter case to recall Vogue’s cover featuring Michelle Obama, which brought about sales of 400,000, leading the list of the magazine’s best-selling issues for a long time.
It is one of the reasons why the more-than-400-page book In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World’s Most Famous Fashion Magazine published in 2012 is a fascinating look at the history of the most glamorous fashion magazine.
Many have been referring to the thick book as a coffee-table book, suggesting that it is a large, lavishly illustrated volume that looks good on the living-room table or coffee table, enlightening our interior and elevating our home decor. However, In Vogue is so much more than that, one should not use it as a mere object of decor to make their space pristine.
The book traces the 125-year history of the magazine from its launch up to the present day.
In the book, we learn how the magazine has been transformed over the years from a weekly newspaper with a circulation of 14,000 into the top monthly style magazine with a circulation of 400,000, not to mention millions of readers of digital editions. The compendium is illustrated with hundreds of covers of past Vogue editions, while a social sketch of the times (the 20th century) unfolds before the reader.
In the book, we read of editors, photographers, respected artists and world-renowned writers who played an important role in the success of the magazine. The story incorporates, inter alia, the quoted Edna Woolman Chase’s editorial decisions, major contributions to fashion, and etiquette rules, introduced by her, binding on all employees. Cecil Beaton should also be mentioned here, who began working for British Vogue in 1927, working as a photographer for the magazine during the 1930s and 1940s, then began designing costumes in addition to his work as a photographer after the Second World War. He designed the gorgeous costumes worn by the beautiful Audrey Hepburn in the justly famous film My Fair Lady released in 1964, for which he won the Oscar for Best Costume Design. An interesting fact is that the costumes of the film set in 1913 are less era-appropriate but undoubtedly unique and theatrical, as he used his knowledge and experience gained as a Vogue photographer in designing the film costumes.
The book reminds the reader of the considerable influence of Vogue over fashion and its status as an ultimate fashion authority deserved by bringing to light young designers, emerging fashion houses, artists, photographers, models and, last but not least, editors.
I highly recommend this book to all fashion enthusiasts, those who have a thirst for fashion history, and especially fans of Vogue.
