Fashion Icon Anna Wintour Chooses Chloe Malle: Will the Future of Style Cater to AI?
Vogue Faces Challenges in the Digital Age: New Head of Editorial Content Takes the Reins
Vogue, the iconic fashion publication, is navigating a new era as it grapples with the shifting landscape of the industry. After a brief return to profitability in 2021, pre-tax profits plummeted from $29 million in 2022 to $10 million in 2023, according to recent reports.
The publication's new Head of Editorial Content, Chloe Malle, is tasked with steering Vogue through these turbulent waters. Malle, who joined the company in 2011 as Social Editor and was later promoted to Contributing Editor and Editor of Vogue.com, has built her editorial vision on curating content that straddles the line between tabloid-adjacent and high society, weaving legacy with virality.
Malle is credited with masterminding viral plays such as "Dogue" and the Vogue Vintage Guide, as well as covering high-profile events like the weddings of Naomi Biden and Lauren Sánchez. Her success won't be measured on cover shoots, but rather on her ability to translate cultural buzz into a commercial bottom line.
Malle's challenge is formidable. Audiences are shifting dramatically, with Gen Z more likely to be influenced by TikTok hauls, YouTube shorts, and Substack newsletters than a September issue. In this digital age, Vogue's editorial voice now competes with algorithms, influencers, and fast-moving microtrends.
Despite these challenges, Malle will not be alone in her endeavour. She will be mentored by Anna Wintour, the Global Editorial Director of Vogue and Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast, who is stepping aside as the Head of Editorial Content at Vogue. Wintour, who has been a guiding force in the fashion industry for decades, will remain at Vogue to offer her wisdom and expertise.
The stakes are high for Vogue. Despite staff layoffs affecting about 300 employees, Condé Nast still faces high pressure to continue restructuring and invest in digital innovation to survive long-term headwinds. The Met Gala, for instance, generates an estimated $543 million in media impact for Vogue, but this is just one event in a sea of digital content that vies for attention in a world with shrinking attention spans.
In 2017, Vogue lost $120 million and sold off once-iconic titles like Brides, Golf Digest, and W. The company's global revenue growth was flat in 2023 and it missed internal forecasts. Niche fashion influencers achieve conversion rates 60% higher than generalist accounts, while micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) drive 7x more engagement than traditional celebrities.
In the face of these challenges, Malle's success will hinge on her ability to guide Vogue from its print-soaked legacy into a digital era defined by TikTok trends, influencer microcultures, and a rapidly evolving fashion landscape. As she takes the reins, the future of Vogue remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the publication's survival depends on its ability to adapt and innovate in a rapidly changing world.
Note: According to SimilarWeb data, People Style currently commands the #1 position of most relevant US fashion publications with 195,887,577 site visits compared to Vogue's #6 spot with 18,599,319.
