MAGAZINE RESEARCH: Vogue

Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 23 different national and regional editions. It is arguably one of the most famous magazines to grace the shelves of shop world wide. Book critic Caroline Weber in a December 2006 edition of The New York Times as "the world's most influential fashion magazine"!

Vogue has a long and rich history starting in 1892 when Arthur Turner founded the magazine as a weekly newspaper in the US. Its first issue was published on December 17 1892 costing just 10 cents. The founder Turnure's intention was to create a publication that celebrated the "ceremonial side of life". From its first issue, the magazine wanted to target the new New York aristocracy, they wanted to establish social norms similar to that in England or France as they saw it as a country that did not value class and ceremony. The magazine at this time was primarily concerned with fashion, with coverage of sports and social affairs included for its male readers.

Vogue has had strong social and political ties - The magazine's number of subscriptions surged during the Great Depression, and again during World War II. "Laird Borrelli notes that Vogue led the decline of fashion illustration in the late 1930s, when they began to replace their famous illustrated covers, by artists such as Dagmar Freuchen, with photographic images. In the 1960s, with Diana Vreeland as editor-in-chief and personality, the magazine began to appeal to the youth of the sexual revolution by focusing more on contemporary fashion and editorial features that openly discussed sexuality. Toward this end, Vogue extended coverage to include East Village boutiques such as Limbo on St. Mark's Place, as well as including features of "downtown" personalities such as Andy Warhol's "Superstar" Jane Holzer's favorite haunts. Vogue also continued making household names out of models, a practice that continued with Suzy Parker, Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Lauren Hutton, Veruschka, Marisa Berenson, Penelope Tree, and others."

It wasn't until Anna Wintour took over as editor-in-chief of American Vogue in July 1988. Wintour's main focus was to revitalize the brand by making it younger and more approachable; and so she directed the focus towards new and accessible concepts of "fashion" for a wider audience. Winter's influence has allowed the magazine to maintain its high circulation, while staff discovered new trends that a wider audience could actually afford.

The magazine is innovative and has many technological, economic, political and social ties.

- Google partnered with the magazine to feature Google Glass in the September 2013 issue

- Fashion Night was created in 2009 with the focus of kickstarting the economy following the financial collapse

- Vogue has acknowledge many political and cultural issues including the burqa in 2006 and articles on prominent Muslim women.

-Vogue also sponsored the "Beauty Without Borders" initiative with a US$25,000 donation that was used to establish a cosmetology school for Afghan women.

-The Met Ball is an annual event that is hosted by Vogue magazine to celebrate the opening of the Metropolitan Museum's fashion exhibit. The Met Ball is the most coveted event of the year in fashion that is attended by A-list celebrities, politicians, designers and fashion editors.

Vogue would be a good magazine to choose for my final photoshoot inspiration as it has many different issues in different countries so there is a variety of looks I could be inspired by!