Emanuele Farneti, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, has recently announced his departure from the magazine after a four-year tenure. This news adds to the growing list of editors-in-chief who have recently left major Vogues in several countries. The affected Vogues include Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, and China.
With Farneti’s departure, only a few major editors-in-chief remain at Condé Nast. These include Anna Wintour in America, Edward Enninful in Britain, Margaret Zhang in China, and Ksenia Solovyova in Russia. However, Vogue editors in Australia and the Gulf will not be affected, as they operate under license.
Farneti took on the role of editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia in early 2017, succeeding the legendary Franca Sozzani. Sozzani had served as the magazine’s editor for nearly three decades. Despite the challenge of following in Sozzani’s footsteps, Farneti managed to make a lasting impact on Vogue Italia. His editorial choices, such as dedicating an issue to children’s rights and featuring Lauren Hutton, the first woman over 70 to grace any Vogue cover, received widespread acclaim.
In an Instagram post, Farneti stated that Vogue is entering a new global chapter, and he believes it is appropriate for him to step down as editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia once the September issue is complete.
The plans for the new global direction of Vogue have not yet been revealed by Condé Nast. However, it is evident that a significant cost-cutting program is a central part of this vision, leading to layoffs of experienced staff members worldwide. As a result, there will be a reduction in the number of locally produced editorial shoots for Vogue globally. Instead, shoots by Wintour and Enninful will be commissioned and shared across international editions. Enninful has also been appointed as European editor.
This new global Vogue model takes inspiration from Vanity Fair UK, which closely resembles its American counterpart except for front news pages and covers featuring British stars and celebrities. Consequently, the amount of content from each Vogue edition outside of the UK and USA will be reduced. This strategy has raised concerns among major fashion houses, luxury brands, and advertisers.
In his farewell on social media, Farneti highlighted the importance of honoring the tradition of innovation and freedom that has made Vogue Italia a prominent voice for Italy’s fashion industry. He also expressed his belief in the significance of recognizing and respecting Italy’s culture, influential ideas, and craftsmanship. Farneti concluded his statement by hinting at his upcoming adventure, which will be unveiled in due course.
Useful Links:
1. https://www.vogue.com
2. https://www.condenast.com
