January 28, 2009

The Real Fashion Journalists, or just anonymous little for-free-workers?



How isolated, not up to date and shutted out did I feel when my internet was disconected for a few weeks. I bought a shit load of magazines in an attempt to keep up with the latest developments in fashionland, But it seemed that by the time fashion news reaches the printed pages of a magazine, it has allready moved to "<< OLDER POSTS " on most blogs.

Among some Fashion Journalists its not even a taboo that the main source of their articles are often fashionblogs,and not what you would expect >inside information they get from designers, brands and other panjandrums. Magazines shamelessly use the blognetwork as an always up to date fashion database.

A girl at my former internship is who made me think about this issue in the first place, She loves to write and is is good at it too! so I assumed, she must have a blog. But I was wrong. She didnt have a blog mainly because she was of the opinion that bloggers are Journalist's anounymous little workers that dont get payed.

I question this statement, because if journalists can find the blogs, so can everybody else. 2 fashionmagazines have disappeard in Holland last year,(I will specially miss Elle girl)I hope no more will follow. It is sayd the cause was a lack of ads. But that can also be another way to say: they have less readers and therefor companies dont want to place ads. Is the 'economic crisis'to blame? Or where the readers lost to the amazing and inspiring online network of independed non-advertisement-aimed fashionblogs?

17 comments:

MarĂ­a said...

That's hard to tell...for instance, I haven't bought a magazine in a while but I do like flipping through editorials. I just haven't felt like doing it, you know?

elysia mann said...

great post. i just saved it to my delicious!

Jordan said...

great blog! i really appreciate the time and thought you took to write this post.

I was going to write a really intelligent response but I've had a long day...maybe later! haha

Six Six Sick said...

Very interesting. I've been thinking about this issue a lot lately. I do think that fashion blogs are in a way more valid than magazine editorials, even though I love my magazines, because they are subjective, and are usually informed by the opinions and experiences of a real person. I just think that fashion bloggers need to get the recognition that they deserve as a valid media source.

xxx,
Tiffany

Meghan and Lana said...

That's really interesting! I actually heard a piece on the radio here in Canada about the disappearing magazine phenomenon about a year ago! Apparently people have been noticing it for a while, and many magazines have been switching online (I miss ElleGirl too!!)

It's cool to see Fashion Magazines being influenced by normal people from all over the world instead of just the other way around!

xo L

PS. hope your sound gets fixed!

Yulan said...

ze heeft wel gelijk! zo had ik er nooit over nagedacht.. x

Anonymous said...

hmmmm ever since i really got into blogging and reading blogs, mags almost completely lost their place as main inspiration source and im looking at their content mainly through sources from the internet, scans or snippets on the net for instant. ive stopped buying them a long time ago and am less inclined to buy them again on a regular basis. except they are really good, and compared to the amount of goodness in the net, theres none filling the spot.

STARR said...

I can see it happening. I also get all my fashion news/inspiration from the internet rather than magazines now. Well, we are living in a world where you can read a book on your iphone..

petra said...

although i love magazines as objects (the smell and feel of a new or old ones) they've lost the battle to blogs. as you said by the time the magazine comes out it's all been posted on blogs over and over again.

Brook and Lyn said...

I think blogs have definitely lessened my magazine purchasing habits but then you can't beat beautiful photography that comes with it.

Camille said...

While I feel like fashion blogs (when it comes to street style blogs, especially) will dominate in the future, there is an undeniable quality about magazines when it comes to their appeal-- we all love glossy editorials!

Love + Cake said...

Yeah, very great post! Love your blog!

MJ. said...

U really made me thought!
It's hard to tell whether bloggers get inspired by magazines or editors by bloggers. Maybe it's a half-half, kinda 2-way relationship...
Though, personally, I enjoy taking ideas from both the magazines and the blogosphere.
Hence, fashion bloggers must be recognized, and they already are in some sort of way through "best blog" contests and so on...

XX

Reena Rai said...

Hmm I would like to think there is enough space in the world for both. Blogs for the up to the minute stuff, actual opinions and style. Magazines for the awe inspiring editorials and shoots!

saamielola said...

Ik zie vaak dingen eerst op internet en dan pas in een tijdschrijft, best irritant, maar er gaat niets boven even naar een winkeltje gaan, ELLE girl kopen en dan met een snel kloppendhartje bladzijde na bladzijde omslaan. En dan terug twee maanden wachten en hupla.......

Wendy said...

I've noticed too that once fashion news gets printed in magazines and reach the masses, its already gone in the fashion blog network.

The Girl said...

I was thinking about the same thing the other day, I used to read fashion and art magazines religiously but then I found the blogging world and only really buy magazines for the pictures. and today I was reading NYLON and and article about a up and coming fashion designer, one that I had already seen on many fashion blogs months ago.