September usually means a number of things:
- My beloved Red Sox are battling for a chance at the playoffs
- We are 2-3 weeks away from the fourth quarter which typically means we’ll be very busy until December 22
- The leaves are about to turn in the northeast and snow is right around the corner.
And the mail gets a little heavier than normal—actually much heavier…literally!
Chances are a number of people don’t know what I am referring to. You see, September 8-15 is fashion week in New York. Not only that, it’s also time for the fall edition for fashion magazines. Below is a list of the top six in alphabetical order and their total page count and weight:
| Magazine | Pages | Weight |
 Bazaar |
504 | 2 lbs. 3.3 ounces |
 Elle |
560 | 2 lbs. 9.6 ounces |
 Glamour |
404 | 1 lbs. 11.3 ounces |
 InStyle |
604 | 2 lbs. 15.7 ounces |
 Lucky |
386 | 1 lb. 11.3 ounces |
 Vogue |
754 | 3 lbs. 9.5 ounces |
Vogue is the heaviest at 3 lbs. 9.5 oz . They are so proud of the total page count that they list the number of pages on the front cover in a very large font.
I will admit I can’t even imagine how long it would take for me to read a magazine with that many pages. I realize that most of those magazines are filled with advertising, but it would still take me a few weeks—if not more—to read it cover to cover.
In today’s society, most people would say that they have less free time now than they ever did.
If that is the case:
- Are people actually choosing Lucky Magazine which has the least amount of pages?
- Can people really process 754 pages? Or is it way overboard?
In the research industry back in the eighties, most suppliers would send their clients very large reports—in fact, the bigger the better. We all know that has changed and now most clients will only read an executive summary.
Why hasn’t the fashion industry changed?
- Is it because the readers need and expect the large amount of ads to stay connected to the latest and greatest fashions?
- Is it because the ad revenue is so large that the magazine couldn’t thrive without the huge volume of ads?
- Is it because I am a guy and just don’t get the fashion world?
Maybe I just don’t get it. Wouldn’t it be more cost effective and have much more of an impact to send a 100 page magazine with a CD that has models wearing the latest fashions? It could be very interactive, still have ads and most people would probably appreciate the creativity and technology—and maybe even feel closer to the action, models and fashions that designers are trying to start or sell.
I look forward to your thoughts.
kath says:
Hi Merrill,
Great post!
As a woman, I consider flipping through the latest InStyle or Vogue an experience that I truly value.
For me, more pages = more enjoyment!
Yes, I know that most of the pages are going to be ads, mostly for beautiful things that I cannot afford, but I don’t care, I like to look at them.
Best of all, these magazines are spontaneous and require no commitment from me – I can pick them up and put them down at will. Depending on my mood, they can either be highly entertaining or truly informative. I really like that.
And, since you don’t pay a “per pound” price for them, they really are a relatively cheap thrill…what’s not to love?
-kath
Toby says:
Merrill –
Ditto what Kath posted. It’s the photos that make a fashion rag, and believe it or not, the ads are as important to many people as are the articles. Most of the ads are glimpses into fashion trends which frequently support the content. Very fun!
Even tho I seem to live on-line these days a CD just wouldn’t make it for me. I want to be able to turn real pages, sip a glass of wine and veg out ..
As for feeling closer to the action .. there some great ‘fashion blogs’ like http://anina.typepad.com/anina/
Merrill Dubrow says:
The mail seems to be getting heavier and heavier this time of year – here we go again the 1st of the fashion magazines arrived:
Elle – very heavy and 590 pages – 30 more than last year which is their all-time record!
Enjoy ladies – I still don’t get it!
Merrill
Randal Chausse says:
There is obviously a lot to know about this. I really didnt have a clue. Took me time to read all your posts, at least most of them, but I really enjoyed your blog. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained!