16 May 2001 Magazines cannot afford to ignore the A-list houses Liz Jones, erstwhile British editor of Marie Claire, did not go quietly. When her removal was announced earlier this month, Jones blew the whistle on the corporate fist within the velvet glove that is fashion. If the advertising spend of a company is massive, it will demand editorial mentions commensurate with the money it's pouring into the magazine.
Designers are only the visible end of vast business conglomerates.
These major fashion companies can also dictate which collections go into which department stores. With Stella at Chloe, everyone in the world was asking for an appointment. Similarly, when Michael Kors went to Celine, all the stores were on to Celine within eight hours. With these brands, the label has an enormous say and we have to come up with a package that is attractive to them. Things are different, though, if Whiteley has less interest in a brand.