Hello people so what’s good? Just wanted to update you on some news that has been circulating around our virtual world. I may be the last of the bloggers to blog about it nonetheless I still bring it to you. Many bloggers have blogged about this, some being in favour and thinking the reply was a regrettable one whilst others have completely refuted the idea of having it’s presence in our continent.What am I referring to you may be thinking? I am referring to the idea of having a Vogue Africa magazine as proposed by Mario Epanya the Paris based fashion photographer from Cameroon.
The last time I caught up with him, he was very excited at the prospect of leading a Vogue Africa magazine. To be honest, I thought it a fantastic idea! The idea of seeing black models monthly sans cesse in a magazine was very appealing! Imagine what that would do to our fashion status and our models – oh the boost! But was this just my fantasy? Would there really have been a “black” Vogue magazine? Like really? Wouldn’t they have just wanted to feature more white African models than the black ones? Wouldn’t this just end up being the usual “African” termed but white market focused magazines we already have especially in places like South Africa? Well, who knows! The matter is since as it isn’t going to take place, speculation is all we will have.
Yes, Vogue Africa is not heading to Africa guys – let’s sob? Or let’s be happy and say good riddance? Well, Mario did his best and fought his hardest for this. If you are a friend of his on Facebook then you will really see how focused on this idea he has been throughout. His mock cover shots were beautiful and artistic and with his fashion experience I find him very capable of directing and leading this magazine to success in Africa.
This was a great idea that truly could be regrettable on the part of Condé Nast, the publishing company behind Vogue. I don’t really see why they said no as I feel it would have done very well. It wouldn’t have just been bought by people based in Africa but I feel it would have been bought by all black people in general as well as those interested in the African fashion scene. This is big time money making scheme they just turned down in my opinion!
Oh well, this is just my views and I guess we have the Vogue all black Italian edition to console ourselves. Would we ever have an edition like this again though? Was that just to keep us quiet? Is Vogue Africa truly viable? Would it have been a great thing for us and for our fashion scene? Would it have reinforced stereotypes? Would it have had an economic effect on the other rising magazines available out there? Would it have helped to make the other magazines out there to up their game? All these questions, what are your opinions?
Leave your comments below.
Thanks and stay sweet
Dulce
xxx
Dulce
xxx
6 comments:
DC DC....Why is Vogue not for Africa?OK...I am behind you..I did not know that it has been turned down...lol!
In my opinion Vogue Africa is viable..For one, there is a lot of focus now in Africa...this includes Fashion!Readership could be diverse Africans in the content & the diaspora,black people..and everyone who is interested in African Fashion...
So why exactly was Vogue Africa turned down?
I am with you YM. I wonder what their reason is!
I think it was a question of profitability: Only a minority of the gross fashion market in Europe (counting us in) would be buying it. Looking at Africa itsself, how many there would buy the magazine to make it a profitable business?
And lastly some might think: "why empower those monkeys?" lol
Yes, strongholds/negative mentalities are still here to stay!
I think we should contribute to the growth of our own fashion magazines "Amina", "Ebene", etc...
So Vogue not for Africa? Might be that Africa is too good/too rich for Vogue! ;-)
SBC! I dey with you. I can't say I'm surprised by Vogue's reaction. I guess their argument is that there isn't a business case for Vogue. In which case, I wonder if this is perceived or actual. Study after study tells us that we have a burgeoning middle class with a growing taste for fine things- fashion included. Oh well. I say this is good news for African publications that will do our fashion industry the justice it deserves. Go LABB, Arise, Ebene, NAW etc etc. We CAN build this industry without Vogue. Look what African Americans have been able to achieve in music and publishing because the so-called mainstream turned them down. Jay-Z is a good example!
Ngum
SBC! I dey with you. I can't say I'm surprised by Vogue's reaction. I guess their argument is that there isn't a business case for Vogue. In which case, I wonder if this is perceived or actual. Study after study tells us that we have a burgeoning middle class with a growing taste for fine things- fashion included. Oh well. I say this is good news for African publications that will do our fashion industry the justice it deserves. Go LABB, Arise, Ebene, NAW etc etc. We CAN build this industry without Vogue. Look what African Americans have been able to achieve in music and publishing because the so-called mainstream turned them down. Jay-Z is a good example!
Ngum
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