Vanity Fair cuts several top writers and sections as part of its new leadership changes.
Vanity Fair is undergoing a significant transformation just six weeks into the tenure of its new global editorial director, Mark Guiducci. Following his appointment, the publication has outlined a revised editorial strategy aimed at reshaping its coverage and focus. Guiducci, who previously held the position of creative editorial director at Vogue, communicated these changes in a memo shared with staff on Tuesday.
As part of this strategic overhaul, Vanity Fair plans to scale back on specific areas of content, including news aggregation, reviews, and trade coverage. This shift reflects a conscious effort to streamline the magazine’s operations and project a renewed focus on its core identity, rather than operating within segmented verticals. The approach aims to enhance the overall brand cohesion of Vanity Fair while eliminating some existing roles. Sources report that notable figures such as chief critic Richard Lawson and Hollywood correspondents David Canfield and Anthony Breznican will depart as part of this restructuring, alongside the discontinuation of The Hive and Hollywood Daily verticals.
Despite these cutbacks, Guiducci assured staff that the intent is not to diminish the ambition of the publication. He emphasized that transformation often entails challenges, yet it can lead to enhanced opportunities. In conjunction with these reductions, Vanity Fair plans to expand its talent pool by hiring three correspondents to cover Hollywood, Washington, and style, along with filling ten additional positions, including a global creative director and two senior editors. The magazine is also in search of new producers and is expected to establish an entirely new social media team.
A significant redesign of the magazine is also on the horizon, aimed at modernizing its visual identity across various platforms, including live events. Guiducci, who took the helm of Vanity Fair after the seven-year leadership of Radhika Jones, aims to relaunch the magazine in a way that resonates with both its readers and advertising partners.
This organizational shakeup is one of several recent changes within Condé Nast. Earlier this year, Anna Wintour, the long-serving editor-in-chief of Vogue for 37 years, announced her decision to step down from her role, marking a notable moment in the evolving landscape of the media industry. As Vanity Fair embarks on this new path under Guiducci’s leadership, the industry will be closely watching how these strategic shifts manifest in the magazine’s future content and overall direction.
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