Stefano Tonchi’s made-over W has many more words and much more reporting than its old self. Though Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn found the fashion spreads “generally strong,” she doesn’t think that Tonchi’s changes have separated the magazine from what’s already out there. She writes that “the energized [new] logo might be the most promising thing about the magazine.”
I don’t expect W to deal directly with realities like joblessness or stressed European bankers or the emerging clout of Chinese consumers, but surely there is a need to put stylishness in a new context — beyond Hollywood and art, which is Mr. Tonchi’s comfort zone.
…With a number of articles in the new W, I wondered: Why am I reading this? What’s the big picture? The Tisci profile, for one, covered all the bases, but ultimately it’s another story about a young design maverick at an old Paris house. Why does he matter and what’s changed, if anything, because of his fashion? Over all, the perspective of the magazine was small-frame. W doesn’t need more stuff to read. Rather, it needs a clearer, more authoritative reason to read it.
So, not a stellar review, but at least they have that cover of the girls about to kiss. That kind of thing always stands out.
What Does W Stand For? [On the Runway/NYT]
Related: Maybe With Stefano Tonchi’s Makeover, You’ll Read W for the Articles
