“It is the end of an era,” Carolina Herrera, a close friend of Patrick McCarthy’s, told the Times of his departure from WWD and W. McCarthy, editorial director of both publications, will stay on through the end of the year, but doesn’t know what he’ll do after that. Calvin Klein also sang his praises:
“There were times when I got bad reviews in Women’s Wear Daily,” Calvin Klein recalled in an interview this week, “but at least I always felt their criticism was written fairly, because that’s what Patrick McCarthy did.”
In a 1997 New York profile, McCarthy revealed his special way of dealing with the outsize personalities the industry is famous for. “Bite the hand that feeds you,” he said.
“Never stop biting it. And you know what? It will feed you more.”
Once, he decided to call out Sarah Jessica Parker in WWD for attending so many fashion shows. She called to complain and he printed her response.
Meanwhile, Stefano Tonchi is preparing to start at W April 12. He met with the staff yesterday, made a few jokes, and expressed his admiration for McCarthy as well. A source described him as “very charming.” Others say he revealed plans to boost W’s online presence, and that his focus first and foremost will be the editorial content. You know, the stories it’s so easy to forget are in so many fashion magazines. He also plans to meet with each staff member individually.
A Collector of Scoops Steps Down [NYT]
Today in Tonchi: Report from inside the T-renches [FWD]
