What happened at T was a little strange leading up to Sally Singer’s appointment to the editor-in-chief position. The announcement came as a surprise after it was reported that the magazine’s fashion director, Anne Christensen, was pretty much a shoe-in for the role. Singer, who starts July 5, has decided to replace Christensen with someone of her choosing, though that person hasn’t been announced. Indeed, it would be pretty awkward to come into a new job and work with the person whose job it seems like you stole. But staffers at T are reportedly not happy with how management handled the whole situation.
“They put her up for the job. They pushed her as their candidate, and then they hung her out to dry,” an “incensed source” tells the Daily News. “If you’re genuinely considering someone as a candidate, you must value that person. And if you value her, then why would you devalue her so quickly?” Times executive editor Bill Keller explained in a statement:
“We have great admiration for Anne and the creative work she has contributed to the T franchise. Having appointed a new chief editor, it’s only natural that we would be assembling a team - some T veterans, some new recruits - to work alongside her.”
It will be interesting to see where Christensen lands, as well as who Sally Singer brings on. It’s hard to imagine Anna Wintour letting Singer pull anyone from Vogue without a fight. But interestingly, WWD reports today that Michael Roberts is stepping down from his position as fashion director of Vanity Fair. Contributing senior style editor Jessica Diehl will replace Roberts, who will stay on as a “style editor at large.” But he and Singer have always seemed pretty chummy.
T magazine fashion director Anne Christensen ‘devalued’ after losing editor in chief job [NYDN]
VANITY FAIR NAMES DIEHL FASHION DIRECTOR [WWD]
