Edward Enninful's New Magazine '72': Future of Media or Business Card?

Edward Enninful's New Venture: Magazine '72'

• 💡 Edward Enninful, former editor of British Vogue, has launched a new company, EE72, and its inaugural magazine, '72'.
• 🎯 The magazine's launch coincided with New York Fashion Week, generating surprise and discussion in the fashion world.

The Tone of the Article and Launch Party

• 🧐 The New York Times article by Vanessa Friedman adopts a skeptical tone, questioning the impact and originality of Enninful's new venture.
• 🥂 A lavish launch party was attended by celebrities like Julia Roberts and Jeff Bezos, with guests receiving the first issue of '72'.
• 📉 Initial guest reactions to the magazine at the party were described as unimpressed, contributing to the article's critical stance.

'72': A Magazine Without Ads?

• 🚫 A key feature of '72' is its complete absence of traditional advertisements.
• 🤝 Instead, the magazine relies on brand collaborations, where brands pay to be integrated into the content, blurring the lines between editorial and advertising.
• 🖼️ The first cover features Julia Roberts, a choice described as reserved rather than groundbreaking, which the article suggests might be a strategic move by Enninful.

Enninful's Vision and the Future of Media

• 🚀 Enninful is presented as a visionary who is challenging the traditional ad-reliant model of print media.
• 💼 The magazine is interpreted by some as a sophisticated business card or a catalog for Enninful's creative directing services, rather than purely an artistic endeavor.
• 🌐 This model explores a nexus between legacy media and branded content, with potential implications for the future of media consumption.

Collaboration and Business Strategy

• 💰 The magazine's funding appears to come from a single, unnamed investor, with speculation pointing to Jeff Bezos.
• 📈 Events surrounding the launch, like the Google shopping collaboration and virtual try-on experiences, highlight the business-driven nature of the project.
• 🎯 The focus is on offering creative services and building a brand universe, with the magazine serving as a platform for these collaborations.