A Brief History of Vogue Magazine

Vogue is one of the world’s most influential fashion and lifestyle magazines. It was founded in New York in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure as a weekly publication aimed primarily at wealthy American society. Early editions covered fashion alongside social events, culture and the lifestyles of the upper classes.

A major change occurred in 1909, when publisher Condé Nast purchased Vogue. Nast developed it as a specialist publication aimed at a clearly defined, affluent audience and placed increasing emphasis on fashion, sophisticated design and high-quality visual imagery. The brand subsequently expanded internationally, with British Vogue launching in 1916and French Vogue following in 1920.

The visual style of Vogue has also changed significantly. Its earliest covers relied heavily on fashion illustration, but photography became increasingly important during the twentieth century. Edward Steichen's July 1932 cover represented an important moment in the shift towards photographic covers. Vogue later worked with influential photographers including Irving Penn and Annie Leibovitz, helping fashion photography become an important part of the magazine's identity.

Over time, Vogue expanded beyond simply showing clothes. It increasingly covered beauty, celebrity, art, politics and wider popular culture, while its covers became important promotional spaces for models, actors, musicians and other celebrities.

Today, Vogue operates as a multiplatform media brand, combining its print heritage with online articles, video and other digital content. Its long history demonstrates how a media product can adapt its representation, visual style, technology and audience targeting while maintaining a highly recognisable brand identity.

Six questions to check learning

1. When and where was Vogue first published?

2. Who originally founded Vogue?

3. What happened to the magazine in 1909?

4. How did Vogue's covers change during the twentieth century?

5. What subjects does Vogue cover besides fashion?

6. How has Vogue adapted to changes in media technology