Vogue Flashcards
what is vogue?
a women’s fashion magazine: monthly glossy, high production value, aspirational. it contains topics of fashion, beauty, culture and living.
what’s the product context?
published monthly by Conde Nast. 1916-present. the set edition is July 1965. worth 3 shillings. it become popular post-war.
what’s Conde Nast?
a large mainstream publisher, has global reach with presence in multiple countries. it’s media conglomerate - apart of Advanced Publications. it was first to launch international editions of its magazine.
what makes Vogue unique?
a combination of art and fashion. it gets behind womens issues at the time, where they are beginning to fight back against inequality. the most famous writers, artists and photographers are featured.
how can Vogue attracted and maintained an audience?
it adapts to the changing social and cultural climate, attunes to evolving fashion trends. exclusive content - high quality, contains interviews with top designers and models. iconic branding and prestige. they’ve built a reputation as a symbol of high fashion.
why are some magazines in decline?
online magazines caused decline in physical fashion. magazines have a younger demographic who prefer online content. only luxury magazines aren’t affected as much due to its status. Vogue has a strong relationship with its audience.
how has the rise of consumerism affected Vogue?
womens magazines have become more popular post-war. James Curran suggests that having gone through a ‘make do and mend’ phase in the 1940s, women’s magazines have become part of the ‘shop and spend’ euphoria.
how’s the female sexual revolution affected Vogue?
1960s was the beginning of women’s sexual liberation led by events such as the introduction to the contraceptive pill and legislatives changed.
how was the 1960s a cultural revolution?
it was known as the ‘swinging sixties’ saw the emergence of new trends in music, fashion and films.
what’s the historical contexts?
women had more oppotunities in the workforce. women attended university. women liberation movement. demands for equal pay.
what were the economic contexts?
advertising revenue to support operations and budgets are cut during economic downturn. consumer spending - affluent market which may reduce their spendings. production costs - printing paper and distribution may damage profitability.
what can be said about advertising?
advertising is 1/3 of magazines revenue. Andrew Green came up with the essentials to advertising = high audience engagement, ability to target a niche audience, high production value.
how can Barthes’ semiotics theory be applied to the front cover of Vogue?
main image = direct mode of address, chin up and not smiling connotes star status, mystery. masthead = recognisable and iconic. vogue is french for fashionable. coverlines = lack as the main focus is Loren, this breaks conventions. layout = dominant central image, Sophie Loren is an Oscar winning italian actress.
what can be said about Sophie Loren?
she was one of the most famous actresses at the time, at the peak of her career. it’s conventional that she should feature on the front cover. even though she’s italian, her glamous jewellery and extravegant makeup and hair has eastern-european connotations.
what can be said about media language of the money article?
money targets a new generation of women who are financially independent. serif font = well educated and serious topic. no images shows the importance of what is being said. direct mode of address that is condescending - giving advice to women who most likely don’t know what they are doing.
what can be said about media language of the picnic article?
picnic is serif font - educated. modern photoshoot with multiple locations - uk countryside and abroad. ‘antonia fraser’ biggest word other than the title. shows her importance. it’s a reinactment of a Tisso painting.
what’s the binary opposites of the picnic article?
contrast between male and females opinions on picnics. the women has put in all the work to spend time with her family and the husband isn’t interested. also the women enjoying herself on the nile while the husband looks fed up.
what’s representation of the picnic article?
the women is carefree, enjoying herself. women are seen as sophisticated and educated. there’s always a man’s presence however so maybe women aren’t as independent as thought.
what can be said about the media language of the heatwave article?
a narrative is formed through a series of postcards. high fashion photoshoot where poses are manipulated. iconography of fans, sunglasses, suitcase. going on holiday was considered a high class activity.
How can Levi-Strauss’s binary oppposition theory be applied?
the idea that a working wife is a bad wife is a reoccuring theme in women’s magazines. suggesting the stay at home wife is the good wife. these ideas reinforce patriachal values.
how can Hall’s representation theory be applied?
inequality of power as excluded groups are viewed as different. imperial leather = the mother is nurturing figure ‘soft’ and ‘gentle’ women are seen as weak. revlon = ‘velvent’ women are seen as weak. ‘brow beautiful’ sense of desire to look attractive.
