Anna Wintour, Vogue Determined to Keep Lavish Lifestyle During International Fashion Weeks.

With the successful premiere of R.J. Cutler's documentary The September Issue, which chronicles a behind the scenes look at Conde Nast titan mag Vogue as well as the life and times of editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, everyone almost forgot that the famously extravagant publication has recently been in distress. With substantial ad page losses continuous lay offs, Conde Nast was forced to hire on a management consulting firm in attempt to rewire the inner workings of their various titles. While all of the publications could have used a more frugal face lift, Vogue has always been the standout spender—from elaborate photo shoots to personal stylists for Wintour— and many believed those days to be gone. So far, however, the Vogue team has been bent on resisting the cost cutting techniques that other mags, like Glamour and Allure, have already adopted. And now the editors at Vogue are gearing up for international fashion weeks and are determined to take their lavish lifestyles with them.

Insiders at the magazine are saying that despite the slipping sales, Wintour still plans to stay at her favorite hotel in Paris, the Ritz, with her standard entourage of about ten people. With a regular staff of twice the amount of rival publications,  The New York Post estimates Wintour and her posse's excursions costs the company around $250,000. Not too shabby! Other perks of being Wintour during Paris Fashion Week include afternoon teas in the Hemingway Room at the Ritz, expensive dinners at Caviar Kaspia, and a personal chauffeur in a brand new Mercedes Benz. "Regarding the fall collections, our plans are precisely as they have always been," said a Vogue spokesman.

This is of course only special treatment for the mag's elite. Younger staffers with less clout must resign themselves to staying at the Crillon or the George V and eating at bistro Benoit. While this is typical behavior for the heirarchy of fashion journalism, the only glaring difference this season is that other chief editors are resorting to those options as well! Glenda Bailey, editor of Harper's Bazaar at Hearst stays on the Left Bank in the Hotel Montelambert, an "artsy" and therfore far less expensive lodging. Glamour's editor-in-chief Cindi Leive reportedly hasn't decided if she'll make her reservation in the five-star Ritz Hotel, as she did last year, or move to a less pricey hotel, noting her magazine has been making an effort to watch its expenses. And In Style's Managing Editor Ariel Foxman and publisher Connie Anne Phillips also opted to stay at more mid-range Park Hyatt in Paris.

But alas, that noble way of thinking has yet to catch on at the likes of Vogue and editors are starting to wonder how long they can keep up the charade. "It does seem strange when you're that far down in ad pages that you don't at least say you're cutting back", says one editor. "For God's sake, give it lip service!" But that's just not Anna Wintour's way; she would sooner be photographed eating a plate of $30 french fries at the Ritz than be seen in the likes of a Parisian mid-range hotel. We may as well let her enjoy the party while it lasts, because it may not be too much longer.

Article Source: The New York Post
Photo Source: fashionweeknews

-Alia Rajput