Fashion Headline (FH): You mentioned earlier that the spread of the internet marked the beginning of an era of change. Could you talk about the relationship and evolution between magazines and the web as a medium? Editorial Director Valerie Tranian (V): The advent of the internet has made fashion more globalized. While it's easy to see what bloggers and celebrities are wearing, the world is overflowing with information, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to navigate this vast amount of information. I believe ELLE magazine's role is to act as a filter for that information. By editing the information and disseminating it as the editorial team's opinions, we aim to serve as a guide for female readers. Editor-in-Chief Kaori Tsukamoto (K): I believe that in an age where so much information is so easily accessible, the style of each magazine has become increasingly important. I believe that a magazine's ability to "edit"—select what to select from the deluge of information and present it from that perspective—is being put to the test. While the publishing industry in Japan is said to be in a recession, I've recently become convinced that magazines will survive. Selecting and editing are major characteristics unique to magazines, so I think expectations and aspirations for print media will remain.
FH: Unlike magazines, won't information become more standardized in online media?
K: ELLE is adapted and localized depending on the country in which it is published. Essentially, ELLE aims for the same direction, so the basic concept is the same, but the question is how to adapt it for each country. This doesn't change whether there is an internet or not.
V: I agree with Kaori on that point. Each country has different cultural elements...of course, there are similarities...
The way people perceive fashion is different in Japan, France, China, the United States, and so on. Don't you think it's pointless for fashion magazines to provide the same fashion to all these countries? It's true that fashion is becoming more globalized, but at the same time, styles are mixing.
Luxury and fast fashion can be mixed. Even as fashion becomes globalized, the way fashion is perceived varies from country to country, and even more so, depending on the medium. I think ELLE's greatest strength is that it maintains a consistent spirit despite these differences.
FH: There's a clear distinction between ELLE's globalization and localization.
V: Let's talk a little about media. It's often said that magazine and internet readers are different. People read magazines when they're spending special time alone on the weekend, in the bath, or when they have free time without their kids. The internet offers the convenience of instant access to a wealth of information. There's a difference in quality between reading on the train or subway and enjoying a magazine in your hands.
Since print is a paid service, I think we need to consider the content, the angles, and the content that will surprise and inspire women.
K: The shared understanding at Hearst Fujingaho is roughly the same as what you're saying about Valerie now. Mobile is something you read on your morning commute, and on weekdays during your lunch break or when you get home in the evening, you check the day's information on your computer or tablet. On weekend nights, you pick up a magazine and read it at your leisure. We are thinking about how to disseminate information in accordance with these ideas.
