Many moons have passed since Hearst acquired Hachette Filipacchi media, thereby adding Elle Decor to its magazine portfolio, and now Ad Week brings word that the publisher has consolidated its shelter titles into one group under one editorial directorship. Newell Turner—currently the editor in chief of House Beautiful—will become editor in chief of the whole shebang, with Michael Boodro and Dara Caponigro remaining in their roles as editor in chiefs of Elle Decor and Veranda, respectively. The brands will each have their own design director, interiors editor, and senior writer; they will share market and features editors, a photo department, and publishers. Fewer editors doing more?! Why, in this day and age, it's a truly unheard-of magazine-publishing cost-savings strategy!
Anyway, what will be most interesting from a reader's perspective is whether each magazine's aesthetic shifts, and to what extent, with a centralized market department. (Where else but in Elle Decor would one find a carved-wood serpent "sculptural accent" or a horn-and-bone Gustavian chest?) It's also an interesting thought experiment to ponder what kind of fireworks may go off with one editorial director-type figure overseeing three editor in chiefs who have grown accustomed to doing their own thing. For now, though, Turner will continue to lead his merry band at House Beautiful until Hearst finds a successor. Onward to the next issues—in fact, COCOCOZY has a sneak peek of the November House Beautiful.
· Hearst Design Group Consolidates Editorial Side [Ad Week via Editor at Large]
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