VIEW FROM ABROAD
‘I know the theory is that we’re all stilettos at
dawn in the front row, but really it’s good fun’
turned them down, so I got it by default! like a very unique offering. I couldn’t wait difference, in how she makes decisions,
“In hindsight I look back at my tenure at to get my hands on it.” how she spends her money, who she votes
Elle and think I was probably the most for and so on.”
ignorant editor ever,” she laughs. “I Magazine makeover So can Marie Claire survive the
demonstrated a strong, confident external At the time, Marie Claire was suffering increasing competition and the rise and
persona, but I did find myself thinking: from a decline in circulation, as new rise of the internet? Indeed, O’Riordan and
‘God, what am I going to wear?’ and ‘How magazine launches ate into its readership, her team are working hard on developing
could I possibly be authoritative about this so under O’Riordan it underwent a and integrating the online side of Marie
world?’. But I quickly hired people who considerable revamp. As well as a change Claire. “I think the big brands like Marie
were authoritative and soon realised my to a compact format and a cover price cut, Claire will always stay alive. We’re always
role was to manage them and make their the editorial content was reworked to going to be the ones to supply the
lives easy, so they could do a good job.” bring it up to date with market realities. inspiration, the beautiful glossy pictures
After two and a half successful years at “The launches of magazines like Heat, and the aspirational lifestyle. That is just
Elle, O’Riordan came under pressure at Glamour and In Style – and weeklies like not so gorgeous and luscious when you’re
Emap to move up the management ladder. Now and You – were full of sensationalist looking at it online.”
“It was suggested to me if I wanted my stuff. Suddenly all the fashion was for I can’t leave O’Riordan without asking if
career to move on, I should think of sound bites, visuals and celebrity gossip, the world of fashion magazines is as bitchy
looking at the business side of publishing.” yet Marie Claire represented the opposite as we’re led to believe. “I know the theory
Thus, she found herself on the board at to what was fashionable. We were quite is we’re all stilettos at dawn in the front
Emap, in the role of group publishing worthy, we were very serious and we didn’t row, but really it’s good fun, and I socialise
director of youth magazines, a move she really do celebrities.” regularly with many of my competitors.”
quickly realised was a “terrible mistake”. Today, celebrities are part of the So The Devil Wears Prada thing doesn’t
“I didn’t like it all. I found it very dreary. editorial mix, although O’Riordan is quick apply to editors in the UK? “I don’t like to
I didn’t enjoy being around the men in to add, “not in a sensationalist way”. “We diffuse the myth of The Devil Wears Prada
suits, and really just wanted to get back to try to mix celebrities with high fashion, and because I loved that film,” she laughs.
editing.” That opportunity came in 2001 we absolutely retain our intelligent “Anyone who walked out of that film and
with a job offer from publishing group IPC, features. You don’t want to dilute what’s said they didn’t want to work in a fashion
to take over at the helm of Marie Claire. unique about you. But it’s tough post-9/11 magazine must be lying.” It’s a statement
“That was very exciting, because when I to sell hard-hitting features to your that sums up O’Riordan’s evident ongoing
worked on Elle, and even on More!, Marie readers,” admits O’Riordan, “because they passion for what she does.
Claire was the magazine of reference. often come to a woman’s magazine for a
“I had always adored it because I loved bit of escapism and fantasy. Rather than Ann O’Dea (BA‚ ’90, MA ’92) is editor of
the mix of high fashion with intelligent depressing our reader, we try to ensure she Irish Director magazine and a founding
features on serious issues. That felt to me is empowered and that she can make a director of Whitespace Publishing Group.
UCD CONNECTIONS PAGE THIRTY SEVEN
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