Why Luxury Fashion Brands Are Launching Magazines (and What It Says About Culture)
Chanel, Dior and others are launching their own magazines. Is print media becoming the new frontier of brand storytelling, or is it just a strategic shift in luxury marketing?
In a world dominated by fast-paced content and fleeting attention spans, an unexpected trend is emerging from the glossy heart of the fashion industry: the revival of printed media. Luxury brands—once content to see their names in Vogue—are now becoming publishers in their own right. They’re launching magazines not as mere marketing tools, but as platforms for storytelling, culture, and creative expression.
Why Fashion Brands Are Becoming Publishers: Control, Culture and Print as Prestige
But what’s behind this editorial wave? Are these glossy publications part of a rebranding strategy, or is the fashion industry—with its power to shape habits and values—signalling a broader cultural shift? Could it be that reading is becoming fashionable again?
Chanel’s Arts & Culture Magazine: Editorial Strategy as Cultural Capital
Chanel, the iconic French maison, is leading this new editorial movement. To celebrate its centenary in the United Kingdom, the brand has released Arts & Culture Magazine, a sophisticated, 250-page publication that looks back on five years of collaborations with artists and cultural institutions worldwide.
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Trailer video for the launch of Arts & Culture VOL.1 by Chanel
Curated by the Chanel Culture Fund and led by Yana Peel, the brand’s Global Head of Arts, Culture & Heritage, the magazine isn’t about fashion spreads or product features. Instead, it emphasises creative dialogue. Through photography, essays, and archival treasures—such as a bust of Gabrielle Chanel wearing runway sunglasses from 2002—the magazine showcases the brand’s vision of culture as a transformative force.
Global Reach and Editorial Distribution: Inside Chanel’s Print Media Strategy
Chanel has also partnered with independent distributors such as Foreign Exchange News and Tenderbooks in London, and Ripe Mags in Glasgow, ensuring the magazine reaches discerning readers in 20 cities worldwide, from Milan to Mexico City and Tokyo to Berlin.
This magazine isn’t just a glossy collector’s item; it serves as a declaration of Chanel’s commitment to cultural commentary as much as to haute couture. According to the Culture Fund’s site, the goal is to provide visibility to voices shaping new narratives in art and society while supporting innovation across various disciplines. This mission is reflected not only in print but also through the maison’s global partnerships with institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, and the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Giorgio Armani’s Editorial Voice in Luxury Publishing
Chanel is not alone in its print revival. Giorgio Armani has quietly cultivated a sophisticated editorial voice through Armani/Magazine, a biannual publication that explores architecture, design, film, and the lifestyle surrounding the Armani world. Each issue acts as a personal journal from Giorgio Armani himself, often reflecting on themes of beauty, memory, and timeless elegance.
Acne Paper by Acne Studios and the Art of Thematic Publishing
Acne Studios, the Stockholm-based brand known for its artistic edge, publishes Acne Paper, an oversized cultural magazine that reads more like a coffee-table art book than a brand asset. After a hiatus, the magazine returned in 2021 with a renewed vision: each issue is built around a single theme, such as “The Age of Aquarius” or “Museums”, and features essays, interviews, portfolios, and even poetry, showcasing contributions from global creatives across various disciplines.
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Snapshots from Acne Studios activation in Paris for the 20th anniversary of Acne Paper
Dior Magazine: Feminist and Artistic Storytelling in Print
Dior Magazine blended the aesthetic of a high-fashion portfolio with compelling editorial storytelling. Under Maria Grazia Chiuri’s creative direction for womenswear and haute couture, Dior used the magazine to highlight its artistic influences, feminist themes, and seasonal inspirations. The magazine includes features on dancers, choreographers, sculptors, and photographers, all intricately linked to the brand’s haute couture and ready-to-wear collections.
These publications are not promotional leaflets. They are ambitious, high-concept editorial projects—often more aligned with independent publishing or museum catalogues than typical commercial magazines. They speak not to the casual consumer but to the curious, cultured reader.
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Details from Issue 46 of Dior Magazine
Why Print Media Still Matters for Fashion Brands
What does it all mean? This editorial shift is partly about content control. As traditional fashion media declines and the influencer economy becomes less cohesive, brands are establishing their own platforms to shape narratives on their own terms.
But it’s also about legacy and meaning—creating culture rather than just selling clothes.
In this context, print becomes more than media. It becomes a luxury object—something tactile, curated, and rare. The slower pace of reading and the ritual of flipping through pages provide a welcome alternative to the endless scroll of digital content.
Is Editorial Publishing the New Standard in Luxury Fashion?
By producing limited-run magazines and distributing them only in select cities, fashion houses are creating something exclusive and timeless—and entirely on-brand.
Fashion has always been about more than just fashion. Now it’s about publishing, too. With this transformation, the act of reading—taking the time to engage with stories and discover ideas offline—may be poised for a high-end comeback in 2025.
Angelo Ruggeri
Journalist and Master, Styling, Business, Design Courses Tutor, Milan