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Second
ACT
DIVINE DESIGN
Margaret Russell spent over two decades helping launch, and then helmed, one of the style-mag set’s most successful forays in the shelter territory at Elle Décor. Less than a year ago, she was named head editrix at the venerable Architectural Digest—the slightly austere glossy’s first passing of reins in 35 years. With a stylethemed issue on newsstands right now and a closet brimming with Prada, Russell is seizing The Daily. BY ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV Did your predecessor, Paige Rense Noland, congratulate you when you got the job? There was not a great deal of dialogue between us; congratulations were not in order. But I did inherit an extraordinary magazine and brand. The magazine launched in 1920, but it became AD as we know it today under the reign of Paige. Everything I’ve done since I arrived has been with a sense of respect for what went on before me, but also a really clear focus on this brand’s present and future. There’s such tremendous value in our archives— right now we’re just figuring out exactly how to make use of them, through, say, e-books or iPad apps. Do you feel any pressure from following in the footsteps of Paige’s lengthy editorship? What do you think? There was never any sense of “you must do this” or “preserve that.” But I also didn’t intend to come in and change everything, just for the sake of changing it. In a similar way, Elle Décor wasn’t my Elle Décor, even though I was the guiding spirit behind it for some time. AD had been sleepy for a few years; the economy was difficult, and the magazine hadn’t been what it could be. Now we get the chance to change that. Did AD uproot its entire L.A. operation and recreate it at 4 Times Square? No. They essentially closed the West Coast office and gave people the option of interviewing for a position here. I went back and forth to L.A. last fall. Every single person has been hired to work in both print and digital—I don’t know of any other magazine in that position. I do have a young staff, but there are plenty of well-seasoned people who are just as digitally capable. It’s not like learning Russian! Fa s h i o n w e e k d a i l y. c o m
Photography by Giorgio Niro
Second
Where are your fingerprints? Our magazine didn’t have market editors before I came. It’s important that we’re out there, seeing what’s new and presenting products for our readers. There are more people on the magazine’s pages since I got here; we photograph homeowners as much as possible, and we don’t necessarily shoot the designer or architect. Over the past year, the front-of-book has become more clearly defined. I’ve also been working to cover a wider group of architects, designers and homeowners. How have you tweaked the aesthetics? We’ve changed the way that we photograph— there’s more sunlight and openness. We’ve kept many things, but we’ve freshened the look, like on the “Estates For Sale” pages, for example. They’ve always been incredibly popular, but I thought they looked a bit like real estate ads. People were calling me to find out how could they buy an ad in that section! What does it feel like to compete with your old title on the newsstand? I don’t actually think of it that way! The comparison between Elle Décor and AD is definitely not apples and apples; it’s apples and oranges. I’m so focused on AD, in terms of what it has been and what it should be. Elle Décor was my life for so long—I was there for 21 years, and I helped launch the magazine. It’s been a really interesting transition because when you’re at any place for that long, it’s a huge change. However, I am getting projects at AD that I never would have gotten at Elle Décor. What kinds of projects? The Elizabeth Taylor cover story in July came out of a relationship I brought with me; it probably would have still come to me at Elle Décor, but it’s much better suited for Architectural Digest. There are stories in the upcoming months that are just a different scale than what I’ve done before. Also, around half of our readers are men, which is very different. I can’t ever be girly at AD. Elle Décor was 85 percent female and 15 percent male, and AD’s is a 45–55 malefemale ratio, respectively. What sets Architectural Digest apart, besides being monthly, unlike many competitors? AD has always been considered the design bible. We have the resources at Condé Nast to invest in our photo shoots, talent, and time. The strength of this magazine is in our absolute focus on where we stand. It’s the leader in the category. That takes off some of the pressure of wondering where the next story is coming from. I frequently get stopped on the street by people telling me that they have decades of issues saved, and often they’ve inherited them. It’s a beautiful product! So I don’t worry about the print magazine going away anytime soon. Anything new happening on the tech front? We’re revamping the website; it’s being built on a new platform with Adobe. When we start doing digital editions next year, they will be done very mindfully—and in a sustainable manner. Did you do anything at Elle Décor that you won’t be taking along to AD? Everything you do, every single day, offers experience. I don’t regret anything. Each photo shoot where you deal with a celebrity, an irate home-
ACT
Fa s h i o n w e e k d a i l y. c o m
owner, or a temperamental architect gets you to a better place for the next one. October is dedicated to “style insiders.” The cover story is Ed Filipowski and Mark Lee’s penthouse in Chelsea. It’s a fabulous apartment in a beautiful, storied building. They’ve done a marvelous job with the place. We have jewelry designer Elizabeth Locke’s farm in Virginia, Anne McNally’s Paris apartment, and Donny Deutsch’s Upper East Side townhouse with its terrific art collection. There’s also the Pratesi family’s 16th-century Tuscan villa and Inez and Vinoodh’s downtown loft. And James Galanos’ place in Los Angeles, which AD photographed years ago. Richard Lambertson and John Truex’s uptown apartment is filled with quirky, fun art. How did this tome of chic materialize? Often the best stories come from a friend who says “I just saw so-and-so’s house at a party.” Mark’s
place came to me through Simon Doonan, who is a longtime friend of mine and a contributing editor at the magazine. I absolutely knew that some of these stories had to be in the issue—and then, as is always the case, some fell through and others came together last minute. Putting the issue together really is like a puzzle. What’s the most surprising thing that you’ve seen in a fashionable home? People who are not very chic sometimes live in an incredibly stylish manner. Then there are those who are the most drop-dead chic people you could imagine—you go to their houses and they clearly have no interest in their homes. That dichotomy
is always surprising to me! When do dress and address align aesthetically? I love seeing people who have a thread of creativity running through everything that they do. Iris Apfel, one of my favorite people, lives in this crazy place with lots of layers; different patterns everywhere; and a mix of antique and new furniture. I’m also always interested in people who live with very little, so purely, like Jil Sander. I couldn’t live like that, but I’m fascinated by the idea of editing your life so carefully down to every little detail. You wear a lot of Prada. I could be the poster child for Prada! Miuccia cuts for people my size. I love Ralph Rucci and Calvin Klein, and I also wear Dolce, Oscar and Carolina Herrera. I’m very specific, and I’m not very fashion-y. I don’t like wearing dresses that announce themselves. I’m not trying to reinvent a look when I get dressed, because I know what works for me and what I’m comfortable in. How much Prada is hanging in your closet, exactly? I really can’t tell you that. It would be frightening. Who are your fashion friends? I am enormously fond of Ralph Rucci. I think he’s a genius. Ralph Lauren has been incredibly kind to me, and I have great respect for him. I’m about the Ralphs, I guess! How about fellow editor folks? I’m friendly with Linda Wells, Brandon Holley and Lucy Danziger. Adam Glassman at O is probably my best editor friend; he’s practically family to me. We met through a photographer, and Adam used to call me to ask for sources because I had—and have—a good Rolodex. Sometimes when I’m having a staffing issue, I go to Adam because he’s a very balanced person—he works in a different part of the business, and he gives good advice. What is good taste? It doesn’t have to be perfect, elegant, or refined. Good taste can be something shocking, as long as it rings true. Have you done anything tastefully shocking in AD since arriving? I don’t think we’ve done anything shocking yet, though I’m sure some people have been shocked so far by what we’re doing. My role is not to shock the reader, but I do think there’s value in going a bit too far and then coming back to find where you really need to be. After your stint as a judge on Bravo’s Top Design show, any plans to go on camera again? Never say never, but I do think I fortunately got in and out of reality TV before it got too crazy. It was a terrific experience, and I love Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler, and India Hicks, who were my fellow judges. I learned how to be accustomed to having cameras nearby, so I don’t get as nervous when they crop up now and again. How rapid is trend turnover when your stage is a room instead of a runway? You don’t buy a sofa and throw it out six months later. You can't put it in the back of your closet, either. Although you can use a slipcover!
ACT
DIVINE DESIGN
Margaret Russell spent over two decades helping launch, and then helmed, one of the style-mag set’s most successful forays in the shelter territory at Elle Décor. Less than a year ago, she was named head editrix at the venerable Architectural Digest—the slightly austere glossy’s first passing of reins in 35 years. With a stylethemed issue on newsstands right now and a closet brimming with Prada, Russell is seizing The Daily. BY ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV Did your predecessor, Paige Rense Noland, congratulate you when you got the job? There was not a great deal of dialogue between us; congratulations were not in order. But I did inherit an extraordinary magazine and brand. The magazine launched in 1920, but it became AD as we know it today under the reign of Paige. Everything I’ve done since I arrived has been with a sense of respect for what went on before me, but also a really clear focus on this brand’s present and future. There’s such tremendous value in our archives— right now we’re just figuring out exactly how to make use of them, through, say, e-books or iPad apps. Do you feel any pressure from following in the footsteps of Paige’s lengthy editorship? What do you think? There was never any sense of “you must do this” or “preserve that.” But I also didn’t intend to come in and change everything, just for the sake of changing it. In a similar way, Elle Décor wasn’t my Elle Décor, even though I was the guiding spirit behind it for some time. AD had been sleepy for a few years; the economy was difficult, and the magazine hadn’t been what it could be. Now we get the chance to change that. Did AD uproot its entire L.A. operation and recreate it at 4 Times Square? No. They essentially closed the West Coast office and gave people the option of interviewing for a position here. I went back and forth to L.A. last fall. Every single person has been hired to work in both print and digital—I don’t know of any other magazine in that position. I do have a young staff, but there are plenty of well-seasoned people who are just as digitally capable. It’s not like learning Russian! Fa s h i o n w e e k d a i l y. c o m
Photography by Giorgio Niro
Second
Where are your fingerprints? Our magazine didn’t have market editors before I came. It’s important that we’re out there, seeing what’s new and presenting products for our readers. There are more people on the magazine’s pages since I got here; we photograph homeowners as much as possible, and we don’t necessarily shoot the designer or architect. Over the past year, the front-of-book has become more clearly defined. I’ve also been working to cover a wider group of architects, designers and homeowners. How have you tweaked the aesthetics? We’ve changed the way that we photograph— there’s more sunlight and openness. We’ve kept many things, but we’ve freshened the look, like on the “Estates For Sale” pages, for example. They’ve always been incredibly popular, but I thought they looked a bit like real estate ads. People were calling me to find out how could they buy an ad in that section! What does it feel like to compete with your old title on the newsstand? I don’t actually think of it that way! The comparison between Elle Décor and AD is definitely not apples and apples; it’s apples and oranges. I’m so focused on AD, in terms of what it has been and what it should be. Elle Décor was my life for so long—I was there for 21 years, and I helped launch the magazine. It’s been a really interesting transition because when you’re at any place for that long, it’s a huge change. However, I am getting projects at AD that I never would have gotten at Elle Décor. What kinds of projects? The Elizabeth Taylor cover story in July came out of a relationship I brought with me; it probably would have still come to me at Elle Décor, but it’s much better suited for Architectural Digest. There are stories in the upcoming months that are just a different scale than what I’ve done before. Also, around half of our readers are men, which is very different. I can’t ever be girly at AD. Elle Décor was 85 percent female and 15 percent male, and AD’s is a 45–55 malefemale ratio, respectively. What sets Architectural Digest apart, besides being monthly, unlike many competitors? AD has always been considered the design bible. We have the resources at Condé Nast to invest in our photo shoots, talent, and time. The strength of this magazine is in our absolute focus on where we stand. It’s the leader in the category. That takes off some of the pressure of wondering where the next story is coming from. I frequently get stopped on the street by people telling me that they have decades of issues saved, and often they’ve inherited them. It’s a beautiful product! So I don’t worry about the print magazine going away anytime soon. Anything new happening on the tech front? We’re revamping the website; it’s being built on a new platform with Adobe. When we start doing digital editions next year, they will be done very mindfully—and in a sustainable manner. Did you do anything at Elle Décor that you won’t be taking along to AD? Everything you do, every single day, offers experience. I don’t regret anything. Each photo shoot where you deal with a celebrity, an irate home-
ACT
Fa s h i o n w e e k d a i l y. c o m
owner, or a temperamental architect gets you to a better place for the next one. October is dedicated to “style insiders.” The cover story is Ed Filipowski and Mark Lee’s penthouse in Chelsea. It’s a fabulous apartment in a beautiful, storied building. They’ve done a marvelous job with the place. We have jewelry designer Elizabeth Locke’s farm in Virginia, Anne McNally’s Paris apartment, and Donny Deutsch’s Upper East Side townhouse with its terrific art collection. There’s also the Pratesi family’s 16th-century Tuscan villa and Inez and Vinoodh’s downtown loft. And James Galanos’ place in Los Angeles, which AD photographed years ago. Richard Lambertson and John Truex’s uptown apartment is filled with quirky, fun art. How did this tome of chic materialize? Often the best stories come from a friend who says “I just saw so-and-so’s house at a party.” Mark’s
place came to me through Simon Doonan, who is a longtime friend of mine and a contributing editor at the magazine. I absolutely knew that some of these stories had to be in the issue—and then, as is always the case, some fell through and others came together last minute. Putting the issue together really is like a puzzle. What’s the most surprising thing that you’ve seen in a fashionable home? People who are not very chic sometimes live in an incredibly stylish manner. Then there are those who are the most drop-dead chic people you could imagine—you go to their houses and they clearly have no interest in their homes. That dichotomy
is always surprising to me! When do dress and address align aesthetically? I love seeing people who have a thread of creativity running through everything that they do. Iris Apfel, one of my favorite people, lives in this crazy place with lots of layers; different patterns everywhere; and a mix of antique and new furniture. I’m also always interested in people who live with very little, so purely, like Jil Sander. I couldn’t live like that, but I’m fascinated by the idea of editing your life so carefully down to every little detail. You wear a lot of Prada. I could be the poster child for Prada! Miuccia cuts for people my size. I love Ralph Rucci and Calvin Klein, and I also wear Dolce, Oscar and Carolina Herrera. I’m very specific, and I’m not very fashion-y. I don’t like wearing dresses that announce themselves. I’m not trying to reinvent a look when I get dressed, because I know what works for me and what I’m comfortable in. How much Prada is hanging in your closet, exactly? I really can’t tell you that. It would be frightening. Who are your fashion friends? I am enormously fond of Ralph Rucci. I think he’s a genius. Ralph Lauren has been incredibly kind to me, and I have great respect for him. I’m about the Ralphs, I guess! How about fellow editor folks? I’m friendly with Linda Wells, Brandon Holley and Lucy Danziger. Adam Glassman at O is probably my best editor friend; he’s practically family to me. We met through a photographer, and Adam used to call me to ask for sources because I had—and have—a good Rolodex. Sometimes when I’m having a staffing issue, I go to Adam because he’s a very balanced person—he works in a different part of the business, and he gives good advice. What is good taste? It doesn’t have to be perfect, elegant, or refined. Good taste can be something shocking, as long as it rings true. Have you done anything tastefully shocking in AD since arriving? I don’t think we’ve done anything shocking yet, though I’m sure some people have been shocked so far by what we’re doing. My role is not to shock the reader, but I do think there’s value in going a bit too far and then coming back to find where you really need to be. After your stint as a judge on Bravo’s Top Design show, any plans to go on camera again? Never say never, but I do think I fortunately got in and out of reality TV before it got too crazy. It was a terrific experience, and I love Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler, and India Hicks, who were my fellow judges. I learned how to be accustomed to having cameras nearby, so I don’t get as nervous when they crop up now and again. How rapid is trend turnover when your stage is a room instead of a runway? You don’t buy a sofa and throw it out six months later. You can't put it in the back of your closet, either. Although you can use a slipcover!
