WWD: Homage to Fashion’s Lifeline
I was speaking with a colleague recently about WWD and he/she (gender has been disguised to protect the innocent!) made a disparaging comment about the paper. We were ranking the power of various media outlets. Now, we have (as I have said before) a wide range of clients in both the mass and luxury sectors. For some, WWD is the ultimate media destination. A good story in that publication can really put one of our fashion clients on the map, or at the very least validate their existence. It’s a POWERFUL platform. I get daily media alerts on the state of the industry and I can tell you understanding where a particular brand stands on 4th quarter earnings can say a lot about the state of the union.
I remember the day (many years ago) when we started considering WWD in the same league as bigger papers for exclusives—up against the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. With it’s significantly smaller circ you might think, “Hmmm.” But when your fashion brand needs recognition in the marketplace there really is no competition. We had an ex-WWD staffer work for us years ago and she said the paper would spend forever agonizing over it’s title for the front cover. (INSERT TITLE FROM DAY). They knew the power of their paper.
When I lived in Miami and worked in Bal Harbor shops during college I would buy WWD just to brush up on my industry news (not that I needed it then). I loved it. The paper seemed like this insider’s peek into a rarified world. Back then European fashion hit the states 6-months post runway. Nothing was instant then, there was no Internet. It definitely added to fashion’s mystique. And WWD was a way to access this fabulous world.
So, after breezing by my colleague’s comment, I decided to address it later in the day. I explained that fashion was a multi-billion dollar industry that accounted for tons of jobs and all kinds of economic stimulus and that though you might not love the paper you can’t deny it’s importance. This person agreed (honestly, they made the comment in passing before thinking it through). So, all was well again—order restored. WWD, we love you.
Source: Cover page of today's WWD paper from www.wwd.com
