The December 2008 editions of high end fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar are harnessing reader attention by featuring cover stories that promote money-saving tactics.
Appealing to women on a budget has never really been a target goal of these magazines, which have traditionally catered to affluent women who have no problem spending over $1,000 on a designer ‘it’ bag, or a few hundred dollars on Christina Louboutins.
With the recession, however, people are having to become a lot more frugal, and one of the first places people are going to be cutting back is on fashion.
Check out a few of the featured stories on December 2008 magazine covers below:
Harper’s Bazaar (featuring Lindsay Lohan)
Affordable Luxuries
Great Finds for all Budgets
Fabulous at Every Age: Buy Now, Love Forever
Stylish steals
US Vogue (featuring Jennifer Aniston)
Reality Chic 181 Exceptional Gifts From $5 to $500
Smart Investments 24K Fashion & Beauty
US Elle (featuring Carrie Underwood)
Gift Guide: Cheap and Chic!
238 Perfect Picks for Everyone $5 and Up
Friends with Money: How to Deal When You’re the Broke One
Glamour (featuring Nicole Kidman)
108 Holiday Luxuries We Can ALL Afford
The gallery also shows the Vogue November 2008 cover featuring Reese Witherspoon and the story, "Chic Destinations for the Wallet-Conscious."
Interestingly, other less high-end fashion magazines don’t seem to be featuring anything pertaining to budgets on their covers. It’s an observation to keep an eye on.
Credit Crunch Cover Stories
Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Elle Promote Budgeting
Trend Themes
1. Budget-friendly Fashion - High-end fashion magazines promoting money-saving tactics to appeal to budget-conscious readers creates opportunities for affordable fashion designers to enter the luxury market.
2. Affordable Luxuries - Feature stories on affordable luxuries for all budgets create opportunities for companies to create high-quality, affordable products that cater to consumers seeking the best value for their money.
3. Gift Guides - Gift guides featuring cheap and chic options create opportunities for companies to develop unique and creative gifts that are affordable yet stylish.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - The promotion of budget-friendly fashion in high-end magazines creates opportunities for fashion companies to focus on affordable yet stylish designs and market them to consumers seeking cheaper alternatives.
2. Retail - The rise of affordable luxuries and budget-conscious gift guides creates opportunities for retailers to offer curated selections of affordable, high-quality products for consumers looking for the best value for their money.
3. Digital Publishing - Digital publishing companies have the opportunity to create online marketplaces for affordable luxury fashion and gift options, catering to consumers who are budget-conscious but want to maintain a high-end lifestyle.