Part II: The New York Times T Women's Fashion Magazine of August 25, 2013: Does Deborah Needleman get it right?

Front cover from The New York Times

Women's Fashion issue, published August 25, 2013

This is Rooney Mara

For Part I, discussing the WSJ. Magazine of Women's Fashions published on September 8th, click here.

What better way to is there to determine if the NYT Fashion issue gets it right than consulting the posted "mission statement" for  T The New York Times Magazine

The 'mission statement' for the NYT Style Magazine is two-fold: Here is a direct quote from nytco.com:

T: The New York Times Style Magazine strives to be the most influential, creative culture style magazine in the world, connecting with the reader by viewing fashion and style through the prism of culture with quality as our filter. (italics mine)

T magazine's world-class journalists examine, analyze and edit the cultural moment we live in setting the tone for conversation embraced by our influential readers. (italics mine)

It's up to you and me- we readers-to evaluate T's success in striving to be a major catalyst of conversation for us the "influential readers."

It's my intent to get the conversation flowing by discussing my own observations and responses.

Now, before getting to Deborah Needlemen's poignant editor's letter....a few preliminaries....

Deborah Needleman, Editor in Chief of T Magazines

Now in her second year at the Helm
(Photo courtesy of minonline.com) 

The magazine is 254 pages thick.

The reader must travel through nearly 80 pages of ads before  arriving at the Table of Contents.

What a delightful cruise it is..

One shouldn't  just quickly sail through these pages:  the ads are arresting beginning with a four page pullout of four Giorgi Armani's black and white fall fashion patterns gracing, hugging and flowing from the tall lithe figure of one iconic model.

(Quaere: On whether "models be timeless icons rather than anonymous faces" see Picture Perfect and the family-run DNA agency, page 192.)

Not to be outdone, The Ralph Lauren Collection is spread out over the next five (5) pages. The ads are of tight-fitting black and white three-piece outfits (the 'third' piece is a black Captains's naval cap) with the ladies port- side  the yacht.

Jewelry, shoes, luggage and a striking red handbag with the RL logo are also featured.

Chanel, Estee Lauder, Gucci, Prada, Calvin Klein and Ferragamo follow--all emphasizing solid black and white as well as salt and pepper outfits.

And the list goes on: Bloomingdales, Burberry, Tod's, Bottega Veneta, Celine, Balenciaga...

A MUST STOP along the way: a 7 (yes, SEVEN) page Tommy Hilfiger fold-out for his University Club Collection (carpe-diem manana) beginning on page 101.

Let's fast forward  to page 246--the last of the featured articles.

This is the end of Part II.

Jhumpa Lahiri will be featured in Part III

Why is Ms. Lahiri a significant part of the T Magazines's editorial letter?

 Part III provides some answers:  Juxtaposition of The Writer's Rooms, Rooney Mara and the The Value of Things. Why does Deborah Needleman get it right? (click here for Part III)