The New Yorker Magazine- a sign of the times.
In the 60s when Wm Shawn , who was a Chipp customer, was the legendary editor of the New Yorker, the magazine was at the height of it’s popularity. Chipp advertised regularly and everyone in our family was “compt” a subscription. Many of the magazines subscribers never read the articles- they subscribed to partake of the cartoons and the advertisements. The magazine was a study in who was important in the men’s clothing business- both manufacturers and retailers. The front inside page was a full page Brooks Brothers institutional ad. Among others, not full pages, spread through the hallowed pages were entries for Norman Hilton, Hart Marks, Southwick, J Press, Paul Stuart, Saks, Chipp, Bloomingdales, Lord and Taylor, Linett, Dunhill and a few others whose names have faded from my aging mind. The New Yorker was loaded with men’s wear advertisement week after week. Yesterday I was assigned the grandfather duty of babysitting my NYC granddaughter. What should I find on the coffeetable ? The most recent issue of the New Yorker. I have not seen a copy in years. I looked at it from cover to cover. Not one menswear ad. I didn’t read any of the articles. The cartoons are still good.
July 15th, 2010 at 7:09 am
But there are articles about Lady Gaga. Another once excellent magazine that has gone way downhill, although not nearly as bad as Esquire.
July 21st, 2010 at 10:24 am
I recall those days!
The fact that menswear stores and manufacturers no longer advertise is an unfortunate sign that traditional menswear has become more and more irrelevant.