Fashion magazines have always been an integral part of the fashion scene.
Top fashion magazines are much more than a guide that we go through for entertainment when we get bored. They can showcase the reality of the fashion world, trends, advice, hot topics and give insight into what’s important. Here, we’ve put together a list of the top-rated fashion magazines of 2021 that can ease your fashion journey aiding you through your decision-making process.
VOGUE
When we consider the most popular fashion magazine in the world, Vogue tops the list. First published in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure, Vogue has over the years come to become the ultimate women’s fashion publication.
After its directorship was transferred to Anna Wintour in 1988, the magazine became a global phenomenon that’s had a unique and strong influence on what new fashion trends are emerging. Vogue also brings in high fashion and culture together, and with time extended to add Teen Vogue and Men’s Vogue to expand the audience.
Vogue currently has over 11 million subscribers in 23 countries all over the world. It’s your go-to magazine that provides profiles, advice, and news to readers covering topics like culture, entertainment, living, runway, and of course beauty and fashion.
ELLE
Elle is a French magazine that ordinarily means ‘she’ or ‘her’ which implies that it’s a magazine aimed at women’s content and issues. The 76-year old magazine has fast become a high-flying world-recognized magazine that intends to inspire women to explore style and lifestyle as they want it.
The first installment of the magazine was sold to France-Soir, but now gets published to at least 44 countries in the world today. It focuses on fashion but extends to other women-related issues like entertainment, politics, health, career, and relationships matters. Each magazine issue features a combination of the latest fashion trends, coverage of important women’s issues, and inclusive and exclusive content.
Elle magazine is a must-read for every woman who’s not only fascinated by fashion but is also interested in an all-around development.
HARPER’S BAZAAR
Harper’s Bazaar has maintained its position as one of the top fashion magazines to ever exist, but it’s not only because it’s America’s oldest fashion magazine. It started out as a weekly Harper’s Bazaar that first got published in New York in November 1867.
After 150 years of circulation, Harper’s Bazaar Magazine remains our go-to magazine for fashion trends and beauty-related content. Since it’s centralized in America’s city of fashion, New York, it’s a middle ground for beauty experts, fashion designers, stunning photography, wardrobe suggestions for every occasion, information on upcoming events, and every other fashion thing you need!
You can trust Harper’s Bazaar with your latest trends, runway shows rundown, fashion updates in every category of the fashion world you can imagine.
Currently, Harper’s Bazaar is published in 32 countries of the world.
GQ
When you think of men’s fashion, you think GQ. Every fashionable male dreams of one day being on the cover of GQ. The Gentlemen’s Quarterly, commonly referred to as GQ started out in 1952 as a fashion magazine that focuses on men’s fashion which has evolved into a quarterly fashion installment with sophisticated and distinguishable male fashion content for subscribers. It also covers content ranging from politics, sports, fitness, tech, entertainment, food and wine, and relationships.
GQ’s geared towards empowering men fully and not just in regards to fashion, and that’s why it’s the leading male fashion magazine in the world today.
INSTYLE
Without mincing words, InStyle is the magazine that literally keeps you in style. This American monthly magazine that’s existed since 1994 is one of the youngest amongst the top-tier magazines. It’s currently an international publication that keeps you in touch with the latest celebrity fashion and beauty trends and puts a laser focus on other aspects like entertainment, home, and lifestyle to give you the much-needed inspiration you need to keep your world of fashion alive.
InStyle’s unique selling point is that it gives exclusive insight into the homes and fashion styles of your favorite celebrities and fashion icons. You can draw inspiration for your recipes and decorating tips for your home from the “What’s Now” and “The Look” sections. InStyle is not only for women, but it’s an all-focused magazine that features hard copies and blogs that are currently published in 16 countries and distributed internationally.
ALLURE
Allure focuses mainly on giving beauty, wellness, and wellness content to an audience that’s expanding to over 8 million viewers and 5 million subscribers. Allure is the beauty expert magazine you can rely on to give you the latest tips, advice, and trends. Topics in the Allure magazine range from makeup, clothes, accessories, skin and hair care. You can also find recommendations relating to your personality, face shape, and skin type.
As mentioned earlier, Allure is your beauty expert in the form of a magazine. Existing since 1991, Allure also offers the Best of Beauty Awards and occasionally discusses several controversial health issues.
Allure has maintained the reliability that it’s offered consumers right from the onset.
COSMOPOLITAN
The Cosmo magazine is characterized by fun, fearlessness, and femininity. Cosmopolitan is solely for women and it’s one of those magazines that stands out for a number of reasons. First, it’s one of the few magazines that published in other languages, standing at a high ranking number of 110 languages.
Cosmopolitan magazine cuts through 35 countries with 64 international editions. Then, it brings a different perspective for women who choose to be fearless, groundbreaking and remain stylish while doing it.
You get a wide range of advice from industry favorites on any and every matter, ranging from formal or casual events to friendships, relationships, healthy eating and exercise, and tips on achieving your personal goals. Although it started as a family magazine in 1886, it quickly evolved into a world-renowned magazine publishing women-centric content.
MARIE CLAIRE
Jean Prouvost and Marcelle Auclair founded the Maire Claire magazine in 1937 with the intention to shrink the existing disparity between lifestyle and culture. And it appeared to achieve its aim as it quickly became a fan favorite in the first few years of its publication as it sold over half a million copies for its first-ever edition.
Eventually, the magazine went international in 1941 and hasn’t looked back since then. It now publishes editions in more than 35 countries on five of the seven continents in 24 languages, and it continues to address fashion and lifestyle.
Maire Claire now covers a range of topics, from fashion, trends, art, and culture, but was more about women empowerment when it kicked off in the early ’90s. It was an intersection between fashion and journalism.
VANITY FAIR
Vanity Fair is one magazine that has undergone a couple of revivals to make it what it is today. First started in 1913, it was originally meant to be a magazine that represented “a place or scene of ostentation or empty, idle amusement and frivolity”. But as time went by and the control of the magazine changed, it became an empire ruled by legends.
Vanity Fair also changed from being a Manhattan-based humorous weekly magazine to a publication known for its witty prose and its caricatures of men of privilege. It remained like this until 1913, when the Condé acquired it and changed it to the Dress & Vanity Fair journal.
Now, Vanity Fair boasts of its originality and unparalleled standards which are led by industry and fashion experts.
GLAMOUR
Glamour has maintained being a household name since 1939 when it launched in the United States. Since then, it’s extended its reach to over 1.4 million readers in the USA and much more across the world. Glamour launched in the UK in 2001 with the “fits in your life as well as your handbag” mantra. It also has an annual “Women of the Year” awards ceremony that’s been held since 1980.
W
W started out as the sister publication to the Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) magazine in 1972. However, it evolved into an American fashion magazine that highlights authentic content ranging from style, culture, fashion, art, celebrity, and films.
W is another leading magazine that the Conde Nast publishers push into the public, specifically since 2002. Stefano Tonchi leads the team that creates engaging content that isn’t found in other magazine publications. W is exceptional not only because of its unique name, but because it is built on controversial topics and features.
W quickly gained popularity for standing out but has over time tried to tone down on its involvement in controversial topics.
ESSENCE
It’s not a new thing to see magazines that are solely targeted towards African American women nowadays for the sake of inclusion. However, the conversation will not be complete mentioning those that paved the way for those specific magazines. And for that reason, Essence makes it to our top list of fashion magazines in 2021.
In 1968, Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth, and Jonathan Blount came together to found Essence Communications Inc. (ECI). About 12 years later in 1968, they began publishing Essence magazine. Lewis and Smith called the publication a “lifestyle magazine directed at upscale African American women”.
Since then, Essence has told the story of African American women from a fashion and style perspective. They have columns and features for contributors who push the culture of fashion and lifestyle from an African American perspective.
NUMERO
Numéro magazine has one goal in mind – target smart, intelligent, and intellectual women to help them build their world with information and tools relating to fashion, lifestyle, design, music, and art. Elisabeth Dijan founded the magazine in 1998 and has for the past 23 years fulfilled the reason intended for it. Numero will continue to be one of the most influential publications in fashion.
V
V was founded by Cecilia Dean also in 1998 as a limited edition magazine that was intended to publish lifestyle and fashion content every four months. This meant that each year had four seasonal releases that predominantly covered the evolving trends in culture, music, fashion, entertainment, etc.
Stephen Cecilia went on to hand over to Gan who pulled off the Creative Visionary Head role for the magazine and capitalized on encouraging free reign for artists and fashionistas to showcase their unique voices through groundbreaking columns and images that would otherwise have gone unheard.
V boasts of over 3 million subscribers who are on personal quests to find unique stories as they continue to evolve.
GRAZIA
The Italian top-tier magazine, Grazia, makes the list as a top runner in fashion and lifestyle magazines that launched in 1938. Grazia isn’t only concerned with fashion and related topics, rather it goes for far-fetched topics like arts, current affairs, news, and economy.
Grazia has spread its wings over 5 continents, with its 20 editions that have brought in 35 million. It continues to explore these unprecedented topics and territories and draws the attention of sophisticated and dynamic readers through its digital and offline communities.
Grazia is not only the number one Italian magazine in the world but it’s had an influence on Italian and international fashion in general. It’s worth mentioning the founders of the magazine were inspired by Harper’s Bazaar.
From the list above, you can easily make a decision as to which to follow and subscribe to, considering how they align with your style, personality, and fashion goals. Have a great time devouring these magazines!
