From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

“GQ”, what's its positioning?

In recent years, “GQ” has firmly established itself by relying on visual blockbusters featuring a group of male actors, securing a place in the fiercely competitive magazine market.

However, when it comes to specific content and creativity regarding fashion, trends, brand positioning, etc., the impression in my mind is particularly vague, even nonexistent.

Thus,

When people mention this magazine, its popularity is objectively present; but when discussing its influence, it's unremarkable, a blank slate.

This is also a subject for “GQ”; they hope to have a voice and influence in the men's fashion field, and even if they can't catch up with “Vogue” and “Elle”, they should be on the same level as “Cosmopolitan” and “Harper's Bazaar”, establishing their own position.

However, easier said than done?

Fashion is just a small circle, with the same people coming and going; it's even smaller than Hollywood, making it no easy task to disrupt the existing order.

For example, right now.

“Who?”

Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of “Vogue” magazine, a legendary figure in the fashion field. Since officially serving as the editor-in-chief of “Vogue” in 1988, she has taken the magazine to a whole new level and is known as the “Fashion Bible”, truly pioneering an era.

Later, the movie “The Devil Wears Prada” was based on her, and now Anna undoubtedly stands at the highest point of the fashion circle's pyramid.

Therefore, she has the right to be arrogant, and this is also her consistent style.

Anna doubted her ears, and with a glance, she looked towards her assistant—

This is already the fifth assistant in a month. Anna doesn't even remember her name. A simple glance is enough to make the girl tremble, although she doesn't know what went wrong.

“The magazine?”

With just one sentence, the assistant immediately placed the magazine on Anna's desk, and then the assistant exited the office, leaving Anna space to work.

Anna immediately started flipping through it.

Boring. Boring. Still boring.

Everything is the same as the “GQ” in her impression. It seems that the content of each issue is being adjusted and changed, but the essence is the same. They always dare not break the framework. The editorial department has no perception of the changes in trends. They can only rely on the charm of actors to attract readers. From this perspective, it is no different from “Playboy”, just with more clothes on.

This should not be the way to open up fashion.

In Anna's opinion, “GQ” is just a magazine, not a fashion magazine.

Then.

The movement stopped.

Anna saw Anson's series of photos, glanced at them, then flipped past them, and then flipped back again, taking another look. A little surprise was mixed with some scrutiny. Her expressionless face showed no emotion at all.

But there was one thing: she lingered here for a long time.

Who would have thought that the June issue of “GQ” would even alarm Anna Wintour?

In fact, sales figures can show some clues.

In North America in 2000, magazine sales figures were still very considerable. The first-tier “Vogue” and “Elle” could reach 400,000 to 450,000 copies per issue, which is almost an unimaginable number in the internet era fifteen years later; even “GQ” has a stable market, with sales of around 300,000 copies per issue.

And this time, “GQ” fought a beautiful battle.

The first batch of shipments reached as high as 250,000 copies. After all, Hugh Jackman on the cover and Brad Pitt's suit feature are a guarantee of credibility; but the number did not exceed 300,000 because the summer season is fiercely competitive, and major magazines are doing everything possible to win the hearts of readers.

Major bookstores, newsstands, distributors, etc., also need to observe the market before waiting for the second batch of restocks. This is the moment of truth.

However, the speed of sales far exceeded expectations. People thought that Hugh Jackman and Brad Pitt had successfully driven the market, and the second batch of shipments spat out another 80,000 orders in one breath.

Very gratifying.

It was at this time that “GQ” attracted the attention of the entire fashion circle.

Later, at a party, Anna Wintour accidentally encountered the editor-in-chief of “GQ”. Anna said, “Anson's styling is very tasteful.”

One stone stirred up a thousand waves.

In fact, before Anna, the fashion circle had already recognized “GQ's” attempts, but now it has gone a step further, and even Anna is taking notice.

The combination of a suit and skateboard shoes is a small breakthrough and innovation.

Wearing a suit while skateboarding and playing basketball creates an unconventional style.

From this kind of styling, one can feel the cultural trend at the turn of the millennium, the advocacy of individuality, freedom, mix-and-match, and breaking the rules, just like rock music cut into the punk era. Everyone's colors are breaking free from the shackles of tradition and gaining more platforms to display themselves.

And what truly gives the styling life is the model… and the photographer who captures the model.

Each link is indispensable, and only when they collide with sparks can they achieve the scene before them.

In fact, what really makes Anna curious is whether this is an accident or a manifestation of strength?

If it is the former, there are countless cases in the fashion circle, and there have been more than one or two cases of unintentionally planting willows and creating shade; but if it is the latter, perhaps “GQ” can indeed create some waves in the field of men's fashion.

In addition, whether it is the former or the latter, how “GQ” discovered Anson and tapped into Anson's potential is also a detail worth paying attention to.

In the fashion field, not only designers but also magazine editors-in-chief need their own muse. A model who can give the styling life is especially precious, and the same is true for designers, stylists, and editors-in-chief.

Just like Kate Moss, a once-in-a-decade talent, with her unique temperament giving fashion in the 1990s a whole new color, a slender, decadent, thin, and depressing but fatal gray, a gray between black and white, completely changing the direction of the trend.

Fashion has made Kate Moss, but equally, Kate Moss has also made the fashion of an era.

So, what exactly did Bruce Douglas capture in Anson? Because Anna also captured the same temperament from the photos.

What Anna is focusing on is not a set of styling or a set of photos, but the industrial phenomenon and development context.

But is this important?

Not important.

For others, the only important thing is that Anna noticed “GQ”. This is unprecedented, and that is enough.

Waves, ripples, spreading layer by layer, and then it becomes uncontrollable.

After two shipments, “GQ's” sales have already touched the ceiling, but they never expected that major distributors would apply for a third shipment, and wave after wave of enthusiasm spread in a retro way.

Fifty thousand!

The third shipment, even though sales have reached their own limit, there is still a third shipment, and “GQ” inexplicably shipped another 50,000 copies.

This also means that magazine sales are racing all the way towards the 400,000 threshold, although they were not able to touch 400,000 in the end, it is still incredible.

Shock!

Sensation!

Hot discussion!

So, is it because of Hugh Jackman and Brad Pitt?

No.

“Anson Wood”.

First update.