Vogue: Social & Cultural Context (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Media Studies): Revision Note
Exam code: C680
Product context: Vogue (2021)
Vogue is a glossy, monthly women’s lifestyle magazine
It focuses on fashion, beauty and lifestyle content
The magazine is produced by Condé Nast
It is known as the “Fashion Bible” in the UK
The magazine is aimed at ABC1 women who are wealthy, educated and style-conscious
The target audience was originally women aged 30–45 but now includes younger and more diverse readers
Vogue is funded mostly through advertising from luxury brands, reflecting the high spending power of its audience
In response to changes in media consumption, the magazine also has a strong digital presence with millions of subscribers and followers
Social and cultural context
In the past, Vogue reinforced narrow representations of beauty
It focused on wealthy, white, upper-class women
In 2017, Edward Enninful was appointed as Editor-in-chief
Enninful has progressed the magazine which now embraces greater diversity and features a wider range of ethnicities, body types and ages
In April 2018, British Vogue featured a diverse group of models, including the first model wearing a hijab
This sparked public discussion about diversity and representation in media
The shift reflects broader social changes and aims to make the magazine more inclusive and representative of modern society
Vogue now seeks to inspire and empower women while also shaping cultural ideas about fashion, identity and beauty
Historical and political context
In 2021, media industries were under pressure to address inequality and lack of representation
As a leading fashion publication, Vogue holds significant power in:
Influencing trends
Shaping public attitudes towards beauty and identity
Under Edward Enninful, Vogue front covers became more politically significant
The content of the magazine began actively challenging traditional industry norms
When under-represented groups are featured on the cover it can be seen as a political statement, not just a design choice
The 2021 front cover was also published at the time when the US and British troops were being withdrawn from Afghanistan
The Taliban were taking control and there were global concerns about the safety, education and rights of women and girls in Afghanistan
Malala Yousafzai campaigned for human rights and education during this period
Her activism is highlighted on the cover through captions that anchor her identity and message
The July 2021 front cover featuring Malala had political impact by:
Promoting activism
Shaping public awareness of global issues
This reflects how media products can influence and respond to wider debates in society
Worked Example
Explain how political contexts influence magazines.
[5 marks]
Political context influences magazines by shaping the messages, values and representations they promote. As pressure increased on media industries to address inequality and improve representation, magazines such as Vogue were also affected. Under Edward Enninful, Vogue responded by featuring more diverse cover stars on its front covers to reflect social change. For example, cover stars such as Malala Yousafzai are chosen not only for their fame but also to celebrate their activism and highlight important political issues like education and gender equality. This shows how front covers can promote political ideas and encourage audiences to think about wider social issues. Therefore, political context influences both who is represented on magazine covers and the messages they communicate.
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