Kate Lanphear Wants Women to Read Maxim Too
Candice Swanepoel on the cover of Maxim’s March issue. Photography by Gilles Bensimon
Today marks the dawn of a new day for Maxim magazine. The lad mag had its watershed moment all throughout the ‘90s and early aughts, but was on the verge of collapse as recent as two years ago until Iranian-born business man Sardar Biglari brought it back from the brink of ruin. Industry types will tell you that Biglari was on the hunt for months before he found the right person to occupy the coveted Editor in Chief post. He eventually found his star in the former T Style Director Kate Lanphear. Her appointment sent ripples throughout the fashion world. Lanphear had worked in the industry for over a decade, including long stints at Harper’s Bazaar and Elle — but was she really the right choice for the job?
As they say, the proof is in the pudding. It’s been six months since she started, and her debut issue hit newsstands on Wednesday. You can already see the nuanced evolution just by looking at the sensual yet not overtly sexual cover, which was photographed by longtime fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon and features Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel. An inside shot features a similarly attractive shot with the model doing that wet white T-shirt thing. But instead of giving the camera f*** me face, she’s smiling! How wonderfully novel. (Don’t worry dudes, she also appears totally naked sprawled out on the beach!)
An inside photo from the cover story. Photography by Gilles Bensimon
Many are making a big deal of the fact that Lanphear, very obviously a woman, is now heading up this traditionally alpha male publication. But how sexist is that? No one minds when a man edits, say Town and Country, or even a fashion bible like InStyle? We have faith in Kate for a few reasons. One: as she readily admits, she’s a tomboy at heart with a wide range of interests that extend beyond her reputation as a fashionista. And, in fact, her fashion cred has fared her well. The mag is already up considerably in ad pages, and a lot of that has to do with Lanphear’s influence. Two: women are more apt to pick up this publication for their dudes if there’s stuff that they want to read in there as well. Having a female editor at the helm makes it infinitely more appealing. Three: If Lanphear’s time in the industry has taught her anything, it’s how to craft a good story. Having logged some time with her over the years, she is a great storyteller herself and she likes to have fun, which is what the Maxim brand is all about. “We never wanted to just cover topics as they appear on the editorial calendar, but rather build our issues around immersive themes that create a visceral experience for the reader, something you’ll want to read cover to cover,” the editrix told Yahoo Style. “Our focus is on smart, intriguing stories and that’s something that both men and women will appreciate.”
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