Well done to The Lady magazine for dragging itself (kicking and screaming) into the 21st century. The venerable women’s weekly (the journal for gentlewomen) has been on the go for 125 years, making it the longest running magazine of its kind. With articles on etiquette and where to find good “help”, the magazine is seeking to reinvent itself for a new generation of ladies. Now with a feisty editor, Rachel Johnson (sister of London Mayor Boris), the magazine is printed in full colour (yes it used to be printed in mono), and has celebrities like Sharon Osbourne on the front cover.
Anyway, I for one will be getting the best china out, pouring myself a cup of Lady Grey and tuning in to Channel 4 on Thursday 18 March at 9pm to watch the Cutting Edge documentary on the rebirth of the magazine. Expect hissy fits and plummy accents in the Covent Garden offices.
I’ve seen the programme now and I must say I really liked Rachel Johnson! If she can’t sort The Lady out then no-one can. It reminded me of when I was part of a relaunch team on the venerable Woman’s Journal magazine back in the eighties. Deirdre Vine had been brought in as new editor, and it was her job to sweep away the dead wood. She met with similar resistance, and although the magazine limped along for another ten years or so it eventually closed. I hope the Lady doesn’t suffer the same fate – it should be saved by the National Trust for the nation…
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