Vogue editors-in-chief Desmond Lim and Bea Valdes host a conversation on the future of fashion, along with Vena Brykalin and Martina Bonnier calling from Paris and Stockholm respectively. Photographed by Kim Santos
Photographed by Kim Santos
In a Vogue Talks panel discussion, Vogue editors Bea Valdes, Desmond Lim, Vena Brykalin, and Martina Bonnier share insights on fashion and storytelling.
In a world that is increasingly becoming fast-paced and cultural trends constantly shift, fashion magazines look ahead into the future for opportunities to inspire, celebrate, and cater to the modern reader’s taste. For the first day of Vogue Threads Manila, Vogue editors Bea Valdes, Desmond Lim, Vena Brykalin, and Martina Bonnier discuss the future of fashion and the role of fashion magazines in the cultural zeitgeist.
“Fashion magazines do not exist in a vacuum. We are cultural platforms, and sometimes we are a means to amplify a message and to incite change,” says Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief Bea Valdes. Vena Brykalin, Vogue Ukraine’s editor in chief, agrees. “The great thing about making a magazine is its ever-evolving entity, and you always not just adapt to times, but our job is to reflect,” he says.
Coming from a country that is dealing with an ongoing war, running a magazine for Brykalin was guided by one thing. “There’s no instruction on how to run a business during the war, let alone a fashion magazine. It was all coming for pure instinct and collective consensus on what we felt was right,” he says.
According to Brykalin, the readers of today appreciate it when publications take their stance on political issues. On top of that, Vogue Scandinavia editor-in-chief Martina Bonnier observes that younger audiences are engaging more with sustainable practices in fashion. “Most of the younger generation are interested in vintage, secondhand, and auctions. I think it’s a beautiful movement,” she says.
Another movement in the industry is the increased usage of A.I. technology. Vogue Singapore editor-in-chief Desmond Lim says that as creatives, the use of such technologies can help elevate stories. “The very genesis of what we do is entertain. At Vogue Singapore, we are never afraid of trying new things. Technology has a multitude of possibilities for storytelling,” he says. In the process of creating with new technologies, he shares to audiences that control is key: “Use it very wisely and use it with that original intention in mind.”
Amidst all the shifts in culture and technology, creating journalistic content should stand the test of time for Bonnier: “Journalism is something that should be relevant now and is relevant in a year, or five years.”
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