Le Nuage Issue One | Page 48

The Editor-in-Chief THE Le Nuage MUSES 47 ddressing envelopes as a temporary job in Vogue’s circulation department led to much more for one woman in 1895. Edna Woolman Chase, the woman who, along with Condé Nast, made Vogue what it is today. In 1901, Chase found herself assistant editor to Marie Harrison, the sister-in-law of Vogue’s founder and then owner, Arthur Baldwin Turnure; and by 1914, she was the editorin-chief under Condé Nast. Nast once said of Chase: “ There are few women, I think, whose character and tastes are more essentially feminine; and yet there are few men who bring to the solving of business problems keener insight, broader vision or clearer thinking,” Together, Chase and Nast built Vogue from the bottom up and revolutionised the fashion industry. It was Chase and Nast who brought aboutThe Protective Association of French Dressmakers, which made it illegal for the reproduction of a dressmaker’s dresswithout their consentinpoor quality material, sold for pittance and labelled with their name. At the time, America’s women wore French fashion, and that was what Vogue published. However, when World War One threatened Chase’s Vogue of having A blank pages, she had a brilliant idea that is still being used today. Chase gathered all of the best American dressmakers and all of the smartest American women and held a benefit showcasing the dressmakers’ works. The contributions going to French women widowed and children ophaned in the war. This was not an idea that was particularly shoes were not allowed, as, in her opinion, they were a “horror”. Her articles were equally sten, telling the Vogue audience that “The cloche is preeminently a hat for the youthful face,” and “Vogue does insist that, before buying a frock, one should look oneself squarely in the legs and temper the length of one’s costume to the shape one sees.” Relationships with her employees were dealt with in much the same manner. For instance, when a member of her staff tried to commit suicide by throwing herself under a subway train, Chase said to her afterwards, “We at Vogue don’t throw ourselves under subway trains, my dear. If we must, we take sleeping pills.” When British Vogue was set up and failing, Chase was sent easy to execute to London to sort it out. She for Mrs Chase as hired Alison Settle as editor women in those and insisted on making her daysdidn’t divulge into the correct image of a the secret of their Vogue editor. Forcing Settle dressmaker, it took to move house twice, as it a lot of persuasion “wasn’t good enough” . to get the most However stern Chase was, important women she was an absolutely to attend. Once they brilliant editor who picked attended, others up American, British and followed. French Vogue back up off With a fine-tuned their feet numerous times in eye for style, Chase her editorship of thirty seven insisted her staff years, which still makes her wear black silk the longest in the job to date. stockings, white An icon to all aspiring Vogue glovesand hats to editors. † work. Open toed 48