Teen Vogue Becomes One with Vogue Much to the Displeasure of Condé United and NewsGuild Unions

The publication’s parent company faces backlash from its writers’ union as it folds into its sister publication.

Versha Sharma came into the position of editor-in-chief for Teen Vogue in May 2021 after her time as managing editor for NowThis.

The union representing Teen Vogue, Condé United, slams Condé Nast’s move to merge Teen Vogue with the Vogue website.

The union and its parent union, The NewsGuild of New York,  claims in a statement that the move was designed to put a stop to Teen Vogue’s “insightful journalism,” especially in a time where such reporting is needed. Vogue announced the move on Monday, though it will continue as its own editorial property. Teen Vogue’s editor-in-chief Versha Sharma will leave her post, and Vogue head of editorial content Chloe Malle will take the reins.

In her own statement, Malle said she’s dedicated to supporting the publication’s point of view and sensibility. In the official announcement posted to Vogue’s website, the publication says Teen Vogue will focus on career development, cultural leadership and other issues concerning the youth.

Anna Wintour, global chief content officer for Condé Nast and global editorial director of Vogue, released her own statement, saying how thrilled the publication is to add Teen Vogue to the Vogue platform.

“As the media industry changes so quickly, we are thrilled to have Teen Vogue join the Vogue platform, allowing its content to reach a larger audience and inspire young people globally," Wintour said. 

Wintour also expressed gratitude for Sharma’s work within Teen Vogue, and looks forward to what she does next.

“We’re so grateful for Versha’s leadership and the impact she’s had during her time at Teen Vogue. Her vision guided through an important period of change, and she was instrumental in building out the Teen Vogue Summit. We all look forward to seeing what she does next, and wish her the best,” Wintour said. 

Teen Vogue isn’t the only publication moving to Vogue’s website as Vogue Business finds itself will also make the website its new home. Bringing the three titles onto the same website aims to create a seamless experience for readers. 

Vogue Business members will receive access to all content and Vogue Runway, as well as a new members’ hub. Nicole Phelps, the global director of Vogue Runway and Vogue Business, will now oversee the Vogue fashion features team. 

As the announcement sent shockwaves across the journalism and fashion industry, Condé United and The NewsGuild of New York released their statement in reaction to the merger.

“Management plans to lay off six of our members, most of whom are BIPOC women or trans, including Teen Vogue’s Politics Editor — continuing the trend of layoffs at Condé disproportionately impacting marginalized employees,” the statement read. “Teen Vogue now has no writers or editors explicitly covering politics.”

Teen Vogue came about in 2003 as a publication focused on fashion and celebrities with former Vogue beauty director Amy Astley at the helm. The clothes displayed in the publication weren’t always couture, rather they represented an aspirational lifestyle.

The magazine’s focus took a turn when former editor Elaine Welteroth took the reins in 2016. Teen Vogue amped up its political coverage, immigration, labor and climate change. Even when the publication stopped printing in 2017 and Welteroth left in 2018, its political coverage did not stop. 

The publication has covered various political topics, including the politics of President Donald Trump, the genocide in Gaza along with the Free Palestine movement, and even progressive New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. 

In their statement, Condé United and the NewsGuild of New York noted how Condé Nast’s announcement of the merger didn’t mention Teen Vogue’s award-winning coverage and reporting.

“There was no mention in the announcement of the coverage that has earned Teen Vogue massive readership and wide praise from across the journalism industry,” the statement read. “Gone is the political-cultural criticism of fashion and culture industries by the Black women writers laid off today.”

The statement lists off the various people and things gone due to the merger, notably Asian and Latina photographers and the work that made the Vivian Wilson cover possible. The union makes it known at the end of the statement that Condé leadership owes both readers and workers answers.

They also vow to fight for their rights as workers as well as the work they do, and for whom they do that work.