What Teen Vogue’s Farewell Means For The Future Of Journalism

Conde Nast’s recent decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue marks a significant turning point in the media world, prompting broader discussion on the evolution of youth journalism. This news raises critical questions about how the unique content cultivated by Teen Vogue after years of work will adapt within the broader context of Vogue’s established brand.

In 2003, publishers founded Teen Vogue as the ‘baby sister’ to Vogue magazine, creating a physically smaller magazine aimed at the teen demographic to guide them into fashion and celebrity news and cultivate future Vogue readers. Gen X writers at Teen Vogue created a space for millennials that allowed teenagers to be teens before social media existed. Subsequently, millennials writers at Teen Vogue later on turned the publication into a serious news publication that took Gen Z girls as a legitimate audience, offering stories about fashion but also award-winning journalism.

While the name of the magazine might make people think of teen girls, Teen Vogue is considered a pioneering platform for journalism, in various subjects, from political commentary, to prioritizing marginalized communities, to an entire section just for teaching about history.

According to Conde Nast and Vogue, Teen Vogue is remaining a separate site focused on youth, and thus, should remain the same entity, however, the popular politics section has been laid off. The Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Versha Sharma has also left the company. The union reports that only one woman of color remains at the publication.

The public reacted to the end of Teen Vogue with mixed opinions along party lines, but the journalism community largely views it negatively. Emily Bloch from The Philadelphia Inquirer said, “Laying off the entire politics team a day before the NYC election is heinous and a knife in the back to a brand that has solidified its importance for youth,” while former editor Elaine Welteroth called it a “cultural loss”.

Tensions escalated further this week when the Conde Nast Union confronted the HR leader regarding the recent firings, a move that led to the dismissal of even more Conde Nast employees. Notably, the company let go many union leaders.

In 2017, Conde Nast took Teen Vogue and many of its other magazines out of print, resulting in massive layoffs. In 2024, Conde Nast folded Pitchfork into GQ, a major outlet for music journalism, touching on topics like satire, race, and identity. Vogue also recently absorbed Vogue Business into the main Vogue site, tying it into their broader platform.

Chloe Malle, the head of editorial content for American Vogue, will now be in charge of Teen Vogue. Chloe has held this position since September, when Anna Wintour stepped down. Teen Vogue will now focus on career development, cultural leadership, and other issues that matter most to young people.

The dissolution of Teen Vogue into Vogue marks a significant shift in the media landscape, one that raises red flags about the future of diverse and progressive journalism for young audiences. With substantial staff layoffs affecting some of the publication’s most diverse voices, there’s an undeniable risk of losing the varied perspectives that make up the content modern girls want to read.