(NEW YORK) Following the abrupt departures of Cathy Horyn and Suzy Menkes, The New York Times is rebuilding their Styles section. Vanessa Friedman has been tapped as the publication’s fashion director and chief fashion critic, a position that was created to fill the gap left by Horyn and Menkes. She will resume her position next month after decamping from The Financial Times, where she has been the publication’s inaugural fashion editor since 2003. Before joining FT, she was the features and fashion director during the launch of InStyle UK and her work can be found in the pages of The Economist, The New Yorker, Vogue, and Entertainment Weekly. Additionally Friedman will also lead global fashion coverage for The Times and International New York Times on all platforms. With her witty and concise reviews of the runway, it goes without saying that Friedman will inject a strong voice into her coverage.
In addition, Alexandra Jacobs has been named fashion critic and fashion features editor at the Times. She’s been with the publication since 2010 as an editor of the Styles section and a contributor to The New York Times Book Review and prior to that, she was editor-at-large at The New York Observer, where she was on the staff for 11 years. Friedman and Jacobs join relative newcomers and reporters, Matthew Schneier and John Koblin, to round out the additions to the Grey Lady’s fashion coverage team.
