Wendell Brown (Photo: BFA.com)
Last month longtime Esquire senior fashion editor Wendell Brown departed the men’s title after 11 years to take on a new role at The Daily Beast. Brown wrapped up his first day at the IAC building yesterday and filled us in on his decision to leave print and what’s in store.
What’s your new role at The Daily Beast?
I’m the creative director of the new accelerator, which has been created to bring a highly experimental approach to its world class voice in journalism culture, fashion, liquor, and the arts.
Can you give us some details on what The Daily Beast is planning?
We are investing heavily in this new vertical and it will have an incredibly unique look at the industry. My perspective is to approach a lot of the coverage with a somewhat unexpected and behind-the-scenes approach.
Who will you be reporting to and what kind of team will you be putting together?
As head of the accelerator I’ll be reporting to John Avlon, editor-in-chief, and Mike Dyer, CEO of The Daily Beast, and we will work together on the structure of the team.
Will you be doing photo shoots?
We will be featuring product, but in innovative ways so there will be some shoots as well as other visual components.
Will this be men’s and women’s fashion?
We’ll be covering both.
Will you still be attending shows internationally?
We will cover shows but in a more selective way, but we will definitely cover the international landscape.
What did you find enticing about working exclusively in the digital space?
There is so much uncharted territory. You can experiment with entirely new concepts and its rapid time. You also get instant feedback, which I find very fulfilling.
Was it a difficult decision to leave Esquire?
It was definitely difficult to leave because I grew up there and was able to perfect my craft. But I have a lot of other things I want to do in my career so this was the perfect opportunity.
What are you most proud of from your time there?
I’m most proud of some of the knowledge I gained working with Nick Sullivan about fashion—inside and out—as well as the life-changing events and stories I was able to do there. My expedition to the North Pole will be a very tough one to top!
What will you miss about print?
The only thing I may miss about print is the familiarity. I like innovation, so I’m thrilled to move forward.
1 comment
To see major players in fashion like Wendell Brown move from print to digital, it’s going to be interesting to see what the impact will be on the industry, and will it move the crowd.