Teen Vogue Makes it Official, Appoints Elaine Welteroth Editor in Chief
Condé Nast has named Elaine Welteroth editor in chief of Teen Vogue.
Welteroth, who held the title of editor, oversaw the title with digital director Phillip Picardi and creative director Marie Suter. Welteroth’s promotion clarifies her role as the lead on the buzzy title. Welteroth succeeds Amy Astley, who left Teen Vogue in May for sister publication Architectural Digest where she currently serves as editor in chief.
As part of her job, Welteroth is charged with expanding Teen Vogue’s presence through new consumer experiences and products. While she will focus on Teen Vogue, Suter and Picardi have expanded their responsibilities to include oversight of Allure. Picardi will mind Allure’s digital report, while Suter will work on the brand’s creative vision under Raul Martinez’s new group.
“Elaine is incredibly in tune with the Teen Vogue audience, and has used that unique insight to engage and connect with her readers on a very personal level,” said Anna Wintour, artistic director of Condé Nast and editor-in-chief of Vogue. “Over the last year, she has demonstrated a fearless leadership in her pursuit to make Teen Vogue the voice of a new generation, and we look forward to all she will accomplish in her expanded role as Teen Vogue’s new editor-in-chief.”
Since elevating to a leadership position at Teen Vogue, Welteroth and her two colleagues, have injected an energy and a politically and culturally-driven content strategy. The title began getting noticed by journalists outside the fashion and beauty bubble for its coverage following the election of President Donald Trump. In December, Dan Rather called out Teen Vogue’s reporting after writer Lauren Duca penned a viral op-ed called, “Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America.”
Web traffic jumped to 7.7 million unique visitors that month, according to Comscore, from 3 million a year earlier. That traffic has held and expanded over the months, hitting a high of 9.2 million unique views, according to Condé Nast.
Still, Teen Vogue, like other magazines, has faced circulation and newsstand declines. Last November, the magazine’s frequency was reduced to four times a year from nine. In order to maintain a print presence, Teen Vogue released the first edition of its larger, collectable print issue, Teen Vogue Volume I in February. Edited by Welteroth, the issue focused on young love and featured three separate covers with model Bella Hadid, actress Sasha Lane and singer Troye Sivan.
Welteroth joined Teen Vogue in 2012 as the beauty and health director. She joined from sister glossy Glamour where she served as senior beauty editor. Before that that Welteroth worked as the beauty and style editor at Ebony magazine, where she started her editorial career.
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