Former Vogue editor Kirstie Clements reveals move to Harper’s Bazaar
Former Vogue Australia editor Kirstie Clements has announced she is to join Harper’s Bazaar as features director, heralding a return to senior editorial ranks after a six-year absence.
In December, Eugenie Kelly was appointed editor of Harper’s Bazaar following the departure of Kellie Hush in a restructure of Bauer’s editorial teams.
Clements joins the Bauer team as part of series of appointments to fill positions created by the restructure, which also sees Hannah James move to the role of features director at Elle Australia.
Editor of Harper’s Bazaar, Kelly said of Clements’ appointment: “Kirstie has been a regular contributor to Bazaar for the last 10 months, so I’m pleased she has decided to join the editorial team as Features Director.
“Her original love is words and she certainly has her finger on the pulse when it comes to current affairs, luxury and style, so she’ll be a great fit.”
Former editor Hush was critical of the company’s budget cuts on her departure, saying: “Bazaar is a luxury magazine that can’t be published on the smell of an oily rag, so I’d like to finish my tenure while that rag still smells like Chanel No. 5.”
The restructure that saw Hush depart followed Bauer closing down Cosmopolitan Australia in October. Earlier in the year, Bauer Media restructured its digital team, and ‘centralised’ other magazine titles, including Woman’s Day, OK Magazine and NW. Eleven jobs were axed as part of the process.
Clements too has had a tumultuous time in mag-land.
In 2012, she was abruptly dumped as Vogue Australia’s editor-in-chief by then newly appointed boss of NewsLifemedia, Nicole Sheffield.
Sheffield recruited the then-editor of Harper’s Bazaar, Edwina McCann, to replace Clements. Along with Clements, lifestyle group editor Mark Kelly, and editor of home and lifestyle title InsideOut, Richard Waller, were also ousted during the restructure.
Sheffield left News Corp in February last year, however McCann continues as editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia along with holding the role editorial director of the Australian Conde Nast titles.
Clements announced her new appointment on Instagram saying: “As of April 1, I am thrilled to be starting a new role at @bazaaraustralia as Features Director.
Back to the future, 20 years later ?? I’m excited to be working with @eugeniekelly and her team, and it’s wonderful to return to where my passion lies- words.”
Editorial Director or Features Director? Her insta post says the latter, your story says the former. Those are two very different roles.
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Hi ‘Erm’,
You are correct. It is features director, as the Instagram post (and now story) says.
Apologies for the mix up, and thanks for flagging.
Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella
Where’s the rest of the story?
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Her name is Kirstie.
Kirstie, not Kristie.
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Thank you. This is fixed.
Apologies for the error.
Vivienne – Mumbrella
Hello. The last sentence. Sweet mother of magazines.
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Hmm, I know she’s putting a nice spin on it, but I’m not buying that she’s happy going back to Features Director. For someone who said she loves words, she could have found better ones to describe this demotion. Why she wants this job is baffling to me.
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