Glenda Bailey steps down as editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar

By

Adrien Communier

Published
Jan 17, 2020

Glenda Bailey is turning over a new leaf. At the end of February, the British-born journalist will step down from her role as editor-in-chief at iconic women's monthly Harper's Bazaar. A veritable symbol of the American luxury magazine, the Hearst Communications-owned publication has not yet revealed the name of Bailey's successor. Her unexpected departure also signals a new stage in the ongoing changes that have been occurring at Hearst recently. 

It was via a post on the Harper's Bazaar Instagram account that the magazine announced the news. "Dame Glenda Bailey is stepping down as editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar today after nearly two decades in the role," said the publication. The journalist will not, however, be leaving the media group, as she is taking on a new role as global consultant for the 29 international editions of Harper's Bazaar. 

Bailey also announced the news on her own Instagram account and took the opportunity to thank her team. She assumed leadership at the American monthly in 2001, having previously launched the British edition of Marie-Claire in 1996. "I've wanted Bazaar to be a party that everyone is invited to," Bailey said in a statement. "Fashion and beauty are my career and hobby – there's nothing that inspires me more."

The journalist will nonetheless be leaving her current post with a bang. From February 28, Paris' Musée des Arts Décoratifs will host an exhibition dedicated to the heritage of Harper's Bazaar, to which Bailey has made a lasting contribution, both on a creative and an editorial level. The retrospective will also mark the reopening of the museum's fashion section and will run through July 14, 2020. 

Bailey's departure is the latest in a series of changes ushering in the end of an era at Hearst. In 2017, Robbie Myers announced her departure from Elle after 17 years as its editor-in-chief. In 2018, it was Joanna Coles' turn to leave her role as chief content officer at Hearst, having also served as editor-in-chief at Cosmopolitan from 2012 to 2016. Last year, Jay Fielden exited Esquire, another of Hearst's publications, after three years at its helm, while a few months later, Anne Fulenwider, editor-in-chief of Marie-Claire's American edition since 2012, followed suit.

One of the last bastions of this old guard of journalists who presided over the golden age of fashion magazines, Bailey has now joined her peers in handing over the reins to the next generation.