An Introduction to Vogue

Founded in 1892 as a weekly society journal in New York, Vogue has evolved into the most influential fashion magazine in the world. Across print, digital and live experience, Vogue continues to shape the way we see style, beauty and identity in the modern age.

Here's all you need to know about the iconic glossy – its history, its global reach and how it’s redefining the runway.

Signature Style

Vogue is known for striking imagery, boundary-pushing fashion and working with the world’s leading photographers – from Irving Penn and Richard Avedon to Annie Leibovitz and Tyler Mitchell. Its pages have always been a canvas for visionaries – the editors, models and designers whose work transcends trends.

Each issue captures not just what we wear but reflects society’s shifting ideas of beauty, power and expression. From the Jazz Age one hundred years ago to the digital era today, VOGUE remains a barometer of style and a chronicle of change.

(Not So) Humble Origins

Vogue was founded in 1892 by Arthur Turnure as a weekly publication documenting New York’s high society – its soirées, fashion and social life. In 1909 it was acquired by Condé M. Nast, who saw its potential to become something far greater in its scope – a magazine that didn’t just report on fashion, but defined it.

Through the early 20th century, Vogue became a platform for the most daring artists and designers of the time. Under the editorial direction of icons like Diana Vreeland and later Anna Wintour, Vogue transformed from a society gazette into a global authority – merging art, politics and culture through the lens of fashion.

Around the World

Today, Vogue is published in over 25 international editions – from VOGUE Paris and VOGUE India to VOGUE Italia and VOGUE China. Each edition brings its own cultural perspective while staying true to the magazine’s spirit of innovation, artistry and influence.

This international network has cemented Vogue as a universal language of fashion. Whether in London, Tokyo or São Paulo, Vogue connects readers to the heartbeat of global style.

Elevating the Runway

Beyond the pages of the magazine, Vogue has reimagined the fashion show itself. From Vogue World – an annual live celebration that merges fashion, performance, music and theatre – to its coverage of fashion weeks around the world, Vogue transforms the runway into an immersive story of creativity and culture.

Taking over iconic cities, Vogue World launched in 2022 in New York and has travelled to London in 2023 and Paris in 2024, returning to the United States in 2025 with an iconic show in Los Angeles. Vogue World: Hollywood celebrated the rich conversation between film and fashion, with looks inspired by some of the most iconic characters in cinema history.

Each Vogue World production is a statement on the future of fashion – part editorial fantasy, part live spectacle – capturing the energy, emotion and artistry of the moment.

VOGUE: Inventing the Runway

Now, Vogue brings their signature innovation to Manchester with the Lightroom production VOGUE: Inventing the Runway. This groundbreaking live exhibition explores how the catwalk became a global phenomenon – from its origins in Parisian salons to today’s digital spectacles.

Narrated by Cate Blanchett, the show brings together fashion, film, music and performance in a celebration of imagination and identity. Audiences can step into the world of Vogue, where history and technology meet – and where every step down the runway tells a story.

From its early days in 1890s Manhattan to its position at the heart of international culture, Vogue remains more than a magazine – it’s a mirror of the times, a platform for creativity and a stage for the most daring ideas in fashion.

VOGUE: Inventing the Runway runs at Aviva Studios from 17 December 2025 to 10 January 2026.

Images:

Front cover of Vogue magazine – April 1922. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons/Condé Nast Vogue Paris

A Vogue Fashion Display – Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

CHANEL Spring-Summer 2015 Haute Couture show