Annabella (magazine)

Filippo Piazzi was the sole editor of the magazine in the period 1933–1938 when it was published with the title Lei.^[3] During this period like many other leading Italian magazines of the 1930s Lei employed the photographs taken by the German photographer Paul Wolff through the Schostal agency.^[3] The Ukrainian-Italian journalist Giorgio Scerbanenco was among the contributors of Annabella and became its director in the 1960s.^[2] In an article dated 31 July 1960 Scerbanenco stated that going to the movies alone was not a proper activity for women particularly during the daytime on working days due to some risks of attacks by men.^[7] Brunella Gasperini published her writings in the column entitled Ditelo a Brunella for a long time.^[2] Lietta Tornabuoni was another contributor of the magazine.^[8] In one of her articles published in the late 1960s she argued that for men from the lower classes miniskirts were vulgar, but more educated men believed that these should be accepted by Italians.^[8]

In the period between 1953 and 1963 the space for the advertisements in Annabella increased from 20.3% to 39.5%.^[1] The magazine started an advice hotline for its readers in 1974.^[4] The sexological advice was provided by Don Liggeri, a priest and a contributor of the magazine.^[4]

Annabella had a circulation of 250,000 copies in the period between 1952 and 1953.^[9] It was the second best-selling women's magazine in Italy after Grazia during the first half of the 1960s.^[1] It nearly sold 300,000 copies whereas Grazia 350,000 copies.^[1] In the 1970s the circulation of Annabella reached half a million copies per week.^[2]