L'Officiel

Circulation

Editors

French publications usually have multiple editors for different sections of the magazine, in the case of L'Officiel they are listed below. However, as of 2026 Vanessa Bellugeon is the only Editor-in-Chief at the publication.^{[citation needed]}

The Beginnings of L'Officiel and Jalou/Pérès takeover (1921–1984)

L'Officiel was first published in 1921,^[3][17] as the official publication of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture. The Chambre Syndicale de la Couture (commonly referred to as 'the Chamber') was founded in 1868 by Charles Frederick Worth as a trade body representing all Parisian couturiers.^[18]: 83 The magazine was a professional trade magazine, directed principally at international buyers of high fashion, both corporate and individual, and at those working in the fashion industry.^[18]: 83 L'Officel was originally published in French, English, and Spanish.^{[citation needed]}

In 1922 L'Officiel took over the role of Les Elégances Parisiennes (the official publication of the chamber from 1916 till its 1922 closure), Elégances had been a joint publication sponsored by around twenty-five couturiers.^[19]: 56 L'Officiel was quickly taken over by M. Martin Brunhes.^[20]

Brunhes son M.E. Max Brunhes purchased the publication in 1927.^[20] Max Brunhes believed that 'l'Officiel shoud be known in the entire world, that it should demonstrate the unequaled quality of French production and creation,'.^[20] However, Brunhes died in 1933 and the magazine was taken over by Andrée Castanié (the principal collaborator of Brunhes at L'Officiel) who continued to lead and grow the magazine.^[20]

Castanié hired Georges Jalou and Marcel G. Pérès in 1932.^[3] Jalou served as the artistic director, and Pérès improved sales and advertising.^[21]

L'Officiel created the 'Coupe des Dames' (Ladies Cup) in 1933 for the Monte Carlo Rally.^[22]

Under the leadership of Castanié, Jalou, and Pérès L'Officiel continued publishing throughout World War II.^[21] During wartime, the French national colours of blue, white, and red were featured on covers in support of the French Resistance. L'Officiel suffered no repercussions with Jalou informing Nazi authorities that they were 'the colours of the season'.^[21] Colette contributed to the magazine between 1941 and 1942.^[23]

Castanié launched the first sister publication of L'Officiel in 1946, Chapeaux de Paris (Hats of Paris) which focused on millinery.^[20] Following the inclusion of content about the French ready-to-wear industry the magazine was renamed to Actualité Couture-Chapeaux de Paris in 1955,^[20] it was in operation till at least 1968.

Georges Jalou was appointed editor-in-chief in 1947.^[9] Under the control of Jalou the magazine helped to start the careers of Pierre Balmain, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and Yves St. Laurent, and came to be known as "the Bible of fashion and of high society".^[3][24] According to the New Zealand Fashion Museum at the time a British edition of the magazine was in operation.^[25]

In the late 1940s Philippe Pottier joined the magazine as a photographer and a fashion editor staying with L'Officiel for twenty-five years. He previously worked for Elle but left after they refused his request to work as both a photographer and editor.^[26]

Jacques de Lacretelle and Irène Lidova contributed to the magazine in the 1950s.^[27]

In 1956, according to Mary Brooks Picken L'Officiel was the most popular couture magazine worldwide and was the leading publication of French fashion publishing.^[20]

In the late 1950s Georges Jalou and Marcel Pérès took control of the magazine.^{[citation needed]}

Under Éditions Jalou: International expansion, bankruptcy, and sale to AMTD (1984–2022)

In 1984, following the death of Marcel Pérès, Jalou became the sole owner of the magazine and created the Éditions Jalou publishing house to control the magazine.^[21]

L'Officiel Hommes was launched in 1977 as the men's edition of L'Officiel, however, it ceased publication 1991. It was relaunched in 1996, during this time Patrick Besson worked as an editor for the magazine.^[28] In 1998, however, it was rebranded to L'Optimum due to a publishing rights dispute.^{[citation needed]}

The Éditions Jalou publishing house was transferred to the three children of Georges Jalou in 1986: Laurent Jalou became the president, Marie-José Jalou directed the editorial content, and Maxime Jalou served as artistic director.^[3][29]

As of 1998 the average issue circulation of L'Officiel was 96,578.^[30]

Contemporary era (2022–present)

Following the purchase, AMTD that they would expand and establish L'Officiel's presence to multiple new areas worldwide.^[1][44]

L'Officiel Singapore and L'Officiel Malaysia were relaunched in March 2023, now directly owned and managed and no longer under a franchising ownership model.^[45] In August 2023, L'Officiel Philippines was brought under direct ownership.^[46]

In 2023 L'Officiel was reorganised to become part of AMTD World Media and Entertainment Group (WME). In 2025 a de-SPAC transaction occurred with a company backed by Lawrence Ho, which saw the creation of a new parent The Generation Essentials Group (TGE), publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.^[47] On the IPO day L'Officiel hosted the first fashion show on the NYSE trading floor.^[4]

In 2026, the Jalou family accused AMTD of "trademark infringement, tax fraud, and misuse of corporate assets," and according to The Times the new owners are "fraudulently running the publication into the ground".^[48][49] AMTD has been accused of running a financial scheme that aims to squander the assets of the French company, profiting from the brand without the French entity receiving any profit.^[50] Primarily through foreign subsidiaries registered in the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands.^[48][51] The stripping of assets from the French company is in direct violation of the 2015 recovery plan following Éditions Jalou's bankruptcy that prohibits the sale or transfer of the business and its brands.^[50] The photographic archives of L'Officiel are also reported to be missing.^[49][50] The Jalou family has not received all money from the 2022 sale with proceeds frozen in a Hong Kong bank account owned by the brokerage firm of AMTD.^[52] Former CEO, Benjamin Eymère (and member of the Jalou family) launched legal proceedings against the company for unfair dismissal, seeking whistleblower status (that was denied by the labour court).^[52] The Paris police judiciary have opened an investigation into the financial operations of the magazine following a 2025 complaint.^[50]

Marie-José Jalou said she believed that AMTD was trying to deprive the original French publication of its assets and revenue whilst using its renown to construct an international brand, stating “L’Officiel was the fashion bible. I will never give up on it.”^[49]

Noteworthy covers

• 20 July 1921: First issue, depicting two French nobles on a walk through a forest
• 15 September 1921: First photograph cover, photo by Delphi
• May 1929: Elsa Schiaparelli, first cover featuring a designer
• October 1945: First cover illustrated by Eduardo García Benito
• No.301/302 1947: First cover illustrated by René Grau
• December 1960: Wilhelmina Cooper's first magazine cover
• April 1968: Alexandra Stewart, first actress on the cover
• June 1970: Sandi Collins, first black model on the cover; alongside uncredited French model
• September 1971: Pat Cleveland, first black model solo cover
• February 1974: Jane Birkin, first singer on the cover
• June 1977: Masako Natsume, first Asian woman on the cover
• November 1984: Linda Evangelista's first magazine cover
• December 1990/January 1991: Gianni Versace, first cover featuring a male designer
• February 2003: Raquel Zimmermann, photographed by Nick Knight
• March 2011: Beyoncé, first black singer on the cover
• October 2013: Cast of 'Opium', photo by Karl Lagerfeld
• September 2016: "Gang of Africa" cover featuring eight black models
• October 2019: Cai Xukun, first solo man on the cover
• September 2021: Jessica Chastain, 100th anniversary cover
• September 2023: Emma Corrin, first non-binary person on the cover

时装 L'Officiel China

L'Officiel was the first international fashion magazine to launch in China,^[77] launching in April 1987, however this edition ceased publication in 1990.^[78]

The magazine was relaunched in 2002 as 魅力 L'Officiel 中文版 and was operated by NCN (Hong Kong branch) under licence, the magazine was based in Hong Kong. However it closed the same year.^{[citation needed]}

In 1980 时装 (Fashion) was founded and by the mid-1980s had almost reached a circulation of 300,000.^[79] From late 2003 the magazine was rebranded to 时装 L'Officiel after an agreement was made with Éditions Jalou and with this the magazine became distributed in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.^[80][81] The magazine is based in Beijing.^[82] As of 2021 L'Officiel China had a circulation of 839,000.^[83]

L'Officiel Hong Kong

L'Officiel entered the Hong Kong market in 2002 with the launch of 魅力 L'Officiel, the Chinese edition of L'Officiel. 魅力 L'Officiel was based out of Hong Kong, however, it would cease publication within the year. 时装 L'Officiel China was distributed in Hong Kong from its launch in 2003.^{[citation needed]}

The Hong Kong edition of L'Officiel, entitled L'Officiel Hong Kong SAR launched on digital platforms in November 2023 and entered print in March 2024.^[84] Katherine Ho (previously of Vogue Hong Kong) was appointed editor-in-chief.^[85] After four issues in-print almost all editorial staff exited the publication.^{[citation needed]} Angel Fong was appointed editor-in-chief in 2025.

In 2026, the magazine alongside The Art Newspaper Hong Kong was designated as a media partner for the "Art in Resonance" programme of The Peninsula Hong Kong.^[86]

L'Officiel Italia

L'Officiel Italia originally had a short run in the 1970s and again in the 1990s.^[87] In 2009 L'Officiel Hommes launched an Italian edition and in September 2012 L'Officiel Italia was relaunched with Carlo Mazzoni as Editor-in-Chief.^[88][89]

L'Officiel Japan

In 1973 a version of L'Officiel translated into Japanese was released.^[90] However it was not until 2005 that the Japanese edition L'Officiel Japon was launched. It later closed in 2008.^[91] In October 2015 L'Officiel Japan was launched with Tetsuya Mabuchi as its Publisher and Naoko Kikuchi as its Editor-in-Chief it was published by Éditions Jalou and Seven & I Publishing.^[92][93] The magazine ceased publication in December 2016, but its last issue was January/February 2017.^[94]

In early 2020 it was reported that within two years a Japanese edition was aiming to be launched along with editions for Australia, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.^[37] The same was confirmed about a Japanese edition in late 2022.^[95]

WWD Japan in May 2024 reported that the magazine would relaunch in September with Takafumi Kawasaki as its Editor-in-Chief, he previously worked for L'Uomo Vogue and GQ Japan.^[54] The magazine relaunched in September with Rie Miyazawa on the cover.^[71]

L'Officiel USA

L'Officiel USA (stylised as L'Officiel/U.S.A.) was launched in 1976 as one of the first international editions of the magazine,^[96] but it would cease publication in 1980.^[97] This original version of the magazine was edited by Dorothy Coleman Seeman however in 1979 she was replaced by Himilce Novas who Diana Vreeland called "terrific".^[98] The owner and publisher was Evan Katz and by the second issue L'Officiel/U.S.A. had a subscriber count of 124,000.^[99][100]

For the 1976 debut an advertising campaign featuring the endorsement of American model Marisa Berenson ran in WWD.^[101] In 1977, an advertising campaign was produced featuring the members of the Joffrey Ballet committee (Sally Brayley, Geraldine Stutz, Mrs. B. Duke Glenn, Mrs. John G. Ward, Charlotte Ford, Susan Brody, Isabelle Leeds, Christine Biddle, and Susan Fine) and publisher Evan Katz.^[102]

In July 1980, co-publisher F. Philip Slater (previously of Town & Country) and five other employees were let go due to the early 1980s recession, Katz was attempting to find financing or a buyer for the magazine.^[103][104] L'Officiel/U.S.A. would cease publication from its August 1980 issue.^[105] At the time the magazine had a circulation of 140,000.^[104]

Ideal Publishing announced on 19 March 1981 that the magazine would return from September as a bi-monthly.^[105] On 20 March 1981, Evan Katz, ex-publisher and owner of L'Officiel in the United States, disputed their claims and stated that he still held the rights to the L'Officiel name and that Ideal never been in contact with him or Éditions Edouard Max Brunhes. When The New York Times asked Ideal's chairman Seymour L. Butan if he had contacted the French publisher he answered, ''I don't have to tell you anything.''^[106] Rumours of an American L'Officiel relaunch persisted throughout the 2000s, however, it wasn't until 2017 that the magazine was revived.^{[citation needed]}

In 2017, L'Officiel USA launched on digital platforms led by Joseph Akel with funding from Global Emerging Markets, the first print edition was released in February 2018.^[39] The magazine is based in New York City.^[107] Peter Davis, replaced Akel as editor-in-chief in 2019.^[69] Davis would exit the magazine at the end of 2020.^[108] In December 2021, the City of New York brought an action against L'Officiel USA Inc. under the Freelance Isn't Free Act, claiming that the magazine had failed to pay freelance contributors.^{[109][110][111]} A settlement was reached in July 2023 with L'Officiel agreeing to pay 41 freelancers US$275,000.^[112]

After the role of editor was left vacant for nearly two years, Caroline Grosso was appointed editor-in-chief of L'Officiel USA in August 2022.^[108] Grosso previously served as the global head of content projects and fashion initiatives for L'Officiel,^[108] prior to joining L'Officiel she was the digital fashion director at W.

Operating

Defunct