When flicking through any fashion magazine, we come to expect to be bombarded with images from brands purposely positioned and poised, ready to pounce on fashion victims. However with the recent downfall of men’s fashion publications Arena and Maxim, it raises the question – what does the future hold for male fashion advertising? 

As i-D cuts back to six issues a year and Bauer Media, the publisher behind FHM, cuts back jobs in its advertising division, it’s looking like everyone is in trouble. 

According to Chris Dolan from Slam PR “the demise of magazines is due to a reduction in ad spend as more brands have begun to engage with consumers online” and Heather Iwanow, an International Fashion Marketing lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University agrees.  “Inevitably brands will use online promotion” to “support the growth” in the online channel of distribution says Heather, and I they both may be onto something. 

Despite the decline of two men’s magazines, there has been an increase in online communications via the addictive yet lucrative channels, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and Maxim’s online publication, which launched in 1999, continues to thrive with 500, 000 users a month and 260, 000 monthly subscribers to their e-news letter.  Not bad considering its print counterpart has now been relegated to the recycling bin.

            If ASOS can successfully capitalise upon online promotion and distribution isn’t it about time everyone else caught up?

We’ve had it drummed into us many times. The only way to get through the recession is change. The ability to adapt can be the deciding factor in whether a company will sink or swim in the churning waters of today’s economy. But change isn’t always a good thing. Is it?

In recent published reports, Henry Holland is said to be in talks with Debenhams about joining the Designers @ Debenhams tribe. Say what you like about Debenhams, albeit a pillar of our British high street, it is not at the forefront of fashion and nor will it ever be.

Reassuringly, it may be that Mr. Holland is turning to the open embrace and security of a contract with the high street giant as he too is feeling the pocket pinch, but I would be very reluctant to follow Henry through the doors of Debenhams, whether Agyness is in toe or not.

Henry Holland is not alone however, as Chloe brings out its diffusion line, See by Chloe, with garments retailing at 30%-50% lower than its big sister line. So, are they simply supplying to the demands of their struggling consumers or simply forfeiting their uniqueness and covetable unattainability?

Head womenswear buyer at My-Wardrobe recently praised the new Chloe line in Drapers magazine for its “quirky yet wearable” edge, but where does that leave Chloe? If we all aspired to these mundane watered down versions of our favourite brands surely we are in danger of eradicating the exclusivity and lure of their main lines? As the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt.