Harper’s Bazaar: A Stroll through History

- by Anil Vinayak

"Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life." —Bill Cunningham

A legacy that began on 2nd November 1867 has continued its glorious strut on the catwalk. From its humble origins, Bazaar magazine is turning heads – or pages, for accuracy’s sake – well into the 21st century in an industry famous for making resounding statements. Bazaar magazine was the gold standard for fashion publications and its influence still reverberates in the business of ‘chic’. Let’s take sneak-peak into the fabric behind the ‘fab’.

The magazine was founded by the titans of publishing at the time, Harper & Brothers. The bazaar was a breath of fresh air amongst the more somber of print publications at the time and holds the distinction of being America’s first bonafide fashion magazine. Starting with instructions on how to develop an aesthetic coiffure, the article pieces advanced to encompass more sophisticated couture over the years. The story began when the youngest of the brothers, Fletcher Harper came across a copy of Der Bazar. Der Bazar was a European conception and primarily featured the lifestyle and fashion of women across the pond. The proverbial light bulb flickered to life in Fletcher’s head and he pitched the idea for an American counterpart of Der Bazar to his brothers. Although his siblings were not initially inclined to it, he wore them down eventually and Fletcher received the blessings to continue. And so began Harper’s Bazar, albeit without the ‘a’.

The lifeblood of a magazine flows through its editors and the youngest of the Harper’s was already on the hunt for one. His choice was a much-acclaimed translator of the time whose renown has been on the upwards trajectory since receiving a letter of praise from President Lincoln himself. Mary Louise Booth, an up-and-coming writer and first female journalist of The New York Times, was entrusted with the editorial duties of the magazine at the age of 36, a role she held until her death in 1889. And so began the publication of "A repository of fashion, pleasure, and instruction”. The magazine flourished under her management and had a circulation of hundreds of thousands when Booth was at the helm. Many credit the magazine and Booth as a major influence on the households of the period and for molding the culture of a generation in America.

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Fun Fact

The bazaar was the first magazine to organize and publish an outdoor fashion photography edition for the norm at the time was photo-shoots in studios.

Bazaar magazine’s influence can still be felt in the glitz and glam of the fashion world. It is a pioneer of contemporary lifestyle publications and the history of its inception offers a keen outlook on how a local conception transforms into a global phenomenon.