It pays to take chances. Vogue put the very un-Vogue Lady Gaga on their cover for March, and was rewarded by being the only fashion magazine to see an increase in sales (as compared to March 2010). Every other magazine either dipped or stayed even, with the average decline settling at a daunting 9.2%. However, when it comes to pure numbers, InStyle still outsells all other magazines (570,000 copies). What have they learned? From interviews conducted in WWD, we've gleaned the following glossy lessons:
—Women don't like men on the cover (Marie Claire's Bradley Cooper and Abbie Cornish cover was the rag's worst performer of the year).
—Reality stars can perform better than A-list celebrities (Kim Kardashian beat out Kate Winslet's cover for Glamour).
—No one knows who Julianna Margulies is (Harper's Bazaar's January cover).
—No one likes Reese Witherspoon (her covers led to decreased sales for both Vogue and People StyleWatch).
—Reality stars can perform better than A-list celebrities (Kim Kardashian beat out Kate Winslet's cover for Glamour).
—No one knows who Julianna Margulies is (Harper's Bazaar's January cover).
—No one likes Reese Witherspoon (her covers led to decreased sales for both Vogue and People StyleWatch).
Got it? Here's hoping the rags took notes. (WWD)