Vanessa Friedman
Fashion Director & Chief Fashion Critic, The New York Times
Her amusing and intelligent discourse on the business of fashion and luxury has made her a well-respected industry authority.
Vanessa Friedman is fashion director & chief fashion critic of The New York Times. Previously, she was fashion editor of the Financial Times, a position created in 2003 after the newspaper decided to invest in regular fashion coverage.
"Everyone gets up in the morning and they make a decision about what they’re going to put on their bodies. Therefore, it is something that we should look at and think about," she told The Cut. "Increasingly as information gets conveyed visually, whether it’s by a picture on a phone or online, the choices you make about what you put on are more important. So our attitude is, 'Let’s look at this, let’s think about why we’re making these choices, and what they mean, and what they can say to everybody else, and talk about it.'"
Friedman is widely acclaimed for her direct and pragmatic approach to the industry, as well as her incisive commentary on the socio-political ramifications of the role of fashion in today’s society. Her pragmatic attitude to the industry stems from her belief that fashion reflects and inherent aspect of the human psyche.
“It’s human nature to make judgments about other people and things, and the first thing you react to is how someone looks. When you’re a child, you do it, when you don’t know anything about brands. We may change our judgments, but [evaluating appearances] is absolutely one of the first things everyone does, and they’ve been doing it forever, long before the internet. I don’t think it’s new, I just think it’s because of how information is consumed now, it’s just become more obvious."
Immediately preceding her appointment at the Financial Times, Friedman was the features and fashion features editor of InStyle, when the title was launched in the United Kingdom in 2000. Prior to this, she was an arts contributor for The Economist and the European editor-at-large for US Elle.
Friedman began her career as a freelance commentator on the fashion industry, contributing regularly to the Financial Times, American Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Entertainment Weekly.
Friedman is a graduate of Princeton University.
VITAL STATISTICS
What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
ExploreWhat is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
ExploreThe BoF Podcast | Vanessa Friedman on the Past, Present and Future of the Met Gala
The New York Times’ chief fashion critic joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to share her 2024′s Met Gala.
Is This the End of Fashion’s Creative ‘Mafia’?
For years, fashion’s top creative jobs have gone to a small pool of talent. The economic impact of the pandemic and demands for greater inclusivity may be changing that pattern.
Inside an International Fashion Prize: Haute Couture Week
In this episode of our behind-the-scenes documentary on the BoF China prize, our winner presents her collection at the Ritz during Paris’ iconic Haute Couture week — while facing visa issues and the world media.
How I Became… Style Director of Elle.com
From starting out in an industry where 'there weren't a lot of people who looked like me,' Nikki Ogunnaike represents one of the world's most prestigious fashion titles across television and online content.
BoF Forges Partnership with the Financial Times
The Business of Fashion is delighted to announce a partnership with the Financial Times, one of the world’s leading news organisations. The FT is leading BoF’s new Series B round and providing support to accelerate the growth of the business.
BoF Forges Partnership with the Financial Times
The Business of Fashion is delighted to announce a partnership with the Financial Times, one of the world’s leading news organisations. The FT is leading BoF’s new Series B round and providing support to accelerate the growth of the business.
Fake Heiress Who Dazzled New York's Fashion Elite to Be Sentenced for Fraud
Anna Sorokin, 28, faces up to 15 years in prison for multiple acts of glamorous grifting in 2016 and 2017.
Under the Big Top at Dior
Maria Grazia Chiuri is fiercely committed to the idea that she can make couture something that women her daughter’s age will want to wear. Set aside cost considerations, and you can see her working her way towards that goal.
Models & Photographers: Inside the New York Times Investigation
The paper’s Jacob Bernstein, Vanessa Friedman and Matthew Schneier tell BoF about their months-long probe into the sexual misconduct allegations against Mario Testino and Bruce Weber.
New York Times Styles Editor Choire Sicha Wants to Deliver Your Paper
One year into his role as head of the paper’s Styles section, Sicha is rethinking how he delivers content to readers.
Cathy Horyn: 'I Support People Who Have Guts'
Fashion critic Cathy Horyn talks about navigating emerging designers, new media and nostalgia, courtesy of 1 Granary.