The Business with Richard Curran

plodder

Great program. It's as much about culture and society as actual business. There was a fascinating interview yesterday with the author of a book about the publisher Condé Nast (Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ etc). Some really interesting illustration of how these titles like Vogue and Vanity Fair were the definers of taste in the pre social-media era, but the democratisation caused by social media and the rise of influencers has diminished their impact. It's the same story with opinion formers across all the media, but this was an angle I hadn't heard before.

I loved the anecdote about the editor going for a job with one of their titles, and was brought to a high end New York French restaurant. She mistakenly ate the Asparagus with her knife and fork rather than her hands. Those fully in tune with high end tastes would have known that this dish in particular is eaten with your hands. Reminds me of that hilarious scene in Succession with Greg and Tom in the restaurant. She didn't get the job btw and always attributed the reason as that faux-pas.

This seems to be the book: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/03/empire-of-the-elite-by-michael-m-grynbaum-inside-the-glittering-world-of-conde-nast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzR2D_3mqMk