Emmanuelle Alt has been named to succeed Carine Roitfeld as the editor-in-chief of French Vogue. President of Conde Nast France Xavier Romatet held a press conference on Friday saying that Alt, presently the glossy's fashion director, would take the helm on February 1.
Romatet remarked (and we translated), "Emmanuelle has all of the professional and personal qualities needed to continue to make Vogue Paris the leading monthly fashion magazine....I give her full confidence to embody and lead this demanding brand and to let it live in all of its different dimensions -- including digitally."
Alt said, "It's a great honor for me, but also a great pleasure to be at the head of Vogue Paris, which I know very well. Working with very talented teams, I will task myself with developing the incredible potential of Vogue Paris."
Romatet sat down with Vogue.fr after the big announcement to talk about his decision and the future of French Vogue. He explained, "I wanted to lean on someone who has a recognized eye and who has gained the confidence of the fashion world. Someone very settled, respected as both a fashion editor and as a stylist: two qualities possessed by Emmanuelle Alt."
He added, "What I want is for Vogue Paris to be very open, that it will be a magazine where all of the sensibilities can express themselves, where all styles can exist. A magazine where everyone can express themselves because they have talent. Emmanuelle Alt is capable of opening the magazine to that."
Romatet outlined where he hopes French Vogue will be in five years -- he aims to expand the magazine from covering just fashion, and to extend the brand's presence using iPads and iPhones and with a new website.
Earlier in the week, both Alt and Le Figaro's Virginie Mouzat were named as frontrunners for the position. Forty-six percent of you picked Alt as Roitfeld's probable replacement, 31 percent named Mouzat and 23 percent voted for "someone else."
Roitfeld announced her resignation at the end of December after being with the glossy for a decade. She told WWD:
I have always been a freelancer, so when I was hired 10 years ago, I found it very difficult to have an office, an assistant, a schedule, fixed vacations. But at the same time, it was such a huge job that I said yes. It's been an incredible adventure, but maybe in my heart and soul, I am more of a freelancer. I'm surprised I even stuck it out this long, but what made me stay is having a boss like Jonathan [Newhouse], who is an incredible man who gave me total freedom, and God knows I pushed the boundaries.
For more on Alt, check out her 10 best looks over the years.