Franca Sozzani: 'Vogue' Has Its Own, Cold World

If you chat with Franca Sozzani (which we have), don't expect her to mince words.

At the helm the oft-controversial Vogue Italia, Sozzani, 62, is known for taking risk with her publication's editorial content, something that's caused some to pit against the more "commercial" American Vogue.

Just recently, Vogue Italia has featured an allegedly racist photo spread, staged couture from Gucci and McQueen as QVC merchandise, written up "slave earrings" and hosted a nude Karlie Kloss photo shoot.

In a new interview for, well, Interview, Sozzani opens up to Livia Firth in her typically candid manner about several topics, including the struggles of taking Vogue Italia digital:

"I thought Italian Vogue had always been considered the most experimental, avant-garde magazine. If I was going to use the same kind of language and the same kind of photos or images on the web site, it would be a disaster because Vogue has its own world, and it could be a little bit cold, you know? We don’t give what you call a service—you know, like, how to get your husband to do something or how to do well in school. We don’t do anything like that. It’s all about a vision, an aesthetical interpretation of a reality that you can sway."

Does their website fit that criteria? Check it out for yourself.

Franca also defends her sometimes-controversial decisions, such as putting together the site's separate "Black" and "Curvy" sections, saying that she goes with her gut:

"I think I just do what I feel is good to do. Everybody can give me their suggestions, but at the end, the final risk is mine because it’s my name on the magazine. So I only do what I really feel."

Sozzani has been the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia since 1988.

Read more of Livia's talk with Franca over at Interview to find out how Sozzani gives back to the community.

Comments

[Kylah Glenn]

11:13 AM on 03/14/2012

Not really understanding the marketing strategy behind the title slave jewelry, ethnic jewelry is more true to the style seeing how Black, and Latinos popularized it maybe this was just a lapse in good sense and a language break down .. who knows… but other than that I think she's innovative, thinks completely outside the box and keeps things new and fresh... love the fake qcv add, the black and the curvy microsites (American Vogue wouldn't dare lol) and people here need to understand the cultural differences and the fact that America is the only place where political correctness is on steroids

[sookiejett]

04:18 PM on 03/13/2012

They are all just too silly and take themselves way too seriously. Franca has great har, though!