Jonathan Newhouse

Editors and photographers at Condé Nast have reportedly been told they're not allowed to work on Carine Roitfeld's new biannual magazine, CR Fashion Book.

According to a few anonymous sources, Condé Nast International chairman Jonathan Newhouse has reminded Mario Testino, Craig McDean, Mert Alas, Marcus Piggot, and others who have exclusive contracts to shoot for Condé Nast titles that they legally can't work for Roitfeld. One source alleges that Newhouse has even gone so far as to strongly discourage other photographers who don't have the same contracts from working with the former Vogue Paris editor.

"Everyone is buzzing about the Condé roadblocks against Carine," one source said. "People love Carine but are more frightened of the Condé Nast machine."

Roitfeld has already culled two editors from the Condé Nast flock. Former Teen Vogue accessories editor Shiona Turini and former Vogue.it contributing fashion and market editor Michaela Dosamantes are both on the CR Fashion Book payroll.

Neither Condé Nast nor Fashion Media LLC, which operates CR Fashion Book — as well as V Magazine and V Man — has commented on the rumors. But Roitfeld said when she announced her new publication's name in April that she didn't want to challenge Vogue's dominance in any way.

"Vogue is a very beautiful magazine, an institution, and I learned so much working there," she said. "You can't put yourself into competition with a magazine like Vogue; you have to create something new, something different."

>> Carine Roitfeld is enjoying her new status as a free agent. While meeting with an interviewer from Spiegel, for instance, she was told that she looked "remarkably normal" (She showed up in a "no-name" T-shirt from Los Angeles, Current/Elliott corduroy jeans, and satin shoes that she had custom-made in violet.). Roitfeld's reply? "That's part of my newfound freedom. I always wore a tight skirt at Vogue; it was like a uniform." And the former editor already has plenty of new projects in the works — the Fall 2011 Chanel campaign, consulting work for Barneys, her biographical retrospective book with Olivier Zahm that comes out in October — plus, she mentions that she's working on "a book with Karl Lagerfeld," and adds, "Who knows? Perhaps I'll become a muse for designers again."

Needless to say, there's been no second-guessing her decision to leave Vogue Paris: "[It was] the perfect moment. The French edition of Vogue had never been more successful, had never had more readers or advertisers. And it had never made as much money. For 10 years, my American publisher, Jonathan Newhouse, let me do what I wanted, even when he thought it might be crazy. But it couldn't have gone on for much longer."

A few more highlights from the interview, below.

On editing Vogue Paris and the current state of the industry: "For 10 years, it was a hell of a lot of fun. But, toward the end, it unfortunately got less and less fun. You used to be able to be more playful, but now it's all about money, results and big business. The pret-a-porter shows have become terribly serious. The atmosphere isn't as electric as it once was, and they now have about as much charm as a medical conference. But it takes just one good fashion show to get things exciting again . . . Creativity needs space and a willingness to take risks, but businessmen don't like risk. What's more, designers are coming under more and more pressure. Today, a dress can't just please the women in Paris; it also has to please those in Beijing, Tokyo, Moscow and New York."

On the frequency of drug use in the industry: "My only drug is a small glass of vodka in the evening, if that's what you're asking . . . [Drugs are used in fashion] no more and no less than they are in other artistic circles. Yves Saint Laurent was the first person to openly admit to being a drug addict. Since I never touched drugs myself, I find it hard to tell whether people are taking them. But, of course, some people do. The industry has become faster and faster. People are constantly fighting jet lag and working through the night."

On the rumors of her succeeding Anna Wintour at Vogue: "That was never seriously under discussion. I like to provoke. I'm very French. In America, they're not even allowed to show a hint of nipple in photos. Anna Wintour is the most powerful woman in the global fashion industry, the first lady of fashion. She's a politician; I'm a stylist. They are two very different jobs. Incidentally, despite all the rumors, she is actually very nice."

On the John Galliano scandal: "I had no idea how unhappy John Galliano must have been. You have to be very unhappy and lonely to praise Hitler in public while completely drunk. The House of Dior has always addressed a range of topics, for example, by having haute couture shows on homelessness where all the models look like people living on the street. But drunkenly shouting 'I love Hitler' and calling people in a bar a 'dirty Jew-face' is unacceptable. I don't think he really believes what he said; they were simply the actions of a drunk."

>> After 10 years at the helm of Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld has resigned from the magazine, opting to focus on personal projects. “It’s 10 years that I’m editor of the magazine,” Roitfeld told Cathy Horyn over the phone. “I think it’s time to do something different.”

She informed Jonathan Newhouse, CEO of Conde Nast International, of her decision, she says: “I have no problem with Jonathan, and he understood me very well. Newhouse, for his part, released a statement to Vogue UK: "It is impossible to overstate Carine's powerful contribution to Vogue and to the fields of fashion and magazine publishing. Under her direction,Vogue Paris received record levels of circulation, advertising and editorial success. Vogue Paris has established itself as one of the most iconic magazines in the world, with huge influence in the field of fashion and photography. Carine herself has become widely known as a beacon of style, fulfilling the role with charm and graciousness. She has become a giant in her profession. Carine will be deeply missed. I am extremely grateful to her for what she has achieved."

She plans to depart at the end of January, and expects to complete issues through March. Of her time at the magazine, she added: “I had so much freedom to do everything I wanted. I think I did a good job." However: "When everything is good, maybe I think it’s the time to do something else.” As for her future plans (could working with Tom Ford once again be in the mix?): “I have no plan at all.” Her replacement — some are already speculating former Vogue Russia editor Aliona Doletskaya or Vogue Paris fashion director Emmanuelle Alt —  will be announced in coming weeks.

>> Founding Vogue Russia editor-in-chief Aliona Doletskaya, once rumored to be a candidate for Anna Wintour's job, resigned from the magazine yesterday after 12 years.

In a memo notifying staffers, Conde Nast International president Jonathan Newhouse wrote: “Some time ago, Aliona Doletskaya told me that she would like to leave the Vogue Russia editor-in-chief’s post, which she has occupied for almost 13 years, and start a new life, probably to write a book or try her hand in a new field. As Russia—as well as the rest of the world—was still going through economically hard times, I asked Aliona to wait for a better time to do this. Now, it’s obvious that we are coming out of the crisis, thus I don’t want to interfere with Aliona’s plans anymore. I accept her decision to leave the magazine with great sorrow.”

She already has a successor »

Looks like Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant are going to be busy in 2009. Just over a year ago it was announced that Sischy, editor of Interview, and her girlfriend, Sandra Brant of Brant Publications (which published Interview), were soon to become International Editors for the Italian and Spanish editions of Vanity Fair. Today, in a press release sent out by Conde Nast, it was announced that the pair will also take helm as International Editors of German and Russian Vogues. The two will work closely, it was stated in the press release, with the editors of the magazines. Jonathan Newhouse, Chairman of Conde Nast International said, "Ingrid and Sandy are a unique journalistic team, full of ideas and with strong ties to the worlds of Hollywood, fashion and the arts.".