Vogue Portugal's covers have become much cleaner. Image credit: Vogue Portugal
LISBON, Portugal – After a major redesign, Vogue Portugal has reinvented itself as a publication dedicated to celebrating what is unique about the Portuguese luxury scene while maintaining the DNA that makes it part of the Vogue family.
Speaking at the Condé Nast International Luxury Conference on April 18, Vogue Portugal’s editor in chief spoke about how the magazine is looking to differentiate itself as well as the ways in which it wants to remain true to the global Vogue brand. This balancing act is difficult, but is necessary to do the Portuguese luxury world justice.
"Bold, iconic and classic are the keywords that define the DNA of Vogue," said Sofia Lucas, editor in chief of Vogue Portugal. "In a year in which Vogue experienced many changes, we've had to reinvent ourselves to find new artistic expressions.
"Those changes are happening without us losing our DNA."
Language of luxury
In a keynote called "Portugal's Language of Luxury," Ms. Lucas talked about the redesign of Vogue Portugal and its focus on Portugal's unique position in the overall luxury world.
Since Ms. Lucas took over, she has been focused on creating a more distinct look for the magazine that will make it stand out from competitors and from other branches of Vogue’s international publications.
Namely, Ms. Lucas has pushed Vogue Portugal towards a more minimalist look.
"We went for a more minimalist aesthetic," Ms. Lucas said. "The covers are much cleaner with sometimes only a single line of text on it."
Vogue Portugal's editor in chief Sofia Lucas. Image credit: Vogue Portugal
Ms. Lucas also espoused the view that social media and print are not in conflict but are complementary, a strategy that Vogue Portugal is hoping to implement.
Portugal is in a unique position in Europe. It lacks the cultural power of France or Italy in the luxury world yet still has a large luxury-consuming base with unique tastes and desires.
The revamp of Vogue Portugal is meant to bridge the gap between Portugal and its unique culture and the rest of the luxury-consuming world, represented by Vogue’s other publications.
"Living in the increasingly globalized world, tradition is difficult to maintain," Ms. Lucas said. "It is part of the mission Vogue Portugal is trying to fill.
"We are working on this project to preserve traditional Portugese beauty," she said. "It is important for us to portray the social and economic reality of Portugal from north to south while retaining our Vogue DNA."