Jane (magazine)

Infobox Magazine
title = Jane Magazine


image_size = 200px
image_caption = "Jane", cover dated January 2005
editor = Brandon Holley
editor_title = Editor-in-Chief
frequency = monthly
circulation =
category = Fashion magazine
company = Condé Nast Publications
publisher =
firstdate = September 1997
finaldate = August 2007
country = Flag|United States
language = English
website = [http://www.janemag.com www.janemag.com]
issn =

"Jane" was an American magazine created to appeal to the women who grew up reading "Sassy Magazine", both of which were founded by Jane Pratt. Its original target audience (pitched to advertisers) was aged 18-34, and was designed to appeal to women who are irreverent. Pratt originally intended the magazine to be named "Betty", but she was voted down by everyone else involved in the making of the magazine. The magazine was launched in September 1997; the final issue was dated August 2007. The events surrounding the magazine's fold were chronicled through the experiences of two assistants on the SOAPnet series "The Fashionista Diaries".

"Sassy", created by Pratt in 1987, was intended to appeal to adolescent girls, but because of its sexual candor and coverage of topics other teen magazines didn't touch, such as the riot grrrl movement, its popularity exploded beyond its intended audience. When "Sassy" ended its New York editorial run in 1994, readers were left heartbroken and waiting for something to take its place. In September 1997, Jane Pratt's new magazine, "Jane", published by the Disney-owned Fairchild Publications, hit the stands with Drew Barrymore as its maiden covergirl. (Fairchild Publications has since merged with Condé Nast Publications.)

The winner of "America's Next Top Model" from cycle 2 appeared in a fashion spread shot is Yoanna House respectively.

On 25 July 2005, Pratt announced that she was resigning from her position as editor in chief of "Jane" and would be leaving the company on 30 September 2005, exactly eight years after the magazine's debut. Insiders speculated that Pratt wanted a change in her life after she lost the twin daughters she had been carrying in April, and had been expecting in August.

In August 2005, [http://www.jossip.com/gossip/brandon-holley/ Brandon Holley] , editor in chief of "Elle Girl", was named to take Pratt's place, and Christina Kelly, its managing editor, took over "Elle Girl", which then folded after just 5 issues under Kelly, a veteran editor of both "Sassy" and "Jane", as well as "YM", and who was rumored to be the favorite to take over "Jane" because of her decades-long friendship with Jane Pratt.

An episode of the MTV animated show "Daria" entitled "The Lost Girls" would poke fun at Pratt's image and magazine. In the episode, an over-the-top name-dropping fashionista named Val, editor of "Val" magazine, visits Lawndale High after Daria wins an essay contest (Daria's English teacher had submitted the essay without her knowledge). Ultimately, Daria confronts Val about the unrealistic expectations that these fashion magazines force on young girls and about the mass-marketing of popular culture.

The magazine notified its readers that they will receive one of a number of sister magazines ("Glamour", "Allure" or "Lucky") for their remaining subscription durations. "Glamour", "Allure" and "Lucky" were all Conde Nast publications that were suffering from lower circulation. Subscribers who did not wish to receive these publication in lieu of the cancelled magazine could call Conde Nast and request any of the other magazines that they published including the popular "Vanity Fair".

External links

* [http://www.janemag.com/ "Jane" Magazine official site]
* [http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a5284.asp Why Jane Pratt's "Jane" never quite lived up to Jane Pratt's "Sassy"]
* [http://www.jossip.com/gossip/jane-magazine/ Jane Magazine news at jossip.com]
* [http://www.gawker.com/news/jane-magazine/ Jane Magazine news at gawker.com]
* [http://www.katymccoll.com/recentarticles.html Recent articles by "Jane" writer/editor Katy McColl]
* [http://gawker.com/news/goodbye-to-all-pratt/rumor-jane-magazine-folds-276275.php Coverage of Jane's Demise from Gawker.com]
* [http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070709006124&newsLang=en Press Release Announcing End of Publication]