'Times' Glossy 'T' Growing, Promotions For All!
The New York Times glossy quarterly T is expanding! And, according to this morning's memo from T Queen Stefano Tonchi (pictured!), there will be more and more T in your life in the coming months. (Also: a special food issue of the NYT mag in November 2008, edited by Mrs. Latte herself.) Q Princess Horacio Silva will be heading up the T website! Omg omg omg. Gay! We love! Anyway, at this point it's basically T and the New York Times Magazine keeping the rest of the paper afloat, so it's no wonder that they're trying to turn everything into a giant T dance. (Sorry!) Memo follows.
To the Staff:
Several changes are under way in T—involving not only members of the staff but also issues of our magazines and the Web. For those who have heard only bits and pieces, I would like to take this opportunity to shed some light on things.
First of all, T is very strong. And it is thanks to all of you that I can say that. So let me start by extending my gratitude to everyone. It is because of that strength that we are making these changes, as a way to address the things we do best while we continue to evolve.
So, effective immediately, the following steps are being taken:
1. To play to our strengths, T: Beauty and T: Living are evolving into new versions of themselves. The two Beauty issues will become Women's Fashion issues, but with an emphasis on Beauty; the Living issues will become Design issues, with an emphasis on that big umbrella known as "lifestyle." The working titles are Women's & Beauty, and Design & Living. They will remain on their existing schedules, and the inaugural winter 2007 issue of each is being planned as we speak.
2. These steps obviously cannot be taken without some movement among the staff:
Pilar Viladas will become the Editor of all four Design issues. Her expertise in the field of design and her sense of professionalism will help tremendously as we expand our design franchise. Pilar will also continue to have a presence in the main Sunday magazine, where she will remain the Design Editor.
Amanda Hesser will leave her position as editor of Living and assume more responsibility in the main Sunday magazine. She will continue to be the Editor of the Food pages in the back of the book, and she will also oversee a special Food issue of the Sunday magazine that is scheduled for November 2008. Amanda's love and knowledge of the culinary world will continue to have a presence in T, as we look forward to pieces from her in T: Travel or T: Design.
Having been the Deputy Editor of Living (and the Acting Editor while Amanda was on maternity leave), Christine Muhlke will now work side by side with Pilar on the new Design & Living issues as Deputy Editor. This year, she will also be the editor of T: Holiday. Christine's passion for food and her knowledge of the Living and Lifestyle worlds will go a long way toward the success of these ventures.
Maura Egan will become the editor of the Women's & Beauty issues. She will benefit from the valuable input of Kara Jesella, who will become a Contributing Editor. Maura's fondness for travel will continue to have an expression in T, as she will also remain the Deputy Editor of T: Travel.
3. The last big change involves the new T Web site that will be launched in the fall. We needed somebody to steer it who is not only a Style hound but is also a Web whiz. Thankfully, we had to look no further than our own backyard:
Horacio Silva will be the new (and first) online director of T on the Web. He will work closely with Jim Schachter and me as we set out on unknown territory. But having Horacio at the helm will make for a much smoother—and undoubtedly interesting—ride. Besides taking on this new role, Horacio will continue to be the Features Director of T.
Yes, there is certainly a lot going on at T. As we pave new ground here, there will surely be adjustments that we will all have to make. Some of them we will be able to predict; others we will discover as we go along. But having these talented and dedicated people—and all of you, in Fashion, Art, Photography, Production, Copy and Research—on our team means that the task ahead will be all the more doable and enjoyable.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely, Stefano