Esquire (magazine)
The first issue of Esquire hit newsstands in October 1933 with a price tag of fifty cents. This monthly publication emerged from the ashes of a trade magazine called Apparel Arts, which later evolved into GQ. Three men drove this new venture: Arnold Gingrich handled publishing duties while David A. Smart managed business operations. Henry L. Jackson oversaw fashion content that dominated the magazine's initial fifteen years. Their target audience was young men seeking style advice during the Great Depression. Demand for the second January 1934 issue exceeded expectations so much that circulation plans doubled immediately. Writers like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald contributed early pieces to establish literary credibility. The magazine headquarters moved from Chicago to New York City within its first few years. Jackson died in a plane crash in 1948 while Gingrich led the publication until his own death in 1976.
Postmaster General Frank Comerford Walker sued Esquire in 1943 over images deemed lewd by federal standards. The Democratic administration under Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the Postal Service to block distribution of the magazine. Republicans opposed the lawsuit arguing that the First Amendment protected the right to publish such material. The Supreme Court ruled in Hannegan v. Esquire Inc. in 1946 that the magazine had constitutional rights to use postal services. Artists like Alberto Vargas and George Petty created pinup illustrations that boosted circulation among armed forces personnel. These images became controversial despite their popularity with soldiers overseas. Al Moore replaced Petty and Vargas as the main illustrator starting in the 1950s. Petty illustrated for Esquire from 1933 through 1956 while Vargas worked there from 1940 to 1946. A cartoon character named Esky appeared on almost every front page for twenty-five years after 1934.
Harold Hayes took control of Esquire in 1961 and transformed it into a pioneer of New Journalism. Writers including Norman Mailer, Tom Wolfe, and Gay Talese published groundbreaking pieces during his tenure until 1973. The magazine expanded its oversized pages to accommodate long-form reporting styles. In August 1969, Normand Poirier wrote An American Atrocity detailing violence against Vietnamese civilians. This report was one of the first public accounts of American atrocities committed abroad. Esquire partnered with Verve Records to release Sound Tour vinyl LPs offering travel advice and music in 1965. The publication shrank from large format to standard letter size in 1971. Political debates between Republican Jackson and Democratic Smart had previously allowed diverse viewpoints within the same issue. Hayes helped establish the magazine's reputation as a platform for experimental journalism techniques.
Clay Felker purchased Esquire in 1977 but lost five million dollars by the end of that year. He tried launching an fortnightly version called Esquire Fortnightly which failed spectacularly. The 13-30 Corporation bought the magazine in 1979 and reverted it back to monthly publication starting in July. A spin-off magazine named New York Woman targeted female readers before being sold separately in 1986. Hearst acquired Esquire later that same year while New York Woman went to American Express Publishing until 1992. Circulation numbers dropped sharply during the early 1990s due to competition from newer lifestyle magazines. David M. Granger became editor-in-chief in June 1997 after turning around GQ over six years. His leadership brought multiple National Magazine Awards despite criticism about metrosexual culture focus. Granger stepped down in 2016 and was replaced by Jay Fielden who shifted the magazine toward classical up-market styles. Michael Sebastian took over editing duties in mid-2019 reverting to earlier 2000s-era approaches.
David Granger rebranded Esquire as a metrosexual lifestyle publication upon his arrival in 1997. The magazine received numerous awards including recognition for staff writers like Tom Chiarella and Scott Raab. Famous photographers such as Richard Avedon and Gleb Derujinsky contributed visual content throughout this era. In September 2006, they launched The Big Black Book focusing entirely on style trends. This special issue ran twice yearly until Spring/Summer 2018 when it ceased publication. The magazine merged June and July issues in 2010 while combining December and January editions in 2015. By 2018, Esquire published only eight times per year instead of monthly. Political coverage expanded significantly following broader industry trends among American magazines. Critics argued that the focus on metrosexuality objectified women through features like Sexiest Woman Alive. That annual feature ran between 2003 and 2015 before being discontinued due to backlash. Katy Waldman criticized profiles using rapt language to describe subjects without substantive analysis.
Gordon Lish served as fiction editor from 1969 to 1976 earning the nickname Captain Fiction. He helped launch Raymond Carver's career by publishing short stories despite objections from Harold Hayes. Lish encouraged minimalism in writing styles while promoting authors like T. Coraghessan Boyle and Barry Hannah. An unsigned story titled For Rupert appeared in February 1977 leading readers to speculate about J.D. Salinger's involvement. Lish admitted borrowing Salinger's voice to elaborate on psychological circumstances within his fictional universe. Elizabeth Gilbert debuted her work in Esquire during 1993 while Stephen King contributed later pieces. The Napkin Fiction Project mailed cocktail napkins to writers nationwide in 2007 seeking new short fiction submissions. Nearly one hundred stories were returned including works by Rick Moody and Jonathan Ames. Dubious Achievement Awards lampooned past events annually until discontinuation in 2008 before revival in January 2017.
Esquire now operates twenty-three international editions across continents including Australia, Brazil, and India. Some markets launched recently while others ceased publication after brief runs. Germany operated from 1987 to 1992 then reopened in 2019 following a hiatus. Japan ran from 1987 through 2009 before returning in 2015 with renewed interest. Russia launched in 2005 but closed operations in 2022 due to market conditions. Indonesia started publishing in 2007 and shut down in 2017 after ten years of circulation. Netherlands existed from 1990 until closing in 2021 despite initial success. Thailand published from 1995 to 2018 before resuming in 2024 as part of regional strategy. Vietnam began in 2013 and ended in 2017 before restarting in 2025 under new management. Bulgaria launched in 2014 without continuing beyond that single year of operation. Romania continues publishing today since its 2007 inception while Ukraine started in 2012.
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Common questions
When did the first issue of Esquire magazine hit newsstands?
The first issue of Esquire hit newsstands in October 1933 with a price tag of fifty cents. This monthly publication emerged from the ashes of a trade magazine called Apparel Arts which later evolved into GQ.
Who were the three men who drove the new venture of Esquire magazine?
Three men drove this new venture: Arnold Gingrich handled publishing duties while David A. Smart managed business operations and Henry L. Jackson oversaw fashion content that dominated the magazine's initial fifteen years. Their target audience was young men seeking style advice during the Great Depression.
What happened to Esquire magazine headquarters after its launch?
The magazine headquarters moved from Chicago to New York City within its first few years. Jackson died in a plane crash in 1948 while Gingrich led the publication until his own death in 1976.
Why did Postmaster General Frank Comerford Walker sue Esquire in 1943?
Postmaster General Frank Comerford Walker sued Esquire in 1943 over images deemed lewd by federal standards. The Democratic administration under Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the Postal Service to block distribution of the magazine before Republicans opposed the lawsuit arguing that the First Amendment protected the right to publish such material.
When did Harold Hayes take control of Esquire magazine and what changes did he make?
Harold Hayes took control of Esquire in 1961 and transformed it into a pioneer of New Journalism. Writers including Norman Mailer, Tom Wolfe, and Gay Talese published groundbreaking pieces during his tenure until 1973 while the magazine expanded its oversized pages to accommodate long-form reporting styles.
Which countries currently have active international editions of Esquire magazine as of 2025?
Esquire now operates twenty-three international editions across continents including Australia Brazil and India with Romania continuing publishing today since its 2007 inception while Ukraine started in 2012. Thailand resumed publication in 2024 as part of regional strategy while Vietnam restarted in 2025 under new management.