In 1931, a magazine called Apparel Arts launched with a print run so small it barely existed outside the clothing industry. It was not for the public but for wholesale buyers and retail sellers who needed to advise their customers on what to stock. The magazine was a dry, functional tool for the trade, devoid of the cultural flair that would later define its legacy. Its existence was so niche that when retail customers began stealing copies from stores to read for themselves, it inadvertently sparked the creation of Esquire magazine in 1933. The original publication struggled to find its footing until 1957, when it was transformed into a quarterly magazine for men and renamed Gentlemen's Quarterly. The word Apparel was dropped from the logo in 1958, and the name Gentlemen's Quarterly was established, signaling a shift from industry manual to lifestyle publication. By 1967, the magazine was re-branded as GQ, and the publication rate increased from quarterly to monthly in 1970, setting the stage for a global phenomenon.
The Fashion Revolution
The magazine's trajectory changed forever in 1979 when Condé Nast bought the publication and appointed Art Cooper as editor. Cooper expanded the magazine's scope beyond fashion to include food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, celebrities, sports, technology, and books, effectively turning GQ into a general men's magazine in competition with Esquire. A pivotal moment in this evolution occurred in 1984 when Nonnie Moore was hired as fashion editor. Her appointment was considered unusual because she was not from men's wear, having served in the same position at Mademoiselle and Harper's Bazaar. Jim Moore, the magazine's fashion director at the time of her death in 2009, described the choice as odd but perfect. He noted that she changed the publication's more casual look, helping to dress up the pages and dress up the men while making the mix more exciting and varied. Her influence helped establish GQ as a cultural touchstone, closely associated with the concept of metrosexuality. The writer Mark Simpson coined the term metrosexuality in an article for The Independent about his visit to a GQ exhibition in London, noting that magazines like GQ filled their pages with images of narcissistic young men sporting fashionable clothes and accessories, inducing other young men to study them with a mixture of envy and desire.
The Men Of The Year
In 1996, GQ U.S. first named their Men of the Year, featuring the award recipients in a special issue of the magazine. This tradition quickly spread globally, with British GQ launching its annual Men of the Year awards in 2009 and GQ India launching its version the following year. Spanish and Brazilian GQ launched their Men of the Year awards in 2011, and GQ Australia launched its version in 2007. The awards became a significant cultural event, highlighting influential men across various fields. In 2016, GQ launched the spinoff quarterly GQ Style, headed by then-style editor Will Welch, who was later promoted to creative director of the magazine. The magazine continued to evolve, and in 2018, writing for GQ, Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her article about Dylann Roof, who had shot nine African-Americans in a church in Charleston. In September 2018, Will Welch was named the new editor-in-chief of GQ, succeeding Jim Nelson. The magazine's influence extended beyond print, and in 2020, GQ launched its webstore and first merch drop, with the GQ Shop lineup designed by the editors and art directors behind the GQ website.
The magazine's September 2009 U.S. issue published an article by Scott Anderson titled None Dare Call It Conspiracy, which reported Anderson's investigation of the 1999 Russian apartment bombings. Before GQ published the article, an internal email from a Condé Nast lawyer referred to it as Vladimir Putin's Dark Rise to Power. The story included interviews with Mikhail Trepashkin, who investigated the bombings while he was a colonel in Russia's Federal Security Service. The story, including Trepashkin's own findings, contradicted the Russian Government's official explanation of the bombings and criticized Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. Condé Nast's management tried to keep the story out of Russia, ordering executives and editors not to distribute that issue in Russia or show it to Russian government officials, journalists, or advertisers. Management decided not to publish the story on GQ's website or in Condé Nast's foreign magazines, not to publicize the story, and asked Anderson not to syndicate the story to any publications that appear in Russia. The day after the magazine's publication in the United States, bloggers published the original English text and a translation into Russian on the internet, bypassing the restrictions and spreading the story globally.
The Glee Controversy
In 2010, GQ magazine had three adult members of the television show Glee, Dianna Agron, Lea Michele, and Cory Monteith, partake in a photoshoot. The sexualization of the actresses in the photos caused controversy among parents of teens who watch the show Glee. The Parents Television Council was the first to react to the photo spread when it was leaked prior to GQ's planned publishing date. Their president Tim Winter stated, By authorizing this kind of near-pornographic display, the creators of the program have established their intentions on the show's directions. And it isn't good for families. The photoshoot was published as planned, and Dianna Agron went on to state that the photos did push the envelope, that they did not represent who she is, any more than other magazine photo shoots, but that she was a 24-year-old adult in the photo shoot, and wondered why the concerned parents allowed their eight-year-old daughters to read any racy issue of the adult magazine GQ. The incident highlighted the tension between the magazine's adult-oriented content and the expectations of younger audiences and their guardians.
The Canon And The Cover
On the 19th of April 2018, the editors of GQ published an article titled 21 Books You Don't Have to Read, in which the editors compiled a list of works they think are overrated and should be passed over, including the Bible as well as The Catcher in the Rye, The Alchemist, Blood Meridian, A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea, The Lord of the Rings, and Catch-22. The article generated a backlash among Internet commentators, who criticized the magazine for dismissing classic literature. On the 6th of April 2023, the Colombian singer Karol G said on social media that the photo used on the cover of an issue of GQ Mexico was disrespectful and a misleading depiction of the way her body and face naturally looks. She wrote, I don't know how to start this message. Today my GQ magazine cover was made public, a cover with an image that does not represent me. My face doesn't look like that, my body doesn't look like that and I feel very happy and comfortable with how I look naturally. It's disrespectful to me. It's to the women that every day we wake up looking to feel comfortable with ourselves despite society's stereotypes. These controversies underscored the magazine's role in shaping cultural conversations and the inevitable friction that arises when challenging established norms.
The Numbers Game
The magazine reported an average worldwide paid circulation of 934,000 in the first half of 2019, down 1.1% from 944,549 in 2016 and 2.6% from 958,926 in 2015. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations UK, British GQ had an average circulation of 103,087 during the first half of 2019, down 6.3% from 110,063 during the second half of 2018, and down 10.3% from 114,867 during the second half of 2013. These figures reflect the challenges faced by print media in the digital age, as circulation numbers fluctuate and decline over time. Despite these challenges, GQ has maintained its position as a leading men's fashion magazine, adapting to new media landscapes and continuing to influence men's style and culture. The magazine's ability to evolve and remain relevant is a testament to its enduring appeal and the dedication of its editors and staff.
The Editors Who Shaped It
The magazine's history is defined by the editors who led it through various eras. Bernard J. Miller served as U.S. publisher from 1957 to 1975, followed by Sal Schiliro from 1975 to 1980 and Steve Florio from 1975 to 1985. Jack Kliger was publisher from 1985 to 1988, Michael Clinton from 1988 to 1994, and Michael Perlis from 1994 to 1995. Richard Beckman served from 1995 to 1999, Tom Florio from 1999 to 2000, and Ronald A. Galotti from 2000 to 2003. Peter King Hunsinger was publisher from 2003 to 2011, Chris Mitchell from 2011 to 2014, and Howard Mittman from 2014 to 2017. The editors who shaped the magazine's content include Everett Mattlin from 1957 to 1969, Jack Haber from 1969 to 1983, Art Cooper from 1983 to 2003, Jim Nelson from 2003 to 2019, and Will Welch from 2019 to present. In the U.K., Paul Keers edited from 1988 to 1990, Alexandra Shulman from 1990 to 1992, Michael VerMeulen from 1992 to 1995, James Brown from 1997 to 1999, Tom Haines in 1999, Dylan Jones from 1999 to 2021, and Adam Baidawi from 2021 to present. These individuals played crucial roles in defining the magazine's voice and direction, ensuring its survival and success in a competitive market.