Editor-In-Chief of Vogue China Steps Down
The Editor-in-Chief of Vogue China, Margaret Zhang, resigned from her position after three years with the company.
She announced her leave on Instagram writing, “As we kick off a transformative Year of the Dragon, I’m excited to announce that I have decided to wrap up with Vogue and jump into the next chapter of my career.”
According to Variety, Zhang will depart from her role at the end of May, but her legacy as the youngest employee in Vogue history to hold a chief title will remain.
Upon her initial hire at just 27 years old, critics questioned whether she was the right fit for reasons such as her youth. And, in 2022 and 2023, she received criticism from two Chinese media executives for being too “Western,” especially because of her Australian upbringing, according to The Guardian.
Despite facing these roadblocks, the Australian Chinese editorial director shared remarks in her exit letter about her proudest accomplishments during her time with Vogue. “Never before have we seen so much Chinese creativity showcased across the global network of Vogue editions,” wrote Zhang. “I am immensely proud of the radical evolution that we have driven at Vogue China over the past three years, expanding its impact from its print beginnings to becoming a multimedia bridge for creative culture – China to the world, the world to China.”
Throughout the letter, Zhang reflected fondly on her time at Vogue China and many others shared their sadness for her leaving on social media. However, the Global Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue, Anna Wintour, is hoping to quickly remedy this void. Wintour said it was her, “top priority to find a visionary new leader without delay,” according to The Guardian.
Zhang saw great success in her work at Vogue, with her Vogue Film Mentorship Initiative, as she empowered and guided promising, Chinese, female filmmakers through the early stages of their careers. As for her own next steps, Variety reported that Zhang has recently been signed by the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), for “representation as an emerging filmmaker, writer and producer.”
With her incredible experience in multimedia production, and starting from such a young age, I am eager to see the creativity and excitement she will continue to share with the media industry.