When times are sad and difficult, what do people do for fun? According to Julie Summers’ new book Dressed for War, during WWII, many people turned to Vogue for relief. Of course, critics, such as Welsh Labour MP Jim Griffiths said that publishing luxury magazines was “pernicious and damaging” when paper was a precious commodity. But Vogue had the full support of the Ministers of Health, Information and Treasury, who wanted the magazine to influence women’s thinking on food rationing, clothes, health, and evacuation. Vogue’s editor, Audrey Withers, believed the magazine must be a force for change — and also stylish.
Summers, Julie. Dressed for War: The Story of Vogue Editor Audrey Withers, From the Blitz to the Swinging Sixties. Simon & Schuster, 2020, p. 165.