Margaret Zhang named editor-in-chief of Vogue China

By

Robin Driver

Published
Feb 27, 2021

27-year-old Chinese-Australian fashion influencer Margaret Zhang has been appointed as editor-in-chief of Vogue China, becoming the youngest person to hold the position at any of the magazine’s international editions.

 
Sydney-born Zhang – an instantly recognizable figure on front rows around the world thanks to her vividly dyed hair – has never edited a magazine before but has a number of other achievements under her belt.
 
Having started the successful fashion blog “Shine by Three” at the age of 16, she now boasts more than 1.2 billion followers on Instagram. She is also the co-founder of global consultancy company Background, where she principally works with brands seeking to enter the Chinese market, having previously collaborated with British lifestyle label Mulberry and Airbnb.

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In 2016, Zhang produced two digital covers for the launch issue of youth-focused Vogue Me China and appeared on both herself. According to Vogue, she has also worked as a creative director, photographer, stylist, writer, model and even film director.
 
“I am so delighted that Margaret is our new editor in chief of Vogue China,” commented Vogue editor-in-chief and global editorial director Anna Wintour. “Her international experience, exceptional multiplatform digital expertise, and wide-ranging interests are the perfect combination to lead Vogue China into the future.”
 
“Margaret understands the emerging trends of a new generation of Chinese and possesses the business acumen needed to leverage our data and insights across new digital platforms,” added Li Li, managing director of Condé Nast China.
 
Having spent the last five years or so between New York and China, the newly appointed editor-in-chief currently lives in her hometown of Sydney but plans to move to Beijing as soon as possible.
 
In her new role, she succeeds Angelica Cheung, who has been editor-in-chief at Vogue China since the magazine launched in the country 16 years ago. Her appointment signals a generational shift at the publication, where she is expected to employ her digital savvy to attract younger readers.
 
Of her own plans for the magazine, Zhang commented, “there’s a lot of context about China that is lost; often it’s looked at as this one monolithic entity, as opposed to a country of individuals and innovations. I think Vogue China has an immense platform to communicate about those individuals not only to the world but to its own citizens.”
 
Owned by global mass media giant Condé Nast, Vogue currently has a total of 26 editions around the world, with its 27th, Vogue Scandinavia, set to launch in August of this year.