Jones in the frame to edit American GQ

British GQ in April 1999

Front-runner: Jones was appointed editor of

GQ editor Dylan Jones has been tipped as a front-runner to edit the US edition of the magazine in New York.

His name has been put in the frame, alongside Dave Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of the US Men’s Health, following the resignation of American GQ editor Art Cooper.

The departure of Cooper, 20 years at GQ and a legendary editor in New York, came as a big surprise. Only a month ago he was elected to the American Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame and just a week ago he denied he had any plans to retire.

His change of mind is attributed to increasing competition from magazines such as Maxim, whose circulation in the US is now more than double that of GQ.

There have been reports that Cooper, who has spent two decades building GQ into one of the most respected men’s magazines in the US, had been asked to “dumb down” GQ to meet the competition, a proposal he bridled at.

Cooper plans to give up his job in June – and says he will write a book about the magazine business.

Jones was appointed editor of British GQ in April 1999, joining from The Sunday Times. He signed up a number of broadsheet writers, introduced an interiors section and threw out all the laddish elements, but still managed to create a stir when he digitally removed Kylie’s knickers and restyled Tony Blair with a blond bouffant. A photo spread of Neil and Christine Hamilton posing naked provoked further gasps.

Prior to The Sunday Times, Jones oversaw The Face, Arena and Frank as group editor at Wagadon. He is also a regular contributor to The Independent.

Jones declined to comment on the speculation this week.

Meanwhile, GQ has poached Esquire arts editor Toby Wiseman to be a commissioning editor.

It follows Esquire editor Simon Tiffin’s successful luring of Tim Lewis from GQ to be deputy editor earlier this year.

Jones said of Wiseman: “He’s been someone I have been monitoring for a while and I wanted to have him here at GQ. Simon Tiffin has tried to poach seven members of my staff so I thought I’d return the favour.

“He’s turning into mini-me. If he wants to create a magazine just like GQ, then he’s probably doing the right thing by trying to have all my staff.”

By Jeffrey Blyth in New York and Ruth Addicott