TI Media closes Marie Claire UK in print after 31 years

Magazine publisher TI Media is closing the print edition of women’s monthly Marie Claire in the UK.

TI Media said today it is pursuing a “digital-first future” for the brand, which will see the 31-year-old magazine close in print with its November issue.

Marie Claire joins a growing list of defunct women’s magazines, after Now, Reveal, Glamour, InStyle UK, Look and Brides have all closed in the past three years.

TI Media chief executive Marcus Rich said today: “For more than three decades, Marie Claire UK has led the conversation on the issues that really matter to women – from campaigning for women’s empowerment to climate change – while providing a premium fashion and beauty positioning that reflects their everyday lives.

“With full focus on our digital platforms, we will be future-proofing our ability to report on these vital and engaging subjects, alongside our top ranking fashion and beauty offering and media-first brand extensions, The Edit and Fabled by Marie Claire.”

The company added that the digital-first Marie Claire UK will be published under a licence agreement with Groupe Marie Claire, the magazine’s publisher in France.

A TI Media spokesperson told Press Gazette a consultation with staff has begun and that they cannot comment on numbers or specific roles affected until that process has concluded.

However the Guardian has reported that about 35 staff are affected by the closure.

According to TI Media, Marie Claire’s UK website currently has 2m monthly users.

The publisher said a digital transformation was necessary to “best serve the changing needs of its audience’s mobile-first, fast-paced, style-rich lifestyles”.

Focus on affiliate shopping platform The Marie Claire Edit will also grow, with TI Media saying this will soon become the brand’s biggest source of digital revenue.

In June TI Media sold its Fabled by Marie Claire beauty website and London store to Next, which Marie Claire managing director Justine Southall said would “extend our brand further”.

Rich added: “The success of Marie Claire Edit and Fabled by Marie Claire are good examples of how, at TI Media, we can extend our unrivalled content and expertise into the digital space.

“There is enormous potential for us to drive our ongoing transformation through growing our digital business quickly and it will continue to be a key focus for us.”

Empire magazine editor Terri White shared her sadness at the news, tweeting: “This is so so sad. I did my work experience at Marie Claire at 19, head-turned by their incredible, fearless, feminist journalism.

“They’ve always had a remarkable team and I hope they’re being cared for.”