Glenn’s bags are packed, but where will he land?  Photo courtesy of Men.Style.com, licensed under Creative Commons

Famed copywriter, ad man, and GQ Style Guy, Glenn O’Brien, has left his post as Editorial Director of Interview Magazine admidst allegations of mismanagement at the owner level.  O’brien, who also serves as CEO of Brant Publications, asserts that owner Peter Brant has put the publication in such dire financial straits that they are no longer paying freelancers for their work, something O’brien calls “unbelievable”.In a recent “exit interview” with Fashion Week Daily, O’Brien ripped owner Peter Brant, head of Brant Publications, and his son Ryan for allowing the situation to reach this point.

O’Brien is a legend in both the fashion and creative industries, holding various high-ranking positions in both fields, most-notably Creative Advertising Director at Barneys New York and Marketing Director at Island/Def Jam.  He currently writes for GQ, L’Uomo Vogue, Vanity Fair and others.

As CEO of Brant, Glenn took a very hands-on role at Interview, using his connections and influence to land interviews with some of the most influential people in the fashion and entertainment world.  He even went so far as to write many of the stories himself to ensure that they accurately captured the spirit of the conversation.  It may not have been the most efficient way to operate, but it sure served for fantastic reading.

Sadly, Brant Publishing was not as principled as Glenn, and they have seen a host of others follow him out the door including Fashion Director, Joe McKenna, and long-time photo agency M/M Paris.

O’Brien first edited the magazine under Andy Warhol in the early 1970’s.  Now, the future of the publication, as with many in the industry, isn’t looking particularly rosie.

For those who are interested, Glenn’s last hurrah was a fantastic interview with Andy Spade of Jack/Kate Spade fame.  It can be found on the Interview Web site, here.  Glenn also writes a regular blog over at Men’s Style, which is always an interesting read.  The CEO post may be gone, but Glenn’s legacy and wit live on.  Best wishes to him.

via David Mongan, 16 July 2009 12:45pm | |