Condé Nast cut Glamour to a skeleton crew a year shy of its centennial

Glamour had been one of Condé Nast's American women's titles for nearly a century, and under editor-in-chief Samantha Barry — eight years in the role — it had run its digital pivot. On April 16, 2026, chief executive Roger Lynch published a memo: Self magazine would close entirely after 47 years, Glamour's editions in Germany, Spain and Mexico would shut, and content production would shift toward lower-cost hubs in India. Hours later Barry announced she was leaving: 'As the title's business model evolved, I made clear to Anna and leadership at Condé that this was the right moment to leave.'

The memo landed on top of five months of cuts. By April 22, 2026, the Condé Union said 33 union editorial staff had been lost across the company — the latest round alone cutting 16 people across Glamour, Self and Condé Nast Entertainment. 'Management would rather pocket the savings from terminating our members — and letting years of experience, talent and hard work walk out the door — than protect the brands they say they care so much about,' the union said. Some staff were given 'the choice between a demotion or a layoff' by a company claiming to exceed its revenue and profitability budgets.

What remained was what the union called life support. 'Most of the editorial staff is gone, as well as key staff in design, audience development, and operations,' it reported. 'It's hard to imagine how Glamour will continue to exist as the women's magazine with a nearly 100-year history of cultural relevancy and so few left to create its content.' Lynch's framing: 'None of these are easy decisions, nor are they a reflection of the quality of the work. These choices reflect how we are aligning both our brands and our technology organization to where we see the strongest opportunities ahead.'