Sartori

Franco (1929-1987). Italian journalist and editor. Son of a Corriere della Sera manager, he too worked for the newspaper company and, having been marketing manager, was given the task of researching a weekly women’s magazine with an innovative feel. This saw the birth of Amica an avantgarde monthly magazine with Enrico Gramigna as editor and Flavio Lucchini as artistic director. In 1964 Sartori moved to Condé Nast Italia where, having taken over Novità, he founded Vogue Italia and remained its editor for the rest of his life. He also became managing director of Condé Nast Italia and helped expand with Casa Vogue, Uomo Vogue (begun in 1967 as a supplement of Vogue Italia), Vogue Sposa, Vogue Bambino, and Vogue Gioiello. He was a man of elegant looks; austere and inseparable from his Tuscan cigars, he inspired a certain awe and was blessed with an excellent eye for choosing journalists and collaborators for his magazines. Many of the best journalists specialized in fashion, beauty, and home decoration were trained at Condé Nast. Under his direction, the publishing house placed new emphasis on fashion images, photography, and graphics, creating a sophisticated and refined means of expression that would influence other publications in the field in the years to come. Others learnt from the Condé Nast look, with Vogue Italia and Uomo Vogue considered the bibles of luxury and the latest styles, something that was continually asserted by the talent of Italian designers. At the height of his success, and while still young, Sartori died in New York after a heart transplant. His associate manager was Attilio Fontanesi who contributed to the extraordinary advertising and financial success of the magazines, thinking up innovative advertising strategies, such as the famous groupage.