A vixen is defined as a female fox or a woman regarded as malicious. Apparently being a malicious fox is an advantageous title because the publishers of Vibe just introduced the first woman’s magazine, Vibe Vixen, designed to cater to the young hip-hop female whose passion for urban music and culture depicts her beauty and style choices.
Rising star, singer/entertainer Ciara graces the cover of the premiere issue of the magazine that debuted on newsstands in February. This beauty and fashion special is a semi annual publication that will come out in the spring and fall of 2005. According to blackjournalist.com half of Vibe’s readership is made up of women. The Internet site about African American magazines quoted Editor-in-Chief Mimi Valdés about what she thought the magazine would bring to women all over.
“We are thrilled with Vibe Vixen and think it’s exactly what our female readers have been looking for in a women’s magazine. This issue is full of the hottest trends in fashion, beauty and makeup, combined with fascinating features on fashion and lifestyle as well as sophisticated survival information for today’s modern, urban woman. I can’t wait to read the feedback letters. I think that our readers will be as happy as we are with the final product,” Valdés said.
Embedded in this issue are this season’s “It” bags and the newest technology on the market. Vibe Vixen also features exclusive interviews with Ashanti, Halle Berry, and Jill Scott, as well as some of the hottest upcoming designers.
A Dillard student, Charlotte Campbell, a sophomore mass communication and Spanish major from Baton Rouge, La., said it is essential to have a magazine catered to black females.”It is a need for a magazine targeted to African American women of today. It will help with African American women confidence because they will see someone they can relate to,” Campbell said.
However, Erica Hollinger, a sophomore social work major from Kansas City, Mo. said that there is a stipulation to determine if the magazine will be positive. “First, I didn’t even know there was a new magazine by Vibe. It depends on what content they have in the magazine. If they are degrading women, then I won’t like it. Most people will like it because sex sells and it’s going to sell anyway. Plus it’s Vibe and Vibe sells,” Hollinger said.
For another, vixen is not such a favorable name for the magazine. The title of the periodical brings negative connotations for GyZeil Granger. “I don’t like the title. It’s supposed to be uplifting. When you think of vixen you don’t thin of anything positive at all. For a woman to be called a vixen, people think of a vixen as someone promiscuous,” said Granger, a sophomore finance and economics major from San Leandro, Calif.
In addition, maybe Vibe should improve their promotion methods for its new spin-off. For Kimberly St. Cyr, a sophomore psychology major from Phoenix, Ariz., the magazine’s introduction to newsstands came unnoticed.
“I’ve never seen the magazine, so that doesn’t speak to highly of it. They should do a better advertising and they should put it out more than twice a year,” St. Cyr said.Although some are excited about the new women’s magazine and some could care less, an interested reader can expect to see another issue of Vibe Vixen in the fall.
