|| Author: Kim LaCapria|Tags: ,

Condé Nast’s Mother of All Paywalls: $1575 for ‘Vogue Archive’ Access

vogue archive

Suddenly, your local paper’s $10 a month access fee doesn’t look all that unreasonable, does it?

If you’re a fashion student or style maven, the idea of viewing content from every single issue of Vogue dating back to 1892 sounds pretty compelling, right? Condé Nast Digital has paired with trend-forecasting company WGSN to bring the archive to the fingertips of all web users, but like the items featured on the giant-glossy’s pages, it won’t come cheap. Access to the scads of content and couture history will run you $1,575 per year if you’re interested in the service.

Interestingly, in this age of chasing viral content, Vogue Archive is emphasizing the impediment of sharing content on social media. The project’s director Matt Dellinger told Folio:

“In order to follow a link and see the page, spread or favorites folder that has been shared, a recipient must also be a member. In part because of this, we don’t have Facebook or Twitter links built in. A user can post a URL, of course, but anyone who sees a link on social media would encounter a paywall if not a member.”

Wow, I did not know you could possibly feel like you’d been kicked out of a swanky boutique via standard broadband connection, but there you go. And plebes can take heart- limited access is planned for print subscribers in 2012.