Alison Dahl, the Creative Director and Editor of the BurdaStyle website (English version) is leaving. You can read her good-bye post here. She has been working with BurdaStyle since 2007, and was the author/creative director of the BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook.
A few thought about what this could mean for us Burda fans:
(1) She mentions "structural changes" as being the main reason for her departure. I am rather curious as to what these changes might entail. The English Burda website has always stood out as being radically different from the other Burda websites. Of course, I only found this website after the major changes happened a few years ago, so I can only compare the current iteration with those versions from other countries, and not with previous versions of itself. However, it has always struck me as odd that the English Burda website has next to no mention of their magazines or envelope patterns. It was months before I realized I they were more than a download service. I always wonder how many sales they lose simply because the information isn't readily available? I am hoping that these suposed "structural changes" will include having more information and previews about the magazines and envelope patterns. I don't mind searching for things on the German and Russian websites, but sometimes I feel a little bit sad and left out that we don't have the same previews and announcements in English.
(2) I am hoping there might be additional features added for searching user projects. Right now the organizational structure is minimal, at best. As a company, I would think BurdaStyle might want to highlight projects made using BurdaStyle patterns as a way to boost pattern sales, although I do know that they have the "Make It" label for such things. I hope they still let users post projects though - it has been a great way to boost the activity of the online sewing community.
(3) Perhaps they will finally offer more of the Burda patterns as downloads? The German Burda website offers over 1500 of the magazine patterns for download, dating back to around 2009, with a few as early as 2006. Having digital downloads of a pattern seems like it would be a great way to still make money from OOPs and other older patterns.
What about all the other BurdaStyle users out there - what are you hoping comes out of this structural change? How do you think BurdaStyle can improve, and what do you want them to keep around for the future?
I very rarely visit the Burda site because I've always found it clunky and unintuitive and, as you say, there is very little mention of the magazines on there. I don't always like it when websites change, but in this case I think it could be a good thing.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if they make some of the changes you mentioned on the English Burda site. There is a Burda Yahoo group that had lots of discussion and posting of BurdaStyle garments a couple of years ago. Now it seems dead.
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