After 25 years as the Editor-in-Chief of WWD, and a total of 39 years at Fairchild, it was announced on Thursday that Edward Nardoza will retire from the fashion bible. Executive Editor Miles Socha succeeds him, and Nardoza will work with him on the transition through January.
I had the pleasure of working for Nardoza for 15 years after he hired me as a junior market editor on the accessories and hosiery beat. Eventually, I made my way to covering ready-to-wear, but no matter what the topic, he taught me the importance of getting a scoop. His tireless dedication inspired not just me, but everyone who worked for him. There are countless anecdotes illustrating his fearless leadership, such as the group he assembled on September 11, 2001. Despite the terrorist attacks, he made sure that the paper came out the next day. He understood how important it was to report the impact these events would have on the fashion industry, and it’s just one example of his ability to remain level-headed and act as the voice of reason.
As WWD Executive Editor Bridget Foley wrote in the paper when Nardoza received CFDA’s Eugenia Sheppard Award in 2009, he “adheres to a core tenant of traditional journalism, that it is the reporter’s role to report, rather than become, the story.” Such integrity set WWD apart from the competition.
“Ed has been the strong and consistent pillar of WWD for decades,” CFDA Chairwman Diane von Furstenberg said. “His professionalism and sense of ethics made him a beloved personality in our industry.”
Click here to view the short film on Ed Nardoza for the 2009 CFDA Fashion Awards.
