Derek Blasberg

Derek Blasberg
photo of Derek Blasberg in 2026
Blasberg in 2026
Born
Derek Charles Blasberg

(1982-04-22) April 22, 1982
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Alma materNew York University
Occupations
  • Writer
  • Editor
  • Curator
Years active2002–present
WebsiteDerekBlasberg.com

Derek Charles Blasberg (born April 22, 1982) is an American author and fashion industry personality.[1][2] He is a director at the Gagosian Gallery, Vanity Fair's special correspondent, and a columnist for Harpers Bazaar. He was the head of fashion & beauty at YouTube from 2018 to 2022.

Early life

Blasberg was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Bill Blasberg, a certified public accountant, and Carol Blasberg, the managing editor of the medical journal The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.[3][4] In 2000, Blasberg graduated from Affton High School, where he was salutatorian of his class.[5][6]

Career

College years and early career

In 2000, Blasberg moved to New York City to attend New York University (NYU).[7] While a student, Blasberg's first job was with Elite Model Management, writing biographies for the agency's models; he worked in a similar position for European modeling agency Models 1 during a semester abroad in London.[8] Blasberg held a part-time position at W magazine upon returning for his junior year of college.[9] During his senior year, he worked part-time as an assistant at Vogue.[8] After his 2004 graduation from NYU, he transitioned to a full-time position with Vogue.[2]

Writing

Over a career spanning more than two decades chronicling the worlds of fashion, art, and pop culture, Blasberg's byline has appeared in every international edition of Vanity Fair, Vogue, Architectural Digest, and Harpers Bazaar. He has also regularly contributed to The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and W magazine.

Blasberg's first job was as an assistant to the managing editor at Vogue magazine.

From 2006 to 2010, Blasberg was the editor-at-large of Style.com, where he wrote a column called "The Blasblog."[7][10] He also co-wrote several New York City editions of the Louis Vuitton Travel Guides.

In 2008, Blasberg was the editor of Influence, a fashion and art tome conceived by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.[7]

From 2009 to 2012, he wrote a column called "Fast + Louche" for Interview magazine. In 2026, the columns were turned into a photo book called Fast + Louche, curated by the Paris-based publisher Just an Idea.<https://justanidea.com/products/derek-c-blasberg>

In April 2010, Blasberg's debut book, Classy: Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady, was published.[7] It was a collection of humorous essays about etiquette and was on The New York Times best seller list for several weeks.[2] In October 2011, Blasberg wrote a sequel to Classy titled Very Classy: Even More Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady, which expanded and updated the original version.[11]

In February 2015, Blasberg was known as "one of fashion blogging's biggest names" for a website called Mr. Blasberg, although that ended when Condé Nast abruptly sold NowManifest, the advertising platform which he and others had used since 2010.[12]

Blasberg has retained roles as editor-at-large roles for Harper's BAZAAR,[13] V and VMan magazines,[14] and London-based arts publication Garage Magazine for which he wrote a column, "Emails from the Edge". Under Graydon Carter, he was Vanity Fair's Our Man on the Street.

Blasberg began his career at the Gagosian Gallery as a senior staffer in 2013 [2][15] writing the Gagosian Quarterly column, "In Conversation".[16] He is currently the Executive Editor of the gallery's magazine.[17] In 2023, Blasberg co-curated Avedon 100, an exhibition celebrating the centennial of the Richard Avedon, one of the most renowned photographer's of the 20th century. It received the Lucie Awards for Gallery Show of the Year.

In September 2015, Blasberg wrote Harper's BAZAAR: Models, chronicling the real lives of the "women who changed fashion and helped bring it to life" over six decades of style in the pages of Harpers Bazaar. The book features a foreword written by Karl Lagerfeld.[18]

Television

Blasberg hosted several of Vanity Fair 's first-ever web series, including one titled "Conversations In The Backseat" where he interviewed Reese Witherspoon, Gigi Hadid, Naomi Campbell, Maria Sharapova, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and other celebrity models and actresses.[19] He was also the host of "Derek Does Stuff With A Friend," which was a web series where he invited friends like Nicole Richie, Katy Perry, Liza Koshy, Victoria Beckham, and Chrissy Teigen to perform unexpected tasts, often surprising fans.<https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDW08pJTIUc34WoUSxmE3n1fmyB4vEu7P>

In April 2016, Blasberg was selected as the inaugural host of CNN International's television program, CNN Style.[20] CNN Style covers fashion, as well as art, architecture, and design, and was created 15 years after the long-running Style with Elsa Klensch.[21][22]

Blasberg joined YouTube as the social media's first ever Head of Fashion and Beauty in 2018.<https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/youtube-hires-derek-blasberg-to-lead-new-fashion-and-beauty-partnerships-division/> <https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/derek-blasberg-interview-role-at-youtube> In his role, he expanded the launched YouTube's style vertical, initiated Digital Fashion Weeks when it wasn't safe to travel for runway shows, and helped "turned digital creators into bonafide fashion stars and supermodels into talk show hosts." <https://www.instagram.com/p/CgUjVV8LjCg/> During the Covid lockdown, he was the producer of Naomi Campbell's web series Being Naomi, exclusively on YouTube.

Blasberg was the Media and Culture consultant on all four seasons of Succession on HBO.

Style consultant

By 2006, Blasberg's presence on the guest list for many celebrity events attracted the attention of The New York Times, who profiled him as part of a possibly new phenomenon, "the male socialite."[23]

As a fashion editor, Blasberg has collaborated with David Bailey, Terry Richardson and Marilyn Minter. Blasberg has worked as a consultant on creative projects for fashion brands such as Tiffany's.[5] He had his own Opening Ceremony stationery line, the "Handwritten Letter Helper," and provided etiquette tips for correspondence.[24]

Blasberg has his own line of greeting cards and invitations with Paperless Post. It launched in 2013 with a hotwings and champagne-themed party at Hogs and Heifers with guests that included Alexa Chung, Courtney Love, Lily Aldridge, and Karlie Kloss. <https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303796404579097442594237538?eafs_enabled=false>

In 2017, the famous London-based nightclub Annabel's asked him to update their dresscode. <https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/annabels-dress-code-derek-blasberg>

Personal life

Blasberg lives in New York City with his partner, Nick Brown. Brown is the co-founder and managing partner of early-stage retail tech and direct-to-consumer venture capital boutique, Imaginary Ventures.[25][26] In May 2021, Blasberg and Brown welcomed twins via surrogate.[27]

Filmography

  • 2010-2012: America's Next Top Model (TV series) – 2 episodes: "Patrick Demarchelier" and "Georgina Chapman"
  • 2012: 24 Hour Catwalk (TV series) – Judge[28]
  • 2012: Fashion Fetish (Short film) – Concept, Script, Actor[29]
  • 2012: Sh*t Fashion Girls Say (Short film)[30]
  • 2014: The Approval Matrix (TV series) – Panelist
  • 2015: Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe (TV series)
  • 2015-2016: Vanity Fair's "Conversations in the Backseat" – 2 seasons[19]
  • 2016–2018: CNN Style with Derek Blasberg (TV series)[21]
  • 2017: Odd Mom Out (TV series) – 1 episode: "M.F.A. in B.S."
  • 2018: Ocean's 8

Books

  • Olsen, Mary-Kate; Olsen, Ashley (2008). Blasberg, Derek (ed.). Influence. New York: Razorbill. ISBN 978-1-595-14210-8. OCLC 185026578.
  • Blasberg, Derek; Corral, Rodrigo (design by) (2010). Classy: Be a Lady Not a Tramp. New York: Razorbill. ISBN 978-1-595-14279-5. OCLC 428024029.
  • Blasberg, Derek; Corral, Rodrigo (design by) (2011). Very Classy: Be a Lady Not a Tramp. New York: Razorbill. ISBN 978-1-101-56295-6. OCLC 773693658.
  • Blasberg, Derek; Lagerfeld, Karl (foreword by); Bailey, Glenda (introduction by) (2015). Harper's BAZAAR: Models. New York: Abrams. ISBN 978-1-419-71786-4. OCLC 921844617.

References

  1. ↑ McLean, Gareth (4 September 2016). "Mr Likes: how Derek Blasberg became the Gatsby of the Instagram age". The Guardian.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Swerdloff, Alexis (10 August 2016). "Derek Blasberg Is the Truman Capote of Instagram". New York.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Eric (14 April 2010). "A Talent to Amuse". The New York Times.
  4. ↑ Golfar, Fiona (22 December 2015). "Derek Blasberg: The Social Network". www.vogue.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-03.
  5. 1 2 Bass, Debra D. (20 October 2014). "21 Questions with Derek Blasberg". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  6. ↑ "2018 Affton Hall of Fame Inductees". Gotsch Intermediate. Affton School District. 27 February 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Aboutaleb, Britt (12 May 2010). "Life With Derek Blasberg!". Fashionista.
  8. 1 2 Wilson, Eric (15 April 2010). "A Talent to Amuse". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-10-03.
  9. ↑ Manoff, Jill (22 February 2012). "Top of the Classy". Alive.
  10. ↑ Blasberg, Derek (6 April 2010). "How Do I Break Into the Fashion Business?". Teen Vogue.
  11. ↑ "24 Hour Classy People". Interview. 14 January 2011.
  12. ↑ Hyland, Véronique (25 February 2015). "Some of Fashion Blogging's Biggest Names Have Lost Their Platform". The Cut. New York Magazine. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  13. ↑ Fernandez, Chantal (31 August 2015). "Derek Blasberg Leaves 'Harper's Bazaar' for 'Vanity Fair'". Fashionista.
  14. ↑ "TEAM | MASTHEAD". V Magazine. Retrieved 11 July 2024. Contributing editor-at-large Derek Blasberg
  15. ↑ Tell, Caroline (22 September 2015). "Forget the Party Boy: Derek Blasberg Has a New Business Model". The New York Observer.
  16. ↑ Blasberg, Derek (8 December 2015). "In Conversation: Dasha Zhukova". Gagosian Quarterly. Gagosian Gallery.
  17. ↑ "Derek Blasberg | Contributors | Gagosian Quarterly". Gagosian. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  18. ↑ Blasberg, Derek (8 September 2015). "Your First Look At The New "Harper's Bazaar: Models" Book". Harper's Bazaar.
  19. 1 2 "Conversations in the Backseat". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  20. ↑ Hyland, Véronique (31 March 2016). "Welcome to a World in Which Derek Blasberg Is a CNN Fashion Commentator". The Cut. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  21. 1 2 "Meet CNN Style TV's host: Derek Blasberg". CNN Style. CNN. 5 April 2016.
  22. ↑ Bobila, Maria (31 March 2016). "Derek Blasberg Gets His Own TV Show With 'CNN Style'". Fashionista.
  23. ↑ Davis, Peter (23 April 2006). "Sunday Styles: The Socialite Wore a Black Tie". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  24. ↑ Phelan, Hayley (13 December 2012). "Derek Blasberg On His New Opening Ceremony Stationery Line and the 'Dos and Don'ts' of Letter Writing". Fashionista.
  25. ↑ Tuchman, Robert (9 January 2022). "How Success Happened for Nick Brown, Co-Founder of Imaginary Ventures". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  26. ↑ Theodosi, Natalie (17 April 2018). "Natalie Massenet Confirms New Venture Fund, Imaginary Ventures". WWD. Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  27. ↑ VanHoose, Benjamin (May 28, 2021). "Double Surprise! Derek Blasberg and Nick Brown Welcome Twins via Surrogate: 'This Bliss Is Real'". People. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  28. ↑ Hogan, Kate (1 December 2011). "Exclusive Sneak Peek: Alexa Chung Brings the Drama on '24 Hour Catwalk'". People.
  29. ↑ Zhukova, Dasha (28 June 2012). "Dasha Zhukova – Fashion Fetish" (Short film). SHOWstudio. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
  30. ↑ "Sh*t Fashion Girls Say" (Short film). The Platform. 15 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
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