Did Esquire ever consider launching a spinoff aimed at the lads mag readership?
Granger: I’ve never considered that. I think at various times [Esquire owner] Hearst toyed with the idea of doing a young male version of Cosmo, or something like that, but shied away from it. IWM: Your October anniversary issue notes that GQ, one of your main competitors, was originally launched as a spinoff fashion title of Esquire. GQ itself has just unveiled a redesign under its new editor, Jim Nelson. What’s your opinion of it? Granger: It’s way too early to give my opinion. If I was judged solely on my first issue of Esquire, or even my sixth issue of Esquire, I would have been strung up by my toes. IWM: Some reports suggest that GQ is transforming into a youth-oriented men’s magazine like Details. Is that your interpretation? Granger: Well, Jim Nelson is a much younger man than [former editor] Art Cooper. His sensibility is younger. I think GQ definitely looks more energetic. Whether it remains appealing to as broad of an audience as Art’s GQ did, I don’t know. I would hesitate
