Michael Coady, former editor in chief of both WWD and W magazine, and chief executive officer of Fairchild Publications, died on Aug. 24 at the age of 86.
Rosemary Feitelberg of WWD writes, “Allen Questrom, the former CEO of JCPenney, Federated Department Stores, Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus, said of Coady, ‘He was very aggressive as a reporter and he did not give up easily on any story. I often saw him and his wife.’
“Despite a subscription base of 100,000, WWD was reaching influential readers in fashion, retail and business. In ‘Fashion Madness,’ Coady mentioned how WWD’s society set and celebrity-centric coverage that is called ‘The Eye’ rippled through other publishing circles. WWD’s former publisher James Brady started Page Six at the New York Post. And Time Inc.’s former editor in chief Henry Grunwald told Coady years ago that The Eye had a lot to do with Time Inc. starting People magazine.
“In a 1989 Spy magazine article by Graydon Carter, Coady faced his own close up and it was not flattering. He was dubbed ‘the meanest man on Seventh Avenue’ for abusive behavior, his drinking habits, and WWD’s might in making or breaking a designer’s business with a review. Coady’s habit of secretly urinating in a wineglass was also referenced.”
Read more here.
