Niche Media Founder and Former CEO Taps Gayle Perry Sobel for New Venture DU JOUR Magazine

NEW YORK, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Jason Binn, founder and former CEO of Niche Media, the leading publisher of luxury magazines nationwide including Ocean Drive, Hamptons, Gotham, Los Angeles Confidential, Aspen Peak, Michigan Avenue, and Capitol File, announces the appointment of Gayle Perry Sobel, the former Director, European Fashion for Conde Nast Digital, as Executive Director of his latest venture – DU JOUR – effective immediately.

After six years on the client side as Media Director at both Donna Karan and Calvin Klein, Perry Sobel made her name in publishing first at Talk magazine and then at GQ acting as Luxury Director for both.  In late 2005, she joined Style.com as its Fashion and Luxury Development Director.  Over her five years there, she was instrumental in convincing print-minded advertisers the importance of digital advertising and made Style.com  a top media buy.  Initially working with both American and European luxury brands, the business grew so large that by 2007, she focused her attention entirely on European fashion.  In 2010, that division grew 180%.  In 2011, she was given responsibility for European Fashion for all of Conde Nast's digital titles.   She then took a maternity leave, and is now ready to get back to the business she loves to take on a great new challenge.

According to Binn, "Gayle's experience in helping luxury brands embrace digital media, as well as her solid grounding in print, will be an invaluable asset to our team.  Her record for growth is outstanding, and I am excited to have her work with our team to build DU JOUR's multi-tier marketing platform."

On the editorial side, Sydney Wasserman has also been announced as Market Editor.  Most recently, Wasserman held the role of fashion editor at ELLE.com  where she conceptualized and executed all fashion, shopping, personal style and runway content for the site.  Prior to that, she worked under costume designer Patricia Field, sourcing fashion for the main actors and background ensemble for Sex and the City 2.  She started her career as Fashion Assistant at Interview Magazine, working under Ingrid Sischy, Karl Templer, Fabien Baron and Joe McKenna.

Perry Sobel and Wasserman are the latest addition to a group of high-profile media executives comprising Binn's dream team for DU JOUR.  On the publishing side, Perry Sobel joins Alan Katz – who brings high-level credentials from career highlights that include EVP, Business Development of Direct Brands, VP/Publisher of Vanity Fair, Founding Publisher of Cargo and Publisher of New York Magazine – and Cindy Lewis, an entrepreneur and media executive, who previously founded Create Lucrative Relationships, and honed her retail, fashion and luxury experience over 14 years at Hearst where she served as VP/Publisher of Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar and SHOP etc.  Wasserman will report to Keith Pollock, formerly Editorial Director of Elle.com, and Nicole Vecchiarelli, formerly Senior Editor of InStyle, who will serve as Co-Editors-in-Chief.  The all-star cast also includes Caryn Whitman, most recently CFO of Guardian News & Media LLC, the US subsidiary of the UK newspaper giant, The Guardian, (guardian.co.uk), but previously Binn's partner at Niche Media where she took the company to market and ultimately sold it for a record price in 2007, who will serve as Chief Financial Officer.  Max McDonnell, former CEO of Lonnymag.com who revolutionized click-to-buy, will serve as Associate VP of Product Development, and Brandon Ralph from digital shop Code & Theory, will all work directly under Jason Binn as CEO/Publisher. 

This highly talented senior leadership team will lead the launch of DU JOUR, noteworthy for its unique hybrid approach. As a national magazine with targeted local content, DU JOUR will seamlessly connect digital and print media, bridging the gap between content and commerce. DU JOUR will be an ABC-audited publication. "DU JOUR will reach over three million of the most affluent online Gilt consumers, coupled with a quarterly, oversized, glossy print magazine with 250,000 print copies available by subscription and an additional 15,000 copies prominently displayed at premium newsstands throughout DU JOUR markets.

DU JOUR will focus on the top US markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, where roughly 80% of the sales of all luxury products and services are located, in addition to seasonal regions, like the Hamptons, Aspen, and Sun Valley. Editorial will cover the worlds of fashion, travel, fine dining, gourmet, beauty, night life, jewelry, accessories, watches, art, entertainment, business, culture, home, real estate, entertaining, health, spirits, beverages, technology, finance, sports, and politics — ultimately shaping the lifestyle that ties these categories together.

The magazine will target transactional readers who also meet five of the seven following qualifiers: Average net worth of $5 million+; liquid assets over $1 million; average home values in excess of $1.5 million; average income in excess of $250,000; annual offline transactional luxury purchases of $100,000+; $10,000+ online high-end purchases annually; annual philanthropic donations over $10,000.

ABOUT JASON BINN (dujour.com):

Jason Binn is the Founder and former CEO of Niche Media Holdings LLC, a leading publisher of luxury magazines nationwide including Gotham, Ocean Drive, Hamptons, Los Angeles Confidential, Aspen Peak, Michigan Avenue, and Capitol File.  No longer at Niche, Binn has expanded into new areas, partnering with some of the most creative and inspired entrepreneurs of the day.  In August of 2010 he was appointed Chief Advisor to the CEO and Founder of Gilt Groupe, Kevin Ryan.  Binn was awarded Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" award, inducted into the American Advertising Federation's "Advertising Hall of Achievement," and featured in Crain's "40 Under 40" list of successful entrepreneurs.

ABOUT GILT (gilt.com):

Gilt is an innovative online shopping destination offering its members special access to the most luxurious merchandise, culinary offerings, and experiences every day, many at insider prices. Gilt continually searches the world for the most coveted brands and products, including fashion for women, men, and children; home decor; artisanal products; hotels and travel experiences on every continent; and unique activities in a growing list of cities and destinations.

ABOUT JAMES COHEN (hudsongroup.com and dufry.com):

James Cohen is President  & CEO of Hudson Media Inc., a diversified magazine-service company which includes Hudson News Distributors LLC, one of the largest magazine and book distributors in the U.S. Additionally, Cohen is the founder and owner of Hudson News, the largest airport newsstand operator in the country and the leading travel retailer in North America. In 2008, Cohen and private equity firm Advent International merged Hudson News with Dufry AG of Basel, Switzerland, one of the largest airport duty-free operators in the world. Cohen now serves on the Board of Directors and is one of the company's largest shareholders. The Hudson News brand is currently represented in 11 countries throughout the world, and the combined Dufry/Hudson entity comprises over 1,160 stores in 45 countries and 160 airports and terminals. Dufry's duty-free stores carry some of the most prestigious brands in the world, including Cartier, Bulgari, Absolut, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Hermes, Sony, and many others.

SOURCE DU JOUR