Pop Goes Dasha

So after months of speculation, it has been announced that Dasha Zhukova will replace Katie Grand as editor of Pop. The Portmanteau's first reaction to the news was something along the lines of "WTF?? – this must be a joke". Miss Zhukova is pretty and really rich but she has no experience of running a magazine. One minute she's designing latex leggings for Kova & T, the next she's Russia's answer to Jay Jopling, spending boyf Roman Abramovich's millions on Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud paintings and opening her own art gallery in Moscow. When asked in a Guardian interview which artists she likes, she replied: "I'm like, really bad at remembering names ...”. She seems equally confused about her career path. Note that none of the options involve homeopathy which she has actually studied.

At least she'll have some help at the office. The team linked to Pop's relaunch is v. impressive - Sam Taylor-Wood, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Daphne Guinness. BFF Olympia Scarry will be lending a hand as artistic director, although Daphne didn't seem to know anything about her new role until she read about it on the internet which is a little worrying. Katie Grand used to complain about Pop's cramped offices and tight budget but luckily this lot won't have to suffer similar conditions with publishing house Bauer somehow finding the cash for a new London HQ and an installation space in Berlin. Much more suitable for a bunch of spoilt socialites.

But who am I kidding? I’m not so secretly rather entertained by Dasha and co. I even wandered for hours through the grey slums of Moscow to visit her art gallery. And then it was closed when I got there. It should have taught me a lesson but no, I’m still fascinated and can’t wait for Pop redux on Sept 1.