Marie Claire SA turns 10

“It reinforces the fact that one of Marie Claire's greatest achievements in the last decade has been to carve out a highly aspirational niche in the competitive women's magazine market. After a decade it is still widely considered the best read on the newsstands – an intelligent glossy with a stylish international pedigree,” she says.

Over the past 10 years, Marie Claire has told many stories of great courage and raised funds for a number of worthy causes. This month, SA celebrities pledged their support for Marie Claire's Each One Reach One campaign. Claire Mawisa, Claudia Henkel, David Kau and others signed limited-edition t-shirts to raise funds for the Red Cross Children's hospital in this extra-special 10th birthday issue, which includes:

• A celebratory purple-foil cover treatment featuring Jennifer Lopez in birthday mode;
  
• A 20-page editorial special that features some of SA's best-loved writers commenting on key events in the last decade; a look back at Marie Claire's best stories; contributions from Marie Claire editors around the world; and SA celebrities posing for the Each One Reach One birthday campaign;
  
• The fashion team's selection of the 10 most iconic fashion items ever created, from the little black dress to the perfect jeans that every woman's wardrobe needs;
  
• 10-minute makeover solutions from the beauty team.

Ten readers will win the Marie Claire Birthday Beauty Collection courtesy of Estée Lauder – an exclusive hamper selected by Marie Claire's beauty editor; plus every reader receives a free cut and colour hair guide with the June issue as a special birthday gift.

Interesting facts

• Marie Claire international is 71 years old.

• The magazine was started by a man: Jean Prouvost, a French industrialist and media owner, launched the magazine in 1936. He is the grandfather of Evelyne Prouvost, who is the present CEO of the Marie Claire group.

• Marie Claire was the world's first women's magazine. The social climate for women in France in 1936 was still highly conservative; divorce was forbidden and virginity prior to marriage a must. Marie Claire was the first publication devoted entirely to women – their problems, concerns, interests and particularly their confidence and beauty.

• Marie Claire is named after a real person. Marie-Claire Mendés France was the widow of a prominent politician and a celebrated humanitarian and activist.

• Marie Claire is published in 15 different languages, on five continents and in 28 countries. These include Thailand, India, Russia, China, Turkey, Poland, Greece and, most recently, Hungary.

• Marie Claire claims to have over 15 million readers globally, sell more than 44 million copies a year globally and that its global advertising page sales exceed 25 000.

• Many people consider Marie Claire to be the most copied magazine in the industry.

Marie Claire is published by Associated Magazines.