The Cult British Title Will Shutter Its Current Iteration As Publisher Wasted Talent Weighs A Future Reinvention
The Face is set to cease operations, bringing an end to its latest chapter seven years after its relaunch under Wasted Talent Ltd. The British cult magazine’s Spring 2026 issue, published earlier this month, will serve as its final edition in its current form.
In a statement, Wasted Talent Chief Executive Officer Jerry Perkins indicated that while the brand retains long-term potential, the company is unable to sustain its current model. Built largely on advertising partnerships, the publication has continued to incur financial losses, prompting a pause in operations.
“We are using this pause to regroup and reimagine the brand for a new era,” Perkins said, suggesting a possible future shift toward a direct-to-consumer approach.
The closure was also confirmed by the magazine via social media, where it acknowledged its legacy and cultural mission. “Yep, the rumours are true: The Face is closing,” the post read, adding that its goal had been “to honour the magazine’s iconic legacy while making people feel excited to be alive at this specific moment in time.”
Originally launched in 1980, The Face became a defining voice in youth culture, fashion, and music before folding in 2004. It was revived in 2019 after being acquired by Wasted Talent, returning as both a digital platform and a quarterly print publication with a renewed editorial focus.
Despite signs of forward momentum earlier this year — including the appointment of new creative leadership and editorial contributors — the shutdown marks a sudden shift. Longtime Editor-In-Chief Matthew Whitehouse, who had led the title since its relaunch, departed in January to join Farfetch as Head Of Editorial Content And Creative.
At the same time, the publication had been expanding its team, naming Jonny Lu as Creative Director alongside a group of Editors-At-Large including Ursina Gysi, Ashantea Austin, Aaron Esh, Biz Sherbert, and Yadim Carranza. Plans had also been announced to launch The Face China, which would have marked the brand’s first international edition.
Perkins noted that Wasted Talent is currently in discussions with employees affected by the closure. “I would like to take this opportunity to say how sorry we are that we will have to say goodbye to a number of very talented people. Especially the new young team who were really starting to forge an exciting new identity and voice for this incredible brand,” he said.
In its farewell message, the publication reflected on its relaunch and the communities it documented. “We hoped The Face might express some positivity for the future, no matter how bleak the headlines can get,” it stated, while thanking contributors across photography, styling, writing, and production, as well as its global network of collaborators and readers.
Though the current iteration is coming to a close, the language from both publisher and publication leaves open the possibility that The Face may yet return in a different form — once again reshaped for a new cultural moment.