The first edition was published in 1980.
Madame Figaro was spearheaded by
Robert Hersant, who succeeded
Jean Prouvost (creator of the French women's fashion magazine
Marie Claire). The magazine experienced immediate success, owing to its diverse contents, and the quality of the writing, targeting affluent readers. The first female Editor-in-Chief of the magazine was
Marie-Claire Pauwels, daughter of
Louis Pauwels. The launch of
Madame Figaro in 1980 marked a distinct distancing from the
feminist movement of the preceding decade (notably from the movement to "liberate
pornography" that had a goal of seizing power from the dominant
moral and religious institutions).
Madame Figaro had its origins as a single page feature appearing in
Figaro Magazine, because that magazine's majority of readers were female, drawn to its orientation towards topics on culture and the art of living (
l’art de vivre). publishes a number of other supplements, each on a particular day of the week, for example, an economic news supplement, a supplement for its Paris-region readers, and so on.
Madame Figaro is devoted solely to topics interesting to female readers. This has included such highly debated topics of the 1980s as: sexual relationships between men and women; aspirations towards equality between the sexes and to further women's emancipation; how to make families succeed during marriage; children and strong families.
Madame Figaro is a mainstream women's magazine, feminine and a vehicle for ideas that are both liberal and conservative, since the beginning of the 1980s. A vital part of "Madame Figaro's" content is its focus on enhancing women's careers, and challenging conventional views of women's roles in society.
Madame Figaro was among the first news publications in France to publish feature-length articles on the condition of women in foreign countries, using its own journalists. The worlds of fashion, beauty and interior design are the fundamental content of the magazine. Articles discussing elegance and distinction, all while taking a critical view of fashion's social conformity, have been hallmarks of the presentation of fashion in
Madame Figaro. Culture in its broad sense occupies a place of importance in
Madame Figaro, from literature, to history, as well as music. The magazine has had many articles on French celebrities such as
Jean Giono,
Jean Anouilh, as well as the
Rolling Stones, and
Bob Dylan. The magazine had been published by
Hachette Filipacchi until 2001 when it began to be published
Quebecor World Inc. The first international edition was published in
Portugal under the name
Máxima. In the 1990s, the Chinese version began to be published. In 2019,
Madame Figaro further developed to a total of ten editions, latest of which started in Hong Kong in fall 2019.
Madame Figaro appears with the Saturday edition of . ==
Madame Figaro today==