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Marie Claire, once the outstanding performer in women's glossies, looks to be in dire need of the ad push that IPC Media is planning for it through the Leith Agency.

Even an exclusive interview with Mel from Big Brother failed to boost the title's circulation, which saw a year-on-year decline of 11%, including a 4.7% dip since last June's ABCs. Its poor performance allowed NatMags' Good Housekeeping to overtake it in the league table for the first time in recent years.

Marie Claire's troubles reflect a women's market that has remained competitive and crowded. Although IPC Media's Nova, the only significant launch to record an ABC this time, lags way behind the rest of the pack with a debut of 75,142, other newcomers such as the BBC's Eve have yet to report ABCs and the upcoming launches of US titles Glamour and InStyle are also likely to make an impact.

The only real circulation gain is recorded by NatMags' Company, up by 7.6% year on year. NatMags deputy managing director Duncan Edwards said this is partly thanks to strong editorial and front covers.

Emap's Elle has also continued to improve, with a 6.8% year-on-year rise.

But things are not so good for Emap in the difficult 30-something territory, where Red's circulation has plummeted by 9.5% since June, and by 14% year on year. NatMags' She was down year on year, but sales have improved by 6.5% since June.

Last June, the star performer was IPC Media's relaunched Woman's Journal, but it seems to have lost its momentum, falling by 8.4% since then - an indication, perhaps, of the market's volatility.

NO. TOP 20 WOMEN''S LIFESTYLE/FASHION

     Magazine                Dec 2000     Dec 1999   % change

1    Boots Hlth & Beauty    1,916,790    1,909,500        0.4

2    Debenhams                701,800      746,350       -6.0

3    Cosmopolitan             460,086      470,280       -2.2

4    Candis                   448,331      450,443       -0.5

5    Good Housekeeping        404,476      400,094        1.1

6    Marie Claire             400,543      450,213      -11.0

7    Prima                    395,164      421,412       -6.2

8    New Woman                281,828      276,285        2.0

9    Woman & Home             269,401      295,225       -8.7

10   Company                  260,646      242,180        7.6

11   Essentials               234,727      262,269      -10.5

12   Know Your Destiny        228,511      332,755      -31.3

13   Elle                     224,355      210,076        6.8

14   B                        216,620      223,532       -3.1

15   She                      213,216      226,086       -5.7

16   Family Circle            203,159      218,558       -7.0

17   Vogue                    202,694      202,668        0.0

18   Red                      155,083      180,403      -14.0

19   Woman''s Journal          113,719      133,407      -14.8

20   Prima (Christmas)        101,628            -          -