NEW SHADE OF GRAY

Ex-Vanity Fair editor plots own media biz

Revenge may just be the sweetest victory for Graydon Carter.

The legendary magazine editor, less than a year after stepping away from Vanity Fair, is close to launching his own media company, The Post has learned.

Carter’s new company— rumored to be a multi-platform venture centering, at least at first, on wealthy and famous European families, including the Royal family — could take flight before the end of the year, sources familiar with the situation said.

Part of Carter’s new effort will include the International Best Dressed List, which the 65-year-old executive and some pals own. Carter published the list annually in Vanity Fair in recent years.

The Condé Nast title will no longer publish the list.

Carter owns the list along with Aimee Bell, Reinaldo Herrera and Amy FineCollins, all of whom worked at Vanity Fair under Carter — who headed the title for 25 years.

Carter declined to comment. He is in talks with TPG Capital, the private equity powerhouse, for funding, sources said. Carter’s new venture is expected to include a magazine, a newsletter, a social video component and a global events business, sources said.

TPG, which owns a stake in Vice Media, declined to comment. “Jim Coulter [TPG cofounder] has been on him to do something for over a year,” one source whispered, pointing to Carter’s exit from Condé Nast.

Carter had left the NewYork publisher in dramatic fashion in the fall. After being informed by management of the Newhouse family publisher that he would have to cut costs and lay off more staffers, Carter told The New York Times of his plans to resign.

Then, just hours before the Times piece would publish, Carter first informed Condé Chief Executive Bob Sauerberg of his exit plans.

Prior to his resignation, Carter made the bold move of trying to buy Vanity Fair via a TPG-funded joint venture, sources said.

Carter’s offer was immediately dismissed by Sauerberg, sources added. CondéNast de- clined to comment on the offer. The much buzzed-about monthly has never been for sale, sources close to the company said.

Carter’s new company would put him back in the game and, in some respects, in head-to-head competition with the likes of Vanity Fair — at least where it comes to Carter building a full-scale, party-planning operation, one source noted.

Carter certainly knows how to throw a party. Under his leadership, VF’s Oscars gala was the toast of Hollywood’s Alist.

“Graydon can get anyone he wants to get to any event,” said a source, who explained that the idea is for the new company to have a multi-platform presence and put a stake in the ground to reap luxury advertising dollars.

The company’s digital presence is said to be akin to that of Axios, the Web site and digital newsletter founded by Politico co-founder Jim VandeHei and ex-Politico reporter Mike Allen. Axios gives a quick read and acts as an explainer of sorts to current political events.

Carter, now in France writing a book, is planning to return to New York next month. Hisnew venture is ramping up to launch before the fourth quarter of this year, sources said.