Each month, we highlight a trusted editorial brand making an impact with audiences and advertisers. October’s spotlight is on Stylist, a brand that connects with more than four million women every month through content that inspires, informs, and empowers.

How does Stylist continue to stay front-of-mind with advertisers and media agencies today?

Stylist’s ability to evolve our brand and to speak to women in the spaces they want – on the topics that resonate – is the real reason we stay at the forefront of our partners’ minds. Since launching as a print publication in 2009, we have grown to be a multi-platform content creator that speaks to four million women a month, as well as a live event brand. We never stand still, always looking to speak to our audience in new ways.

Last year we launched Think Stylist, an insight agency, which gives us new ways to work with our advertising partners, be that as part of a wider media partnership or responding to bespoke insight-only projects that feed into their wider strategy. Alongside our knowledge sharing, we also constantly launch new products for our advertisers. Following the relaunch of our app last year, we have just brought three new digital products to the market, including augmented reality display and immersive and interactive advertorials. Clients want greater digital standout, and we’re always striving to find new ways to do that.

“We never stand still”

Our innovation for our audience also brings new opportunities for advertisers too. The Village by Stylist – our new launch for women who are also parents – is the perfect example of that. Deep engagement with our sub-communities offers new ways for partners to engage with them too, as seen by NEXT Kids sponsorship of the first digital magazine.

Can you share any standout examples of recent advertising or brand partnerships that really delivered?

Our first project of 2025 was a timely partnership with Google aimed at closing the AI adoption gap between men and women. Our Think Stylist team explored women’s AI barriers as part of a wider research study, which then fuelled a 360-campaign which included a talent-led execution at Stylist Live and a sponsored print issue.

At the end of last year we created a similar insight-backed campaign for Pandora, focused on the tensions women are feeling around traditional milestones, which resulted in a glossy cover wrap and whole host of other executions which readers loved. Our “me-stones, not milestones” campaign received a Highly Commended award at the PPA Awards, where Stylist also won Brand of the Year and Cover of the Year.  

What’s been the biggest surprise when speaking with clients lately?

Although we know the power of our different platforms, it’s been a happy surprise to see such a renaissance around print and the growth in brands returning to this space. We know we have a unique proposition – a large-reach powerful print product, large digital footprint, live event opportunities, and a purpose that surpasses what we do, so it’s fantastic to see brands leaning into it. To put this into context, we’ve seen a 30% increase in print revenues in the past year.

“It’s been a happy surprise to see such a renaissance around print and the growth in brands”

Can you tell us about Stylist Membership?

We’ve made paid subscriptions a key part of our strategy over the past two years. We now have close to 10,000 members who pay up to £79 per year to access exclusive content and attend member-only events, like private screenings and fireside chats, as well as lots of other perks, including receiving their highly-prized print issue. Growing a cohort of deeply engaged Stylist fans who can share their personal insights and experiences with both us and the brands that we work with, will remain our focus going forward

How important is it to deliver trusted content across platforms that really work for your audience? How has Stylist done this well?

We are in a unique and privileged position because we’ve been developing that trust for the past 16 years. In a recent piece of research, 46% of Stylist readers told us they trust us more than any other media brand, and we know that’s why they come back to us every day. Our brand and business purpose is to help women, and never has that been more important, it’s also why editorially and commercially we will never deviate from our original mission to deliver intelligent, inclusive content that champions and celebrates women.

“46% of Stylist readers told us they trust us more than any other media brand“

What do events with your brand offer advertisers, and how do they enhance audience engagement?

Events are an important part of our brand and there’s something very special that happens in a room when Stylist women get together; it’s the sisterhood in action. Our flagship event is Stylist Live, our annual festival of inspiration. This year we have created a VIP edition at Exhibition White City that will welcome 2000 Stylist fans through the door. Alongside our famous catwalk show – sponsored for the second year in a row by Tu – we have many different ways for brands to work with us and engage with our audience. From hosting activations (this year have immersive experiences from Tu, Intrepid, Collagen Super Dose, and many others) to sponsoring stages like Google’s incredible Work/Life stage that we created for them in 2024 and 2023, to sampling opportunities in goody bags and around the event. Brands can engage on a big or small scale.

“It’s the sisterhood in action”

Intrepid Travel have been a key event partner for this year and are a great example of the large-scale partnerships we excel at creating. As well as becoming a headline sponsor for the Stylist Strong Women Trek, our annual outdoor challenge that brings hundreds of women together, we also launched a digital Intrepid travel hub, integrated their brand into Stylist Live, and have recently launched a range of Stylist x Intrepid holidays.

We also continue to create many in-store events for brands, and our membership events – held monthly for our most loyal subscribers – are incredibly well attended and can also be sponsored. We created a supper club with Maltesers and NEXT Kids, targeting our parenting community, which are fantastic examples of partner integration.

But we also have our annual Wellbeing Summit, The Remarkable Women Awards, The Stylist Restival, and our careers-focused Stylist Network, which are all activations brands and partners can work with us on.

What’s next for Stylist and its advertising partners? Any innovations, formats, or commercial priorities to watch out for?

Always! Aside from our mainstay verticals – fashion, beauty, wellbeing, careers – we will be focused on growing The Village by Stylist and looking at how we can work in exciting new ways to create cut through with partners.

We also want to use more of our excellent Think Stylist insight to help brands gain more momentum with UK women. This month we’re releasing The New Essentials report all about the brands and categories women see as being essential to their lives right now. It’s this thought leadership – translated directly from our proprietary tools and panels – that we want to talk to partners about and find out how we can leverage our understanding of their customers to help wider business goals. The more we can get under the skin of our partner’s objectives and challenges, the more difference we get to make as a brand.