Renaissance magazine is an international publication specifically targeted to the over 45 market; featuring profiles, essays, photo journals and fashion editorials. The editor, Mikella Lowe, spoke to BD about what the magazine is about, and how Renaissance aims to change the way people perceive age.
Where did the idea for Renaissance Magazine come from?
There are a lot of wonderful fashion magazines, but only a few are addressing the over 45 market. I thought it was quite surprising, especially given the size of this market. I have been passionate about changing the way people see age for quite a while and this project ticked both the personal and business boxes.
What is the magazine's ethos?
The aim is to be inspiring and positive but also raw and honest. Instead of ‘midlife crises’ I wanted the content to show that this stage in life is a time for revival and growth, hence the title Renaissance. The magazine is all about exploring the beauty of age, inside and out – we offer some good short reads and a bit of spiritual digging, along with exquisite fashion shoots from across the world starring only models over 40.
You previously worked in marketing and digital, how was the transition into print?
I thought that print makes a lot of sense given my target market – I was often a bit disappointed to see mostly super young models on the cover of magazines. I saw an opportunity to do a magazine with no models under 40.
With no background in publishing, I spent nearly 6 months teaching myself what independent publishing involves. There are really interesting small titles and I managed to find lovely people to guide and provide mentorship.
In the future we will also sell a digital version of the magazine so it will be cross-platform. My marketing experience comes in handy. After spending all the time on editorial and production, I found the real work only starts when the magazine is printed and you need to make sure people hear about it and want to get a copy.
How can beauty and lifestyle brands work with you?
We would love to work with brands that are pro-ageing beautifully rather than anti ageing. Our next issue is going to be about body and we will cover topics like white hair, wrinkles, makeup tips, body shapes and menopause. At the moment our key market is the UK but you can order our magazine online as we deliver worldwide. Starting from issue 02 we will expand our print distribution to other countries, and that will include Australia. [Note: the magazine is about to launch issue 04]
You can contact Mikella at mikella@renaissance-magazine.com, and view the magazine’s website here.
