Redesigning Fairfax Media's lifestyle magazines

Editorial & Magazine Designer | Fairfax Media – Life & Style Team

I spent four years as a dedicated editorial designer within the Life & Style team at Fairfax Media (now Stuff), where I specialized in magazine layout and publication design. My primary focus was on Avenues (Christchurch) and Admire (Nelson) — two well-regarded, and well-loved lifestyle magazines — with responsibilities that spanned from day-to-day layout design to full-scale publication redesigns.

In addition to producing each issue from concept to print-ready files, I was tasked with leading the visual revamp of both magazines, along with Your Weekend, a high-profile insert distributed with The Press newspaper. These redesigns involved not only updating the aesthetic direction of the magazines but also developing robust design systems that could adapt to a wide range of editorial content.

My role encompassed:

• Creating flexible and cohesive master templates for interior pages and feature layouts
• Designing modern, eye-catching covers that reflected the unique tone of each publication
• Developing new mastheads and visual identities for Avenues and Your Weekend
• Balancing sophisticated editorial design with practical considerations for layout consistency, readability, and print production

Throughout each project, I worked collaboratively with editors, journalists, photographers, and senior managers to ensure the final design solutions aligned with both the editorial vision and the needs of our diverse readership. My approach was always strategic — aiming to elevate storytelling through design while maintaining a clear and engaging visual hierarchy.

The redesigned publications received excellent feedback, both from within Fairfax and from the wider public. They were praised for their contemporary look, intuitive layouts, and ability to showcase a broad spectrum of content — from in-depth features and lifestyle advice to rich visual storytelling.

This experience has given me a deep understanding of the magazine production process, from editorial planning to final print delivery. I bring a keen eye for detail, a passion for publication design, and the versatility to create compelling layouts that both inform and inspire.