Publisher of the Month: Fashion Weekly

This week, we talked to Stacey O’Keefe, publisher and director of Fashion Weekly who is our current issuu Publisher of the Month. Get her take on publishing struggles, the importance of a strong team, and who to keep your eye on during Fashion Week.

How did Fashion Weekly get started? Can you tell us the origin story?

Stacey O’Keefe: I’ve had a love for fashion every since I was young. I graduated from my studies in 2007 and went on to launch my own fashion label. Quickly, I discovered that the industry is tough and it’s not what you know, but it’s who you know. The opportunity arose where the website and domain name Fashion Weekly was up for sale in 2012. I knew I could put my own spin on it and turn the company into a something that was empowering and fashion forward. Within the first 12 months, we rebuilt the website, launched our first digital magazine and started making noise within the blogging-sphere.

What are memorable success and failures for your publication? What did you learn from the times you failed?

SO: The most memorable moment was launching our first magazine in 2013 and the most recent was celebrating our 50th issue with the UK’s biggest reality TV star, Charlotte Crosby, on our cover. In regards to failures, I’ve been lucky enough to avoid them but I have made mistakes and learnt that being adaptable and evolving are crucial to building a successful business. I’ve also valued the feedback from my readers and implemented their suggestions where possible. Fashion Weekly is as much theirs as it is mine!

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I started Fashion Weekly was that I went into this business quite inexperienced. I came from a fashion design background, so diving into an online world where SEO and coding where unfamiliar resulted in being an extremely daunting process. Because of my lack of understanding, I made a fair few expensive mistakes. I spent money in areas that weren’t necessary and hired ‘experts’ who were only after a bit of extra coin. My advice would be to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to research their industry thoroughly before jumping right in. I was lucky that passion was my biggest driving force, because sometimes it felt a little overwhelming.

How did you find issuu and why do you use it?

SO: As I had mentioned previously, listening to our readers is most important to me. When we rebuilt and revamped the website in 2013, it had a component that allowed us to display our digital magazines. Though, it wasn’t optimised across every device, which made it a difficult experience. That’s what lead me to discovering issuu, and I haven’t turned back since.

Does your team have any plans for the upcoming fashion weeks? What can Fashion Weekly fans expect next?

SO: Fashion Week creates the most incredible buzz in our office. Everyone is sitting on the edge of our seats anticipating the collections from our favourite designers. As per usual, you can expect to stay up-to-date with the must haves, lust haves and most worthy moments by visiting us at www.fashionweekly.com.au.

I’m most excited to see Chanel’s latest collection. I’m obsessed with Karl Lagerfeld and he always puts on an impressive show that leaves me breathless. I’m also curious to see what Balmain struts down the runway along with his star-studded front row.

Any advice for new publishers or anyone interested in publishing?

SO: My advice would be to clearly know your brand, voice, tone, aesthetic and point of difference. Then surround yourself with a strong team who are passionate about bringing the company’s vision to life.