1. What The Media Want – Lisa Smosarski - Editorial Director - Stylist
41 minutes
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Description
What The Media Want – Episode with Lisa Smosarski
In this episode of What the Media Wants, host Nikki Snell, founder of Press Loft, sits down with Lisa Smosarski, award-winning Editorial Director of Stylist and Board Member of the Stylist Group.
Lisa shares her fascinating journey from dreaming of journalism as a teenager to leading one of the UK’s most influential women’s media brands. She discusses her early career at Bliss and SMASH Hits, her transition into digital during the early 2000s, and her pivotal role in launching Stylist in 2009, where she’s remained ever since.
Key Topics Covered:
Lisa’s Career Journey: From junior writer at Bliss to founding editor of Stylist, Lisa gives a personal account of how she broke into journalism and steadily built her media career.
The Mission Behind Stylist:
Stylist is a cross-platform media brand with a mission to create content and events that support women. Lisa explains how the brand champions women’s rights while covering fashion, beauty, career advice, wellness, and more.
Overview of Stylist’s Platforms:
Monthly print magazine
Weekly digital edition
Website: stylist.co.uk
Instagram (500k+ followers)
Facebook (600k+),
and expanding TikTok presence
Podcasts and newsletters (e.g. Stylist Loves, How To Work, Strong Women, Motherhood, Watch List)
Live events like Stylist Live and Stylist Trek
Audience Demographic:
Core audience is UK women aged 25–45, with a growing national footprint and 4M+ monthly reach across platforms.
Pitching Tips for PRs:
Be specific. Tailor subject lines and content to the appropriate section or journalist.
Include links, credentials, and clearly state if it’s a product, expert, or service pitch.
Avoid generic emails.
Personalisation and clarity improve chances of success.
Mention if the brand is female-founded or from underrepresented groups.
What Stylist is Looking For:
Fashion, beauty, food & drink, parenting, travel, coaching, psychology, career experts, and more.
Always interested in new ideas, research, and thoughtful perspectives.
Expert pitches should outline credentials, writing ability, and preferred formats (video, written, interview).
Image Guidance:
Clear white-background cutouts preferred.
Lifestyle and lookbook images useful, especially for travel, food, and fashion.
No need to send physical samples unless requested.
Social Media & Newsletters:
Content is tailored to each channel.
Not just reposts—platforms have unique voices.
Newsletters often feature exclusive content not seen elsewhere.
TikTok is a growing area of focus, with new hires supporting video-first content.
Stylist Loves & Motherhood Newsletters:
Specific editors oversee these with dedicated product grids.
For Stylist Loves, pitch to Taylor Mitchell (covering for Annie Simpson on mat leave).
For Motherhood, contact Felicity Thistlethwaite (FSS).
Partnership & Sponsorship Opportunities:
Stylist offers brand partnerships across editorial, events, email, and digital.
Creative, collaborative opportunities for campaigns aligned with the brand’s mission and audience.
Upcoming Focus Areas:
Stylist Live on October 18–19 in White City, London
Autumn fashion trends
Christmas gift guides (ideal to pitch early September)
Events and platform expansion
Memorable Pitch Examples:
A careers book tied to Lisa’s How To Work column
A creative PR sample featuring Lisa’s face made out of sweets!
Highly relevant, well-timed podcast and parenting pitches
Final Advice from Lisa:
Journalists get thousands of emails weekly—subject lines matter.
Don’t pitch other titles by mistake—show you care about Stylist.
PRs who make a journalist’s job easier will stand out.
It’s not about volume; it’s about value.
Contact List as provided by Lisa:
Firstname.surname@stylist.co.uk
Fashion – Soraya Chortane, Sophie Paxton
Beauty – Hanna Ibraheem, Charlotte Bitmead
Food and drink – Jenny Tregoning
Psychology – Lauren Geall, Amy Beecham, Holly Bullock
Relationships – Hannah Keegan
Entertainment / Going out – Helen Bownass
Books / Podcasts – Shahed Ezaydi, Amy Beecham, Francesca Brown
Health & Fitness – Lauren Geall, Amber Middleton
Careers – Ellen Scott, Lisa Smosarski
Travel – Susan Riley
Social – Elli Weir
Emails – Tayla Mitchell
Motherhood by Stylist email,
parenting – Felicity Thistlethwaite
Brand Partnerships – Sophia Haddad, Flo Gibson
Other areas: Amy Beecham, Shahed Ezaydi, Holly Bullock, Susanne Norris, Hannah Keegan and Ellen Scott write or commission across all pillars.
This episode was supported by Press Loft – the smarter way to get your product images and press releases in front of journalists, even outside office hours. PRs can access a free 60-day trial today.
Subscribe to What the Media Wants wherever you listen, and leave a quick review if you found this episode helpful.
22 Jul 2025
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