my say: signing off
POSTED 16.02.2010 @ 10:06
A funny thing happened to me on the way to law school. I stopped to grab a coffee at a random cafe and sitting inside was then Cleo editor, Lisa Wilkinson. She was reading layouts for a future issue. And I was transfixed. Four lattes and a lot of peering-over-my-menu later, I had one of those life-affirming moments. I got back in my car, drove to university and deferred my premeditated future. Law school could wait. I wanted to work in magazines.
After a couple of months of doorknocking, I got a break: an unpaid internship at Vogue. Two weeks later, the fashion office junior left when the magazine was on deadline. I was there, ready to answer phones and sweep the floor. They gave me the job. I made 10,000 cups of coffee, taped hundreds of pairs of shoes and stuffed a million envelopes, but being around those editors, watching such beauty be created month after month, made me certain that I had made the right decision.
This was what I wanted to do. Forever.
Fundamentally, I believe that you make your own luck and that every so often fate steps in. So I am sure that fate had some hand in helping me land my first dream gig, when Lisa Wilkinson – three years after the coffee shop – made me beauty editor of Cleo. My hero, my favourite magazine.
My career has been a journey full of characters and adventures. A blender of newspapers, magazines, celebrities, supermodels, fashion shows, deadlines, disasters and mistakes – there has never been a dull moment and this industry and its ever-changing ways have meant that every day I have learnt something new.
So why the nostalgia? This is my final column as editor of madison. After nearly two decades in magazines, I’m embarking on the next chapter. A chapter that will include more time with my husband and kids. A little more balance.
And a host of new tales to tell, some of which you’ll be reading about in my new monthly column for
madison.
One of the greatest gifts of my job has been getting to know you. Our reader. You’re a complex bunch – ambitious, intelligent, political, nurturing, kind and fun. You’re mothers, married, single, divorced, working, not working – and none of your stories are exactly the same. But there are similarities that bind you together as a special group. It’s for you that madison was created and I’m so grateful that you’ve all found a community here, with us.
It was very important to me that my farewell issue was as special as the readers that support it. And it is. To celebrate – this being our fifth birthday – we decided nothing would be more fitting than a collector’s issue dedicated to this awesome country and the women in it. We’ve created three special covers featuring Miranda Kerr, Jessica Hart and Pania Rose in one-off designs created by Carla Zampatti, Alex Perry and JETS by Jessika Allen. All the pieces were inspired by the very topical, sometimes controversial Australian flag. At madison, we see the stars of the Southern Cross as symbols of heritage, unity, diversity, generosity and hope. They’re a sparkling reminder of the qualities that embody our wonderful multicultural nation. The March issue showcases the very best of Australian fashion. Every single dress, top, cossie and bag is home-grown. We’ve photographed our top models in epic locations, dressed up the sexy cast of Underbelly 3: The Golden Mile and profiled Aussie celebrities in Hollywood. All the beauty, travel, food and homes are locally-inspired and have that distinct Aussie fabulousness that the rest of the world travels thousands of miles to experience. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed creating it.
I’ve worked with the most amazing people – photographers, models, journalists, editors, CEOs, designers, stylists and advertising gurus – and every single one of them has taught me something. I’ve been inspired by world-class creativity, had my breath taken away by pictures and beautifully written features and cried while reporting on stories of bravery, tragedy and love. But mostly, I have laughed. Laughed and laughed with the crazy, incredible bunch of women and men that I’ve had the honour to work with. They’ve become my family
To all of you, a sincere thank you. I’ve had the time of my life.