spell magazine
Spell Magazine is a lifestyle publication for women of colour, blending stories on identity, beauty, fashion, and culture. The previous design felt cluttered and didn’t support long-form reading, especially online.
role
Lead Designer
scope
Editorial Design
Brand Strategy
Digital Design
UX Research
The Challenge – from busy layouts to thoughtful experiences
Readers wanted calm, space, and elegance, not over-designed spreads. The magazine needed to become a more modern editorial platform, with better readability and emotional resonance across digital and print.
Strategy – strip back and build trust
I used survey insights to map pain points and emotional goals. This led to a systems-based approach to editorial:
Monochrome colour palette to reduce distraction
A flexible typographic system that scaled across story formats
Whitespace and pacing to guide readers without noise
Visual Language – editorial minimalism
The new visual language respected the content:
Layouts adapted to support feature stories, profiles, or listicles
Images and words were treated as equals, not competing
Every page had intentional flow and rhythm
Impact – +45% increase in read time
The redesign delivered measurable impact:
Higher engagement, especially on digital
Positive reader feedback citing clarity and comfort
A stronger foundation for long-form storytelling and brand partnerships
