spell magazine
A bold redesign for a modern, story- and image-led magazine celebrating identity, beauty, fashion, and lifestyle for diverse women.
role
Lead Designer
scope
Editorial Design
Brand Strategy
Digital Design
UX Research
challenge
Spell Magazine's previous design felt dated and cluttered, making it harder for readers to stay engaged, especially online. The layout didn't give content room to breathe, and the overall experience felt disconnected from what their audience, women aged 21 and above, actually wanted from a lifestyle publication.
The goal was creating a cleaner, more elegant editorial experience that would increase engagement and feel more in tune with readers' expectations.
solution
I started with audience insights from reader surveys to make sure the redesign was actually informed by what people wanted, not just design trends. I stripped away visual distractions and introduced a minimal, monochrome palette that let the content shine.
New Systems
Developed a fresh typographic system and flexible layouts that could adapt to any content type, whether it was a short feature or a long-form story. Everything was designed to improve readability without feeling rigid or templated.
The redesigned layouts give each piece the space it needs. Typography and imagery now support each other instead of competing, creating a more immersive reading experience across both print and digital.
impact
The redesign brought exactly what was needed—a cleaner, more coherent experience that worked across different content types. Readers responded positively, mentioning how much easier it was to navigate and how the new look felt more aligned with their expectations.
Most importantly, digital read time went up by 45%, showing people were actually spending more time with the stories and engaging more deeply with the content.
