I was perusing Vogue‘s March issue when I happened upon an interesting mention that caught my eye: Two (albeit young) veterans of the fashion magazine industry had taken their know-how and launched a brand new e-commerce site called The Editorialist. The new site promised to fill a void in high-end online retail by focusing on accessories, but not just any baubles. As arbiters of discerning taste, the two former-editors-turned-entrepreneurs were delivering up the most coveted pretties on the market. With their connections and good taste, they’re bringing exclusive collaborations and industry information to online shopping. Needless to say, I was intrigued. A trendy piece of clothing can be worn for a season, maybe two, but a high quality piece of jewelry can be worn for life. So I jumped at the chance for a Q & A with the founders, to find out in their own words what inspired them, where they hail from and what their upcoming favorites are. Between us, this is going to be my one-stop for all information accessories related. The Editorialist offers not only the opportunity to purchase, but an online concierge service, news, interviews, videos and trend reports.
theFashionSpot: For the record, state full names, please.
Stefania Palandjoglou Allen & Kate Davidson Hudson.
tFS: How did you meet and become friends?
S and K: We met as assistants back in the day at Harper’s Bazaar. Stef was working for the fashion director and Kate was working for the Deputy Editor.
tFS: As former editors, which publications have you worked for?
S and K: Stef worked at Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country and most recently as the Senior Accessories Editor at ELLE. Kate has worked at Harper’s Bazaar and most recently as the Accessories Director at ELLE.
tFS: When did you have the idea for the Editorialist? What sparked the Aha! moment to make it happen?
S and K: We saw a hole in the market with respect to luxury accessories and finding a way to access all of those amazing pieces we saw in magazine editorials and on the runways. Traditional retailers never seemed to pick them up so we felt there was a huge disconnect between those truly covetable pieces that the fashion media touts, and what traditional retail was offering. We also realized that the way we started to consume both our fashion media and how we shopped, took place online. For us, it made sense to combine the two into this new model, which is the true convergence of content and commerce. From there, Editorialist was born, a one-stop-shop for what you need to know and want to have from the editors who know it first.
tFS: Have you always had a passion for accessories? Or did it grow over time via your experience in the fashion industry?
S and K: It’s safe to say that we’ve both been accessories obsessed since we were born! We both have memories of playing dress-up with all of our mom’s accessories.
tFS: As you purchase for the site, do you find yourself slipping favorite pieces into your own wardrobe?
S and K: Of course, that’s half the fun of it! We usually gravitate towards the same pieces so we’re always fighting who will get what piece when.
tFS: Any recent standouts coming soon that you’d like to share?
S and K: We’re really excited about Valentino and 3.1 Phillip Lim accessories… Valentino is a higher price point while 3.1 Phillip Lim is a bit more accessible. That said, both are such strong accessories collections and we’re thrilled to launch them mid-summer.
tFS: Apart from the difference of focusing on luxury accessories, what would you say sets the Editorialist apart from other luxury retail sites like Net-a-Porter or Rue La La?
S and K: Editorialist is our vision of a new editorial-meets-commerce concept that connects the dots between aspiration and access and offers a new construct for how we consume our fashion media. With the pieces on our pages largely available for purchase as part of Editorialist’s meticulously curated buy, we stand behind the images we conjure and the style cues we impart by buying into the pieces, designers and collections we put forth in our editorials. It is with this same discerning eye that we bring to our readers a range of one-off designer exclusives and a focused selection of the chicest accessories from fashion capitals around the world.
tFS: Can you briefly describe a day in the life running Editorialist?
S and K: Every day is different! Some days we’re on set shooting for upcoming issues while others we’re between the office, market and buying appointments.
tFS: Any advice for aspiring female Entrepreneurs?
S and K: Be flexible and stay organized—we have a million different things going on and it’s the only way we can stay focused.
tFS: In one sentence or less, what’s next?
S and K: Expansion into international markets so Editorialist is cemented as the authority in accessories worldwide.
