How Media Legend and Style Icon Laura Brown Founded Her Own Media Company

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

Laura Brown is the epitome of someone who chases their dreams. Since a young age, Brown was obsessed with magazines and knew she would be destined to make a name in the industry; indeed she did. Brown moved from Australia to the world’s largest fashion capitals—London, then New York—to pursue her passion, securing editor positions at W and Details before landing at Harper’s Bazaar. It was at Harper’s Bazaar that she would begin making a name for herself as a creative visionary in the media industry. She spent over a decade there as the features, special projects, and executive editor, working on exclusive interviews with influential women from Michelle Obama to Janet Jackson and producing iconic covers like the 2015 image of Rihanna lying in the mouth of Jaws as a tasteful nod to the Spielberg photograph.

Perhaps her most notable work, however, was her position as editor in chief of InStyle. Brown was at the helm of the business’s print and digital content, continually defining and evolving the InStyle woman. She also hosted the Ladies First With Laura Brown podcast, where she spoke with trailblazers about historic firsts within the industry.

Since the magazine folded in 2021, all eyes have been on Brown to find out what the media legend and style icon would do next. At the end of 2022, she finally announced her plans: to helm a media company of her own. Positioned as a multi-platform media company encompassing television, podcasts, luxury collaborations, design, and nonprofit consulting, LB Media is primed to enter the rapidly changing landscape with the level of flexibility and breath that truly fits both the times and Brown’s truest passions. Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Brown’s expertise and media career have led her to found her own company, where she will continue to pave her own path within the fashion industry. 

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