ShortList to shut in print with publisher to rebrand as The Stylist Group

The magazine had a circulation of 503,000

(PA)

Shortlist Media has announced it will be shutting down the UK's biggest men's magazine, ShortList.

ShortList had a circulation of 503,000, with free copies distributed each week to commuters.

The ShortList brand will continue online as a men's lifestyle title but will cease to exist in print.

According to the advertising and media title Campaign, staff at the magazine will be informed later today whether they would lose their jobs as a result of the closure; it's likely that around 20 roles will be cut.

The publisher is renaming itself The Stylist Group, Campaign reports, to focus on its women's title, Stylist.

CEO Ella Dolphin has said The Stylist Group will focus entirely on promoting its female-targeted title Stylist in a bid to strengthen its position as a contemporary media brand for women.

"In a radical restructure, the company will focus entirely on being the leading media brand for women across all platforms."

"Family, The Stylist Group creative agency has seen a 40 per cent uplift in female-targeted creative partnerships against the same period last year. The agency will now prioritise building authority on urban, affluent women."

Under editor-in-chief Lisa Smosarski, the Stylist brand will expand with a US digital operation and will continue to produce events for its readers, such as Stylist Live, which took place last week and saw 22,000 readers attend Kensington Olympia for the three-day programme.

Staff have already been hired in the US to build an American audience.

Dolphin comments: “For the last 10 years Stylist has consistently grown in strength.

"The new business will expand into fresh territories and areas outside of publishing to serve the Stylist audience further.

"Brand development, launches and acquisitions are a priority”

The restructure will see the launch a high-profile awards' evening named The Remarkable Women Awards, which will take place in March 2019.

According to Dolphin, this will be a "prestigious agenda-setting event celebrating women who have used their power and platform to support other women, and advance the pursuit of true gender equality."

The group will also launch a new Stylist-branded fitness offering in 2019, which will "capture the spirit of the times, fusing female empowerment with a strength-oriented exercise proposition. As well as content, the brand will comprise of an event, fitness studio and a product range."

Smosarski adds: “Stylist has always inspired intelligent women who want more from their world and served as a spirited, brave, advocate for our audience.

“Never before has this message and momentum been so important and relevant, and we are excited to be leading the charge as we enter our 10th year.”

The news of ShortList's closure comes just days after publishing house Hearst revealed that their monthly men's glossy magazine, Esquire, would produce just six issues a year as of February 2019.

The change will also see a price increase of 38 per cent, with each issue costing £6.

Esquire's editor-in-chief Alex Bilmes said the new bi-annual business model would “ensure we will be the men’s magazine brand of decades to come”.