Fashion and Politics
Fashion Can Be Funny
Underthinking It: Following Your Path Organically
Laura Brown: Facilitating fantastic conversations
LAURA BROWN is an excellent moderator, facilitating engaging and necessary conversations. As the former Editor in Chief of InStyle, one of the world’s most successful fashion media brands, Brown is well-practiced at interviewing interesting people, and knows how to ask the questions that keep a conversation flowing naturally into deeper, more interesting places. A talented speaker herself, Brown strikes the perfect balance of being an important focal point of the conversation without stealing the show. Every time Brown moderates, she is described as refreshing, fun, and relatable, and illustrates what a difference a skilled and professional moderator brings to a program.
Brown recently moderated a conversation with Stacey Abrams at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, one stop on Abrams’ national tour, “A Conversation with Stacey Abrams.” It was a highly successful event, and Brown received lots of praise and rave reviews afterwards.
Brown moderates conversations on many topics, and speaks leads discussions on fashion, politics, following your path, and media. She is also the host of the Ladies First with Laura Brown podcast, dedicated to empowering women and lifting up changemakers.
Laura Brown's podcast
LAURA BROWN was the former Editor in Chief of InStyle, one of the world’s most successful fashion media brands. Brown was responsible for InStyle’s brand, content, and strategy, so it’s no surprise that her podcast Ladies First with Laura Brown is brimming with style and fun. Brown’s personal motto is “everybody’s in,” and that inclusivity permeates the podcast, dedicated to empowering women and lifting up changemakers. Lauded for her fun, informative, and relatable speaking style, Laura captivates speaking audiences with stories from her career at the intersection of fashion and politics, and lessons in owning your own brand and style.
Laura Brown was the Editor in Chief of InStyle, one of the world’s most successful fashion media brands, until February 2022. Appointed in August of 2016, she was responsible for InStyle’s voice, content, strategy and brand extensions. Helming a brand that reached 30-plus million women, Brown oversaw the core magazine, digital across all platforms and 13 international editions. In addition, she lead development of the ‘ InStyle Badass Women’ platform and live events such as the annual InStyle Awards and the Golden Globes party.
Brown spearheaded a refresh of InStyle’s print and digital franchises to much critical acclaim. She expanded the breadth and variety of the contributors, giving voice to a new group of fashion, beauty and celebrity influencers and thought leaders. With a philosophy of “Everybody’s In,” she appealed to a wider audience with a stylish, playful and relatable voice. Her social media sensibility vastly extended the reach and relevance of InStyle beyond the page, and she was heralded as ushering in a new generation of Editor in Chief.
Under Brown, InStyle saw unprecedented growth across digital, with record-breaking unique visitors to InStyle.com (10+ million) and video views on Instagram (50+ million.) Her contributions to the brand garnered extensive media coverage and recognition – with substantive profiles appearing in The New York Times, The Business of Fashion, New York Magazine, Fast Company, and Digiday, among many others. In September of 2017, InStyle was honored with the “Best September Issue” award by The Daily Front Row.
Previous to InStyle, Brown spent eleven years at Harper’s Bazaar, rising to the role of Executive Editor, and was Articles Director of Details and Senior Editor at W. She earned her BA in arts and communication from Charles Sturt University in New South Wales, Australia.