Karlie Kloss, Joshua Kushner to relaunch LIFE magazine

On Mar 28, 2024

Model Karlie Kloss’ holding company, Beford Media, on Thursday announced a deal with Dotdash Meredith to purchase the publishing rights for LIFE magazine. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI

March 28 (UPI) — Model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss plans to bring back LIFE magazine, more than two decades after it ceased production.

Bedford Media, the holding company founded by Kloss and her husband, billionaire investor Joshua Kushner, announced Thursday that it acquired publishing rights to LIFE from Dotdash Meredith.

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The company said LIFE will relaunch as a print magazine with a “vibrant” digital and video presence.

“We see LIFE as an uplifting and unifying voice in a chaotic media landscape,” Kloss said in a statement. “While Bedford is a new media company, we are deeply inspired by LIFE’s iconic legacy and ability to connect diverse audiences with universal narratives of humanity.”

Under the deal, Bedford will manage full operations of the magazine, including editorial strategy, revenue and media initiatives. Dotdash Meredith will continue to own the magazine’s photo library and content archives dating back to the 1930s.

Dotdash Meredith also will continue to publish single-topic, special interest magazines under the LIFE brand, which are available on newsstands.

LIFE first launched in 1883 and published weekly issues. Time Magazine founder Henry Luce acquired the brand in 1936 and gave it a new editorial focus centered around photography-based news.

Time Inc. suspended the publication in 2000 due to its general interest focus, and Dotdash Meredith acquired Time Inc. in 2021.

“Life’s legacy lies in its ability to blend culture, current events and everyday life — highlighting the triumphs, challenges and unique perspectives that define us,” said Kushner, who will serve as the magazine’s publisher.

The deal comes after Kloss and Kushner acquired i-D Magazine from Vice Media last year. Kushner also is the founder of venture-capital firm Thrive Capital and the younger brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump‘s son-in-law and former White House adviser.

Bedford Media’s said it is focused on “artisanal storytelling, authenticity and shared cultural resonance,” and that its strategy is to blend “iconic brands with new ways of doing business and reaching audiences.”