Amy Synnott

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Selected Writing

Experience

Learning the Art of Storytelling

Columbia Graduate School of Journalism

After graduating with honors and a degree in French Literature from Middlebury College, Amy found her calling as a serious journalism student with a penchant for stiletto heels. While pursuing her master’s degree at Columbia, she took a job as the Senior Editor of Manhattan File where she wrote a fashion and beauty column as well as restaurant and book reviews, culture roundups and celebrity profiles. At 24, she wrote her first cover story on iconic designer Diane von Fürstenberg. 

Finding a Voice & Forging a Vision

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Sr. Editor, Beauty Director at GLAMOUR & INSTYLE

At Glamour and later InStyle, Amy brought a journalistic approach to fashion, beauty, and wellness, focused on empowering women.  In  addition to producing award winning service journalism that set the standard for beauty reporting, she helped spearhead many revenue-generating brand extensions including a jewelry collection, a shoe line and a nationwide chain of co-branded hair salons. At InStyle, Amy also appeared regularly as a celebrity, style and beauty expert on national TV outlets including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN,  VH-I, Entertainment Tonight, Amazon Style Code and the Wendy Williams Show.  

Building Growth for Brands

Editor In Chief, INSTYLE Special Issues

While working as the Beauty Director of InStyle, Amy also oversaw several freestanding special issues, including InStyle Beauty, InStyle Hair, InStyle Home, and InStyle Makeover. Her single-sponsor custom issues for clients including Ulta, Unilever, and Kao generated more than $2.5 million in supplemental revenue for the brand. During her tenure, InStyle Hair won a Min award for best special interest publication. 

Hosting Awards & Taking Selfies

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Executive Editor, INSTYLE

After being promoted to the number two position at InStyle, Amy played a key role in integrating the print and digital  teams. She also wrote and edited some of the magazine’s most engaging cover stories and features. Her 2015 cover story on Jennifer Aniston was a finalist for a MIN Award and her 2016 fragrance piece, “Scents and Sensitivities” was awarded the Editorial Excellence award from the Fragrance Foundation. During her 16-year career at InStyle, Amy hosted numerous events for the magazine, including InStyle’s annual Golden Globes party and the InStyle Best Dressed Awards. 

Embracing the World of High Fashion

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Executive Editor, HARPER’S BAZAAR

Working across media, Amy helped execute dozens of high-concept editorial coups and artistic collaborations. Involved equally in the visual brainstorming as the editorial execution of feature stories, she gained invaluable knowledge and understanding of high fashion, photography and creative direction during her time at Bazaar. While at Bazaar, she helped generate unique native content for many luxury brands, including Hermès, Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, Cartier and Clé de Peau Beauté. She also helped host events for Bazaar, including Carine Roitfeld’s annual Icons Party and a gala at the Modern Museum honoring artist Laurie Simmons co-sponsored by Jimmy Choo. 

Creating Space for Diverse Female Voices

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Executive Editor, ELLE

From an original work of dystopian fiction focused on climate change she commissioned from legendary writer Joyce Carol Oates to a viral, headline-grabbing exposé of musician FKA twigs’s experience of sexual abuse at the hands of boyfriend, Shia LaBeouf, Amy continued to push the envelope at Elle with barrier-breaking stories that matter. Under her editorial leadership, the magazine was nominated for an ASME award for General Excellence, Service & Lifestyle. 

Inside the Business of Beauty

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Watch Amy discuss the CEW Beauty Awards with Cindy Hsu on CBS New York
November 8, 2023

Chief Content Officer, CEW

At Cosmetic Executive Women, Amy brought an editor’s perspective to the business of beauty, interviewing founders and executives and covering the forces changing the industry. Her work ranged from entrepreneurship and representation to the rise of AI influencers.

Leading Artful Living

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Read my Summer 2024 editor’s letter

Editor in Chief, ARTFUL LIVING

As editor in chief of Artful Living, Amy oversaw the magazine’s print and digital editorial direction and wrote about travel, food, culture, art, design, architecture, and style. Her reporting took readers inside Lancôme’s rose farm in Grasse and to hotels including Casa de Campo and Sardinia’s Cala di Volpe.

Connecting Editorial & Commerce

Editor in Chief, GOOP

As editor in chief of goop, Amy led a lean editorial team in a cross-functional role that connected storytelling with commerce and strategic partnerships. She developed an editorial strategy optimized for engagement and revenue, more than doubling editorial engagement from 23.6% to 54.2% year over year while leading a 57% leaner team. Her work included editorial collaborations with partners such as Proper Hotels and adapting conversations from the goop podcast into editorial features. She developed a series of original editorial franchises, including the top-performing Ask a Plastic Surgeon with Dr. Julius Few.