Fashion media is in a time of transformation. Vogue has a new editor, editorial-forward retailers are seeking bankruptcy protection, print fashion publications are falling off, and digital platforms and creators are gaining authority.
According to the 14-year-old, social-first media company Betches, it’s the right time to launch a style-focused vertical.
On Monday, Betches Media introduced Betches Style, intended to offer style guidance to its largely Gen-Z and millennial women audience in a way that’s “funny, relatable and actually helpful,” as described by Katie Corvino, Betches’s vp of editorial. Recognizing that modern shoppers increasingly search social platforms and rely on influencers’ posts for outfit ideas, Betches Style will place a heavy emphasis on TikTok and Instagram video content and series like “What Are You Wearing?” Helping its audience discover influencers with styles matching their own is a goal.
“People are craving authenticity; based on the way video is influencing [style] purchases, they want real, relatable creators showing how trends really work,” Corvino said. “Creators are the new celebrities, and we know our audience trusts them.”
According to Corvino, style has always been immersed in Betches’s content, which spans video, editorial, podcasts and social media — Betches has long covered red carpets, including the Met Gala, for example. But audience engagement signaled a need for a dedicated vertical. Likewise, in September 2024, Betches launched Betches Sports based on cues from its core audience.
“Betches is the leader in content and culture for women,” said Aleen Dreksler, founder and CEO of Betches Media. “In order for us to continue to hold that status, we can’t ignore that style is a huge part of women’s lives. Plus, fashion, which historically has taken itself so seriously, is only now allowing room for playfulness and humor — and that’s where we shine.”
Dreksler called style coverage a “natural extension” of Betches’s existing coverage, which “sets the tone for how millennial and Gen-Z women talk about friendship, work, wellness and beyond,” she said. Betches’s content verticals include Betches Moms, Betches Brides, Betches Travel and Bravo by Betches, among others.
“Style is definitely a huge business opportunity — it’s a massive vertical,” she said, noting that Betches’s definition of “style” extends beyond fashion to include “how you express yourself aesthetically,” which encompasses beauty and home.
While affiliate linking is currently a big revenue driver across fashion publications, Dreksler said it’s not an immediate strategy for Betches Style. Instead, “making the most impact for client partners” is the business focus. That includes remaining “a leader in culture and supporting our clients in doing the same,” she said, adding, “Many brands are looking to align themselves with culture and talk to their [target] audience in a way that’s trustworthy and that doesn’t flop, like we’ve been seeing recently.”
Old Navy, which has recently regained cultural relevance alongside its sister brand Gap, is Betches Style’s launch partner — and it’s set to advertise on the vertical through the end of the year. The partnership will kick off on September 18 with Betches Style’s NYC-based launch party, “presented by Old Navy.” Select styles from Old Navy’s fall collection, including denim and handbags, will be on display, and multiple activations reflecting Betches Style’s focus on personal style will be featured. They’ll include color analysis sessions, allowing attendees to determine their seasonal palettes, and charm bars, facilitating on-site customization of Old Navy styles. Creators and influencers who share Betches’s humor and community focus will be on-site, Dreksler said.
In addition, Old Navy will sponsor the first four episodes of the “What Are You Wearing?” video series, centered on offering outfit guidance for hyper-specific situations, such as “having bottomless brunch with your ex’s sister,” Corvino said. It’s a 360-degree partnership spanning all of Betches Style’s channels, Dreksler said.
Betches’s in-house creative agency has recently developed custom content for companies including Pepsi, Dunkin’ and L’Oréal, among others.
“We’re hoping that Betches Style can open us up to even more retail, fashion, skin care and travel [partners],” Dreksler said. “But we’re also seeing a lot of QSR brands that want to align with fashion, and vice versa.”
The Betches Style launch was intentionally pegged to New York Fashion Week, which runs from September 11-16. September 15 will mark the launch of a two-week out-of-home launch campaign centered on wild postings displayed in New York neighborhoods including SoHo, which are frequented by Gen-Z and millennial women and NYFW attendees. The ads, which reflect the focus of the “What Are You Wearing?” video series, feature QR codes linking to Betches Style content and will be amplified on Betches Style social accounts.
The Betches Style Instagram account had a headstart — it earned a following of more than 200,000 under a former name, Betches Good At Shopping.
Betches Style will also be cross-promoted on other Betches accounts, where fitting. For example, if the vertical spotlights what an athlete is wearing in a locker-room tunnel, the content will also show up on Betches Sports.
While runway content will not be the primary focus of Betches Style, it will be featured. “Fashion Week doesn’t feel so distant from the end user anymore, because there are a lot of celebrities taking part in it and it’s becoming more part of the pop culture zeitgeist,” Dreksler said, adding, “What’s most important [in our runway coverage] is bringing it back to our audience: How does this relate to you? Why should you care? And what can you do with that info?”
True to Betches Media, pop culture is “a huge area” Betches Style will dive into, while exploring, “What are the fashion and beauty takes here?” Dreksler said. On Sunday night, Betches Style live-posted during the MTV Video Music Awards. One of three main-feed Instagram posts pointed to where shoppers could get the grunge look trending on the red carpet, while Stories asked followers to weigh in on celeb looks with poll answers like “loveeee” or “not my fave.”
Along with “What Are You Wearing?” Betches Style will launch with two other video series, including ”’But Make It Chic,” offering “a playful take on trends that sound a bit intimidating but somehow work,” Corvino said. Another will be centered on rapid-fire commentary on the best celebrity fashion moments.
With the Betches Style launch, Betches is also expanding to Substack to complement the video content with deeper storytelling. The company has tapped fashion and beauty writers to share their own hot-take style commentary in dedicated Substack newsletters. Betches Style will also work with other external creators to produce content.
As for in-house hires for the new vertical, Betches has appointed Madeline Galassi, previously fashion and beauty editor at The Everygirl, as its style director.
Corvino said Betches’s “social-first approach” to content means leading with an idea then deciding the best way for our audience to consume that content, which informs the content channel. The same will apply to Betches Style content.
“We’re trying to add a new layer to the fashion media system, focused on where authority meets community and style meets humor,” Corvino said. “We know there are spaces for traditional fashion journalism and media, and we also know there are influencers. We’re focused on the intersection between the two.”
She added, “We’re definitely not trying to replace any fashion media. We’re really trying to be the collective voice of the group chat.”
According to Betches, its content reaches nearly one in two women in the U.S., with over 80% being Gen Z and millennials. Its top markets, based on readership, include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Toronto. It counts 650 million average monthly views across its verticals and platforms.
In 2023, Betches Media was acquired by LBG Media, owner of the global media brand LADbible Group. In the first half of 2025, reported in June, LBG Media saw a 13% year-over-year revenue increase to £43.9 million, or around $59.3 million, and an 18% profit gain.
