Seventeen's Fashion Director on Teen Trends and Puppy Portraits

By Chris Frey, Chris Frey
January 13, 2011

As the Fashion Director of Seventeen magazine, Gina Kelly is responsible for understanding, interpreting and inspiring what is perhaps the most elusive fashion demographic on the planet: the teenage girl. Fashion Director Gina Kelly, who says she was “definitely a big Seventeen magazine reader in high school,” recognizes that things have changed since her own teen years, not to mention since Seventeen launched almost seventy years ago in 1944. Gina Kelly in the front row Cynthia Steffe's runway show (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images)

Even a decade ago, no one would have predicted that the teenage magazine would boast over half a million facebook friends or that the Seventeen magazine website would one day include a section called “Style Crush Ring,” where bloggers swoon over one another. “Teens today are influenced by everything—from blogs to television, music, movies, other magazines, their friends, their family, etc.,” said Gina Kelly. “We haven’t had a [non-celebrity] model on the cover in fifteen years, so that says a lot about what a young girl is interested in today. This age group isn’t necessarily looking to the runway for their fashion inspiration. My job is to look there as well as the influences I just mentioned and mix it up a bit for her. It’s the same way I think she sees style too—it doesn’t come from one place. Influences are all around us.” And because, as Seventeen's fashion expert Gina Kelly notes, “I’m clearly not a teen girl, feedback from our readers is key.” She emphasizes that as Fashion Director she must “stay connected directly with teen girls. We get daily reader memo emails. We shoot real girls. We have informal roundtable discussions with teens. I cannot take for granted that I always know what the reader wants—the reader’s involvement is everything.”

As proof that life often comes full circle, in 1991 Gina Kelly started her career in fashion as a sales assistant at Seventeen in New York. She worked for Sasha Charnin Morrison, now Fashion Director of US Weekly, who she said, “taught me to have a sense of fun about work and what we do.” Within one year she transitioned out of the business side of the magazine and into fashion editorial. She later had stints as a fashion editor at Elle and Mademoiselle and as Fashion News Editor at Lucky, before returning Seventeen to head the fashion department herself.

Seventeen, February 2011

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Cover featuring Leighton Meester
Photo Credit: provided by Gina Kelly
fashion spreads

A great deal of Gina Kelly's job as Fashion Director for Seventeen magazine depends on intuition that a fashion trend or celebrity style will take hold in teen culture. “It’s like you have to have an antennae and hopefully ride the wave of whoever is about to have a big moment,” she said of today’s young singers and teen actresses. Despite the celebrity magazine covers that drive newsstand sales, Gina Kelly hopes one day to shoot a cover featuring a “real girl." She said, “I’m so impressed with some of our readers—they blog, they upload their own videos on YouTube, they volunteer.”

It’s those readers and a seventy-year foundation that has kept Seventeen magazine alive in the face of many recent magazine closures across the industry. When asked what gives Seventeen such staying power Gina Kelly remarked, “Seventeen magazine was the only teenage magazine in the industry for a very long time. In the '80s thru the early 2000’s the market became flooded. I think maybe there were too many teen magazines and obviously the public felt the same way. I think a strong brand image is what made us survive that whole time. Seventeen stood for something when I was a reader in the '80s: it was approachable, friendly, helpful and packed with great fashion and beauty stories. I keep that in mind when I edit every fashion story today. I want to teach [our reader] something and push her style, but the experience has to be inclusive. I want her to sit at my table in the lunchroom, not make her feel like she’s not cool enough.”

Gina Kelly - Madewell For Gina Kelly's part that means staying one step ahead of the Seventeen reader, even if it’s when referencing some of her favorite icons or time periods. “I may personally be inspired by something I’ve seen in the past; maybe it’s a CK jeans ad from the '90s or the energy of an old Elle swimsuit shoot. But if I do go back, I interpret those references in a new way.” In 2011 she told us, “I cannot wait to feature more of the “fast fashion” stores like H&M, Forever 21 or Topshop. I think those retailers are obviously changing the industry and it changes the way we edit the magazine. I want to capture that feeling of walking into a store every week and finding a cute piece for under $30 to wear the next day at school.”

Personally, Gina Kelly is excited for the plethora of mid-length and maxi skirts shown for Spring saying, “I like how they sit a little higher on the waist so it gives a nice long line—I immediately feel 10 times taller!” The magazine fashion director also loving the navy and natural nautical striped Tory Burch “flatforms” that remind her of early Raver sneakers she had in the early 90’s. (Right: Gina Kelly in a Madewell photo shoot; image courtesy of Madewell)

Today, as a veteran of the fashion industry, Gina Kelly lends her fashion expertise to numerous programs, including "The CBS Morning Show," "Regis and Kelly" and countless "E! Celebrity Style" shows. Her boundless energy and youthful spirit combined with her impeccable style tastes and the aforementioned intuitive “antennae” keep her in demand.

When I worked with Gina Kelly in the fashion department at Lucky, we often went to hear her DJ’ing fashion parties and clubs. She was—and is—the cool girl who wants you to sit at her lunchroom table. And though she claims she’s retired her turntables, she concedes she'll “still pull out Chaka Kahn every now and then.”

Kelly's eBay wish list

Roll over items for details

New Canvas Hermes Tote

(buy it now price, $725)

New Moroccan Pouf Footstool

(buy it now price, $69.99)

Ossie Clark Dress

(buy it now price, $386)

Zuni Turquoise Squash Blossom Necklace

(buy it now price, $300)

Antique Blue Enamel Medals

(buy it now price, $42.41)

Technics Turntable & Case

(buy it now price, $400)

Uzbek Woolen Sumak Rug

(buy it now price, $289.52)

Westie Dog Portrait on Canvas

(buy it now price, $50)

Pendelton Long Coat

(buy it now price, $51)

Vintage Burleigh Ware Soap Dish

(buy it now price, $19.95)

Seventeen's Fashion Director on Teen Trends and Puppy Portraits

1. "I like the idea of a low-fi Hermes bag. It’s chic and holds all of my stuff."

2. "We live in house that was built in the early 1930’s, so I’ve tried to mix up styles of furniture so it doesn’t look too 'old fashioned.' This goes nicely with a low-back modern chair we have in the living room."

3. "I love maxi dresses and this one has an amazing cutout back"

4. "My husband bought me a rug similar to this for my birthday one year. It’s such an interesting way to decorate a wall."

5. "I love big, statement jewelry and I’ve been lusting over getting a necklace like this for a while."

6. "I used to DJ when I first moved to NYC. It was a super fun way to make a little extra money. I am very old school about DJ’ing too—it’s vinyl or nothing."

7. "A much more affordable version of what Pendleton is doing with Opening Ceremony! It’s like wearing a big blanket!"

8. "Our beloved Westie, Hamish, was our 'first' child and when he was a puppy, we had his portrait done. It’s kind of a silly, over-the-top thing to do.

9. "I collect both vintage and new plates. I have a bunch hanging on our kitchen wall and I just love this style."

10. "On the other hand, I also like personal and dainty stuff too. This is an obvious nod to my Catholic upbringing—my mother will be so happy!"

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