Sure, modern technology is impressive, but have you ever wandered through a newsagency, fingers trailing along glossy cover pages, adorned with the likes of Kate Moss, Bella Hadid, or Billie Eilish?
Each cover screams ‘must-haves’ from winter boots to a new boyfriend. It’s pure chaos, but in a high-fashion way, and it seems Gen Z loves it.
Gen Z’s passion for digital media is no secret. The TikTok scrolls, Spotify playlists, and Instagram photo dumps take up most of their screen time, but lately, hard copy fashion magazines have crept back in to form part of a renaissance, and it’s all thanks to nostalgia.
The women’s lifestyle category has seen a 23.6 per cent increase in readership, with fashion-forward titles like Cosmopolitan, ELLE, and Marie Claire leading the resurgence.
According to ELLE Australia editor-in-chief Jessica Bailey, this revival isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about how print represents something that Gen Z craves.
“It’s an affordable beacon of luxury,” she said.
“It’s not just about reading anymore, it’s about ritual, curation, and aesthetic identity.”
Ms Bailey said picking up a magazine also offers a moment of escape from the noise of the internet.
“This generation has grown up entirely online,” she said.
“The act of buying a magazine is a small rebellion, something tactile, something that can’t be swiped away.”
Gen Z now makes up 43.9 per cent of fashion magazine buyers, the largest share across all generations. Millennials account for 34.4 per cent, while Gen X and Boomers trail at 21.7 per cent, according to Roy Morgan data reported by Mediaweek,
Source: Roy Morgan
While Gen Z leads the charge in print media, renaissance magazines are experiencing a significant comeback, with many witnessing massive increases in readership.
For a while, it seemed as though the print era was coming to an end, with popular Australian magazines like Cosmopolitan, Cleo, and Girlfriend no longer on the shelves.
This fashion magazine drought appears to be coming to an end.
In 2024, Cosmopolitan Australia returned to shelves after a six-year hiatus, and ELLE Australia relaunched its print edition following a five-year break.
Both titles have been revived to meet renewed demand, particularly from Gen Z readers, who are drawn to the tactile and aesthetic appeal of glossy magazines.
Fashion magazine readership hasn’t just bounced back; it’s booming, with ELLE seeing a 57.5 per cent increase, Marie Claire jumping 23.5 per cent, Frankie 9.1 per cent, and Vogue experiencing a cross-platform 30.2 per cent increase in sales.
Source: Roy Morgan
This generation isn’t buying magazines for the same reason their mums were; aesthetics play a significant part in whether the glossy makes its way to the checkout.
Avid magazine collector Alyssa Ghattas said her purchases are often about how the cover will look in her space, not just what’s inside.
“It became a thing I did because my mum collected them when I was younger,” she said.
“She passed them onto me, and whenever I’m in Woolworths and see a new issue, I’ll pick it up and display it on a shelf in my room.”
Ms Ghattas said her collection is less about loyalty to one title and more about the overall aesthetic.
“I do mostly collect Vogue, but if I see a magazine that features a celebrity I like, I will pick it up, for me, it’s whatever fits the vibe,” she said.
Alyssa isn’t alone, TikTok is full of users telling followers to “run, not walk” to their local newsagent because a celebrity is on the
cover of ELLE, Cosmo, or Vogue.
@bellasbrokenhearts AVAILABLE NOW AT MOST NEWS AGENCYS ‼️ @BILLIE EILISH @Vogue Australia #billieeilish #vogue #magazine #voguemagazine #newsagency #australia #au #foryoupage
Editorial director at Vogue Australia, Edwina McCann, told News Corp Australia, the increase in sales is also down to nostalgia.
“Our resurgence in print comes from Gen Z and the retro appeal of magazines,” she said.
McCann’s observation reflects exactly what is playing out on social media and with TikTok’s influence it is impossible to ignore.
When creators label something as ‘aesthetic’ or ‘vintage’, it resonates with younger audiences.
@.freyalibbyy Also I realise there not all vogue, it’s for the aesthetic ✨ #vogue #voguemagazine #sabrinacarpenter #shortnsweet #foryoupage #viral_video #fashion #magazine #collection #haul #lilyrosedepp #lilamoss #zendaya #shalomharlow #modeling #beauty #florencepugh #lewishamilton #fyp #foryou #harpersbazaar #cosmopolitan #relatable #magazinecover #annawintour #metgala #girlhood #aesthetic #vogueaesthetic #carriebradshaw #satc @Vogue @British Vogue @CosmopolitanUK @Harper’s BAZAAR
Beyond the pull of social media, publishers know these mags are now collector’s items.
Clicks are up, subscriptions are climbing, and to keep readers interested, they are throwing in scented pages and limited-edition art covers, turning a casual “oh I like this celeb, might grab it at Woolies” into full-blown high-fashion connoisseur behaviour.
While the use of magazines may have evolved slightly, the reasons for their initial appeal is due to TikTok and nostalgia.
Scavenging Depop for your birth month’s Vogue Issue, or the ’90s Kate Moss cover that taunts you from your Pinterest feed, is the modern-day equivalent of cutting out excerpts from these magazines and sticking them on your wall.
In the 2000s, teen girls flipped through Dolly Doctor or quizzed themselves in Girlfriend, circling answers with glitter pens.
That ritual might have faded, but its essence has evolved into the same format, but with a new aesthetic.
Whether it’s a fleeting micro-trend or the next chapter in the physical media revival, one thing is clear: for Gen Z, print has a new kind of power, one that’s tactile, nostalgic, and increasingly hard to scroll past. Print isn’t just being revived, it’s being redefined.
