Next to the typically shiny packages of gum and mints in the grocery store checkout aisle sits NYLON magazine. The graphic, neon-clad cover seems to stand out from the other measly paraphernalia surrounding it, not just because of the latest star on the cover—this month, Nicki Minaj—but the promise that what’s inside oozes a discernible balance of gravitas and mode.
And then there’s praise for this institution: Southern Methodist University. In the regalia of Dallas Hall’s domed interior, we see history, forgetting the pop culture that consumes our lives outside the walls.
History is history for a reason; it breeds new growth and prosperity. The history of SMU has done just that for Marc Luzatto, who now heads the evolvement of the leading provider of pop culture, beauty, music, and fashion content for today’s Millennial women—NYLON magazine.
In spring 2014, Luzzatto became the chairman of NYLON. But this is not where his story begins.
Born and raised in Dallas, Luzzatto attended SMU as an undergraduate. He continued after graduation with work in law, business, real estate, entertainment, and technology.
“My [varied experiences and past] have let me to the place I am today,” Luzzatto said, “I think that the more and varied experiences you can have the more qualified you are for important roles.”
His experiences indeed have contributed to both his past success and success in his current role. Earlier this year, The New York Post, based on a Magazine Publishers of America study, named NYLON the magazine media brand with the most growth for 2015.
And in today’s increasingly digital age, NYLON’s current booming success can be attributed to their large digital platform. This success is largely “attributable to having made a very significant investment in a digital, editorial, social, and tech team,” Luzzatto said.
Yet fundamentally, NYLON began in 1999 in New York as a print media. “We started with a very passionate and loyal following of the brand by a very young and tech–savvy audience. In some parts of the country you rarely run across a young woman who is not familiar with NYLON—and she’s usually a huge fan,” Luzzatto said.
NYLON’s growing following now places its presence not just in the hands of readers, but transcends to their reality. Last year, NYLON hosted a “Midnight Garden Party” at a domain that fits its clientele: Coachella. This NYLON event alone boasted 7.2 billion earned media impressions. “Those kinds of numbers…have helped propel the brand,” Luzzatto said, “we are now the party/event at most festivals and other cultural happenings.”
It’s seemingly ironic to consider SMU a part NYLON’s new chairman’s history. Yet history does indeed shape our future. The antiqued dove grey of the Dallas Hall steps transcends to the neon sparkle of NYLON.
