Meet Lucy Ivey, Who Launched Her Own Fashion and Culture Magazine at Just 15

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Lucy Ivey always thought she wanted to do the performing arts. But when COVID hit and the world shut down, she felt a desire—a need, really—to create something. So at just 15 years old, she decided to start her own magazine.

“I posted on my Instagram story, ‘If anyone wants to help, I’m doing this.’” Ivey says of Our Era, a gen-z led print and digital publication that has been profiled in Seventeen and featured a digital cover with DJ and influencer Tara Yummy this month. “A bunch of people joined, and it kind of just snowballed into something a lot bigger than I ever thought it would. We’ve worked with a lot of different brands and people, but it really just stemmed from my love of fashion and storytelling and wanting to combine the two of them.”

Now, Ivey is still running the publication while pursuing her degree in applied communications at Utah Valley University. “Starting Our Era was a big risk,” Ivey says. “But it’s paid off in a lot of different ways.” Like, for example, being invited to attend shows at New York Fashion Week. (“I was 17 and didn’t know what I was doing. I was standing in the back. But it was super cool, and I thought, ‘Okay, I think I can do this. I know it’s super stressful, and I’m waiting outside in 20 degree weather, but I think it’s worth it.’”)

There are more rewarding moments, too. “We created a zine for Mental Health Month that was really important to me because I was able to take this vision I had for blending fashion, advocacy, and storytelling all together,” she says. “Everything from start to finish with that project was so exciting for me, from creating the mood boards for the outfits to then actually seeing it in my hands. It was so gratifying.”

In some ways, Ivey already has her dream job. “My dream would be to continue to do what I’m doing right now—blending fashion and storytelling—whether that’s at another publication, a brand, or something else,” she says.

Who is your personal style icon?

Lucy Ivey: I love Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. I think she is so cool, and she tells stories through the outfit she wears. The costume designer on that show is just beyond incredible, and I love how she’s mixed different textures and prints and eras without being afraid of judgment or anything. I think she’s just so cool and someone I constantly look to. Her stuff’s all over my Pinterest.

If you could describe your style in three words, what would they be?

Funky—I say that as I’m wearing a sweatshirt that’s not funky at all. It’s so bland—but I would say, funky, bright, and eclectic.

What’s a TV show, movie, or celebrity that best matches your vibe?

I love Drew Barrymore from the ‘90s, late ‘90s, early 2000s. What she was wearing then is definitely something I have pinned everywhere.