Love Inc.’s Transgender Editorial Shatters Gender Norms

Love Inc. Magazine, founded in 2013, is a national digital magazine aimed to inspire couples of all sexual orientations as they plan their weddings. While the approach may seem niche in an industry still largely run on tradition, Love Inc’s 3rd edition, released in January, generated a media storm of attention from way beyond the realm of the wedding industry. What caught the attention of MSNBC, New York Daily News, Refinery 29, Huffington Post and even, surprisingly, Cosmopolitan was the magazine’s groundbreaking fashion editorial featuring a transgender model, Dylan Stephens, wearing both wedding gowns and suits.

We chatted with founder and editor-in-chief of Love Inc., Brittny Drye, to find out more about the inspiration and the reaction to the unique shoot.

brittny-drye-bio-pic

IDOPR: How did you get the idea for this shoot?

BD: Love Inc.’s fashion editor Krista Roser and I were tossing around ideas for the next fashion spread. We wanted to somehow represent the trans community and then it just kind of grew into this idea to remove the concept of gender completely from the equation and focus on what’s important — the fact that that person found someone they wanted to celebrate their life with.

Did you proactively seek media attention?

BD: We did. I knew that what we created was something special and the creative team who worked on this deserved to have their groundbreaking work seen by the world, so I did everything in my power to make that happen.

Love Inc. Mag

As seen on Refinery 29
Produced by Brittny Drye and Krista Roser
Photography by Ryan Carville
Model: Dylan Stephens
Hair: Jessica Watkins
Makeup: Cali Jeffries

You certainly did very well! Did you expect it to receive so much media attention?

BD: To be honest, I wasn’t sure how it was going to be received because it does send a very strong message, but I’m incredibly happy that it ended up doing as well as it did. We were praised in media outlets that I’ve long respected — MSNBC, The Advocate, New York Daily News, Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, MTV and more. My goal for this particular feature was to make you think. Whether you draw a socio-polital message from it or pin it to your Wedding Suit or Wedding Dress Pinterest boards, I wanted it to inspire and, luckily, it was successful in doing so.

What did, if anything, happen as a result of this shoot and the attention it got?

BD: I believe that this shoot was the tipping point for Love Inc. — it launched us from a brand that was new to one that deserved respect as a resource in this swiftly evolving wedding industry.

Love Inc. Mag

As seen on Huffinton Post
Produced by Brittny Drye and Krista Roser
Photography by Ryan Carville
Model: Dylan Stephens
Hair: Jessica Watkins
Makeup: Cali Jeffries

Which was your favorite moment from the media blitz?

BD: It’s hard to beat having something you created be the talking point in a broadcast segment, so when I was interviewed by Thomas Roberts for MSNBC, along with Transparent actress Judith Light and Harper’s Bazaar executive editor Laura Brown (two individuals whom I fiercely admire in their respective fields) to specifically discuss Love Inc. and the waves we were making as a publication, it was pretty special.

TV Appearance

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