So much of the narrative surrounding women focuses on our age.
From the ageism women face at work and the feeling of being written off or invisible as we get older, imagine how much better life would be if we could remove age from the equation altogether.
Would we be celebrated for our successes without noting the age we reached them, or could we simply "look good" rather than the slightly back-handed "good for our age"?
With our upcoming Ageless Issue, in collaboration with L'Oréal Paris, HELLO! aims to make age an irrelevant statistic.
From March 17, we're staging an age blackout, removing any mention of age from our website and print magazine for the week, paying tribute to a generation of women who are so much more than a number.
The Ageless Issue highlights the frequency with which women are defined - and dismissed – by our age. The campaign is a celebration of our experience, our differences and diversity. Not a denial of age, but a recognition of everything those years have gifted us.
Our milestone issue features iconic DJ Jo Whiley on the cover – and we couldn't be more excited to shine the spotlight on the woman who soundtracked not just our car journeys, but our Couch to 5KM challenge too, with her inspiring and motivational missives.
A broadcaster and campaigner defined by her experience, passion, knowledge and expression far more than her years, Whiley is interviewed exclusively across print, digital and social.
© Elisabeth Hoff, Courtsey of L’Oréal ParisOf the game-changing campaign, HELLO!'s Editor Jessica Callan says: "We might not live in an ageless society but at HELLO! we celebrate women's achievements regardless of their life stage - and we always reject the stereotypes of age. We are so proud to work with L'Oréal who are the perfect partner to help us shine a light on the women we cover and their inspiring stories, without even bringing age into it."
Say HELLO! to your Second Act
HELLO!'s Second Act is a newsletter for women in midlife and beyond. It's completely free to sign up and is a one-stop-shop for advice and inspiration on the issues our Second Act community have told us matter most: health, relationships, travel, menopause, divorce, careers, finance and more.
L'Oréal's General Manager Amelie Fortier-Cyr says: "L'Oréal Paris skincare has championed the celebration of beauty at every stage of life since 2014. We believe true beauty transcends age, focusing on the unique qualities and experiences that shape each individual. We are thrilled to partner with HELLO! on the Ageless Issue, highlighting women whose stories and accomplishments speak volumes, going beyond any numerical definition."
© Elisabeth Hoff, Courtsey of L’Oréal ParisMcCann London's Global Executive Creative Director, Rob Brown says of the pairing: "The ambition between the partnership of L'Oréal Paris and HELLO! Magazine was to go beyond an advertising takeover. By asking the HELLO! readership to vote to keep or remove age from the editorial begins to infiltrate culture, and questions ingrained behaviours in journalism and our own unconscious bias towards age."
To read the full exclusive interview with Jo Whiley, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
