Michal McKay

Michal Louise McKay (née: Walker; 23 August 1942 – 16 March 2024),[1] was a New Zealand journalist and fashion editor.

Early life

McKay was born on 23 August 1942 in Wellington, New Zealand. McKay was the daughter of Bill and Paddy Walker.[2] She grew up in Christchurch as her father recovered from tuberculosis at the Hanmer Sanitorium.[3][4]

Career

As a child, McKay modelled for the Milne & Choyce department store and was photographed alongside her mother for L'Officiel.[2] Bernard Leser (founder of Vogue Australia and later president of Condé Nast) served as a "mentor and guide" to McKay from a young age.[2][5]

As a teenager she joined The New Zealand Herald as a cadet reporter and worked as a model.[2][3]

In 1964, she replaced Marie Stuttard as fashion and beauty editor of Vogue New Zealand.[2] However, before she took over the role she completed a three-month internship at British Vogue,[6] McKay was sent there by New Zealand Vogue editor-in-chief Sheila Scotter to be "Voguerised".[2] In 1967,[6] she moved to London and was appointed fashion and beauty editor at the British edition of Good Housekeeping.[2] She often travelled to the London fashion shows with Anna Wintour and Jennifer Hocking.[2]

In 1973 she became associate editor at Vogue Australia.[3] In the late 1970s, she served as marketing and development director of Country Road.[3] McKay later became design director for Norma Tullo and Carla Zampatti.[2] McKay also worked in brand development and marketing for Beymen and Sportsgirl. She served as fashion and beauty editor for The Australian Women's Weekly.[2] McKay returned to London join Good Housekeeping as deputy editor.[3][2]

In 1985, McKay was appointed editor of the New Zealand Woman's Weekly.[3] Under her leadership the magazine was given an "educational uplift" and moved upmarket, however, circulation dropped and she resigned from the magazine in 1987.[7][8] She returned to London and joined Estée Lauder.[8]

McKay joined Vogue Singapore in 1996 as editor-in-chief. The magazine closed from its January 1997 issue due to the Asian Financial Crisis.[9][10]

In 2005, McKay returned to New Zealand, following the invitiation of Fairfax Media to edit New Zealand House & Garden.[2] McKay was appointed editorial director of New Zealand House & Garden and Cuisine.[11] In 2009, McKay founded Maiki, a creative communications consultancy, through the firm she would consult the Royal New Zealand Ballet.[2] In 2013, she became a columnist at Viva, a New Zealand Herald fashion supplement.[11]

McKay moved to Havelock North in 2015 and became a committee member for World Child Cancer Charity Trust and the Hawkes Bay Decorative and Fine Arts Society.[2] From 2016 until her death, McKay was an editor and contributor at Bay Buzz.[12][13] McKay was a trustee of the New Zealand Fashion Museum.[2]

Personal life

In 1967, she was engaged to Ross McKay (son of Don McKay).[14] They married in 1968 and divorced in 1973.[3]

Death

McKay died on 16 March 2024 at home.[15]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ Awha, Dan (19 March 2024). "Former New Zealand Vogue editor Michal McKay has died, leaving an indelible legacy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cryer, Max (January 2017). "Michal McKay". New Zealand Fashion Museum. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "The woman behind new-image 'Weekly'". The Press. 12 April 1986. p. 14.
  4. ^ McKay, Michal (7 May 2014). "Eternal Gratitude: Michal Mckay". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Bernard Leser". The Times. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b "Public talk: NZ fashion in the 1960s with Michal McKay and Jillian Ewart". CTANZ / Costume and Textiles Aotearoa New Zealand. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  7. ^ Lynch, Jenny (2 June 2020). "Sleeping beauty: the dear old Woman's Weekly". Newsroom. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b "Editor heading overseas". The Press. 16 June 1987. p. 10. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Former New Zealand Vogue editor Michal McKay has died, leaving an indelible legacy". The New Zealand Herald. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Publication of Vogue Edition In Singapore Is Suspended". The Wall Street Journal. 27 November 1996. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Michal McKay is The Sophisticate". The New Zealand Herald. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Michal McKay | BayBuzz". 16 November 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  13. ^ Belford, Tom (18 March 2024). "Mourning Michal McKay". BayBuzz. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Engagements Announced". The Press. 13 September 1967. p. 2. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Michal MCKAY Obituary (2024) - The New Zealand Herald". Legacy.com. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
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