The trendsetting fashion and culture publisher i-D has appointed Michiel Steur as its first chief executive officer, a newly created role at the 46-year-old editorial brand, according to Steur. He will officially start Oct. 1.
As CEO, Steur will be responsible for growing the brand and its business. He will report to the leadership of its new parent company, Bedford Media, which acquired the title in November 2023 from Vice Media as it navigated bankruptcy proceedings.
The publisher will remain committed to its founding mission, which is to discover and champion new talent, but also aims to evolve from an editorial outlet into a broader media business and cultural platform, according to Steur.
“None of this is about reinventing what i-D stands for,” Steur said. “Our mission is clear, and it’s a priority to execute on that.”
Steur originally joined i-D in October 2024 as its chief commercial officer. His appointment comes at a challenging time for lifestyle media, as disruptions to search and social traffic have upended the open web, throttling advertising revenues while reducing the reach of editorial brands.
i-D will have to navigate those challenges, but the deep pockets of its new ownership group could provide it a degree of insulation.
Bedford Media was founded in conjunction with its acquisition of i-D by supermodel Karlie Kloss, along with her husband, venture capitalist and new co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Josh Kushner. Kloss is also a partial owner of W Magazine and, through Bedford Media, operates Life Magazine through a licensing agreement with People Inc.
Editorial and commercial evolution
i-D has historically been rooted in the worlds of fashion and creativity, identifying and nurturing key talent in the space.
For the first cover story since its acquisition, the company hosted an open casting call and found Enza, an unsigned model from Ohio. Later, she appeared on the cover of the magazine, traveled with the brand to Paris Fashion Week, and was signed to an agency.
