October 6, 2026·Interview
Thom Bettridge
The magazine whisperer turning print institutions into internet-native brands.
Thom Bettridge is the guy magazines call when they need saving. Over the past decade he's taken some of fashion and culture's best-known titles — Interview, Highsnobiety, and most recently i-D — and rebuilt each so that they serve people who grew up online without losing their print prestige. As a side quest, he ran the creative side of the luxury retailer SSENSE. Up next, he's launching his creative studio CONTENT WORLD. Here, he tells us why reality TV is secretly one of our best art forms, why he's handed his aux over to the radio, and why he thinks "community" has become the most misused word around.
Three places you've felt inspired by.
- My office (coworkers get me inspired)
- Louvre Lens (incredible architecture)
- Walking through Central Park (always and forever)
What's your hot take?
I think one of the great paradoxes of our cultural moment is contained within the word "Community," something that we all need, but at the same time, the way we use the word is almost always wrong. Liking the same thing is not a "community." Waiting on line for the same brunch or concert is not a "community." Communities are groups that share tangible ideals and contribute concretely to each other, whether that be materially, socially, or emotionally.
What do you listen to on repeat?
I've recently gotten into listening to the radio, so I can't repeat songs (or even have a choice of what I'm listening to). My favorite is WKCR, which is the Columbia University station (89.9 FM if you’re in New York City).
What is the most worthwhile investment you've made?
Making student publications while I was in college. It was the perfect training ground for making magazines and probably more valuable than the classes I paid tuition for.
What is an unusual habit, or an absurd thing, that you love?
I don't like scripted or "prestige" television, but I love watching reality television. It's a near-perfect art form filled with unreal levels of comedy, pathos, and social satire. The way that we read plays to understand ancient Greece, people in the future will watch reality shows to understand our society.
Who is your forever inspo?
I have so many, but will name a few... people who made "Content" before the internet existed like George Lois, Oliviero Toscani, or even Andy Kaufman. Film directors who are masters of world-building like Kubrick, Rohmer, or Miyazaki.
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