my name is stephanie duval and i am a storyteller. if that sounds like a fancy title to try and label a job that may be intriguing, but above all is mostly vague, well - actually - that sounds about right.
i started out in life as a voracious reader, went on to study literature and ended up becoming a journalist. i discovered i love telling stories, though they don't always take on the same format.
conceptualizing a vision for a magazine, translating the identity of a brand into copy or simply interviewing interesting personalities to narrate their lives and adventures - it's all in a day's work.
i tried on the word copywriter for a while, but it felt too shallow. i got tired of trying to figure out the differences between journalist and editor and editor-in-chief, since i wanted to be them all.
so finally, i ended up with storyteller. because honestly, that's what it all comes down to.
does that still sound too fuzzy for ya? want to get to know me better? be careful what
you wish for; a storyteller never avoids an opportunity to overshare.
°
1985
born in antwerp.
1992
i
confuse my parents by alternately caring only about my barbie dolls'
outfits and being a precociously avid reader. pink-loving airhaid or
bookish bore, it's impossible to say yet which direction i'm headed in.
1996
after
the joys of exploring 'paint' on my dad's pc, i discover 'word' and
promptly decide to write a book. a few months later i abandon that plan
in favor of a much more appealing career as a fashion designer. my
parents have by now become used to my fickleness.
1999
i buy my first camera. it turns out to be the first of many.
2003
i buy my first designer handbag. it turns out to be the first of many.
2005
i take my first trip to new york city. you know the drill: the first of many.
2006
during
my germanic philology studies i start concentrating on american
literature. but i distract myself from herman melville and thomas
pynchon by writing the antwerp shop hopper guide and freelancing for
label magazine.
2007
i
graduate magna cum laude with a thesis about american students'
behavior on campus: sex, drugs and all that, quoi. perhaps because i was
such a goody two-shoes myself at the time.
2008
busy
year. i intern at elle magazine, graduate from the master in
journalism program, properly start my career as a freelance journalist
and am appointed label's new editor-in-chief.
2010
i
move into my very own apartment in antwerp and briefly
consider a new career as an interior designer as i get so caught up in
decorating. luckily i now have a firmer grasp on my flakiness and
keep my focus on storytelling.
2011
the
boyfriend moves to switzerland, so i start dividing my time between
antwerp and geneva - racking up the frequent flyer miles and sometimes
fancying myself a george clooney 'up in the air' kind of character. only
slightly less glamorous. okay, a lot less glamorous.
2012
the year in which i take a trip to california and fall in love with los angeles (new york will always be my first love). i also get engaged to my boyfriend of ten years and decide to permanently move to geneva to live in a tiny apartment with him.
2013
i say goodbye to the magazine that helped shape my career as a fashion editor, when label magazine publishes its very last issue. i say i do to the man of my life in the spanish dessert (it rained!) and hello to a new chapter of my personal life as a married woman. the one thing that didn't change? my job as a storyteller for some of the coolest brands, companies and publications that i know.
°
in the past, i have freelanced for
elle
bthere
l'officiel
the bulletin
flanders today
i wrote about subjects ranging from miracle boob job cream (i dare you to google that) to the life and work of zoe cassavetes (actually met her and love her)
i regularly have articles of mine published in
kwintessens
wab magazine
usually they are interviews with young and promising belgian talent in design or fashion
currently i am editor-in-chief of
pure
aphrodite
two trade magazines that take me deep into the underbelly of the fashion industry and for which i guide a team of freelancers, coordinate all content and collaborate closely with the art directors
i've also worked on projects with
hectica
branding today
nascom
kanaal z
creative feed
who have asked me to spot trends, brainstorm on branding and produce copy for several of their clients, such as khlim, crowne plaza, xandres and ecover.
i've written shopping guides
brussels fashion guide
antwerp shophopper
because i'm super into retail like that
i consult for
diamanti per tutti
on everything from their logos and websites to their online marketing and media strategies
and i am currently also working with
connections
gicom
who ask me to spot trends, create interesting content, manage brand conversations
or share my travel experiences
°
still want more? get in touch. i'll happily blab your ears off (in english or dutch) about my fascination with words and passion for travel and lifestyle.
2013
i say goodbye to the magazine that helped shape my career as a fashion editor, when label magazine publishes its very last issue. i say i do to the man of my life in the spanish dessert (it rained!) and hello to a new chapter of my personal life as a married woman. the one thing that didn't change? my job as a storyteller for some of the coolest brands, companies and publications that i know.
°
in the past, i have freelanced for
elle
bthere
l'officiel
the bulletin
flanders today
i wrote about subjects ranging from miracle boob job cream (i dare you to google that) to the life and work of zoe cassavetes (actually met her and love her)
i regularly have articles of mine published in
kwintessens
wab magazine
usually they are interviews with young and promising belgian talent in design or fashion
currently i am editor-in-chief of
pure
aphrodite
two trade magazines that take me deep into the underbelly of the fashion industry and for which i guide a team of freelancers, coordinate all content and collaborate closely with the art directors
i've also worked on projects with
hectica
branding today
nascom
kanaal z
creative feed
who have asked me to spot trends, brainstorm on branding and produce copy for several of their clients, such as khlim, crowne plaza, xandres and ecover.
i've written shopping guides
brussels fashion guide
antwerp shophopper
because i'm super into retail like that
i consult for
diamanti per tutti
on everything from their logos and websites to their online marketing and media strategies
and i am currently also working with
connections
gicom
who ask me to spot trends, create interesting content, manage brand conversations
or share my travel experiences
°
still want more? get in touch. i'll happily blab your ears off (in english or dutch) about my fascination with words and passion for travel and lifestyle.
