WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT
Extraordinary PEOPLE!
Why surround yourself with mundane mediocrity, when life can be beautiful? Let’s face it, average just isn’t our style. It’s not yours either – that’s why we love you.
That’s not to say we’re self-centred, pretentious or snobbish. As Tolstoy said, “There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth”. We’re just saying we’re here doing what we do… really well. In a world full of beige, we create technicolour brilliance, and it’s all inspired by you.
​
Compelled to immortalise the extraordinary, we encapsulate the essence of influential individuals within the pages of beautiful bespoke magazines. Each page becomes a canvas, a confidante, a consumptive carnival of creativity that captivates consciousness. Let’s ditch ordinary together – because it just won’t cut it anymore – and create something truly special that reflects our shared inspiration and values.
​
You’re our muse. We’re your medium. So let’s get started.
WHY magazines?
BECAUSE OF CEREMONY: In a time when we weren't so time poor, magazines formed part of a ceremony, where we could nestle in our nooks with a niche publication coddling tea and biscuits on lazy afternoons.
​
BECAUSE OF AGGREGATION: Magazines have always been a sort of aggregator, curator and portal, bringing together what is disparate. Even more so today considering how much we live in a fragmented, dispersed digital world with its myriad of touch points.
​
BECAUSE OF DEPTH: In a world of fast food and fast media, we lose the depth of subjects and people. We've become very adept distracting ourselves of that lingering emptiness. Papercuts aims to flesh out and reclaim what is lost during all our scrolling and skimming.
​
BECAUSE OF FACTS: Print magazine sales in Australia increased 4.1% in 2023*. People are still craving content that builds intimacy and trust, as they explore how other people's worlds might fit into theirs.
​
BECAUSE OF LONGEVITY: Ultimately, our aim is to create something that will last longer than ourselves. Unlike the mass media publications, we desire to curate content that's timeless, a sort of reference material we can keep going back to like a fond friend who adds incomparable value and meaning to our brief visit here.
​
* https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/increases-in-readership-for-all-magazine-categories
WHO ARE We?
Papercuts is a new business made up from a number of industry professionals in creative strategy, design, copywriting and content creation – focused on producing niche magazines. We're approaching influencers who we absolutely admire, for whom we'd fight tooth-and-nail to see more of what they do in the world.
Freye Lowery
​
WORDSMITH
​
Freye is a seasoned storyteller and creative copywriter.​ Although a little obsessed (some say unhealthily) with words and language, Freye’s innate talent for creating compelling content transcends words, as she enjoys exploring diverse mediums to reach and resonate with her audiences.
And while Freye will always harbour animosity towards Bernadette for her time working with Collette Dinnigan in Paris, she remains dedicated to her craft, channeling her mild jealousy into motivation for continued growth and excellence in her own field.
​
With a knack for narrative and a flair for fancy, Freye aims to elevate expression, one word at a time.
Bernadette Gethings
​
IDEATOR
​
Bernadette has a knack for transforming creative concepts into tangible products, having led the design on projects encompassing publications, marketing, branding, product design and communications.
Her broad professional experience includes the arts, textile design, government, NFP, education, entertainment and fashion industries – where she was handpicked to join renowned designer, Collette Dinnigan during Paris Fashion Week (insert Freye’s green-eye roll of envy).
​
Bernadette sees beauty in everyday things. She doesn't just see a heart-shaped puddle on the footpath, but inspiration for the next digital marketing campaign.
Stephen De Jager​
​
CREATOR
​
Stephen is a well-experienced creative professional who cut his teeth at magazine publisher Black & White, working on their bridal and children's fashion magazines.
​
Having led creative teams within the Entertainment, Ed-Tech, NFP and Government industries, Stephen's abilities range from ideation, strategy, design, video and animation, right across print to all things digital.
​
Apart from being a natural ‘big thinker' and storyteller with an unabated entrepreneurial spirit, Stephen is skilled in making complex things simple, and has been a creator and custodian of many brands, some developed completely from the ground up.