Life Magazine to Return as Print Quarterly in November
Bedford Media is set to revive the iconic publication with a new quarterly print edition starting later this month.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Fashion
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Life magazine will return to newsstands as a quarterly print publication beginning in November 2026. Owned by Bedford Media, the brand will also expand into digital media, events, and documentary filmmaking.
Why it matters
The revival project seeks to preserve and protect the historic legacy of the brand for a new generation. By diversifying into short-form video and films, the company aims to modernize the identity of the magazine beyond its print roots.
The magazine previously reached a peak circulation of over 8 million copies during the 1960s. The brand has been dormant as a regular publication since Time Inc. ceased operations in 2000.
The players
Bedford Media
This is the media entity that owns the rights to the magazine and is overseeing its transition back into print and digital formats.
Karlie Kloss
She is the owner of Bedford Media and the primary figure driving the strategy to bring the historic publication back to the public.
Henry Luce
He was the influential publisher who founded the original version of the magazine in 1936.
The details
The relaunch is backed by Bedford Media, the company owned by Karlie Kloss. The initiative will move the publication into a multi-platform strategy that includes social media integration and film production.
Timeline
Henry Luce founded Life magazine in 1936.
Circulation reached a peak of over 8 million copies during the 1960s.
Time Inc. ended weekly publication of the magazine in 1972.
Regular publication of the magazine ceased in 2000.
The new quarterly print edition is scheduled to launch in November 2026.
Culture Shift
The magazine's return follows a long history of iconic imagery like the 1945 V-J Day Times Square photo, which defined the publication's cultural influence. This relaunch represents a broader societal shift toward reviving legacy media brands through multi-platform digital strategies.
Readers can expect to see the new print quarterly available for purchase starting in November. This shift changes the way fans of the brand can engage with its content compared to the digital-only availability of the past two decades.
The takeaway
The move demonstrates how classic intellectual property can be monetized in the current digital-first media environment. Consumers interested in historic journalism should watch for the inaugural quarterly print release later this month.
Further reading
Discover more about the evolving media industry by visiting the United States Fashion section.
Live Poll
Would you read a print quarterly magazine in an era dominated by digital and social media?
