The finer things: The sparkling rise of YourLuxury Africa in South Africa
Define luxury. For some it’s a Bentley in the driveway or a diamond necklace. To others, a spa break, a scented candle or a family heirloom. Whatever your choice, luxury is personal. It’s a unique connection to the finer things in life that’s celebrated to its fullest by South African monthly magazine YourLuxury Africa.
“For a long time, luxury has been seen as this thing that’s unattainable and for the very few, but we want to put out the message that a Jo Malone candle in your house is as impactful as a Patek Philippe watch,” says Editor Lerato Tshabalala.
“And YourLuxury Africa figures out how luxury can work communally. Because I don’t think luxury is about sitting in this tower by yourself. It’s making sure you have other people with you. It’s that sense of community – it is known as ‘ubuntu’ here in South Africa – that differentiates us.”
YourLuxury Africa’s approach has seen it gain traction from the moment it was launched in 2022. The brand has blossomed into a potent Pan African media platform that combines a free-to-market print magazine (delivered to select luxury locations like lodges and hotels as well as to homes), a fast-growing online presence and regular events in conjunction with luxury brands.
And the innovations keep on coming. YourLuxury Africa recently launched the YLA Lounge, a membership initiative that sees those who join get the magazine delivered to their doorstep, receive access to the magazine’s newsletter and get priority invites to exclusive events.
The magazine’s content is divided across luxury pillars (from watches and jewels to travel, arts and culture) and, among the glistening product pages, features interviews with artists, stylish sports stars and chefs. YLA is not just about luxury items and experiences, but also the stories behind those creating or enjoying the finer things in life.
“When the magazine was launched, the whole ethos was that luxury is curated and something that is bespoke,” says Yvonne Shaff, Managing Director of YourLuxury Africa. “And we saw a gap in the market in that, when it comes to a Pan African context, there wasn’t anybody really doing this. There’s no one really with our size in the monthly space across all platforms.
“What was extremely important to get right was the storytelling and for the magazine to find its own voice. Because, as I always tell our advertisers, if the reader is not responding to it, it’s of absolutely no use to you whatsoever. Even more important than an advertiser, is a reader.
“We are truly Pan African because Lerato is very good at finding the voices and the writers in Africa. We were born in Africa. We are very proudly Pan African and nothing can take that away. That’s our USP.”
Timepieces and tipple
YLA’s luxury content pillars are directly linked to its events, which sees the magazine partner with luxury brands for memorable soirées. Those attending are carefully selected according to their love of certain luxury items.
“We have events stacked according to motoring, watches, beauty, fashion, and so on, and they are mostly quite intimate,” says Tshabalala. “Our focus is also on growing our audiences and finding them where they are.
“We did an event with a Japanese restaurant in Johannesburg with a group of people that we handpicked, who got to experience things that they wouldn’t ordinarily. And you also want people to connect and meet each other.”
With each successful event, demand to work with YLA has gone through the roof. A launch when YLA was started saw the media brand team up OMEGA and The Macallan for a Watches & Whiskey evening.
“OMEGA brought out eight special watches not available in this country,” recalls Shaff. “For the event we created the look and feel of Maxim’s of Paris in a restaurant that has a big selection of whiskies and collaborated with The Macallan. We invited 32 people and did an evening where the food was curated, there was an incredible DJ and OMEGA created special travel gift sets for every person.
“After that, every watch brand wanted to do the same thing. We are actually almost becoming a full-on eventing company and it’s a massive stream for us suddenly.”
Local landscape
The rise of YLA is a success story in a country where the media has gone through some upheaval over the last few years. In 2020, the financial impact of Covid forced two publishing houses in South Africa – Caxton and Associated Media Publishing (AMP) – to withdraw a string of iconic magazines from shelves including Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Bona, People and Farmer’s Weekly.
And in 2024, Media24, the major South African media company, announced the closure of the print editions of several newspapers, including City Press, Rapport, Beeld, and Daily Sun due to declining circulation, rising costs and a shift to online platforms.
Amid the cull, niche publications have thrived. “I think what’s changed in South Africa is that if you’ve latched onto a market, you’ve done it well, you’ve found your niche and you have great content supported by people who love what they do, the rest just happens,” says Shaff. “It’s a sweet spot.
“So that for me has been the biggest lesson about the media landscape. It’s changing, with many niche titles coming out quarterly or bi-monthly. It’s expensive and you’ve got to have the support to run a monthly title.
“The thing that I found is that relationships matter. People buy relationships. It’s easy to phone up a CEO and say we’ve got something that’s completely new and they say ‘I’m in’ because they trust you and they know you. For any newcomer that tries to come in, it’s a problem because people don’t have time to build relationships.”
A sprint to print
As is the case in many countries around the world, South Africa has seen readers seek out print as they search of a more tactile experience away from their screens. For a beautifully crafted magazine like YLA, that’s good news.
“There’s been a slow movement – not only in South Africa, but globally – with people wanting to get away from their phones for a little bit and do something that has nothing to do with scrolling on a screen,” says Tshabalala. “We’ve proven that a physical product is something people actually want, particularly with great paper, and we spend a lot of time thinking about that.
“When it comes to content, I spend a lot of time thinking about what kind of feature I can bring this person that they’re not going to be able to find elsewhere? What kind of hotels am I talking about that you’re not going to find in Vogue? What kind of sustainability story am I telling you about indigenous African food that you will want to keep the magazine and share it with your kids and take it from the lounge.”
YLA’s commitment to print is reflected in a recent launch – a monthly broadsheet called YourLuxury Africa Post, features glossy images of luxury items, and is wrapped around the regular magazine when it’s delivered.
“We’re always looking for new revenue streams – if you can’t monetise, you’re dead, and we are supported by our advertisers,” says Shaff. “So, we’ve launched this broadsheet using good bond paper, not newsprint. For us, it’s something that’s innovative and new. No-one else in South Africa is doing this.”
