How to Pitch: AD Edition
Welcome to our new series, How to Pitch, where we dive into all you need to pitch yourself or your business to your favorite publications.
And where better to kick things off than with the iconic Architectural Digest (AD). If you love home design and stunning interiors as much as we do, then you already know AD is the place to find the world’s most beautiful spaces, fascinating people, and the latest in global design. From interiors and architecture to travel destinations, art and cultural events, celebrity style, high-end real estate, new products and shops, AD is the ultimate authority in the world of design.
AD features experts, designers, celebs, and businesses in the design and lifestyle space - if you are an interior designer, architecture firm, celebrity designer or stylist, an artist, a travel expert, tabletop designer, entertaining expert, garden/landscape designer, real estate expert, an antique enthusiast, or if you have a home product collection, AD could be a fit for you.
So how do you get your work in front of their editorial team? Let’s dive in!
Where to start? The fundamentals. The world of PR and editorial can seem mysterious at times, but like most things in life, breaking it down into simple, tangible steps is half the battle.
Step 1: Know the Publication Inside and Out
Before you even think about reaching out, you have to familiarize yourself with the publication. Launched in 1920, AD has expanded beyond architecture and interior design, delivering content that spans from arts and antiques to landscapes and travel. It reaches millions of readers, inspiring them to redesign their homes, embrace art, and go on adventures. AD isn't just any design outlet and it’s more than just a glossy magazine—it’s a powerhouse with multiple platforms and a global reach. It spans across multiple channels, including:
The print magazine: A monthly print issue that’s the heart of AD’s editorial.
The online version: Archdigest.com offers daily coverage of design trends, luxury homes, shopping and more.
Clever: a section of Architectural Digest’s website focused on modern, accessible, and creative design ideas for a younger, design-savvy audience. It covers small-space solutions, DIY projects, home tours, budget-friendly decorating tips, and emerging design trends.
Membership platform: Tailored to the trade, offering exclusive access to content. Members get access to the AD digital archive, an extensive digital catalog of the magazine.
YouTube video series: From Open Door to Blueprints, AD also offers immersive video content and a binge worthy YouTube channel.
Social media: AD posts original content across Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram, making it a great opportunity for visibility.
Awards and events: The AD awards, specifically the AD100, is an annual list published by Architectural Digest that recognizes and celebrates the top talents in interior decoration, architecture, and landscape design worldwide. Check out the 2025 list here.
So here’s your to-do list before you even think about pitching:
Read it. Seriously, this is a non-negotiable. Familiarize yourself with both print and digital. Pick up the print copy at the airport or bookstore. Familiarize yourself with the topics, people, and themes covered in their columns and series. Sign up for their newsletter here to get tips and inspo in your inbox. AD’s website is filled with original content covering design trends, luxury homes, and even celebrity interiors—dive deep into their features to learn what kinds of stories they run.
Know their audience. Magazines are at the service of their readers. AD traditionally caters to an affluent, style-conscious readership, but has expanded its reach through their digital platform Clever to include younger generations and DIY enthusiasts, aiming to appeal to a wider audience. Readers span across age demographics from Boomers, to Millennials and Gen Z.
Follow AD and its editors on social media. AD creates original content across their Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Pay attention to the tone and voice of their posts and stories. What do they highlight on Instagram or other platforms?
A few must-follows from the AD editorial team:
Step 2: Research the Right Editor and Section
Speaking of editors…doing a little digging into the right editor to reach out to will go a long way. For instance, a “Commerce Editor” might be responsible for selecting interesting products to feature in the “market” or “front of book” pages of the magazine, while a “Features Editor” might work on “well stories” or longer multi-page home features you see in the magazine.
You’ll want to find out who covers the topics and stories related to what you’re pitching. Learning the sections and editor specialties at AD will help you target the right person.
Most publications publish a list of their editorial team on their masthead, which is typically one of the first pages in a print magazine. AD has a thorough online masthead that features all of their editors, what they cover, recent articles they’ve written, along with a brief bio about their background and contact information. This is a gift from the editorial gods – use it.
We include contact information for AD editors inside of our membership.
It might take a few tries to get to the right person and that’s ok. This is the long game, and can require relationship building, and multiple rounds of story ideas and outreach. Be patient. Make a list of editors and/or sections of the magazine that you might want to reach out to and continue to build on it. For how to draft an email to an editor, check out our free guide to do your own PR here.
Here are a few of our favorites sections/content series:
Gift & Shopping Guides - for seasonal products and gift ideas that are fun, special, editor approved, and “pop from a page” meaning a white mug might be your best seller but a fuchsia mug will stand out and add some drama to a shopping guide.
Example: 47 Gifts Under $50 for the Design Lover, By Audrey Lee, Rachel Fletcher, and Julia Harrison.
Emerging Design Stars - for up and coming designers, architects and artists to get on the radar. Example: Meet 8 Emerging Design Stars From Across the Country, By Madeleine Luckel, Hannah Martin, Mayer Rus, Mel Studach, and Sam Cochran.
Home Tours - for special, unique, interesting spaces with a story. Example: Inside a 950-Square-Foot NYC Bachelor Pad That Writes Its Own Rules, By Nicolas Milon.
AD it Yourself - for experts who know how to make home design work for everyone, AD It Yourself is full of actionable DIY advice from AD writers, editors, and experts on topics from building a treehouse, to cleaning your washing machine, or renovating your bathroom. Example: How to Create the Perfect Sleep Environment, Decor and All. Expert-approved bedroom design tips for more restful nights ahead, By Miranda Silva and Yelena Moroz Alpert.
Step 3: Have a Unique Point of View
Editors get thousands of PR pitches daily. If you want to stand out, your email needs to have that wow factor. Think about what makes your or your business, product collection, or project different. Maybe it’s an unexpected use of color, your design philosophy, a unique material, or a quirky design feature. Here’s the deal: Every pitch needs a story. It’s not enough to just send over a picture of a beautiful room or new product collection—be sure to share the story behind the space, or the inspiration behind a new collection. Did you design around an antique collection inspired by your grandmother's home? Did you uncover a hidden treasure during the renovation? That’s what editors want to hear.
Also, please note, exclusivity matters when pitching design pubs. Do not submit the same design project to multiple outlets. Especially with AD, you want to go out to them with exclusive, original design projects and ideas. They are not going to run something that has been all over Instagram or in Elle Decor or House Beautiful. One publication at a time. Be sure you’re sending a personal, thoughtful note that reflects your research of their editorial needs and how you can help service their readers. We show you exactly what to put in an editor pitch here.
Step 4: Get Your Materials Together
We cannot stress this enough—good photography is everything. If you want to stand out, your images need to be editorial. Ideally, you want high-resolution, well-lit shots that capture the essence of your design. It’s worth hiring a photographer who has relationships with magazines like AD to help you get the right shots. The quality of your photos tells the editor that you are familiar with the visual standards of a top-tier publication. Check out past articles for reference such as this one, each of these designers has a professional and headshot that reflects their personal brand. Look at the photo credit to find the photographer or show these images as an example before your next shoot.
But remember, it's not just about big interior shots or massive homes. Editors are always on the lookout for the nuanced little details too. Little vignettes, close-up shots of design features, or styling tips for smaller items—these are what often get picked up for digital features. The key is to show versatility in your work.
In addition to photography, make sure you have your PR materials ready as well. You can check out this free list here for an asset checklist. You will want your bio, a lifestyle headshot, and supporting materials about your company, and editorial photography of the design project or product collection your’e pitching ready to go.
Editors work on cray tight deadlines. So, the easier you make their job and are easy to work with, the better your chances of cutting through. Make sure your photos are high-res and well-organized. Label everything properly, and use Dropbox or GoogleDrive for easy file sharing. Be fast, efficient and organized.
Also, be responsive. If you don’t hear back in a few days, follow up. This is the long game. Sometimes you can get a quick response but most often it will require additional follow ups and emails. Relationship building is key.
Step 5: Learn Lead Times
AD and most other glossy magazines work months in advance. Even the online team often works with a substantial lead time, meaning they are working on stories well ahead of time, sometimes even 3 to 6 months in advance, or more.
AD has a helpful editorial calendar available on its website that outlines issues and closing dates. This is created for advertisers but is a helpful tool for PR people as well.
We are in March right now, so you want to be approaching AD print with stories that are appropriate for late summer and fall issues. From our experience, design projects or feature stories in the print issue can even take years to see the light of day. The website might have a shorter lead time and be scouting for late spring and summer. Keep this in mind while reaching out and when in doubt, just go for it and send the information over. You never know what could happen if you don’t try.
We hope you found this information helpful! Let us know what publication you want us to dive into next month.
Carla & Kathryn
Photo Credits: all courtesy of Architectural Digest.
Hi y’all - from AD here 😙 we’re dissolving Clever! And moving all that content to AD Shopping, pushing for a more elevated editorial voice and merchandising, that’s a bit less playful/millennial than Clever was. Otherwise, gorgeous roundup 💝
Love this series!! This was SO incredibly helpful. ELLE Decor or Vogue would be awesome to cover in the next one!