Sonia Kolesnikov‑Jessop — Editor of CoutureNotebook

Journalist covering haute couture, craftsmanship, jewellery and the people behind the work

A woman with glasses and shoulder-length reddish hair smiling next to an intricate cream-colored cutout art piece with gold accents.

The Journalist Behind CoutureNotebook

I began my career in journalism at a time when mobile phones were rare and Google was still in its infancy. Reporting across politics, economics, arts and culture taught me the value of close observation, context and accuracy. Those principles still guide my work on couture.

Over the years, my reporting has taken me from central-bank policy and the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Aceh to film sets with Donnie Yen, Yayoi Kusama's studio and the ateliers and backstage rooms of Paris couture.

My work has appeared in publications including Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune/New York Times, the South China Morning Post and CNN Style. Those assignments gave me a broad view of how business, culture, craftsmanship and luxury intersect.

In 2012, a Singapore-based couture magazine sent me to Paris to cover couture week. I subsequently became Editor-in-Chief of Couture by Designaré, reporting from ateliers and backstage and speaking with couturiers. The experience gave me a close view of the people, techniques and knowledge behind the finished garment.

From 2012 to 2016, I was Editor-in-Chief, Lifestyle & Fashion, at BLOUIN ARTINFO, while overseeing Blouin Lifestyle Magazine. Regular coverage of couture presentations in Paris and elsewhere deepened my interest in the relationship between fashion, art, craftsmanship and heritage.

Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, editor in Chief of Couturenotebook, on the Orient Express

Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, editor in Chief of Couturenotebook, attending Tony Ward Couture presentation

I then spent six years at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars as a Brand and Lifestyle Communication Manager, where I gained a different perspective on craftsmanship, luxury and the relationship between a product and the client experience.

Today, CoutureNotebook brings together the different strands of my career. The publication covers haute couture and jewellery, alongside major fashion and jewellery exhibitions, with close attention to the craftsmanship and cultural histories behind them. My earlier work in art reporting informs the way I approach exhibitions and collections, while years of couture coverage provide the knowledge and access to report on the makers and techniques behind the objects on display.

CoutureNotebook has grown into an international editorial publication reaching more than 1.3 million followers across its social-media channels. Its coverage moves between the runway, the atelier, the museum and the exhibition gallery, connecting fashion, jewellery, art and craftsmanship through reporting, interviews and visual documentation.