Hailey Bieber Poses Before Giant Poster of Her Kiss With Justin at WYouth Launch

Teen magazines have had a rough few years, yet WYouth is betting that print can still win over a new generation. Its launch event in West Hollywood drew plenty of attention, and Hailey Bieber, who co-hosted the night, was one of the biggest reasons why.

WYouth, pronounced “double youth,” is the teenage sister publication of W Magazine. It publishes biannually in print, with a dedicated section on W’s website. The first issue arrived Sept. 15 with fashion spreads, horoscopes, a quiz about toxic best friends and interviews with Gen Z stars like Clairo.

The project is helmed by Ava Nirui, the former creative director of Heaven by Marc Jacobs, alongside W editor in chief Sara Moonves. Sofia Coppola and her teenage daughter Cosima Croquet signed on as contributing editors. Nirui has said the idea grew out of a conversation with Coppola and Moonves about the magazines they loved as teens, with the goal of reviving that spirit through pop culture experimentation and physical media.

The timing is notable. Forbes pointed out that the launch came less than a year after Teen Vogue folded into Vogue in November 2025, and YPulse noted that Seventeen ended its print issues in 2018 while Tiger Beat is gone. W cited a poll finding that 71% of Gen Z feel print magazines have a stronger sense of authenticity than digital ones.

Hailey Bieber posed in front of a giant poster of herself kissing Justin at the W Youth launch she co-hosted in West Hollywood. https://t.co/EZsvZR9AuE

— Thought Catalog (@ThoughtCatalog) October 16, 2026

At the launch party, Hailey posed in front of a giant poster of herself kissing Justin Bieber, a blown-up version of the issue’s cover image. The Rhode founder wore a metallic sequin jacket-style top in silver, green, red and gold, left open with nothing underneath, according to Reality Tea. She paired it with low-rise jeans, wavy hair and dewy makeup.

In a second photo, she added dark sunglasses and black heels while standing beside the poster, which features the couple’s names scrawled across it in handwriting. Thought Catalog’s post of the photos gathered more than 8,000 views within hours.

Hailey Bieber at the WYouth Launch Event. 📸 (Jerritt Clark/Getty) https://t.co/7JUKFhhMkg

— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) October 16, 2026

Sequins and denim are a pairing she has worn before. For her 29th birthday, InStyle noted she chose a vintage DKNY sequin top with jeans and strappy heels, a combination it likened to a millennial going-out uniform.

The poster itself is the cover image, which Hailey and Justin shot themselves on a film camera. It came with a headline calling them more in love than ever, and a multi-page spread appears inside the issue. In the debut issue’s editor’s letter, W called the pair “the perfect first cover stars,” citing the warmth of their relationship along with Hailey’s Rhode empire and Justin’s music and fashion sense.

Hailey Bieber and Romy Mars together at the WYouth launch event. 📸 (Jerritt Clark/Getty) https://t.co/JO2Vl6IOtb

— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) October 16, 2026

Not everyone loved the choice. According to Yahoo, the cover’s intimate, self-shot photos of the couple embracing in bed drew largely negative reactions on social media. Some fans questioned whether it suited a youth magazine, while others suggested the pair were trying to quiet recurring divorce rumors.

It isn’t the first time the couple has made public affection a West Hollywood talking point. Billboard reported that they shared a passionate kiss at the Bird Streets Club during a listening party for Justin’s album ‘Swag’ in July 2025. The pair married in 2018.

With the launch party behind it, WYouth now has to prove it can hold young readers’ attention beyond one buzzy cover. W’s editor’s letter also points to young muses like Romy Mars and creatives such as Petra Collins, Larry Clark and Shoichi Aoki, and the site lists a feature on pop singer Adéla.

Nirui has argued that Gen Z’s digital fatigue may open the door for tangible print, according to YPulse’s summary of The New York Times’ reporting. If the party photos are any indication, the Biebers’ cover has at least guaranteed the magazine a lot of eyes.

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