{{Short description|New Zealand journalist (1942–2024)}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}}
'''Michal Louise McKay''' (née: '''Walker'''; 23 August 1942 – 16 March 2024),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Former New Zealand Vogue editor Michal McKay has died, leaving an indelible legacy|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/viva/fashion/former-new-zealand-vogue-editor-michal-mckay-has-died-leaving-an-indelible-legacy/4XTQAY43BVCDPP3622QUTNJ7WA/|website=The New Zealand Herald|date=19 March 2024|access-date=1 February 2026|last=Awha|first=Dan}}</ref> was a New Zealand journalist and fashion editor.
== Early life == McKay was born on 23 August 1942 in Wellington, New Zealand. McKay was the daughter of Bill and Paddy Walker.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Michal McKay|url=http://www.nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/michal-mckay/|website=New Zealand Fashion Museum|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en|date=January 2017|last=Cryer|first=Max|author-link=Max Cryer}}</ref> She grew up in Christchurch as her father recovered from tuberculosis at the Hanmer Sanitorium.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860412.2.97.1|title=The woman behind new-image 'Weekly'|date=12 April 1986|work=The Press|page=14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Eternal Gratitude: Michal Mckay|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/eternal-gratitude-michal-mckay/MQFBZKYKDV2XWTTAUDM5EI7EIQ/|website=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en-NZ|date=7 May 2014|last=McKay|first=Michal}}</ref>
== Career == As a child, McKay modelled for the Milne & Choyce department store and was photographed alongside her mother for ''L'Officiel''.<ref name=":0" /> Bernard Leser (founder of ''Vogue Australia'' and later president of Condé Nast) served as a "mentor and guide" to McKay from a young age.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Bernard Leser|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/australasia-travel/australia/bernard-leser-ww5tq0k67ms|website=The Times|date=19 October 2015|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en}}</ref>
As a teenager she joined The New Zealand Herald as a cadet reporter and worked as a model.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
In 1964, she replaced Marie Stuttard as fashion and beauty editor of ''Vogue New Zealand''.<ref name=":0" /> However, before she took over the role she completed a three-month internship at ''British Vogue'',<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Public talk: NZ fashion in the 1960s with Michal McKay and Jillian Ewart|url=https://costumeandtextile.nz/public-talk-nz-fashion-in-the-1960s-with-michal-mckay-and-jillian-ewart/|website=CTANZ / Costume and Textiles Aotearoa New Zealand|date=10 July 2011|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en-NZ}}</ref> McKay was sent there by New Zealand ''Vogue'' editor-in-chief Sheila Scotter to be "Voguerised".<ref name=":0" /> In 1967,<ref name=":1" /> she moved to London and was appointed fashion and beauty editor at the British edition of Good Housekeeping.<ref name=":0" /> She often travelled to the London fashion shows with Anna Wintour and Jennifer Hocking.<ref name=":0" />
In 1973 she became associate editor at ''Vogue Australia''.<ref name=":3" /> In the late 1970s, she served as marketing and development director of Country Road.<ref name=":3" /> McKay later became design director for Norma Tullo and Carla Zampatti.<ref name=":0" /> McKay also worked in brand development and marketing for Beymen and Sportsgirl. She served as fashion and beauty editor for ''The Australian Women's Weekly''.<ref name=":0" /> McKay returned to London join ''Good Housekeeping'' as deputy editor.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" />
In 1985, McKay was appointed editor of the ''New Zealand Woman's Weekly''.<ref name=":3" /> Under her leadership the magazine was given an "educational uplift" and moved upmarket, however, circulation dropped and she resigned from the magazine in 1987.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sleeping beauty: the dear old Woman's Weekly|url=https://newsroom.co.nz/2020/06/02/sleeping-beauty-the-dear-old-womans-weekly/|website=Newsroom|date=2 June 2020|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en-NZ|first=Jenny|last=Lynch}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19870616.2.82?|title=Editor heading overseas|date=16 June 1987|access-date=1 February 2026|work=The Press|page=10}}</ref> She returned to London and joined Estée Lauder.<ref name=":4" />
McKay joined Vogue Singapore in 1996 as editor-in-chief. The magazine closed from its January 1997 issue due to the Asian Financial Crisis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-19|title=Former New Zealand Vogue editor Michal McKay has died, leaving an indelible legacy|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/viva/fashion/former-new-zealand-vogue-editor-michal-mckay-has-died-leaving-an-indelible-legacy/4XTQAY43BVCDPP3622QUTNJ7WA/|access-date=2025-01-11|website=The New Zealand Herald|language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB84903876874110500|title=Publication of Vogue Edition In Singapore Is Suspended|date=27 November 1996|access-date=1 February 2026|work=The Wall Street Journal|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>
In 2005, McKay returned to New Zealand, following the invitiation of Fairfax Media to edit ''New Zealand House & Garden''.<ref name=":0" /> McKay was appointed editorial director of ''New Zealand House & Garden'' and Cuisine.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Michal McKay is The Sophisticate|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/viva/culture/michal-mckay-is-the-sophisticate/RXEQYYBAFFD3VJAC3GJ5DGOUOQ/|website=The New Zealand Herald|date=21 August 2013|access-date=1 February 2026}}</ref> In 2009, McKay founded ''Maiki'', a creative communications consultancy, through the firm she would consult the Royal New Zealand Ballet.<ref name=":0" /> In 2013, she became a columnist at ''Viva'', a New Zealand Herald fashion supplement.<ref name=":2" />
McKay moved to Havelock North in 2015 and became a committee member for ''World Child Cancer Charity Trust'' and the ''Hawkes Bay Decorative and Fine Arts'' ''Society''.<ref name=":0" /> From 2016 until her death, McKay was an editor and contributor at ''Bay Buzz''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michal McKay {{!}} BayBuzz|url=https://baybuzz.co.nz/author/michal-mckay/|date=16 November 2023|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mourning Michal McKay|url=https://baybuzz.co.nz/mourning-michal-mckay/|date=18 March 2024|access-date=1 February 2026|language=en-US|first=Tom|last=Belford|website=BayBuzz}}</ref> McKay was a trustee of the New Zealand Fashion Museum.<ref name=":0" />
== Personal life == In 1967, she was engaged to Ross McKay (son of Don McKay).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19670913.2.23.10?|title=Engagements Announced|date=13 September 1967|access-date=1 February 2026|work=The Press|page=2}}</ref> They married in 1968 and divorced in 1973.<ref name=":3" />
== Death == McKay died on 16 March 2024 at home.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michal MCKAY Obituary (2024) - The New Zealand Herald|url=https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/michal-mckay-obituary?id=54654302|website=Legacy.com|access-date=1 February 2026}}</ref>
== Bibliography ==
* ''Wanaka'' (Random House New Zealand, 2011)
== References ==<!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}{{s-start}} {{s-media}} {{succession box | title = Editor of ''New Zealand Woman's Weekly'' | years = 1985–1987 | before = Jean Wishart | after = Jenny Lynch }} {{succession box | title = Editor of ''Vogue Singapore'' | years = 1996–1997 | before = Nancy Pilcher | after = Norman Tan }} {{s-end}}{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Michal}} Category:1942 births Category:2024 deaths Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:People educated at St Margaret's College Category:People educated at St Cuthbert's College, Auckland Category:Mass media people from Auckland Category:Mass media people from Christchurch Category:New Zealand magazine editors Category:New Zealand women magazine editors Category:Fashion journalists Category:Fashion editors Category:Vogue (magazine) editors Category:Vogue Singapore