The Story Behind Persona's Debut Issue, with Bella Freud

"It's an object of obsession about one woman... you genuinely get an intimacy that you cannot find anywhere else." — Grace O'Neill & Paulina PaigeGrace O'Neill and Paulina Paige have built magazines and campaigns for some of the biggest names in fashion media. But this time, they threw out every rule they knew and started from zero with no guardrails, no existing audience, no safety net. The result is Persona: a biannual, single-subject magazine that reads more like a coffee table book than a glossy, with its debut issue built entirely around Bella Freud.In this exclusive interview, Grace and Paulina walk through exactly how Persona came together, the cold email that convinced Bella Freud to say yes, the unpublished 90s photo archive they talked a photographer into handing over, getting the rights to a Lucian Freud portrait, and the real numbers behind launching a $75 magazine with zero followers. It's a rare, honest look at what it actually takes to build a print product from scratch in 2026 - the creative risk-taking, the budget conversations, and the trust it takes to hand a stylist "a little kernel of an idea" and let them run the thing.INSIDE THE EPISODE:00:00 — Intro: Grace & Paulina The Lead-Up to Persona05:27 — From Massive Infrastructure to Doing It All Themselves07:41 — What They Knew Going In14:26 — What If a Magazine Had No Rules?16:47 — Deciding on Bella Freud18:52 — The Cold Email That Got Bella Freud on Board22:08 — The Moment They Knew It Was Really Happening22:57 — Building the Book Around What They Had31:35 — Is It Really an Australian Magazine?34:16 — Talking Budgets: Landing Dior & Reframing Beauty With Mecca42:14 — What It Actually Takes to Print44:18 — Production vs. Printing48:23 — The Launch Gamble53:32 — How Much Room Does This Take Up in Your Life?58:24 — Partnership1:00:29 — Where the Creative Stimulus Comes From1:04:00 — Second Issue?1:08:32 — Where to Find Them1:10:15 — Persona Launch PartyTake a look at Persona:Persona Magazine: www.persona-magazine.com Instagram @thepersonamagazineConnect with our Guests:Grace O'Neill on Instagram: @grceoneillPaulina Ortega on Instagram: @paulinapaigeEnjoyed this Episode?Join our Community!Your host, Arielle Thomas, on Instagram, @arielle.thomas Us, on Instagram, @processthepodcast Whatsapp Community @processthepodcast Follow us to get notified every time a new episode drops every Tuesday. See you at the next one!This episode includes references to third-party archival imagery and licensed material (including works connected to the Lucian Freud estate) discussed for educational commentary. All rights and ownership belong to their respective copyright holders. This content is utilized under Fair Use principles and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with Process The Podcast. For takedowns or copyright inquiries, please contact [email protected]