From budding story-teller to magazine industry icon: the glamorous career of Carmen Bruegmann

Carmen Bruegmann’s interest in journalism dates back to when she was just eight years old, sprawled out on the living room floor, crafting stories for her granddad. One day, she overheard him say, “I think she'll be a journalist when she's older, she’s always writing stories.”

By age 12, Bruegmann was already reaching out to media colleges, and it was clear she would pursue a career in the field, though she had no idea how far it would take her.

Bruegmann is now an accomplished journalist who has forged an impressive career with a remarkable array of achievements.

Having held a number of notable positions at some of the UK’s most prestigious publications, including staff writer and commissioning editor at the Daily Mail, acting deputy editor of Cosmopolitan, senior contributing editor at ELLE, and deputy/acting editor at SHE, Bruegmann has established her status among the magazine industry’s most prominent figures.

Her career began in 1990 as a trainee news reporter at the Hull Daily Mail. After just two weeks of training, she was thrust into the newsroom.

“Being a woman in a newsroom, particularly in the 1990s, was no mean feat,” she recalls. “I started out as this rock music girl with long blonde hair, and I loved fashion. I was determined to stay true to myself. Whatever the job I refused to change.”

After attaining her NCTJ qualification, Bruegmann transitioned to the Leeds Yorkshire Evening Post as a news feature writer, eventually becoming an award-winning women’s editor.

“I knew I was on the right path,” she reflects. “I was running this magazine in the paper every week. It was all women's interest, covering everything from fashion and celebrities to serious issues. It was a real mixed bag.”

After two years at The Daily Mail in London, Bruegmann’s big break came when she was appointed launch editor of SHOO magazine, an international fashion publication devoted to designer shoes and accessories.

It catapulted her name in the magazine industry and the world of fashion. After just a couple of issues, Cosmopolitan rang her up to offer her the role of acting deputy editor.

Ironically, in the early days of her career, Bruegmann was adamant she would only ever work for newspapers because, in her eyes, this was “proper” journalism, but she soon realised, the magazine industry was a medium she could flourish in.

“It just opened up a whole new world. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I love it here!’ Magazines became my passion,” she recalls fondly.

The unrelenting pressure of daily deadlines was something Bruegmann certainly did not miss about the newspaper industry. She simply loved the freedom of in-depth feature writing and editing that the world of magazines presented.

In her extensive career, Bruegmann has seen it all. From big celebrity interviews and glitzy events to serious, gut-wrenching human interest stories. A moment that sticks with her is a story she covered back in 2001 about a group of young women who were tragically killed in a car accident during their gap year in Africa. Bruegmann reached out to one of the families to ask if they would consider doing an interview to which they obliged. After hearing their devastating stories, Bruegmann wrote a tribute to the young women and the families later expressed their deep appreciation for the piece.

“Meeting famous people and going to these fancy events is fun but it’s heartbreaking serious stories that you always remember,” she remarks.

Bruegmann believes journalism is so much more than just storytelling; it serves a vital purpose of holding the powerful to account. However, she feels local news is overlooked.

“I don’t think people are as accountable for their actions as they used to be since the demise of local papers, and that really needs addressing,” she argues.

After her reputable career in the world of magazines, Bruegmann made a gradual transition into teaching and became a senior lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, moulding the next generation of journalists through a profusion of glamorous anecdotes from her time in the industry.

But it doesn’t stop there. Her biggest desire is to delve back into creative writing, circling back to where it all began when she was just a little girl writing stories for her grandad.

“The next thing that’s on my bucket list is to write a novel,” she shares. “I really want to get to grips with that this year”. She has even considered using novel-writing as the foundation for a PhD in creative practice.

Bruegmann’s passion for storytelling, her commitment to stay true to herself, and her willingness to break free from her comfort zone have propelled her name into the spotlight in the industry.

With new and exciting plans on the horizon, her writing journey is far from over.