Jane Larkworthy, the seasoned beauty editor who wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut and for years spearheaded the beauty coverage in W Magazine, died Wednesday at age 62.
The cause of death was a long battle with cancer, her sister Kate Larkworthy and husband Bertrand Garbassi confirmed.
Widely respected for her erudite coverage of beauty in titles such as New York Magazine’s The Cut and Air Mail Look, Larkworthy helmed W Magazine’s beauty coverage from 2000 to 2016.
But she became more broadly known to the general public for another reason: In 2005, Larkworthy became swept up in the coverage of a nationwide manhunt for her ex-boyfriend and former WWD reporter Peter Braunstein, who falsely gained access to a former colleague’s apartment by dressing as a firefighter and then proceeded to sexually torment her. He was later sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for kidnapping, sexual abuse and robbery.
“She was one-of-a-kind. She was a great journalist, and I think of her contributions to the beauty industry and how she championed so many talents in it,” said William Li, a close friend of Larkworthy’s, who is also Town & Country’s special projects editor. “Makeup artists, hair stylists, even little indie brands — she was always excited about discoveries and she was never jaded.”
That seemed to be the consensus among those close to her.
“I got to know Jane over the decades at various beauty events and immediately loved her energy and quirky, funny point of view on our world. She was such a pro and so beloved,” said Linda Wells, the editor of Air Mail Look, who was the founding editor of Allure.
Jane Larkworthy in 2014.
Lexie Moreland/WWD
“Late in both of our careers, I had the chance to work with her directly when she wrote for Air Mail Look. What a happy adventure! She explored her bathing habits — she sometimes took several in one day — her fascination with Touche Éclat, her love of perfumer Mandy Aftel, and her unexpected experiences with gummies. She was such an original, graceful writer. She could weave in a reference to the original beauty queen, Madame Bovary, without any pretension. She’d make an offhand comment about Clarence Thomas and Nirvana in one sentence, as if they belonged together. Her connoisseurship was clear; she loved the world she covered, and it loved her right back,” Wells wrote in an email.
Beauty executive John Demsey called her an amazing friend and journalist. “The world lost one of the OGs in beauty. She was a great reporter, she did her homework, she worked hard, she was funny, she was ironic, she loved life. She used to have these wild cabaret shows where she would sing, she would do stand-up comedy,” he recalled. “It’s a loss for the industry, it’s a loss for her friends and it’s a loss for me.”
Francesco Clark, the founder, president and chief executive officer of Clark’s Botanicals, was also a longtime friend of the editor.
“Jane Larkworthy was the kind of person whose presence made the world feel a little lighter. I was intimidated before I met her — but within moments, her wit, warmth, and that disarming sense of humor made it feel like I’d known her forever. She stood by me at every Christopher Reeve event I invited her to and was the first to meet with me when I launched Clark’s Botanicals,” he said.
“That kind of loyalty and heart isn’t common. Jane brought levity to even the heaviest of days, and her absence leaves a void that words can’t fill. She didn’t just write about beauty — she shaped the way we saw it, and she did it with compassion, intelligence, and a sparkle that was entirely her own. I will never forget her. It’s impossible to forget her,” Clark continued.
That loyalty extended to those who worked for her, too. “Jane is the reason I ever got into beauty,” said Jamie Rosen, the beauty editor who first worked for Larkworthy as W’s beauty and health editor. “She was generous and gracious with her knowledge and took me and so many other young editors under her wing. But she was never holier than thou.”
Rosen recalled Larkworthy’s first day back in the office after her engagement to Garbassi. “There was a stampede to her desk to hear all the details. Everyone was so over-the-moon thrilled for her because they knew she had met the one, and that she deserved so much happiness. She did.”
Also a Larkworthy acolyte, Jessica Matlin – now head of beauty and home at Moda Operandi – described Larkworthy as her “New York fairy godmother,” noting they first worked together at Jane Magazine when Matlin was an intern, then again at W when she became a beauty assistant.
“While I was her assistant, Jane took on the role of Manhattan mom. She taught me how to pronounce words like ‘Guerlain,’ introduced me to senior executives as if I were her boss, took me away with her on antique-y weekends in the Hudson Valley, went to see Rufus Wainwright (including the legendary Judy Live show at Carnegie Hall), and pull me out of whatever professional or personal crisis I was having at the time – there were a couple,” Matlin said. “Jane dared to be the kind of boss who gives so much of themselves. I was and will forever be loyal to her. Jane was the real deal.”
Although Larkworthy and Garbassi decamped to Massachusetts during the pandemic, she continued writing as well as working in real estate.
“Jane was also a lover of music,” Li said. “Particularly singing. Jane had a beautiful voice, she sang all through college, and when a song came on that she loved, she would sing along. She was very supportive of the Vocalis Youth Choir.”
Larkworthy is survived by her sister, Kate; brother, Peter; husband, Garbassi; and stepchildren Luke and Astrid Schanz-Garbassi. Memorial arrangements were yet to be determined.
