Bailey brings her in-depth knowledge of fashion and trends, along with a sense of originality and personality, to the magazine she edits. She is not afraid to be controversial and knows that success relies on unique ideas –and making them happen.

While at Marie Claire, Bailey created many unique features and initiatives, including the cover celebrity “challenge”, where celebrities agree to do such amazing tasks as live in an igloo, travel to Africa, and survive in the desert in lieu of giving a typical boring interview. In addition, Bailey was instrumental in producing Marie Claire's What Women Want event in November 1999. This groundbreaking event brought together the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Sarah Jessica Parker and Trudie Styler to share their experience and raise awareness on issues affecting women today.

Bailey has received many industry accolades during her career. In March 2001, she was named “Editor of the Year” by Adweek for her “innovative, expansive and democratic approach” to editing a fashion and beauty magazine. In addition, during Bailey’s tenure as editor, Marie Claire was named one of Adweek's Top 10 Hottest Magazines in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and as Best Publication by industry newsletter The Delaney Report in 2000. The title was one of Capell's Circulation Report's Best Circulation Performers in 1998. During her time at Marie Claire, the title was the recipient of the Community Action Network Award in 1998 and 1999 for its feature stories on women and AIDS and genital mutilation and was the first magazine in the United States to be given the Amnesty International Award for Journalism in September 1997.

Prior to her move to New York, Bailey served as the Editor of British Marie Claire, which she launched in 1988. Under her editorship, Marie Claire became the biggest-selling fashion magazine in the United Kingdom and earned virtually every publishing honor. In the eight years she was Editor-in-Chief of British Marie Claire, she won three Magazine Editor of the Year Awards, five Magazine of the Year Awards and two Amnesty International Awards. In August 1995, she was made International Editorial Consultant of all 26 editions of Marie Claire.

Born in Derbyshire, England, Bailey earned a degree in fashion design from Kingston University. Before embarking on her career in magazine publishing, in 1983 Bailey produced a collection for Guisi Slaverio in Italy. She then became editor of Honey in 1986 and went on to successfully launch Folio, a quarterly fashion magazine before being appointed as launch editor of the British Marie Claire.