Editor's Letter: 'Cynthia Erivo Is A Multitalented Force'
This issue is a very special one because it kicks off our 40th anniversary at ELLE UK, a milestone we’ll be marking all yearlong. Yes, 12 months of celebration. Because we could all use some joy right now, and who doesn’t love a birthday?
In preparation, the team and I have been diving deep into our archives, revisiting iconic covers, shoots and stories from over the years. And in the midst of sifting through it all – the trends that have come and gone, the models and designers who have risen up the ranks, and the cover lines that aged well (and the ones that didn’t) – one thing was crystal clear: ELLE has always been ahead of its time, looking at fashion within the context of the world we live in, from sweeping cultural and societal changes to the ever-evolving ways we dress and express ourselves.
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When many magazines traded on the idea of fashion as an untouchable world of exclusivity, ELLE approached it with a sense of possibility and a greater sense of inclusivity. When looking back on its first ever cover, starring Yasmin Le Bon, hairstylist Sam McKnight tells us: ‘ELLE then was all about youth and energy. There wasn’t another magazine like it in the UK. It had a unique point of view.’
I love how launch editor Sally Brampton described the brand when interviewed in 1985: ‘There was a whole new generation [of women] fumbling its way towards tomorrow. ELLE UK was the first mainstream magazine to act as a voice for that generation.’ Forty years later, that’s still the case, as we embark on a year of uncertainty, determined to take charge of our future and power, together.
In that spirit, we’ll be spending the next 12 months reflecting on where we’ve come from, and, most importantly, where we’re heading. We’ll be celebrating legends from our past and introducing you to the rising powerhouses who’ll define our next 40 years. I couldn’t think of a better woman to help us kick this off than our cover star Cynthia Erivo, a multitalented force who is just an ‘O’ away from hallowed EGOT status. Her stunning performance in Wicked, and her emotionally raw and honest promotional appearances alongside co-star Ariana Grande, became a balm in the aftermath of a sociopolitically fraught year. Her interview with Afua Hirsch about her journey to a place of self-acceptance and what lies ahead for her incredible career, is a must-read.
The future was also top of mind during my interview with Louis Vuitton’s artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière, a man whose longevity at the maison has become an anchor in an industry defined by its dizzying game of designer musical chairs. He doesn’t take it for granted: ‘The platform is extraordinary. I have the chance to have a voice in an industry that has become so visible for the last 20 years.’
And he’s not alone. We all have a voice and there has never been a more important time to use it. In the issue three writers explore how turning 40 changed their own understanding of their agency in the world and unlocked a new sense of freedom.
It’s a message that will underpin the year to come. As long as I can remember, the team and I have said that ELLE is about a state of mind rather than an age. So throughout our upcoming issues, we’ll be celebrating the qualities that make ELLE what it is today and inviting you, and the leading voices, artists and thinkers of our day, along for the ride. See you there.
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