GROWING UP, FASHION OFTEN SEEMED impenetrable – aglossy, glamorous and insular world far away. The closed doors seemed to be the point, the industry one big private club.
Now, what I find most thrilling about working as an editor is participating in a wider shift that is turning that idea of exclusivity on its head, opening doors and welcoming new perspectives in.
This issue is a special one for the ELLE team and me because it marks the launch of our new community, ELLE Collective. What is it? Our own accessible version of a membership club, one that invites readers to join our world and experience the life of an ELLE editor. Don’t have a personal connection to a creative director? No problem. Didn’t grow up in a fashion capital? All good. Have no clue how to set foot in a runway show? That’s fine. With ELLE Collective, the access is the point.
People often think our lives and jobs on the ELLE team are all beauty trips, fashion parties, cover shoots and movie premieres. In reality, our work is about harnessing the power of creative communities to tell new stories, dream up inspiring imagery, examine culture and challenge the status quo.
At ELLE, we’ve long operated on the principle of lifting women as we climb. We’re a team at work, with a job to do. But we’re also a squad of colleagues and friends who have grown together and learned from each other. I’m now a better writer and editor because of my years working with women such as Deputy Editor Lena de Casparis and Features Director Hannah Nathanson. I’m also no doubt a better dresser for having been surrounded by our talented fashion teams. In this spirit, we’re taking the best parts of ELLE – our professional network, creative camaraderie, and access to th
