Vanessa CRAFT

ELLE Canada Launched in 2001

What was happening at the time?

“Twenty-four Canadians died in the 9/11 tragedy, and with U.S. airspace closed, more than 200 planes were diverted to Canada; later, in 2013, this became the subject of a Tony Awardwinning Broadway musical,

Come From Away. Women were earning 73.5 cents for every dollar made by their male counterparts—the eighth-highest gender wage gap out of 34 industrialized countries. ELLE Canada launched in 2001, when I was in my mid-20s. I remember thinking how chic it was to have a French word in the title of a magazine, and I thought it was important for readers to get that international fashion flavour.”

How did it feel when you first discovered ELLE?

“I remember, as a teenager, seeing a shoot with Veronica Webb by Gilles Bensimon in the October 1990 issue of ELLE U.S. and using my lunch money to buy the magazine from the corner shop. She looked so fresh, so confident. I cut my hair short like hers. I bought a knock-off Ralph Lauren cricket sweater and oversized suit jacket to imitate the menswear style she was rocking! I also bought beauty products recommended by ELLE, like Frizz Ease and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat.”

What do you think ELLE has brought to Canada?

“An amazing connection to the international fashion world while still remaining connected to and infused with Canadian talent and a celebration of our unique style. I became editor-in-chief in the autumn of 2016. My biggest challenge was navigating the need to expand our digital content. Now it’s time for the fashion industry to take the lead by making the changes that are necessary to tackle environmental issues.”