EDITOR’S LETTER

Anne-Marie Curtis on operating at peak Wonder Woman

One of the definite perks of attending the ready-towear shows twice a year is that, between the eternal round of catwalks and appointments, you sometimes get to witness special performances from iconic artists brought in by brands to add extra star power to fashion week. During my time at ELLE, I’ve been lucky enough to see some of these amazing happenings, with highlights including Prince, Amy Winehouse, Mary J. Blige and, most recently, Elton John. And yes, I realise how lucky I am. They were all truly unforgettable moments. One of the most incredible was Florence Welch, performing at the SS12 Chanel show at Paris’s Grand Palais. The audience was so entranced you could literally hear a pin drop. Her haunting voice and emotionally charged lyrics transported us all to another realm, and I have been a huge fan ever since.

So I am thrilled to have Florence as one of our three Wonder Women cover stars this month. The shoot, lensed by the amazing Quentin Jones, features Florness ence at her freest, twirling around in Gucci (creative director Alessandro Michele is a huge admirer). In her interview with poet Yrsa Daley-Ward on page 128, she gets raw and vulnerable, talking through everything from her troubled childhood to coping with addiction and discovering the joys of silk pyjamas (something I can attest to). It is a truly inspiring read.

It’s fair to say that Yara Shahidi, our second Wonder Women cover star, is having a major moment. If you haven’t seen her in the popular television shows

Blackish and Grownish, then I advise you to do so as soon as possible. As well as being jaw-droppingly beautiful (see her shoot on page 152) and hugely talented, she is also a committed activist who uses her platform to speak out about gun reform and police brutality in the US. Her confident and impassioned outspoken- on these issues make it easy to forget she is only 18 years old. Who knows what her next move will be, but we will all be watching, that’s for sure.

And our third cover star, Halima Aden, is widely celebrated as the first model to wear a hijab on the catwalk when she walked the Yeezy Season 5 show in February 2017. She has since paved the way for a new generation of models and voices to break through in fashion and pop culture, giving a more rounded view of what being a Muslim means. Like Yara, she is about far more than mere aesthetics: ‘I want my career to be fashion and activism; the two together – that’s perfect.’ Read more about her on page 142.

And, speaking of empowerment, it’s fair to say most of us identify as feminists in this day and age ( I mean, why wouldn’t you?), and we know how important it is to own our power in all aspects of our lives. But what happens when this idea is used to sell us everything from lipstick to Doritos? Hannah Betts’ brilliant piece on page 12O, ‘The Real Price of Empowerment’, takes a look at the phenomenon of ‘fauxpowerment’.

“WE ARE CONSTANTLY BEING TOLD

to DRESS FOR SUCCESS, BUT HOW DOES

that LOOK? ”

We’re all very open now when it comes to discussing most aspects of our lives, from sex to depression to what’s in and out of our wardrobes. But how much we earn and how we really feel about our work/ life balance is perhaps the final taboo. It seems we are more comfortable discussing our vaginas than our take-home pay, or admitting our ‘perfect’ job is maybe not so perfect after all. This month’s Conversation, on page 108, tackles this head on, from pay transparency (would you be happy with your colleagues and friends knowing how much you make?) and ‘portfolio’ careers to redundancies, as discussed by an impressive line-up of women who redefine what work means today, including former Apple and Uber top exec turned Endeavor boss Bozoma Saint John.

And while you’re figuring it all out, there’s also, of course, the all-important question of what to wear when you’re working. The nature of our careers has changed immeasurably, so it only makes sense that our workwear has, too. More and more of us are working remotely, freelancing or juggling several roles at once. Depending on what you do, it’s now as acceptable to wear denim and trainers to big meetings as a tailored suit. We are constantly being told to ‘dress for success’ (does anyone know what that really means?) or ‘dress for the job you want’ (actually, I think this one does work), but how does that look? Our guide on page 61, ‘The New Workwear’, helps you navigate that particular minefield.

And now you’ve figured out your working wardrobe and you’re prepped to go in and ask for that raise, you’re going to need a really good bag. As Caroline Leaper explains on page 84, the good news here is this no longer requires parting with the equivalent of a rent or mortgage payment. I’m all for saving up for that forever investment bag, whether that’s a Chanel 2.55 or an Hermès Birkin, but there is an exciting group of labels introducing utterly desirable, entirely Instagrammable handbags that will have everyone asking just where your arm candy is from — and many coming in at under £500. And with all the work you’ve put in to getting your bank account in order… (Just saying.)

You’re now operating at peak wonder woman. And what better way to celebrate than at our newly launched ELLE Weekender event, which will bring wonder women from the worlds of fashion, beauty, media, music, Hollywood, politics and culture under one roof? Taking place at London’s Saatchi Gallery from 30 November to 2 December, it will be an inspiring event you won’t want to miss, bringing ELLE to life through talks from women and men we admire and love.

Book your tickets now to see Instagram’s head of fashion partnerships Eva Chen lead a discussion on how the social media platform has changed the conversation around diversity in fashion, Molly Goddard chat about how femininity became fierce, Sam McKnight talk through his incredible experiences in the world of beauty, Game of Thrones actor Maisie Williams reflect on being a modern young wonder woman, and champion athlete Dina Asher-Smith on the rigorous training and unwavering commitment required to be a record-breaker. Our list of incredible speakers doesn’t end there, either: actress Rosamund Pike, Kering’s chief sustainability officer Marie-Claire Daveu, and new ELLE contributing editors Pandora Sykes of The High Low, Gal-Dem founder Liv Little, writer Susie Lau and DJ Clara Amfo are just a few of the many dynamic speakers joining us over the course of the weekend. Turn to page 75 to find out how to book your tickets.

When you’re not taking in these stimulating talks, immerse yourself in the ELLE world through specially curated beauty, fashion and wellness experiences (crystal facials, anyone?) to recharge your wardrobe and body. As Lauren Bacall once said, ‘…the more you do, the more you can do’. ELLE Weekender will give you the chance to live this out. I hope to see you there.