2021-09-01 Elle UK

SEPTEMBER 2021 £4.
80
RAMLA ALI
Unstoppable. Unshakeable. Unbeatable
DIOR’S SECRET WEAPON
The millennial with the Midas touch
FASHION’S CHILD
PRODIGY
What Tavi Gevinson
did next
INTERIOR LIVES
Is property the new porn?
Page 12O
CONTENTS
September 2021
Page 65
Page 81
Page 112
THE COVERS UPFRONT

RAMLA ALI
On the newsstand cover: Dress, Dior. Earrings and
53 THE NOW, THE NEW, THE NEXT
In this month’s fashion and culture round-up, ELLE
LE
rings, all Cartier. meets rapper Little Simz, TikToker-turned-Hollywood-
On the subscriber cover: Jacket, Nanushka. Dress, star Addison Rae and designer Rejina Pyo. Plus, a playful
MM6 Maison Margiela. Earrings and rings, all Cartier. interiors update and the jewellery brands to wear now
Photography: Meinke Klein. Styling: Aurelia Donaldson.
Hair: Stefan Bertin at The Wall Group. Make-up:
Jenny Coombs at The Wall Group using Danessa STYLE
Myricks Beauty. Nails: Michelle Humphrey at LMC BACK TO THE FUTURE
Worldwide. Set design: Phoebe Shakespeare at Saint
Luke Artists. Fashion assistant: Lois Adeoshun
65 Classic references meet brand-new designs – mix
and match old and new for an instant style refresh
EVERY MONTH
72 KEEP IT IN CHECK
High meets low when it comes to transitional dressing:
39 EDITOR’S LETTER
Editor-in-Chief Farrah Storr introduces the September SXW RQ \RXU ÀQHVW ORRNV QR PDWWHU ZKHUH \RX·UH JRLQJ
and use casual tartan to stop things going OTT
issue and the second year of ELLE’s mentorship scheme
218 MY FASHIONABLE LIFE: TORY BURCH

The designer on her stylish family, her most extravagant
81 Your comprehensive guide to AW21, from major
THE NEW SEASON
runway moments to the standout beauty looks, plus

purchases and the pieces she’ll treasure forever the need-to-know style trends and how to wear them
EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

27
CONTENTS
September 2021
BEAUTY
175 THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT
Bored of your natural hair colour? Be inspired by Dolce
& Gabbana and opt for a tie-dye effect
176 WAITING TO EXHALE

Long Covid forced one writer to reassess how she
saw her body. What she didn’t expect was the
transformative effect it would have on her mind
18O NEW ROMANCE

Take your cue from the new wave and glam rock
movements and turn up the volume on your make-up:
think bright hues, graphic shapes and rich pigment
187 1O OF THE BEST: LIP BALMS

From SPF protection to overnight treatments and tinted
formulas, our beauty team reveal their top picks
188 THE UNDONE FACE

There’s a new approach to aesthetic procedures,
Page 134 and it’s not the super-plump features we’re used to
seeing all over social media. Meet the woman
leading the movement
192 THE DIRECTORS’ CUT: HAIR TOOLS

One product, two very different approaches. ELLE’s
READS beauty directors go head-to-head on their favourite
smoothing, styling and perfecting hair tools
98 DIOR: THE FAMILY BUSINESS
Maria Grazia Chiuri has reinvented Dior for a whole
new generation. And now she’s brought her powerhouse
daughter on board. ELLE meets them to find out more
193 NEXT BIG THING: DECORATIVE DECALS
Concealer not doing its job to cover those under-eye
bags? These statement stick-ons will hide them in style
1O6 WHY WE’RE ALL HOT FOR PROPERTY

A year at home has forced us to rethink the spaces in 197 FUTURE BEAUTY: THE MIAMI MANI
Pro manicurist Ami Streets gives her step-by-step guide
which we live – and perhaps transform them completely
to recreating the ultimate summer nail art at home
112 TAVI GEVINSON: THE NEXT ACT

Teen fashion blogger, internet sensation, editor, actor, 199 BEAUTY BAROMETER
What’s hot, what’s not and the trends you might want
writer… Tavi Gevinson has achieved a lot in just
to avoid in the world of beauty this month
25 years. And she’s only just getting started
PHOTOGR A PH Y: L A R A A NGELIL , LI A CL AY MILLER,
FASHION TRAVEL
12O RAMLA ALI: LAST ONE STANDING
The champion boxer has spent her life fighting: against
2O3 DISCOVER AN A-LIST OASIS
Pastel hues, vintage-inspired design and a prime
beachside location – welcome to Pharrell’s new hotel
misconceptions, for her place in the ring and to support
MEINK E K LEIN, IM A XTR EE.
others, all while building a successful modelling career.

Is there anything she can’t do? Olivia Blair finds out 2O4 CANADA’S CAPITAL OF COOL
Don’t underestimate Montreal. With stunning art and
an unmatched brunch scene, it’s the perfect city break
134 MAKE AN ENTRANCE

Dressing up is officially back. And once you see the
unapologetic decadence of the AW21 collections, going 2O8 THREE DAYS IN PROCIDA
Never heard of Procida? It’s been Italy’s best-kept secret
all out in the style stakes is all you’ll want to do – until now. Here’s our guide to the tiny paradise island
3O EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

Editor-in-Chief, ELLE and ELLE.com/uk
FARRAH STORR
Creative Director TOM MEREDITH

Executive Editor ALICE WIGNALL
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FASHION
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Travel & Lifestyle Director LUCY HALFHEAD
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ART AND PICTURES
Art Director ALBY BAILEY
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Designer SONIA RUPRAH
Picture Director DIANA EASTMAN
Deputy Picture Editor NATALIE MICHELE
BEAUTY
Group Luxury Beauty Director KATY YOUNG
Acting Beauty Directors
JENNIFER GEORGE AND GEORGE DRIVER
Beauty Assistant HANNAH THOMPSON
PRODUCTION
Chief Sub-Editor CLAIRE SIBBICK
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Group Managing Editor CONNIE OSBORNE
Editorial Business Manager STACEY TOMLIN
Contributing Fashion Editors
PAUL CAVACO, AURELIA DONALDSON,
BETH FENTON, SOLANGE FRANKLIN, JENNY KENNEDY,
JOANNA SCHLENZKA, SASA THOMANN
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SUSIE BOYT, LIV LITTLE, LAURA CRAIK, SUSIE LAU,
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Elle EDITOR’S LETTER
THE new SEASON

The September issue of ELLE is all about celebrating the
new and the next. It is where we share the latest looks from
the catwalk in our mammoth trend report (p81), updating you
on the seismic shifts (as well as teeny tweaks) heading your
wardrobe’s way. It is also the issue where we explore two hot
travel destinations (we are nothing if not optimistic), as well
as the bold new trends in wellness and beauty. But it has
also become something else: a showcase for
this country’s next generation of media stars.
“British media is Why? Because, once again, we have invited
10 young women to join us as we worked on
one of the best this very special September issue.
TOP, £250,
JANE
SKIRT, ££69.99,
H&M X T TOGA in the world, but Readers with good memories will recall
that last year my team and I embarked on
ATELIER ARCHHIVES
it’s also one of an ambitious new project called The ELLE
the HARDEST Social Mobility Mentoring Programme.
to break into ” As part of that scheme, we opened up the

magazine to a handful of young women from
some of the country’s most forgotten areas:
EARRING, £195, places where employment opportunities for
SIMONE ROCHA
those coming out of education were at their very lowest and where jobs in
the media don’t appear on many career advisors’ radars.
Over the past 12 months, the ELLE team and this brilliant band of
BOOTS,
young women embarked on a journey of discovery. They were exposed to
£550, the inner workings of a fashion magazine (as well as what it takes to make
B ,
DEAR ,
FRANCES E
it in the wider creative industries), while we were exposed to what it feels
like to be young, caught in the midst of Covid-19 and growing up in a place
that feels a long way from the corridors of a glossy magazine brand.
Undoubtedly the British media is one of the best in the world, but
it is also one of the hardest, most impenetrable industries to break into.
There are many reasons why this is, not least a pooling of jobs in the capital
and a long history of free internships (now thankfully largely outlawed),
as well as an overproduction of, and over-reliance on, elite-educated
NTH
ON MY RADAR this MO candidates for an ever-decreasing number of jobs. But at the heart of this
industry are networks. Big, sprawling networks where job opportunities
DRESS, £230,
LES VACANCES
are whispered on the wind, friends of friends extend gilded hands and
D’IRINA at favours are repaid and replayed within the same circles.
MATCHESFASHION
We wanted to change that, which is why we have once again joined
IRUUFHV ZLWKWKH6RFLDO0RELOLW\&RPPLVVLRQDVZHOODV&DUWLHUWRÀQG
a new
n group of 10 women from across the country to work with us on
this issue and for the coming year. (And yes, they are paid for their time.)
Speaking of new, I’m delighted to introduce you to this month’s cover
SHIRT, £49.99, staar, British-Somali boxer and model Ramla Ali, an individual who has
H&M X TOGA liteerally fought her way to the top. This month, she will step into the ring
STEEL AND ARCHIVES
LEATHER WATCH,
DW WKH 7RN\R2O\PSLFVZKHUHVKHZLOOÀJKWRQEHKDOIRIKHUELUWKFRXQWU\
£2,360, CARTIER Soomalia. Though there may be no cheering allowed at this year’s
touurnament, we will be cheering from afar.
This is the September issue of ELLE, for those who believe that
FKKDQJHLVDOZD\VZRUWKÀJKWLQJIRU
BAG, £235, LASTFRAME
at MATCHESFASHION

39
LUCY CHRISTINE
LEVIN, 19 MUGENI, 2O
Sheffield London
As the daughter of a factory At age five, Christine asked
JILLIAN worker, Lucy had little access for her hair to be braided
KINDIPAN, 18 to the creative industries
ANESU ‘bold and blonde’. It was then
Caerphilly growing up. She planned for HWENGA, 2O she knew wanted a career in
At her college in Wales, a career in the NHS, but the Birmingham style. ‘When I moved from
Jillian is known for dressing fashion industry’s response to Anesu was reserved at Congo, I felt different, but
up, and she thrives on it. the pandemic made her want school and played it safe I decided to always be
‘My friends tell me my extra in. ‘The Emergency Designer with style. While studying unapologetically myself.’
outfits are what motivates Network making NHS scrubs law at uni, she discovered a
them to attend,’ she says. showed me you can improve more expressive wardrobe
Jillian exclusively shops lives by working in fashion.’ was the conversation starter
vintage and works in a care she needed to overcome her
home to fund her obsession. shyness. ‘I don’t run away
She hopes to turn her styling from being different. Now
hobby into a career. I feel empowered by it.’
ELLE’S CLASS of
2O21
Meet the future of fashion. This month,
we launch the second round of our
ELIZABETH
OLUGA, 2O
Birmingham
Troubled by the lack of
representation in the media,
Elizabeth launched her
own YouTube channel. She’s
now studying for a degree
mentorship scheme with 10 young creatives in Black studies. Having

grown up as a carer in east
who will shadow the ELLE team over London, she wants to prove
that ‘your circumstances
the coming year. You saw them here first do not need to define you’.
4O
Elle GUEST LIST
MARGOT JESSICA
MacLEOD, 18 EDWARDS, 21
Inverness Norwich
With heroes including Debbie Jessica has worked at Tesco for
Harry, Margot is a huge music fan. four years and was a key worker
She finally had time over lockdown during the pandemic. Leaving
to submit articles to music zines her rural Norfolk hometown to
such as Why Generation and Babi study fashion communication
Punk. ‘Combining music and opened her eyes to new
writing is my dream, but I never possibilities. ‘I’m inspired
considered it possible,’ she says. by living in a city, from people’s
Next, it’s a music marketing degree outfits to art exhibitions.’
in Bristol, where she plans to see
more live gigs and write for the
university magazine.
HANAA
YOUSOF, 18
Solihull
Model Halima Aden made Hanaa
feel seen, and she wants to do the
RUQAYYAH same for others through journalism.
MAKDA, 17 ‘It’s difficult to understand your
potential in a space where you don’t
STEPHANIE Blackburn
Despite pressure to enter the stable see yourself represented,’ she says.
WHITE, 22 field of science, Ruqayyah’s true West Midlands-based Hanaa
Preston passion lies in film. ‘I don’t see many has chosen to wear a hijab for the
Doncaster-born Stephanie loves Asian women in the media, so it’s past five years and is proud to
Korean comics, TV shows and never felt like an option, but represent her Sudanese Muslim
music, but fantasy books are her I hope to be part of the change,’ community through her clothing.
ultimate escape from reality.
AS TOLD TO: BECK Y BURGUM.
she says. Ruqayyah is a keen nature Next, she’s looking for publishing
Next, she’s looking for a job photographer and spends her free internships before she studies
in publishing. ‘Breaking into time listening to film industry English at university.
the creative industry has always podcasts and watching analysis of
felt impossible coming from her favourite films on YouTube.
the north, but books are my
passion and I won’t give up.’
41
Elle MEMOIR
BRIGHT young THINGS

When Jessica Andrews moved to London, Tracey Emin’s work
helped her to not only find her way, but herself.
But when the two met, it wasn’t the union she’d hoped for...
A r t wor k by Tracey Emin
When I was 19, I went to see Love is What You Want, she was a teen in Margate, spinning in circles to a Sylvester
a mid-career retrospective of Tracey Emin’s work at the song in her silky red shirt. I was at uni studying English
Hayward Gallery in London. I’d only been living in the literature and often found the academic language used to
city for a year and I didn’t know who I was there yet. I’d discuss art and writing alienating, but my connection with
moved from Sunderland, where there was one small gallery. Tracey’s work was immediate and visceral; I felt it in my
In London, I spent weekends wandering around cavernous blood. It was the first time I’d seen art that felt as though it
white spaces, wonderstruck by the splattered canvasses, was speaking directly to me. I didn’t know that it was possible
towering sculptures and flashing lights. I was full of chaos, to tell the story of your own life like that; to take the hurt and
and I marvelled at the way artists could unspool their own the dreams caught beneath your skin and make them visible.
feelings and make them into something, giving their Tracey pulled her shame from her mouth like a thread of
experiences form and colour that other people could touch. light and hung it on the gallery walls for everyone to see.
The only thing I really knew about Tracey was her famous In retrospect, I loved Tracey because she was an outsider
unmade bed. I read that she was wild and subversive, that she and I felt like an outsider, too. She was a working-class woman
did what she wanted and caused a stir. That was the kind of who grew up in Margate and moved to London when she was
woman I wanted to be. As I walked around her exhibition – 15 with one suitcase and two David Bowie records. She made
reading the words, ‘A terrible wanting’ and ‘My brains all split work about her body, misspelling all of the words in her text-
up’ on her appliquéd blankets, staring at her searing neons based pieces, keeping the mistakes because they were part of
and studying her trembling, painful monoprints of the female her. She didn’t care what anyone thought. I was also working
form – a hot, dense redness swelled inside of me. I listened class and I wanted to be a writer. I felt small in London,
to her talking about her abortion on film and I watched a where money and power ran beneath the streets like
video of her naming the men who sexually assaulted her when electricity cables. My dreams were big and embarrassing.
49
Elle MEMOIR
I swallowed my shame and stored it Deborah and suspicious of me. ‘You

in my body, deep in my stomach and can’t just tell strangers where she is,’
thighs. I knew the sadness and fury she snapped, as though I was a child.
that Tracey described but I didn’t yet I was frustrated, because Tracey
have the language to articulate it. wasn’t a stranger. I’d been working at
I bought her memoir, Strangeland, in the pub for three years. I thought
the gallery bookshop, even though Tracey might recognise me, as she
I couldn’t afford it, and I read it in a came in so often. ‘Tell her to put the
feverish rush. I hunted down every THE WRITER
TV on at 6pm,’ she said. ‘It’s really
piece she’d ever written for her TRACEY EMIN’S ART INSPIRED important. Will you remember?
Independent column, poring over her JESSICA ANDREWS’ OWN WORK Do you need me to write it down?’
descriptions of her friends, her ‘I’ll remember,’ I said, and she left.
illnesses, her travels and her dreams. At 6pm, I turned on the television.
I read about her dancing to Marc
Bolan, slotting pound coins into the “I loved Tracey was sitting on the edge of her
unmade bed at Christie’s auction
jukebox in her favourite East End pub. Tracey because house. It had just sold for £2.5m.
During my first year at university,
I needed a job because I didn’t have she was an After university, I worked full-time
in the pub. I didn’t know how to build
any money. I traipsed around Brick
Lane with a wad of CVs. Nowhere
OUTSIDER a life and I waited for the glitz and
glamour that shimmered around the
was hiring and I was about to give up and I felt like an bar to change things for me. One of
when a landlady in a glittery cardigan
and a slash of coral lipstick looked me outsider, too” Tracey’s neons hung above the toilet.
It flashed, ‘Stand still and rot’ as
up and down. ‘Do you want to work I collected glasses and swept the
in my pub?’ she asked. Before I had street outside. I watched the clock
chance to reply, David Bowie burst from the jukebox and slide through the hours and I began to realise that my dreams
she climbed up onto the bar and started hula-hooping, would decay if I didn’t do anything about them. If I was going
waving a framed picture of the Pope. ‘You start on Friday, to carve out a space in the world, I needed to do it myself.
PHOTOGR A PH Y, PR EV IOUS PAGE: TR ACEY EMIN, YOU LOVED ME LIKE A DISTANT STAR, 2012 © TR ACEY EMIN. A LL R IGHTS R ESERV ED,
alright, babe?’ she called down to me. When I was 27, I published my first novel. I used material
DACS/A RTIM AGE 2021. IM AGE COURTESY OF LEHM A NN M AUPIN. PHOTOGR A PH Y, THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF JESSICA A NDR EWS.
The landlady’s name was Deborah, and we became close. from my life to convey how it feels to be a young, working-
She was known for looking after young artists in the Nineties class woman in a world that doesn’t have space for you. I wrote
– when Shoreditch was full of industrial spaces that could be through my body, giving words to my flesh and fear. I learnt
used as art studios, before the rental market exploded and how to pull the hurt and dreams from beneath my skin and
Nike and Costa moved in. One afternoon, Deborah’s best make them visible; to push out my darkness and give it form.
friend Tracey came into the pub. She slipped behind the bar, Women who were younger than me came to my readings.
shy and softly spoken. ‘Deborah said I could have a Guinness,’ They looked at me with a hot, dense redness in their eyes, as
she said. ‘Will you show me how to pour one?’ I guided her though I had the answers to the questions they were carrying.
with shaking hands, showing her how to draw a shamrock ‘What should I do?’ A young woman asked me, trembling, in
on top. I couldn’t believe that I was showing her how to do a bookshop, a ghost of my former self flickering beneath her
something: Tracey Emin, who had taught me so much. skin. I looked at the woman helplessly, because no matter
She often came into the pub. I dug my nails into my palms how much I wanted to, I knew that I couldn’t change
to stop myself from grabbing her and telling her I understood anything for her. She had to learn how to do it for herself.
how it felt to come from nowhere and to want everything; Now, I’m working on my second novel. I’m writing about
to feel trapped by the weight of your body as it dragged you the body in a way that feels exposing, shameful, raw. I find
through the world. I wanted to ask how she learnt to push myself returning to Tracey’s work and the lightning feeling it
the darkness out of her; to name it and give it form. Instead, gives me to remember why I wanted to write in the first place.
I stocked fridges and wiped tables until my arms ached as I have a copy of one of her monoprints above my desk.
Deborah went to art openings, leaving me to empty the bins. It reads: ‘Just remember how it was’. As I try to find the
Tracey treated me with disinterest. She never learnt my language for my own memories, I look at it and remember
name. She said to me, unkindly, ‘You dress the way I did how I used to feel when I walked around art galleries, in
when I was about 16.’ I was afraid of my body and wore awe of the way artists pushed their feelings into shapes and
turtlenecks beneath ankle-length dresses, never showing an colours. I remember how impossible it once seemed that
inch of flesh. I knew Tracey understood that feeling; I’d seen I would ever get here at all. I remember my years working
it in her work. I watched her dancing by the jukebox in her in the pub, watching Tracey. I remember how strong she
long leather boots, wiggling her hips and miaowing like a cat. looked when she danced to Sylvester in her silky red shirt.
One night, we had an argument. She asked me where I remember how she taught me to illuminate things, to name
Deborah was and I answered. She prickled, protective of them for myself, to take my shame and turn it into power.
5O
upfront THE NOW, THE NEW, THE NEXT
EARRINGS,
EACH PART OF
MATCHING
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IT’S TIME TO EMBRACE OUTRAGEOUS OVERDRESSING. TELL SUBTLE TO CLEAR
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COLLEECTION
TO YOUR EVERYDAY STYLE WITH SEQUINS AND HIGH-SHINE BIJOUX.
GO BIG, AS THEY SAY, OR STAY HOME
SHOPPING: JULIA HARVEY. PHOTOGRAPHY: IMAXTREE.
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53
Elle UPFRONT
SCREEN SAVER Addison Rae

TikTok’s reigning queen heads to Hollywood
for a starring role in the much-anticipated, ADDISON RAE EASTERLING
gender-flipped romcom revamp He’s All That IS REALLY, REALLY FAMOUS

– and always knew she
wanted to be. But growing
Wo r d s b y R o s e M i n u t a g l i o P h o t o g r a p h y b y P h y l i c i a J L M u n n
up in a constellation of
small southern towns in
the US, the 20-year-old
thought a career in broadcast journalism would be her ticket to stardom. ‘[Where
I] come from, you don’t normally hear someone say they want to go to Hollywood
and be an actress,’ Addison says. ‘I thought my way in was to get a degree [and follow]
a more traditional path – then I got super lucky.’
After three months at Louisiana State University, she discovered TikTok –
Gen Z’s social media platform of choice. She took to the app immediately, attracting
a mind-boggling follower count (82 million thus far) with skilful and undeniably
endearing lip-syncs and dances. One of her first viral hits, a duet with her mum
set to Mariah Carey’s 2009 hit Obsessed, captured the attention of Carey herself,
who threw it a ‘like’. Soon, Addison was getting hundreds of thousands – and then
millions – of likes and views on every video. She left school and decamped to Los
Angeles to live out her childhood dream.

55
Elle UPFRONT
By 2019, she had moved into the Hype House, a mansion-

VODVKFRQWHQWIDFWRU\ ZKHUH D FROOHFWLYH RI ULVLQJ LQÁXHQFHU TOKYO OPERA CITY
teens (including fellow TikTokers Charli and Dixie D’Amelio) CONCERT HALL, JAPAN
(LEFT) ARCHITECTS
worked together to create videos and collaborate for digital clout. WORKED WITH
As TikTok continued to skyrocket in popularity, so did Addison, CONDUCTORS TO
whose following shot up by 10 million between March and April CREATE A ROOM
WHERE SOUND
2020. Seemingly overnight, she had gone from an average girl in BOUNCES OFF THE
Louisiana to an international internet sensation, scoring deals WALLS TO QUICKLY
with big-name brands such as Coca-Cola and growing close to REACH LISTENERS FOR
A SENSE OF INTIMACY.
the world’s most famous celebrities, including Hailey Bieber
and Kourtney Kardashian, who she calls her sartorial ‘icon’.
Addison is still getting used to her
meteoric rise. ‘Some people are strong
“It’s HARD and able to go through a lot, while HOUSE OF MUSIC,
BOLOGNA (RIGHT) THE
to have your others have moments of weakness.
I can admit, I have those moments,’
CURVED OAK FACADE IS
A NOD TO MUSICAL
life under a she says. ‘It is so hard to have your life INSTRUMENTS, WHICH
HELPS AMPLIFY THE
microscope when under a microscope when you don’t
KDYH HYHU\WKLQJ ÀJXUHG RXW \RXUVHOI·
SOUND AND ALSO
you don’t have Therapy helps, she says. She goes

ENSURES HIGH LEVELS
OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
it figured out ” once a week (‘Twice, if I need it’)

for sessions that she describes as
‘a helping tool to be able to speak
my mind and get advice from someone on the outside’.
Of course, internet fame doesn’t always add up to GO SEE...
Vamped-up venues
traditional stardom, but Addison has unlocked that algorithm
DV ZHOO 6KH ODQGHG KHU ÀUVW PDMRU +ROO\ZRRG UROH LQ He’s All
That ² 1HWÁL[·V JHQGHUVZDSSHG UHPDNH RI WKH EHORYHG
teen romcom She’s All That, out this month – as Padgett, an LIVE MUSIC IS FINALLY BACK – SO WHY SETTLE FOR
LQÁXHQFHU QDWXUDOO\ ZKR DWWHPSWV WR WXUQ DQ XQSRSXODU ER\ AN AVERAGE ARENA WHEN YOU CAN GO TO
into prom king. She sees a lot of herself in the character, who A MUSIC VENUE THAT WILL LEAVE YOU IN AWE?
VWUXJJOHV ZLWK VHOILGHQWLW\ WKURXJKRXW WKH ÀOP ¶3DGJHWW
experiences so much growth and development while trying to
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ÀJXULQJ DOO WKDW RXW WRR· VKH VD\V ¶, KDYH KDG WR DFFHSW WKDW
I am not going to make everyone love me or like me. [It’s] an
unrealistic expectation for myself. I’m human; if I make
CRYSTAL PALACE BOWL,
mistakes, I can learn from them and grow.’ LONDON (LEFT) THIS
Addison knows you might have doubts about the breadth SCULPTURAL STAGE HAS
of her talent, but she’s ready to prove you wrong. ‘When you HOSTED THE LIKES OF
PINK FLOYD AND BOB
get labelled as one thing, people like to keep you there,’ she says. MARLEY, WHILE THIS
‘It’s hard to love something and have a passion for it, then feel SUMMER ITS OPEN-AIR
like you constantly have to prove yourself… I have to work that SERIES FEATURES
DIZZEE RASCAL AND
much harder to be taken seriously.’ To prepare for the role, she THE STREETS.
took three acting classes a week, and rewatched her favourite
Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston romcoms. She also looked
WRIHOORZ1HWÁL[VWDU-RH\.LQJThe Kissing Booth) for guidance. PALACIO DE LA MÚSICA
MEXICANA, MEXICO
‘There are so many women in this industry I’m inspired by,’ she (RIGHT) WITH STONE
WORDS: LENA DE CASPARIS. PHOTOGRAPHY:
says. ‘I’m watching, studying and observing everything they do.’ THAT APPEARS TO
While working on He’s All That, Addison also launched her CHANGE COLOUR
DEPENDING ON THE
own Ipsy beauty line, recorded weekly Spotify podcast episodes TIME OF DAY, THIS
with her mum called That Was Fun? and released a hit song
PHYLICIA J L MUNN/NETFLIX.
UNIQUE BUILDING SITS

about loving yourself called Obsessed. All, of course, while putting IN A U-SHAPE, ALLOWING
FOR OUTDOOR
out new TikToks every day. It’s clear the multihyphenate PERFORMANCES IN THE
already wears many hats. Is there anything left? In response, CENTRE COURTYARD.
Addison points to the actual hat on her head, embossed with
the word ‘Producer’. She laughs. ‘I’m not ruling anything out.’
+H·V$OO7KDWLVRXW$XJXVWRQ1HWÁL[
56 EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

Elle UPFRONT
£6,650, NUE
MODERN
FROM £1,195,
LOAF
£1,904, LIGNE
ROSET
Blobby banquettes
TRENDING IFTING
M ’S CENTREPIECE HA S TAKEN A TURN, SHAPE SH
THE SITTING ROO D SURPRISINGLY SOFT – STATEM
ENT
US LY ST YLISH AN
INTO A NEW – SERIO
£2,645, NUE
MODERN
£6,810, HOMMES
STUDIO
STELLA McCARTNEY, LIGNE ROSET AND SWEETPEA WILLOW.
SHOPPING: JULIA HARVEY. PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF
SOFA, SO GOOD
EVERYONE LOVES
A SQUISHY
SETTEE, FROM
INFLUENCERS TO
STELLA McCARTNEY
STORES (ABOVE)
£2,980,
HEAL’S

57
Elle UPFRONT
TROUSERS,
£530
TOP, £360
DRESS,
NEW SPIN £600
TROUSERS ARE
MODERNISED
WITH SPLICED
SEAMS AND
STAR-SHAPED
STITCHING
When Bulgarian designer Kiko Kostadinov started his eponymous North

London-based brand it was purely a menswear label. But since
LWV ODXQFK LQ LW·V JURZQ LQWR D IXOO\ ÁHGJHGUHDG\WRZHDUEXVLQHVV
T L I
SP
O G H
T
with a dedicated womenswear line, a string of hit collaborations with
sportswear powerhouse Asics, and a list of superstar fans including
T
OT LI GH
SP
Emma Corrin, Tessa Thompson, Kristen McMenamy and Beyoncé.

OTL I G
Behind the success of the brand’s womenswear, launched in 2018,

are 31-year-old twins and joint creative directors Laura and Deanna
SP
Fanning – with a knack for creating striking knits and prints so vivid,
T
SP T
OTL I GH
their energy bursts from the
cloth. Born in Melbourne,
Australia, their urban studio
SPOTLIGHTON... is a far cry from the leafy

suburb where they grew up.
Kiko Kostadinov ‘Our parents were teachers;

our lives were extremely
normal,’ says Laura. They
MEET THE SISTERS BRINGING COLOUR CLASHES AND were introduced to fashion
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS TO YOUR WORKING WARDROBE by their dressmaker great
aunt – the sisters would
patch together offcuts in
her garage-cum-studio.
¶7KH EHQHÀW RI EHLQJ LVRODWHG LQ WKH VXEXUEVLVWKDWLWJLYHV\RXWKH
DRESS,
£500
chance to dream,’ Laura adds.
Dream they did, setting their sights on London, with Deanna
enrolling on the BA knitwear course at Central Saint Martins in 2013.
After training at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Laura
WORDS: SARA McALPINE. PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF KIKO KOSTADINOV.

joined her sister in 2016, when they enrolled on Central Saint Martins’
MA fashion course as a duo. The opportunity to launch womenswear
with Kostadinov came about after they assisted him as students. ‘We
had a professional relationship with him, so it made sense,’ says Deanna.
The womenswear is distinct from the brand’s menswear. ‘It’s not our
interpretation of what Kiko would design for women. But we have the
RICH COLOUR same ideals in terms of craft and wanting to push ourselves to do new
LEFT: TWINS
LAURA AND
things,’ says Laura. Traditional styles feel new, and the sisters have
DEANNA USE created sumptuous shearling knits, shirts, jackets and accessories,
COLOUR IN A carrying the Kiko Kostadinov USP: graphic prints and a playful approach
PLAYFUL WAY
to colour. ‘Our mother’s side is Italian, and Italian designers have an
interesting way with colour,’ Deanna says.
For AW21, the sisters have produced their own sleek pop-coloured
‘it’ bag – their interpretation of the classic baguette bag – adding to a
BAG,
£475
growing range that includes sunglasses, a unisex fragrance and sell-out
shoes. ‘We want women to have great pieces they know they can wear
with anything,’ Laura explains. Mission accomplished, we’d say.

Elle UPFRONT
£2,100, FENDI
£1,275,
SALVATORE
FERRAGAMO
KEY PIECE
The original It bag
THE BAGUETTE IS BACK, BABY. THE BAG OF
THE NINETIES (JUST ASK CARRIE
BRADSHAW) IS ALL THE RAGE AGAIN. PACK
YOUR FLIP PHONE AND LET’S GO…
£970, CELINE BY HEDI

SLIMANE
THE HYPE Little Simz

Nina Simone, Lauryn
PERSONAL, POLITICAL AND PROUD, SIMZ SOARS Hill and John Coltrane.
TO THE TOP OF OUR PLAYLISTS WITH A NEW ALBUM ‘I want to make timeless
WOR DS: BECK Y BURGUM. SHOPPING: JULI A H A RV EY. PHOTOGR A PH Y: NICK DA LE.
£300,
ELLEME music,’ she says. ‘There
are so many different
‘I’ve always been myself, but this time styles and textures in this album, there’s
I wanted to be even more unapologetic.’ something for everyone and every mood.’
Since her last album, the Mercury Prize- It’s true: searing political anthem
nominated Grey Area, British-Nigerian Introvert sits beside the soulful celebration
rapper Little Simz has bagged a of Woman, featuring Cleo Sol. Spanning
prestigious Ivor Novello award and made 19 tracks, spoken-word interludes give
waves in the acting world with a role in voice to her inner monologue.
WKH 'UDNH H[HFSURGXFHG 1HWÁL[ VKRZ ¶,W·V DERXWPHÀQGLQJSRZHUZLWKLQ
Top Boy. Now, she returns to the charts my introversion,’ says Simz, who always
£378,
with Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (out felt overwhelmed by the expectation
TL 180 3 Sept), her most personal project yet. that she should be larger than life, just
‘I’ve dug a lot deeper with my because she’s in the public eye. ‘I now
writing,’ says Simz. ‘I’ve given all I can.’ understand that it doesn’t make me less
Though still rooted in hip-hop, Simz FRQÀGHQWRUOHVVVXUHRIP\VHOI,FDQ
GUDZVRQGLYHUVHLQÁXHQFHVDIWHU still have a presence that’s loud without
spending time listening to albums by being the loudest person in the room.’

59
Elle UPFRONT
MONASTERY CREAM
SERUM, £110
THE ESSENTIALS
WHEN TRAVELLING,
REJINA PYO (RIGHT)
ALWAYS TAKES A FILM
CAMERA, LIP BALM
AND MONASTERY
SKINCARE STUFFED
IN HER ‘SONNY’ BAG
SONNY BAG, £495,

REJINA PYO
POSTCARD FROM...
...
Seoul, South Korea
r RICH CULTURE
TOP: EXPLORE
THE PARK OF
LONDON-BASED DESIGNER REJINA PYO ON THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND SEOUL FOREST.
ABOVE: DINE AT
FLAVOURS YOU MUSTN’T MISS IN THE CITY SHE GREW UP IN RESTAURANT JEJE
VINTAGE TREASURES Seoul is amazing the Changdeokgung Palace. It’s in an old

for markets, especially for clothes. I love city and it’s very atmospheric – what
Gwangjang Sijang in the Jongno-gu people might picture when they think of
MELIXR LIP
BUTTER
district. I’ve been going since I was Korea. There are lots of temples and
IN DEWY a teenager. It’s huge, so put aside a few pathways, so wear proper walking shoes!
ROSE,
£14.99
hours to immerse yourself in it.
FINE FLAVOURS The city is food heaven.
NIGHT BAZAAR In the Dongdaemun Onjium is great for modern Korean food
district, there are high-rise buildings full ²LW·VUHÀQHGVRJRIRUVRPHWKLQJVSHFLDO
of clothes shops with incredible bargains. Jangsarang is more low-key. I love its
They open around midnight until 4am, sujabi (like noodle soup) and muksabal,
so you can maximise your time in the which is made from acorn jelly in an iced
city. Go on a weekday; it’s less crowded. kimchi broth (sounds strange, but it’s
delicious). Jeje is foolproof if you’re
CREATIVE PURSUITS Seongsu-dong is an FUDYLQJ&KLQHVHÁDYRXUV²JHWWKHWUXIÁH
PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF REJINA PYO.
area with great cafés, boutiques and art dim sum and the chilli aubergine hotpot.
galleries, such as Daelim Changgo: a cafe
set in a former factory building with FAST FOOD FIX You can get a taste of
work by local artists on display. Korea in most markets and the quality is
incredible, like a Michelin-star restaurant
FAVOURITE HAUNTS
FROM TOP: NAGSEONJAE, HISTORY HIT Get a glimpse into but you sit on bar stools. Gimbap (like
CHANGDEOKGUNG; traditional culture at the Korea a sushi roll) is available anywhere for
NATIONAL MUSEUM Furniture Museum, up in the hills with around £2. I recommend nokdujeon, too:
OF MODERN AND
CONTEMPORARY ART, wonderful views of Seoul. It’s really a pancake made from mung beans. They
KOREA; SUPER MATCHA calming with classic architecture, near grind the beans fresh in front of you.

Elle UPFRONT
IDENTITY CRISIS
LEFT: PROTAGONIST
KATHY GETS
A DEVASTATING
DIAGNOSIS IN
SECOND SPRING
TRENDING...
Marriage stories
AFTER A YEAR OF RESCHEDULED WEDDINGS, THESE SPOUSES
IN ACTION MIGHT PUT YOU OFF THE IDEA FOR GOOD
Admit it, there’s nothing more interesting than peeking

into someone else’s rocky relationship. Don’t miss these
new releases for fascinating behind-closed-doors dynamics.
On HBO (Sky and Now TV), the makers of
The Affair bring Scenes From A Marriage (out later this
year), a remake of the 1973 Swedish series. Starring
Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac, a divorce lawyer’s
marriage dissolves when her husband becomes involved
with another woman.
Also on the small screen, Amazon Prime’s ROMANTIC AFFAIR
Modern Love (out 13 August) returns with Judas RIGHT: WATCH
TALES OF LOVE,
And The Black Messiah’s Dominique Fishback and LOSS AND
Game Of Thrones’ Kit Harington. Based on real-life HEARTBREAK IN
stories from the cult New York Times column, expect MODERN LOVE
a different couple (and crisis) in each episode.

In cinemas, Jude Law makes a glorious return
alongside Carrie Coon in Sundance favourite The Nest
(out 27 August). Set in the 1980s, life for an entrepreneur
and his American family takes a twisted turn when
they move into an English country manor, leading to
Revolutionary Road-style relationship woes. MARITAL BLISS
Finally, Second Spring (out 3 September) sees an LEFT: JUDE LAW
archaeologist develop a form of dementia that drastically AND CARRIE
COON STAR AS A
alters her personality. She has sex with strangers, and MARRIED COUPLE
impulsively leaves her husband for a man she barely knows. IN THE NEST
CHRISTOPHER SAUNDERS/AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.
WORDS: BECKY BURGUM. PHOTOGRAPHY:
PSST... Disastrous liaisons

From Chandler Baker’s The Husbands, a Little Fires Everywhere-style murder mystery, to Kristen Arnett’s With Teeth, about two
PRWKHUVDQGWKHLUGLIÀFXOWVRQWKHVHWKULOOLQJQHZUHDGVH[SORUHUHODWLRQVKLSVRQWKHEULQNRIFROODSVH

61
Elle UPFRONT
BIG NATURALS BOLD BAROQUE

PEARL OCTOPUSS.Y
ANITA BERISHA
These sea-inspired styles
Coming soon to
are anything but subtle.
Net-a-Porter, this
Jeweller Cathrine Boerter’s
self-taught designer’s
Oslo-based brand is made
delicate tactile styles
to be noticed. Pieces suit
are inspired by nature.
those with opulent tastes,
Silver and gold-plated
interested in XXL crystal
threads are hand-laced
earrings, serpentine
with freshwater pearls
cuffs and navel-grazing
or worked into baroque
necklaces. From £145.
ÁRUDOVKDSHGHDUULQJV
a i s. Rustic and
mant with a pop NECKLACE, £450,
PEARL
coral. om £50. OCTOPUSS.Y at
NET-A-PORTER
EARRINGS,
165, ANITA
BERISHAA
THE LOOK Gold standard EARRINGS, £840,

BEA BONGIASCA at
DS
ABLE TO INVE STM ENT,MEET THEHIT JEWELLERY BRAN MATCHESFASHION
FROM AFFORD
COMES TO STATEMENT
RAISING THEBAR WHEN IT
SHAP ES AN D MO OD -BOOSTING BOLD COLOUR
RINGS,PLAYFUL
GOLD AND
EMERALD RING,
£10,850, KHIRY GUMDROP JEWE
LS
BEA BONGIASCA
The Italian designer’s
curlicued earrings and
rings are playful and
SOMETHING pretty. Beloved by Dua
SCULPTURAL Lipa, styles are made of
9kt gold and sterling
KHIRY Jameel Mohammed silver with a paintbox
explores the African diaspora EULJKWÀQLVK)URP
through a modern lens,
PING: GR ACE CL A R K E.
describing his styles as

‘Afrofuturist’. Rich stones add
warmth to minimalist cuffs
RING, £800, BEA
and hoops, for those wanting BONGIASCA at
SHOPP
subtle polish. From £150. NET-A-PORTER
62 EL L E .COM / U K SEP T ER 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY
IMAGES, JAY MAIDMENT, COURTESY OF DISNEY.
DOLCE &
GABBANA
PRADA
BILLY PORTER CARR
RIE-ANNE
MOSS IN THE M ATRIX
DOJA CAT
GIVENCHY
KOURTNEY AND
BRA KIM KARDASHIAN
CLAUDINE
AUGER IN
THUNDERBALL
ERIN GRAY IN GIGI

HADID BETH
BUCK ROGEERS DITTO
EMILIO PUCCI

SCARLETT JOHANSSON OLIVIA WILDE IN
HALLE BERRY TRON LEGACY
IN BLACK WIDOW
IN X -MEN
MARINE SERRE
ROD
STEWART
SERENA WILLIAMS
MAXIMILIAN
VICTORIA
BECKHAM GERI HORNER
MICHELLE
PFEIFFER IN
BATMAN CARDI B
J-LO RETURNS
NAOMI CAMPBELL
JUSTIN ZIGGY
HAWKINS STARDUST
DUA LIPA
YSEULT
PJ HARVEY
BY EMILIO PUCCI, PRADA, MAXIMILIAN AND MORE. NOT

JANE COCO
FONDA IN ROCHA
CHAKA KHAN
BARBARELLA
ZOË KRAVITZ IN BATMAN (OUT 1 OCTOBER) ISN’T THE ONLY ONE
ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES – BUT MAYBE THEY DO WEAR CATSUITS…

BELL A HADID MAXIMILIAN
AND FINALLY SuperSeptember
WEARING A BODYSUIT RIGHT NOW. IN FACT, RUNWAYS SHOWED ALL-IN-ONES
PAMELA
ALLBERTA FERRETTI ANDERSON
YVONNE
CRAIG IN
BATMAN
RICHARD
QUINN
LADY
MARLENE GAGA
AZEALIA BANKS
DIETRICH
KNWLS
MICK JAGGER
63
Elle UPFRONT
style
WHAT TO WEAR & HOW TO WEAR IT
Jumpsuit, £1,800,
and boots, £1,300,
both PRADA
BACK to the FUTURE

NOSTALGIA AND INNOVATION COME TOGETHER
AS DESIGNERS REINVENT CLASSIC PRINTS AND PIECES
Photography
LARA
ANGELIL
Styling
GEORGIA
MEDLEY

65
Elle STYLE
THIS PAGE Coat,

£8,935, top,
£2,415, lip ring,
£425, and garter,
£2,240, all
CHANEL.
OPPOSITE
Earrings, £1,255,
and necklaces,
from top: £485,
£385, and £1,255,
all SAINT
LAURENT BY
ANTHONY
VACCARELLO
REFINED grunge
GIVE YOUR DIAMONDS UNEXPECTED EDGE, FROM GLITTERING
LIP RINGS TO A BEJEWELLED GARTER PAIRED WITH CLASSIC TWEED

Elle STYLE
Extra EXTRA
…READ ALL ABOUT IT: IT’S TIME TO WEAR YOUR MOST
OPULENT JEWELLERY ALL AT ONCE – AND ENJOY THE ATTENTION

67
Elle STYLE
NEW view
WORN WITH OVERSIZED EARRINGS ANDA HOLOGRAPHIC TOP,
THESE SPACE-AGE SUNGLASSES COULD BE FROM 198O OR 2O8O

Elle STYLE
SOFT touch
IT’S NOSTALGIA FOR YOUR CHILDHOOD TEDDY BEARS MIXED WITH
A DOSE OF DIRECTIONAL STYLE – EMBRACE THE TACTILE TOTE
THIS PAGE Shirt,

£590, skirt,
£1,790, beige bag,
£2,750, water
bottle and holder,
£750, and white
bag, £3,300, all
FENDI.
OPPOSITE Top,
£856, sunglasses,
£1,500, and
earrings, £340,
all DOLCE &
GABBANA

69
7O
Elle STYLE
ANKLE SOCKS AREN’T JUST FOR SCHOOL DAYS–PAIRED WITH

MULTI layered
DELICATE TULLE, THEY ADD SWEETNESS TO TOUGH LEATHER BOOTS
Skirt, £3,700,
£2,850, all DIOR

and boots with socks,

HAIR: KEIICHIRO HIRANO AT THE LONDON STYLE AGENCY USING UNITE HAIR CARE AND BABYLISS PRO TOOLS. MAKE-UP: BUNNY HAZEL CLARKE USING
AUGUSTINUS BADER. NAILS: MICHELLE CLASS AT LMC WORLDWIDE. MODEL: EMILY UNKLES AT ESTABLISHED. FASHION ASSISTANT: LOIS ADEOSHUN.
Photography
DIMA
HOHLOV
Styling
GEORGIA
MEDLEY
Shopping
JULIA
HARVEY
THIS PAGE Overshirt,

£1,300, denim jacket,
£1,100, skirt, £2,150,
and boots, £690, all
CELINE BY HEDI
SLIMANE. Necklaces,
from top, £165 and £190,
both BY ALONA. Socks,
£13, BURLINGTON.
OPPOSITE Padded coat,
£2,325, COLVILLE.
Checked coat, £999.95,
RALPH LAUREN. Dress,
£1,710, PHILOSOPHY
DI LORENZO SERAFINI.
Shoes, £350,
UNDERGROUND
ENGLAND. Socks,
£7, FALKE
KEEP it in CHECK
Play around with layers this season, grounding elegant pieces
with casual plaid for a look you can wear anywhere
72
Elle STYLE
PINS, £25 FOR SET,

UNDERGROUND
ENGLAND
JUMPER, £200,
LACOSTE
PHONE CASE,
BAG, £240,
£195, BALENCIAGA
ACNE STUDIOS THE LOOK
GLAM, WITH EDGE: HOODIES
UNDER HOUNDSTOOTH, DRESSES
WITH STOMPY BOOTS OR SLEEK
BAGS WITH SLOUCHY KNITS
JACKET,
£130,
LEVI’S
COAT WITH MADE &
HOOD, £68, RIVER CRAFTED
ISLAND
KEYCHAIN, £81,
AYM STORE
JEANS, £98,
HOUSE
OF SUNNY
BOOTS, £460,
WANDLER
RING, £315,
PAOLA VILAS
DRESS, £340,
KENZO
THE DETAILS
MAKE EVERY ELEMENT
A STATEMENT, FROM
PRINTED JEANS TO
A STANDOUT KEYCHAIN EARRINGS, £450,
EARRING, £42.99, BALENCIAGA
CRYSTAL HAZE
JACKET,
£40,
MONKI
BELT, £129, MAJE
BOOTS, £150,
DUNE SUNGLASSES, £129,
JIMMY FAIRLY
T-SHIRT, £215,
MAX MARA

73
£325,
GANNI
£175,
UNDERGROUND
ENGLAND
£100, UGG
STAND TALL
LACE-UP, FURRY, STRAPPY,
EVEN CROCS – THERE’S
A PLATFORM SHOE FOR ALL
OCCASIONS (AND WEATHERS)
Checked shirt, £40,

CRAGHOPPERS. Top,
£390, SHUSHU/TONG.
Striped shirt, £550, £80, VAGABOND
REDVALENTINO. Trousers,
£765, COLVILLE. Sandals,
£473, NODALETO.
Earrings, £55, and
necklace, £730, both
SWAROVSKI. Socks,
£54.99,
£19.99, SOCKSHOP CROCS
TOP, £715, DRESS, £119.99,

ISABEL MARANT TOGA
ARCHIVES
X H&M
KEEP SHINING
DON’T SAVE SEQUINS FOR
AFTER DARK TAKE SKIRT, £59.99,
THEM OUT IN DAYTIME TO MANGO
DRESS, £1,995,
SIMONE ROCHA SPARKLE IN THE SUN
DRESS,
DRESS, £295, RIXO £29.99, ZARA

Elle STYLE
DOUBLE down
WRAPPING NOT ONE BUT TWO JACKETS AROUND YOUR WAIST HELPS TO TIE
TOGETHER A LOOK BUILT ON CONTRASTS – AND PROVIDES AN EXTRA LAYER, JUST IN CASE
Dress, £5,465,
DSQUARED2. Denim
jackets, £100 each,
both LEVI’S. Skirt,
price on request, LE KILT
75
THIS PAGE Coat, £4,450,
EMPORIO ARMANI. Dress,
£119.99, H&M X TOGA
ARCHIVES. Bag (worn
across body), £645, and
bag (in hands), £545, both
PHILOSOPHY DI LORENZO
SERAFINI. Trousers, £755,
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD.
OPPOSITE Dress, £620,
and gloves, £140, both
SHUSHU/TONG. Leggings,
£295, REDVALENTINO.
Shoes, £495, TOD’S
GO all OUT
CAN’T WAIT TO DIG OUT YOUR FLUFFIEST WINTER COAT? KEEP THE
REST OF YOUR CLOTHING MINIMAL, WITH LIGHT LAYERS OF SHEER TULLE
76
Elle STYLE
LEGGINGS, £25, MONKI

TOP, £375, GANNI
DRESS, £300,
HEAVEN BY SHOES,
MARC JACOBS £85, DUNE
CORSET, £49.99,
H&M STUDIO
BAG, £220, MOLLY

GODDARD
BELT, £79.99,
TOGA
ARCHIVES
X H&M
DRESS, £35.99,
RESERVED
THE MOOD HAT, £420,

REFINED, WITH A HINT OF CELINE BY HEDI
PUNK: THINK CUTE DRESSES, SLIMANE
HIGH-SHINE FABRICS AND
A FLASH OF TARTAN
SHOES, £985,
VERSACE
HAIR SLIDES, £100

FOR SET, ASHLEY
WILLIAMS
THE ACCESSORIES
ELEVATE YOUR MOST CASUAL
PIECES WITH A FEW
UNEXPECTED TOUCHES, SUCH
AS STUDS AND DIAMANTÉS
COAT, £480,
HERNO
SHIRT, £70, LEVI’S
NECKLACE, £350,
HAIR
ZIMMERMANN
CLIP,
£155,
BERET, £360, PHILOSOPHY DI ERDEM
LORENZO SERAFINI
BAG, £99,
GUESS

77
Elle STYLE
£930,
CELINE
BY HEDI
SLIMANE
THE KILT
SUBVERT THIS
TRADITIONAL PIECE. TRY
A NEW SHAPE, A DIFFERENT
COLOURWAY, OR
WEAR IT OVER A DRESS FOR
ADDED INTEREST
£795, CHOPOVA
LOWENA
£680, MOLLY
GODDARD
£290, MAJE
£194, KAREN
MILLEN
£15, BAGGU
THE BAG
FINISH YOUR LOOK WITH
A PUNCHY TOTE, OPTING FOR
£85, A.P.C.
BOLD BRANDING OR GRAPHIC
PRINTS FOR IMPACT
£227,
£730, LASTFRAME £155, GANNI
VERSACE AT BROWNS
FASHION

THIS PAGE Dress, £650,
REDVALENTINO. Shirt,
£250, SPORTMAX.
Leggings, £79.99, H&M
X TOGA ARCHIVES.
Hat, £89.95, ALPHA
TAURI. Body chain, £430,
SPORTMAX. OPPOSITE
Cardigan, £450, RE/DONE.
Dress, £1,325, ISABEL
MARANT. Skirt, £25,
ASOS. Trousers, £385,
SKIIM PARIS. Rings, from
left: £49, ANIA HAIE, and
£180, GIOVANNI RASPINI
HAIR: MOE MUKAI. MAKE-UP: BUNNY HAZEL CLARKE USING GLOSSIER. MODEL: ALEXANDRA BEATON AT THE SQUAD MANAGEMENT. FASHION ASSISTANTS: JACK O’NEILL, GRACE CLARKE.
HIGH contrast
CASUAL ON THE TOP, PARTY ON THE BOTTOM: BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO
CLASSIC SHIRTING WITH A SMATTERING OF PLAYFUL TEXTURES AND PATTERN
79
TER 2O21
IN
AUT MN/W
U
BALMAIN
BALENCIAGA
THE NEW SEASON
BALENCIAGA
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
BALMAIN
COURRÈGES
LOUIS VUITTON
AT FASHION
’S N
EW
FR
1
ON
TIE
R
T H E L O O K
SPACE ODDITIES
ANNAKIKI
SLEEK SILVER HAS BEEN GIVEN AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL TOUCH,

PAIRED WITH OVOID OUTERWEAR, TOUGH
CHAINS AND TAILORING FOR OPULENCE WITH EDGE

1
Elle THE TREND REPORT
DOLC E
&G
A
BB
AN
A
M AT
T
YB
OVA N
PR
TIS
TA VALL I AD
AT A
B
GIAM
PUNK PALETTE
DO
LC E
& GABBA NA
OVA N
YB
TT
MA
M
O
SC
H IN
GIAMBAT
O
2
T IS
TA VALLI
T H E I N S P I R A T I O N
NU-SUBCULTURE
GIVE THE LOOK A MODERN SPIN
WITH GRAPHIC MAKE-UP, KALEIDOSCOPIC
O
CROPS AND A HIGH-GLOSS FINISH
M
FO RD
SKY-HIGH hair
T
DON’T BE A TEASE. WAIT, DO. BRAID HAIR FOR A

TH
STEADY FOUNDATION, BEFORE TEASING THE ENDS
EB
EM
WITH A COMB TO ADD TEXTURE AND HEIGHT

AGU
TEDDY HAIR FOR AN UPLIFTING TAKE ON THE CLASSIC UPDO

GU
GCDS
A
AD
PR
4
ACNE STUDIOS
LOUIS VUITTON
CHANEL
ETRO
SPORTMAX
T H E T R E N D
LOUIS VUITTON
WADER
WELLIES
THE OVERSIZED LOOK HAS
FINALLY MADE IT TO
FOOTWEAR. THE WIDER THE
BOOTS, THE BETTER.
AND IT TURNS OUT SWAMPY
SHADES (MUD GREEN AND
BROWN) ARE CHIC

BLUMARINE
DOLCE & GABBANA

STELLA McCARTNEY

STELLA M
McCARTNEY
CARTNEY
STELLA McCARTNEY
DOLCE & GABBANA
GIAMBATTISTA VALLI
T H E
DOLCE &
IN NEON-BRIGHT R
GABBANA
PIECES AND PRRINTS

5 M O O D
AND THE DANCEFLOOR,

CLUB kids
LIGHT UP YOUR WARDROBE
RAVE-READY
DOLCE & GABBANA
DOLCE & GABBANA

ISABEL MARANT
VERSACE
MISSONI
DOLCE & GABBANA

XULY.BËT
83
LENTINO
T H E T R E N D
SPRAY-on BOOTS
THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS CLEARLY READY FOR THE MATRIX 4 TO HIT CINEMAS,
WITH SKINTIGHT BATTLE-READY BOOTS IN BLACK LEATHER AND LATEX. UP THE SEX
FACTOR WITH THIGH-HIGH STYLES PAIRED WITH MICRO-MINI SHORT-SHORTS
COPERINI
ETRO

DIOR
FENDI
ETRO

85
STRONG SUIIT
NOTHING SAYS
‘DON’T MESS
WITH ME’ LIKE
CHIC, SHARP
TAILORING
MASK ON
FACE COVERINGS
OFFER A FRESH
TAKE ON COLOUR
COORDINATION
– A NEW WAY TO
STAND OUT
LOOK BOOK Layer up

7
VIVE LA STREET-STYLE, STILL GOING STRONG WITH A SAFETY-FIRST SPIN.
THE FASHION SET TURNED TO TO COSSETING, COMFORT-LED
LAYERING FOR MAXIMUM COVERAGE AND STYLE
LONG STORY
PLAY WITH
PROPORTIONS
AND ADD DRAMA
TO YOU RLOOK
WITH A FULL-
LENGTH COAT
JEAN-IUS
DENIM IS THE
HARD-WEARING
STAPLE THAT
WILL ALWAYS
STAND THE
TEST OF TIME

8 GIVENCHY
GIVENCHY
BURBERRY
PRADA
GIVENCHY
COPERNI
GIVENCHY
THE PIECE Cuddle-me coats

TE
TEDDY-BEAR TEXTURE IS THE EASY WAY TO MAKE A SOFT
STATEMENT, AS DEMONSTRATED BY BURBERRY AND GIVENCHY’S
TACTILE HIRSUTE COATS. TAKE THE COSINESS TO THE
EXTREME WITH CARAMEL AND COCOA-INSPIRED COLOURS
CHANEL
BURBERRY
ALBERTA FERRETTI
GIVENCHY
SPORTMAX
MAX MARA

87
T H E T R I C K
GLADIATOR style
SANDALS, FOR WINTER? YES. COMBAT THE COLD WITH LOUIS VUITTON’S
INNOVATIVE TRICK: STRAPPY LACES LAYERED OVER METALLIC
LEATHER — OR PRINTED TIGHTS FOR A PLAYFUL EVERYDAY SPIN

VERSACE
SCHINO
& GABBANA
ETRO
ETRO
ROBERTO CAVALLI
MOS
DOLCE
D
ANIMAL mania
IF YOU’RE GOING TO INVEST IN JUST ONE
ANIMAL-PRINT PIECE, MAKE IT THE BIG CAT
COAT. FROM TIGER TO LEOPARD, MEOW IS MORE
(CLASHED WITH MONOCHROMATIC ZEBRA FOR IMPACT)
T H E
11 T R E N D
MERCURY
RISING
TAKE METALLICS TO
THE MAX WITH TOP-TO-TOE
NOIR KEI NINOMIYA
DOLCE & GABBANA

DOLCE & GABBANA
SILVER AND NIGHT-SKY

GIORGIO ARMANI
MICHAEL KORS
COLLECTION
ANDREW GN
ACCENTS (FROM
MARNI
BLACK LAPELS AND CUFFS

BURBERRY
TO BODYSUITS) FOR A
STRIKING EVENING LOOK

89
BUDAPEST SELECT
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

1 T H E
The BIGGER, the BETTER

PRADA
S I L H O U E T T E
MAKING A STATEMENT IS ALL ABOUT SCALE WHEN IT COMES TO HANDBAGS.

FROM MARNI TO PRADA, IT’S EVIDENTLY TIME TO BAG AN XL TITAN TOTE
– A BRIGHT ONE, PREFERABLY, LIKE THOSE BY FERRAGAMO AND RAF SIMONS
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

91
CO
N
N
ER
CONNER IVES
IV
ES
ACT N°1
13
FENDI
BLUMARINE
GIAMBATTISTA
VALLI
ACT N°1
MOSCHINO
BLUMARINE
THE MOOD C’mon Barbie
SIMONE ROCHA
PRETTY IN PINK? MORE LIKE PUNKISH IN PINK, WITH AN ANARCHIC

APPROACH TO THE CLASSICALLY FEMININE COLOUR. THAT MEANS
MOSCHINO
TAKING GIRLISH TO THE EXTREME, INDUCING A SUGAR RUSH
WITH SATIN, SEQUINS AND COSTU
UME JEWELS – ALL AT ONCE
BLUMARINE
ES
IV
ER
N
N
CO
BLUMARINE
FENDI
SIMONE ROCHA
MOSCHINO

EASY UPDATE
SLING YOUR
SWEATER OVER
ONE SHOULDER
FOR A LAISSEZ-
FAIRE LOOK
FAIR LEATHER
REAL OR IMITATION,
PATENT OR SMOOTH,
LEATHER ADDS
A COOL (AND
PRACTICAL) TOUCH
14
LOOK BOOK Low-key cool
THE STREET-STYLE SET SHOW THAT CASUAL CAN LOOK LUXE. STRIKE
THE BALANCE BETWEEN SPORTY AND SLEEK WITH A MINIMALIST
FORMULA, PAIRING JERSEY BASICS WITH RELAXED TAILORING
COOL COLLARS
THE WIDER THE
COLLAR AND
LAPELS, THE
MORE RELAXED
THE LOOK
KEEP IT UNDONE
UNBUTTONED
AND UNZIPPED
JACKETS AND
SHIRTS ARE
A SHORTCUT TO
CASUAL STYLE

93
SIMONE ROCHA
CHA
N
TO
E RO
UIT
VALE
ON
IS V
S IM
U
N
LO
TINO
VA
L
EN
TI
N
O
DIO
R T H E L O O K
GOTH gang DIOR
THIS SCHOOL GIRL STYLE IS

DOLCE & GABBANA
ANYTHING BUT SWEET: PILE ON
THE BLACK AND SWAP MARY
JANES FOR STOMPER BOOTS
DI
OR
ON
IT T
I
Y D NI
VU
O P H E R A FI
A
VALEN
O S S
IS
E RO C H
L
PHI ENZO
U
LOR
LO
TINO
SIMON
VA
L
EN
TIN
O
SIMONE ROCHA

LO REN
LO
PHI O SER
Z
DI
PHY I
SO A FI N
1 T H
COME together
I R
GUCCI AND BALENCIAGA MADE FASHION HISTORY, MERGING

THE LATTER’S SIGNATURE SILHOUETTES WITH THE FORMER’S
MONOGRAM, AND VICE VERSA. HACKING, BUT MAKE IT
HAUTE. (AND HOT: THE WAITING LIST IS ALREADY LONG)
ONITNELAV
17 I E N N E W ES T W
O
VIV O
A
O
D
E
D
SMOKE SHOW T H E T R E N D
L
E
AN
SOFT
CH
HEAVY METAL
POWER
EL
N
R
A
CH
DIO
U R R È G ES
RO C H
A CO
E
ON FOR A MODERN TAKE ON
M
SI
MOODY MAKE-UP, THINK SHARP LINES

R R È G ES
C OU TIM BURTON VIBES:
STATEMENT SHAPES AND SIM
O
INDIGO TOUCHES FOR

NE
RO C H A
KHAI
MIX AND MATCH A GENTLER APPROACH

S IM
JO N T HAN
TO GOTHIC
A

95
96
CHANEL
ANREALAGE
PATOU
EDWARD
ROKH CRUTCHLEY
MOLLY GODDARD
GIAMBATTISTA
VALLI
BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
CELINE BY HEDI
SLIMANE CHANEL
VIVIENNE ZIMMERMANN
WESTWOOD
18
MAX MARA
PHILOSOPHY DI
LORENZO SERAFINI
EDWARD
DIOR
CRUTCHLEY EMILIO PUCCI
MAX MARA
PACO RABANNE
MOLLY
GODDARD DIOR
KENZO
ELIZABETTA FRANCI
PACO
RABANNE
PAUL SMITH
MOLLY GODDARD
VERSACE
PHILOSOPHY DI
LORENZO SERAFINI
PHILOSOPHY DI
MAX MARA LORENZO SERAFINI
ERMANNO
RAF SIMONS KENZO SCERVINO
COACH
WITH AGE COMES GREAT WISDOM – AND GREAT STYLE. SO RAID

LONGCHAMP
PREEN BY THORNTON
BREGAZZI PHILOSOPHY DI
LORENZO SERAFINI
MAX MARA
THE LOOK Glam granny

VIVIENNE
WESTWOOD
HOMESPUN KNITS NEW WITH MICRO-BAGS, XL BOWS AND EMBELLISHMENT

YOUR GREAT AUNT’S WARDROBE OR TURN TO CELINE AND CHANEL, MAKING
CHANEL PREEN BY THORNTON
BREGAZZI
PHOTOGRAPHY: IMAXTREE, MONICA FEUDI,

ALESSANDRO GAROFALO, GETTY IMAGES. EDWARD CRUTCHLEY
Elle READS
Photography RIA MORT

Words FARRAH STORR
The FAMILY
BUSINESS
Maria Grazia Chiuri is one of the most successful
designers of her generation, transforming
every fashion house she touches. But behind the
scenes, the artistic director of Dior has
a secret weapon… her daughter, Rachele Regini
99
1OO EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021
Elle READS
I NTERVIEWING ANYONE AT THE APEX OF

THEIR CAREER IS an unpredictable thing.
Egos have either exploded or diminished,
while demeanours settle into the grand and
studied or unselfconsciously low-key. Meeting Dior’s
creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri therefore comes
with some trepidation. She is, after all, one of the most
successful designers of her generation; an individual who
has transformed every fashion house she has set her
sights on – Dior being no exception. It is with some relief,
then, to discover that the 57-year old Italian artistic
director of the French fashion house falls into the latter
camp: a warm, laid-back woman who wears her success
as lightly as the white shirt on her back.
It is a bright spring morning when we talk (virtually,
via Zoom), and her trademark kohled eyes peer softly
into the computer camera. She is just weeks away from
Dior’s Cruise 2022 show – a collection of 91 astonishing
looks that go on to make
gushing headlines around
the world – yet appears
“She has an almost magical totally relaxed.

Of course, she is a pro
ability to create desire in the at this now, having spent

a decade at Fendi, as well
MODERN WOMAN”
as 17 years at Valentino,
the final eight of which
were spent as co-creative
director alongside
Pierpaolo Piccioli. She
knows the rhythms of the
fashion business intimately. She understands its whims
and demands. She can design an entire collection within
a matter of months and has an almost magical ability to
create desire in the modern woman, evidenced by her
non-stop hit factory that includes the Fendi Baguette
bag and Valentino’s Rockstud accessories, as well as
Dior’s book totes, stompy boots and bucket hats. Chiuri
has nothing more to prove.
‘I don’t need to demonstrate something about my job
to myself,’ she confirms in her charming Roman-accented
English. ‘I have enough confidence [to know] that I am
good at making beautiful dresses, beautiful shoes,
beautiful bags. Now, at my age, I need to move a vision.’

1O1
Elle READS
That vision means putting Dior and the clothes it Chiuri develop her collections with artisans and
sells at the centre of the cultural conversation, particularly communities around the world. Listening to them
among a younger generation. You may be aware of her together, however, when Regini joins our call, their words
first collection, for the spring/summer 2017 show, which overlapping one another’s, it is clear that her role is more
featured a T-shirt with the words ‘We Should All Be wide-reaching. She constantly edges her mother towards
Feminists’ emblazoned across the chest. It was a line trickier conversation points. She seems to be muse,
borrowed from author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s counsel and cultural weathervane to her mother.
essay of the same name. And, despite the garment costing ‘At first when she said, “Come and work with me,”
£490 a piece (a percentage of which went to charity), I was a bit unsure,’ Regini admits. She had just completed
it sold out almost instantly. a masters degree in gender, media and culture and was
Making a statement on all set on studying for a PhD
the catwalk was not a one-off, in gender studies when her
either. She did it again for mother came calling. ‘Working
Cruise 2020, shown in with a parent, particularly
Morocco, for which Chiuri when your parent is also your
worked with artists from boss and a successful
Africa to create the collection. person in your field… that
And then she did it all over does bring some personal
again with Cruise 2021, shifts, particularly for us
which served as both love as a mother and daughter.’
letter and clarion call to the Those personal shifts
craftspeople of the Italian were explored in therapy
region of Puglia and beyond. sessions that, Regini confides,
But dialogue, particularly the two embarked on before
about some of the world’s she officially joined Dior.
hot-button issues, is not To this day, they continue to
always welcome, especially see a therapist together to
in a world that is prone to help navigate this new chapter
cancellation and trial by in their relationship. ‘Once in
social media. As such, Chiuri a while, if I do something
walks a tightrope every time wrong, or if she gets mad,
she brings her vision to the she says, “I can’t talk about
catwalk. (And, make no this until we get to therapy.”
mistake, every brush with Then I know it’s bad!’
political dialogue sends social laughs Regini.
So far it’s working,
though whether that’s due
to therapy or just Regini’s
“Working with a parent who innate ability to navigate

the complex dynamics that
is also your boss does bring inevitably come with her

role is unclear. One gets
some PERSONAL SHIFTS”

the sense that, either way,
it’s a constant process.
Rachele says many at
Dior were already aware of
the role she played as her
mother’s unofficial advisor.
media into hysteria.) Help in navigating this brave new ‘Everyone around me was saying, ‘You’re finally here!” But it
world has come in an unlikely form: her 24-year old was more about my perception of what I was doing. Part of
daughter Rachele Regini, a striking, raven-haired former me is always going to question whether I’m good [at my job]
student at Goldsmiths, University of London, who today or if I’m here because I’m your daughter,’ she says, looking
works with her mother at Dior’s Paris office. In 2019, she towards Chiuri. ‘So I had to resolve that issue before getting
was appointed the company’s cultural advisor – a curious- here. Now, though, I don’t question it anymore. I don’t need
sounding job, the main purpose of which was to help to rely on that insecurity.’
1O2 EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

Throughout, Maria
Grazia Chiuri wears
DIOR. Rachele
Regini wears DIOR
CRUISE 2O22

1O3
Elle READS
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Elle READS
In the end, they compromised. Dior would create a limited building on the Women@Dior initiative that has seen more
number of T-shirts, with some of the proceeds going to than 1,000 female students be mentored by Dior employees.
FKDULW\&KLXULKDGQRWH[DFWO\ZRQWKHÀJKWEXWVKRRN (Interestingly, since arriving at the house, Chiuri has also
KDQGVLQWKHPLGGOHRIWKHULQJ¶7KLVLVDERXWKRZWRZRUN requested that she is shot only by women photographers,
with compromise,’ she says.
And compromise is what she has
masterfully done at the fashion
house, managing to create a brand
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clients and Generation Z, wielding
“I was ready to STOP after
their sloganeering T-shirts. (Dior
went on to produce a second range
Valentino. I thought,
of T-shirts, this time with words
borrowed from the poet, writer I can do other things now”
including this shoot.)
m not sure if
‘I’m
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this, bu ut I was ready to
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and feminist activist Robin Morgan). Chiuri has created Regini told her to answer it… And to go to Dior.
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²RUJDQ]DWXOOHVNLUWVDQGVLON*UHFLDQLQVSLUHGJRZQV² daughter. If she wasn’t at that point in her life where her
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reality (denim jumpsuits and yes, whisper it, Dior trainers). :KRNQRZVZKDWZRXOGKDYHKDSSHQHG"
But, more than that, with help from Regini, she has $VRXUWLPHGUDZVWRDQHQG,DVNKHUZKDW·VQH[W
made Dior a brand that appears to care deeply. Whenever $IWHUDOOZKDWFRXOGEHELJJHUWKDQWKLV"7KHUH·VDVLOHQFH
Chiuri shows outside Paris (alongside Morocco and Italy, ‘We have a project,’ she says, smiling at Regini. It’s a small
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1O5
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Collages by JACQUELINE MAK

Elle READS
WHY
WE’RE
all hot
FOR
PROPERTY
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1O7
Elle READS
I’VE BEEN A FASHION WRITER for 15

years, but my latest obsessions have
nothing to do with clothes. My evenings
are spent on The Modern House and
Rightmove (which records one billion
minutes of use each month – not
all mine) foraging for an alt-version
of my life. Other thrills come from
links to thick striped armchairs passed
breathlessly around Instagram (the
Studio Chair by Buchanan Studio, if you
had to ask) and WhatsApp chats about
how to paint a fridge.
Instead of trying to decipher (or
indeed, care) whether skinny jeans
are too cheugy now, I use my Pinterest
boards to thrash out whether bi-fold
doors have become a bit naff. Would
you like to come to my TED Talk on
whether the Selling Sunset dream of
indoor/outdoor living is realisable in
east London? After a year inside, our
homes signify our taste and personalities
as much as the clothes I once wore to
fashion shows did.
As for property porn, we are
blissfully inundated. For every
millionaire’s megawatt mansion there’s
a semi-detached shack with shades of
“Will a NEW ADDRESS

make your life better?
There’s no harm in trying”
serial killer decor in Grimsby – but loads of potential. Everyone from Net-a-Porter to Boohoo is introducing
There are endless Instagram accounts (follow homeware. Since it was launched in November, Net-a-
@propertyjazz for a keen-eyed collection) and TikTok Porter’s lifestyle category has tripled in size; Loewe’s home
videos sharing all manner of refurbs and renovations. scents sold out in just 10 days. ‘Decorative accessories are
Niche bathroom suppliers (@thewatermonopoly), kitchen the most popular,’ says Net-a-Porter senior market editor
companies (everyone’s favourite, @plainenglishkitchens) Libby Page, citing jewellery designer Anissa Kermiche’s
and interior designers (current follows include @bossstudio vases and ornaments (voluptuously shaped female forms),
and @mrbuckleyinteriors) have reached a sort of mythic La Double J and Laetitia Rouget as hero tableware brands
cult status. Farrow & Ball has 1.3 million Instagram fans. promising the same shot of dopamine as this winter’s
And that’s all before we get started on kitch throwbacks colour-fuelled fashion trends.
such as @the_80s_interior. Perhaps it’s not surprising. Eighteen months of Zoom

Elle READS
“People are searching for imagine yourself living in

a certain way. Nowhere is
that more powerful than
their forever homes on social media.’ In case you’re
not familiar, The Modern
and A SAFE HAVEN” House is the high-minded

aesthete’s property obsession,
an estate agent that sells
houses as if compiling a highly
stylised magazine (it takes on
around 50% of the work it is
calls has provided endless repeats of the offered, and houses on the edge of a yes/no are put to a vote
classic Loyd Grossman refrain, ‘Who lives in one of the company’s Slack channels).
in a house like this?’ The imposing Lego It has become a cultural touchstone for a certain type
model of the Houses of Parliament in of elevated, aspirational modern design, from £10 m lofts in
MP Clive Betts’ dining room; MP Robert central London to £600,000 beach houses in Hove. This
-HQULFN·VJLDQW8QLRQ-DFNÁDJHYHU\ year, they’ve also launched sister company Inigo, focused
entry on the Twitter account Bookcase on historic properties. ‘They’re for people more maximalist
Credibility (@BCredibility). It’s no great in their mindset,’ Gibberd says. ‘These things are cyclical,
surprise that one of the biggest reported but we are entering a more effusive, decorative, colourful,
issues of Boris Johnson’s tenure so far has whimsical stage again. We’ve been contained and told what
been his £900 wallpaper. Have we ever to do. I think there’s a desire for our limbs to just break free,
been more riveted by what we can see being as individual as we can. Gibberd is married to fellow
over someone’s shoulder? minimalist designer Faye Toogood, but even these devoted
Our national property obsession (did modernists have shifted in perspective, having moved
you know that, per capita, we have more further out to the South Downs. ‘It’s funny, being in a manor
model villages than any other nation?) house in the countryside, we’re more decorative with pattern,
has gone into overdrive. Rightmove has texture and colour. It feels like the building can take it.’
UHSHDWHGO\EURNHQLWVRZQWUDIÀFUHFRUGV It’s not just in the UK: Mary Fitzgerald, from Selling
this year, with one day in April scoring Sunset’s LA-based The Oppenheim Group, says that,
PRUHWKDQDPLOOLRQYLVLWVUHÁHFWLQJD post-pandemic, the market is: ‘Insane! People are searching
29% increase in the property market from for their forever homes and a safe haven. Maximalist design
2019. After a year when the precarity of is super popular. Lots of pops of colour, textured wallpaper
life has been brutally apparent, a new and graphic art.’ Perhaps this is another way that the
carpe diem attitude is prevailing. Will a tentacles of social media are wrapping their way around
new address or jazzy vase make your life our houses. It’s no secret that bright colours and bold
better? There’s no harm in trying, right? patterns are more eye-catching on the scroll. The resurgence
Thanks to the bedding-in of WFH, of vibrant eclecticism might not just be about what we want
the city exodus is real: London is set to to see, but what we want to display to other people.
UHFRUGDIDOOLQSRSXODWLRQIRUWKHÀUVW This innate desire to look inside other people’s homes
time since 1988; in France the stagnant and show off our own is nothing new. Sonia Solicari,
chateaux market has seen sales rise by director of the recently reopened Museum of the Home
13% as metropoles are abandoned for (which charts how we’ve lived and the evolution of home
bucolic grand environs. And, because of the price disparity design over the past 400 years through its ‘Rooms Through
between big cities and the provinces, people are beginning Time’) explains that, ‘The Victorian bay window was
to wonder if they could realise their property dreams: designed for a dual purpose. It gave you more viewing
ancient cottage, sea views, a spare bedroom (or two!)… of the street, but it also allowed people to look into a space
They actually could be yours. that was often curated with ornate bird cages.’ The east
But while the pandemic has its part to play, Matt London museum is also home to a hugely popular
Gibberd, co-founder of The Modern House, puts it down photographic documentary series by Mark Cowper,
to a force even more powerful: social media. ‘Instagram has IHDWXULQJLQWHULRUVRIÁDWVLQWKHKLJKULVH(WKHOEXUJD
been transformative for us,’ he says. ‘In pure sales revenue tower in Battersea. ‘It’s one architectural space decorated
terms, we’ve more than doubled in size. [It’s] always been in myriad ways,’ Solicari explains. ‘People want ideas for
about the quality of photography and the idea that you can WKHPVHOYHVDQGWKH\DOVRZDQWWRNQRZZKHUHWKH\ÀWLQ

1O9
Elle READS
society, it’s a basic need.’ But now it’s easier than ever
to answer that need through our online presence.
Solicari attributes the British obsession with property
to the fact that ‘the economy has been set up for centuries
to encourage home ownership, as opposed to renting.
With Right to Buy schemes, [it fostered the] idea that it
is intrinsically better, it’s how you define yourself and that
success means home ownership.’
Of course it’s notable that the latest upswing in our
interest in houses comes at a time when it’s harder than
ever to own one. Last year, numbers from the Office of
LIGHT AND AIRY
National Statistics showed that people aged 35-44 were THE MODERN
three times more likely to be renting their homes than HOUSE FEATURES
AWARD-WINNING
people the same age 20 years ago. Perhaps it’s daydreaming
CONTEMPORARY
about something unlikely to happen that’s fuelling our LONDON HOMES
property lust, or maybe the inherent insecurity of renting
has us turning to home decor tweaks as a way to exert some
control over our environment.
Because decorating isn’t just about a total overhaul and
bank holiday weekends spent up a ladder, wallpaper brush
in hand. Brands are popping up to offer the same quick-fix
style hit we used to get from a fast-fashion pick-me-up.
Fashion stylist Sophie Warbuton launched Host Home in
November 2018, having been inspired by direct-to-consumer
fashion brands such as Kitri, and feeling frustrated by the
lack of affordable well-designed interior items. She stocks
an eclectic mix of pieces, from coloured candlesticks and
reproduction French match strikers to sourced pre-loved
“DECORATING isn’t
just about bank holidays up a
ladder, brush in hand” heavy demands that the past year
has put on the home, and the
delving into our fantasy lives –
Could I live in the country, the suburbs,
another city? – can provoke a more
pieces. Having had a steady stream of customers since existential reckoning – If I did, who would that make me?
launching, everything came to a halt in March 2020. ‘People Like most of us over the past year, I was forced into
just stopped coming to the website. But after four weeks it evaluating everything about my home. For the first
picked up and up and then went bananas. For what you’d be lockdown, my husband and I decamped with our three-year-
spending on commuting that week, you could get a rattan old to my mother’s place in Surrey. I’d always felt horrified at
vase for £20, then buy some £4 supermarket flowers, pop the idea of moving back to the suburbs, but with our forced
them in your vase and suddenly the world’s a bit happier.’ exile, doubt crept in. How delightful to not live next to the
As with fashion, a change in interiors can be a unique A12. Or have men relieving themselves at the end of our
way of finding and shaping our place in the world and act as road. We spent the weeks constructing fantasy lives online:
a signifier of our quest for a ‘good life’. The perfect Pols Potten Oxfordshire… Brighton… Bath? After three months, we
vase for your tablescape; a Cire Trudon candle next to the returned to our East End terrace, flush with ideas of where
bath, all items that chart the person we are buying into being. we could go, but without any clear decision on what to
But there’s nothing quite as good at fuelling dissatisfaction do about it, or who we might like to be – so much of our
than endlessly looking for something – anything – else. The identity is tied up in where we live. As a delaying-tactic/

Elle READS
compromise we settled on
knocking out our rotten kitchen. “Showing off an already
finished £4m house
We weren’t alone. Mel, 37,
found her wife becoming
obsessed with moving to rural
France to be near her expat
parents. ‘Honestly, the thought
terrified me. While I like visiting
DOESN’T feel aspirational”
the countryside, there’s no way
I could live there. But it felt like
such an emotional issue for my wife – every time I was at all to France and made property viewings. Mel secretly hoped
negative, she got extremely upset and accused me of being seeing the reality of life as a same-sex couple with a child in
close-minded. We’d have these heated discussions which the middle of nowhere would put off her wife. ‘Thankfully,
turned into: “What do we want from the next 10 years of I was right! The houses we visited looked great on paper but
our lives, what is best for our three-year-old daughter?” in reality were crumbling or creepy. The final straw was a
It got really deep and existential. And it scared me because house in a forest with a mangled car crashed into a ditch just
I feared what happens if it turns out we fundamentally want outside the front gates. A move is definitely on the cards in
different ways of life? How do we ever reach a compromise? our future, but I’m pleased to say that the novelty of this
She would sit in bed next to me scrolling property sites well idyllic country life in France appears to have worn off.’
into the night and I’d lie there feeling this sinking dread – Journalist Olivia Lidbury – who launched the Instagram
like we were drifting apart.’ In the end, the family travelled account and website Home Stories in 2020 as a way of
documenting stylish ‘real’ homes – is on the other side of the
transition. She moved out of London at the end of last year,
from a Victorian terrace to a late-1960s modernist house in
Kent (bought via The Modern House, of course). Having
filled her previous home with antique French furniture,
she’s had to embrace an about turn. ‘I had a bit of an identity
crisis and we haven’t bought anything yet,’ she says. I look
at all the cottagecore on Instagram and think, Oh that’s nice!
But then maybe it’s good to try something else.’
Perhaps it’s going to be the way the turmoil of the past
couple of years expresses itself through our homes that’s
going to be the real next ‘trend’ in domestic inspo. Writer
and influencer Katherine Ormerod has been documenting
her chic interior updates to the rental house she, her partner
and two children moved into after falling victim to lockdown
hell. ‘I think in the past, people would only have shown the
finished result rather than the process. But because we’ve
had this authentic movement, you can follow people who’ve
been renovating their house for the past five years and see all
STONE WALLS the amazing things they’ve done. The high-low attitude is
PROPERTIES prevalent – someone showing off their already finished £4m
LISTED ON THE house doesn’t feel aspirational to me. I like the idea of
SITE ARE
RENOWNED FOR
making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.’
THEIR DESIGNS But more than mere decoration, this year has
MODER N HOUSE , A LEX A NDER A NDR EWS/
@M A K.JACQUELINE , COURTESY OF THE
underscored the critical role of where we live and the

U NSPL ASH, PIX ASQUA R E/U NSPL ASH.
privilege of our options. The advantages of a good home

have never been more stark, and incessant fantasy life-
A DDITIONA L PHOTOGR A PH Y:
building is not always the balm you need. After being

burnt with negative equity and trying to sell, Ormerod
recognises the emotional toll that constant house scrolling
can unleash. Having signed up to a two-year lease on her
rented property, she’s stopped looking. ‘I’ve even unfollowed
The Modern House,’ she says.
111
Dress, £2,400, and
gloves, £850, both
PRADA. Sandals, £530,
KHAITE. Gold and
pearl earrings, £6,430,
ANA KHOURI
Front row fashion blogger, internet celebrity, magazine editor,

survivor... If you think the first 25 years of Tavi Gevinson’s life
112
Elle READS
THE
NEXT
Hollywood actor, Broadway star, critic, writer, radical thinker,

have been remarkable – just you wait
Photography LIA CLAY MILLER

Styling LILLI MILLHISER
ACT
Words LOTTE JEFFS
113
Dress, £4,900 and
shoes, £670, both
KHAITE. Gold and
pearl ring, £3,970,
ANA KHOURI

Elle READS
TAVI GEVINSON WAS 14 WHEN SHE SAT FRONT ROW AT THE DIOR Couture
2010 show in Paris. She’d been a familiar face on the fashion scene ever since
Style Rookie, the blog she started when she was 11, caught the attention of
designers and editors. It had led to her being flown around the world to
review shows and interview major names for magazines, TV and websites.
Her petite size (she was, as she puts it, ‘an actual child’) and larger-than-life
personal style, coupled with an impressive understanding of cultural context
and sartorial milieu was met with a mix of curiosity, affection and over-the-top
reverence. For the shows, Tavi had dyed her hair blue but it faded to grey.
In Paris, Karl Lagerfeld told her he liked it. ‘Normally, children – young
people – don’t have this hair colour,’ he reportedly said. ‘It’s great to have it.’
‘I think so, too,’ she replied.
At the show, Tavi wore upon her head an oversized cartoon-like bow
by Stephen Jones. A Grazia reporter sitting behind her tweeted: ‘At Dior.
Not best pleased to be watching couture through 13-year-old Tavi’s hat’.
The creaky mechanisms holding up the fashion industry – which was
only just starting to evolve into the globalised, digitally aware business we
know today – were challenged by the existence of a child who understood
the internet as a native and could translate the most esoteric of style
references with genuine excitement. Her talent threatened a generation
of professionals who had enjoyed the exclusivity of their careers and ignored
the unspoken question behind the glamour: what is it you actually do?
More than a decade on and Tavi is a creative polymath – actor, writer,
editor, director. I get the sense that she doesn’t give a hoot about any kind
of prescribed career trajectory. Here is a 25-year-old woman with a lifetime
of personal and professional possibilities ahead; a Gen-Zer whose talent is
sprawling and matched only by the breadth of its ambition. She is evolving
and exploring in a way I find inspiring. I wish I’d done the same at her age,
rather than hanging my hat on a career I’ve been stuck with since. But no
matter the surprises to come, in the short term, Tavi is about to go from
a ‘publicness’ she finds comfortable to another level of fame altogether,
thanks to a starring role in this year’s hotly anticipated Gossip Girl reboot.
Tavi video-calls me from her apartment in New York. It’s early morning
and she’s fresh out of the shower. She’s wearing a black T-shirt and thick-
framed glasses that are the same pearly peach colour as her skin. Her blonde
hair dries over the course of our long discussion, which charts her evolution
from fashion blogger to Broadway star, via roles in films and TV, to a writer
with a powerful voice and
platform that she’s using to
“Sometimes I thought, ‘This

affect real change.
We start by talking
about what ‘fashion’ meant
will just be a weird footnote to her as a fabulously

precocious young
in the REST OF MY LIFE’” teenager. ‘Characters and

storytelling,’ she decides
after a long, thoughtful
pause. ‘And the tactile
pleasures of clothes.’ As
for fashion as an industry, Tavi says she didn’t know what she wanted from it
then. ‘Sometimes I thought, I’ll turn this into a real career. And then sometimes
I thought, This will just be a weird footnote in the rest of my life.’
When she started Style Rookie, Tavi had no idea that anyone other than
her digital community of teenage fashion-lovers would find it. But such was
the wildfire of internet fame in the nascent age of social media, that one

115
Elle READS
well-connected ‘share’ led to articles in The New York Times, This is a subject that Tavi tackled in an essay published in
then invitations to sit front row, collaborate with brands and February: Britney Spears Was Never In Control. In the piece,
interview designers. Rei Kawakubo flew her to Tokyo for a Tavi talks about the moments in her career when she,
Comme des Garçons party after seeing a video of Tavi rapping perhaps like Spears, felt that she had power over the way
about her love for him. The Mulleavy sisters behind Rodarte she was being portrayed when the reality was far from it.
enlisted her to star in a video promoting a line they’d designed In the essay, Tavi opens up about her experiences of being
for Target. But what did the industry really want with this in an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship with an
child star? She was smart, older man when she was 18.
had good taste and unjaded She tells me, ‘I had no appetite
creativity. But mainly Tavi for the week that the story
was an emblem of youth came out. My apprehension
and digital knowhow when was around just wanting to
the industry was struggling look after myself with these
to adjust to the internet age. experiences that I’m still very
Tavi loved these ‘fantasy much processing.’ But she
trips’ to Paris or Tokyo, where feels a sense of relief at having
she was treated like an adult. shared something that’s lived
‘It was always painful going in her head for so long. ‘Now
back to school,’ she tells me. what’s out there reflects this
Her parents chaperoned; shame, this secret, this thing
her father Steve is an English that I felt I needed to protect.
teacher and her mum Berit But why would I need to
Engen is a weaver and protect something that isn’t
part-time Hebrew instructor. my fault? What am I teaching
The family couldn’t afford myself by holding this back?
frequent trips abroad, so Tavi I didn’t do anything wrong.’
relied on brands covering In the weeks before the
their expenses. It meant essay was published, Tavi had
she lived with a sense that a series of dreams where people
the rug was going to be who she thought wouldn’t
pulled out from under her. believe her experiences of
abuse said I believe you or
I already knew. ‘I don’t know
what those dreams meant, but
“We need to stop making the every time I had one, I woke
up in a state of complete peace.’
capacity to tolerate abuse

In April, Tavi followed up
with Art Doesn’t Need Tyrants,
a form OF CURRENCY”
an essay taking aim at the
distribution of power in
creative industries. She
explored her working
relationship with Hollywood
producer Scott Rudin, accused
At school Tavi felt both proud and embarrassed by her of abusive behaviour, and how his attitude is fed by systemic
success. ‘Embarrassed that I apparently had the impulse inequality in an industry that’s finally being held accountable.
to do this stuff and share it. And proud that I was taken
seriously by people I respected. With some friends, we’d do OF WHY SHE FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE
photoshoots together; with others, we never talked about it. Oscar-winner, who could be said to have paved the way for
It always felt like something I was in alone. It was my hobby.’ her success as an actor, Tavi says: ‘There are many reasons
I ask if she felt ‘looked after’ by the fashion industry. Her [no one has spoken out sooner]. It’s not those people’s fault,
eyes dart upwards as she considers the question. ‘There were and we need to stop making the capacity to tolerate abuse
people who were very nurturing and protective. The Rodarte a form of currency. But for me, trauma buries itself and people
sisters, for example, wanted me to feel supported, creative find ways to rationalise horrible experiences. It doesn’t
and to protect the joy it gave me. But I also had shoots where surprise or bother me that, in time, people can look back and
I realised, Oh, this isn’t about what I want or how I see myself at all. say, “Oh, that was profoundly damaging.” It doesn’t mean
I was a commodity, even if I didn’t know that word.’ norms should never change, just because it was OK before.’

Elle READS
As we discuss these subjects, Tavi speaks carefully. Watching She was 17 when she landed her first major acting role,
her stop in the middle of a thought, silence hanging like in the film Enough Said, alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus and
ellipses as she grasps for the right words, I imagine a cursor the late James Gandolfini. The following year, Scott Rudin
flashing behind her eyes, letters being typed, erased, typed cast her in This Is Our Youth. A leading part in Chekhov’s The
again. She talks as she writes, in balanced sentences. Cherry Orchard followed, as did a well-received performance
‘One thing that scares me,’ says Tavi – having spent a in Rudin’s Broadway revival of The Crucible as Mary Warren
minute deciding how to articulate it – ‘is that people are not – a young girl whose ethics are challenged when she
exploring why [abusive] behaviour can be harmful or how it’s becomes the subject of terror and intimidation. After reading
related to systems of oppression that govern our lives. When Tavi’s essay on Rudin, it’s impossible to ignore the irony.
someone asks, “Is it still OK
to like this person’s art?” It’s
not a question of ethics. It’s a
question of optics. What I see
happening behind the scenes “The hellishness of having
within these industries is an
understanding of what is bad a public persona has
been DEMOCRATISED”
for business. A lot of powerful
agents will not have a change
of heart. They simply need to
be told that it’s now a liability
to throw a stapler at someone.’
It’s a theme that’s
explored in the new Gossip Tavi joined theatre and
Girl, in which Tavi plays film casts at an impressionable
English teacher Kate Keller. time, when the pieces of
‘To make a show about the herself were being constantly
internet now has to involve rearranged. ‘I noticed myself
public shaming, and the fine taking on other actors’
line between an appetite for mannerisms,’ she says.
spectacle and justice.’ ‘When a show closed, those
She says that one of the things would either fold
biggest shifts in culture since themselves into how
the show’s initial incarnation I acted socially, or go away.’
starring Blake Lively is that The Crucible was her most
social media creates a place defining role, not least
where people can be because of the craft she
celebrities in each other’s learnt from co-stars Ben
lives, even if no one is famous. Wishaw and Saoirse Ronan.
‘You’re just engaging with this At first, she was unable to
extension of people, almost mediate her performance
as avatars. And I do think THIS PAGE AND
to sustain it over a long run
in some ways the hellishness OPPOSITE Green jacket, (125 shows over five months).
H A IR: DAV ID VON CA NNON AT A-FR A ME AGENCY. M A K E-UP: MISH A
of having a public persona £1,400, ST. JOHN At 20, it was only her second
SH A HZ A DA AT K A LPA NA. FASHION ASSISTA NT: L AUR EN WA LSH.
has been democratised.’ professional stage role.

Becoming a professional ‘I had to learn how to think
actor coincided with Tavi about what I was doing from
figuring out who she was as a young adult, having spent so a technical standpoint, to physically try to hold less tension.
much of her childhood as a brand – something she was even Or how to yell without screaming and hurting my voice.
more aware of when she launched and edited the magazine I wanted to give it everything. But I worked with amazing
Rookie for teenagers. ‘It was a big part of my identity. So actors who know how to give the appearance of embodying
much so, it was hard for me to see when it was time for me what they’re feeling without totally feeling it.’
to move on. And then if [that identity] is affirmed by other It strikes me as an interesting parallel with finding her
people, it is easy to be like, “Well, I guess I’m this person.”’ voice as a writer, and in doing so learning what to give, what
She says that when Rookie folded in 2018 (to an outcry to hold back and how to be real without leaving herself raw.
from its devoted readers) it caused ‘a mild identity crisis’. ‘It’s unburdening to write and publish something that
Tavi asked herself: ‘What else did I just decide was my feels true to me,’ she agrees. ‘But there’s also still a feeling
thing a long time ago, and I don’t actually know if I enjoy it?’ of waiting for the other shoe to drop.’

117
Elle READS
Jacket, £1,400, and

skirt, £500, both
ST. JOHN. Shoes, £670,
KHAITE. Gold rings,
£9,585, and £7,100,
both ANA KHOURI
118
Elle READS
The past year’s enforced hiatus gave Tavi the space she needed to come to
terms with her formative experiences and give them shape in her writing.
As a result, it’s been about ‘understanding sexual assault and abuse, justice
and victimhood, and all of these concepts in a different way. I’ve realised
that you can recognise harm without thinking that someone should be
treated punitively. That helped me look clearly at what actually happened.’
Tavi is increasingly politically outspoken. She’s supported lobbying for
legislative change in New York as she’s concerned by the state’s ‘complete
inequity, and the fact that it’s preventable through policy’. She’s been
working to improve the welfare of Excluded Workers – those who didn’t
receive government support when lockdowns meant they lost their jobs.
‘I took cues from Make the Road, which has been working on the Excluded
Workers Fund, and Amplifying Activists Together, a phone bank started
by activists in the theatre community.’ I ask if, by highlighting a cause,
she invites criticism that she isn’t giving the same prominence to another.
‘But that’s just like everything,’ she says. ‘I could post a picture of
an outfit and someone will be like, “Why are you not wearing a sustainable
label?” I just think the internet
creates this illusion that you
can make people virtuous
“I have to be prepared that and perfect by correcting and

deleting things. In my position,
I can’t control responses to

I accept that to some extent I’m
an abstraction to people. I have
to be prepared that I can’t
anything I do in PUBLIC” control people’s responses to

anything I do in public.’
To relax she’s been taking
Zoom dance classes, which have
made her ‘long to dance to Janet
Jackson – in a place with people!’ Her social scene spans childhood friends,
those from her Rookie magazine days and the theatre world. She doesn’t
mention the mega-famous people she’s close to, most notably Taylor Swift.
It sounds as though she knows how to have fun, but on our call she
strikes me as intensely serious and burdened by the knowledge that
everything she says will be interpreted by me, then by readers, as we
impose a meaning and a narrative on her life.
I discover some of her first Style Rookie posts from 2008, before she
realised important grown-up ‘fashion people’ were reading the blog, and
there’s a sweet silliness, a playful, quirky, slanted view of the world that
I’m sure remains part of her unfiltered offline self.
I read 12-year-old Tavi’s list of ‘things I always wanted to do’. Thirteen
years later, I’m interested to know if she’s ticked anything off. First is ‘own
a joke shop’. Tavi squirms, then laughs. ‘No, I’m fine to let that one go.’
Next on the list: ‘Cook something very impressive like a soufflé and have
it actually not taste like deer poop.’ Tavi smiles and shakes her head. She’s
still not a good cook and hasn’t made a soufflé. I ask what it’s like being
confronted by these relics from her past – old diaries that exist online for
anyone to discover. ‘It kind of depends on how insecure I already feel that
day. But I think it used to be a lot more cringey. And it’s become easier.’
At 25, she may no longer dress with the eccentric theatricality she
did as a kid – that giant Paris Fashion Week bow filed alongside the dream
of a joke shop and an unmade soufflé in the archives of her spectacular
childhood. But as Tavi Gevinson embraces Gossip Girl fame and the
upcoming publication of a book of her essays, one thing seems certain:
she’ll never stop challenging the view from the front row, and there will
always be a disgruntled older person bristling behind her.
Gossip Girl is out on the BBC this August

119
L A S T
ON E
S T A N D
From refugee to champion boxer and Cartier
darling, Ramla Ali has fought every
step of the way to get to the top. Now she’s there,
Olivia Blair discovers there’s
more to this woman than her backstory
Photography MEINKE KLEIN Styling AURELIA DONALDSON
12O
I N G
Jacket, £645,
NANUSHKA. Dress,
£350, MM6 MAISON
MARGIELA. Gold
earrings, £3,350, and
rings, from top: rose
gold and diamond,
£10,600, and gold and
diamond, £4,600,
all CARTIER
Dress, £4,650,
TOD’S. Boots, £600,
MOLLY GODDARD.
Gold earrings,
£3,350, CARTIER
“ M Y C O N C E P T O F F I G H T I N G C OMES
FROM MY MUM. SHE NEVER C O M
T H E M I N D S E T O F A T R U E W A R R I O R ”
R amla Ali is deflated. We’re sitting inside a boxing
ring in the west London gym where she trains.
We’re in the ring because the rest of the – all-male – athletes
wide eyes and high cheekbones. Even when dressed to box,
like today, with her natural curls pulled back into a sleek bun
and no visible make-up, she looks flawless.
are training, loudly. At least here we can hear each other talk. It’s no surprise that Ali’s job is to fight – whether that’s
The scent of stale sweat and a whiff of urine (she says the in the ring, for social justice or for wider representation in
toilets were recently broken) linger in the air. Discarded fashion. It’s in her DNA. ‘I feel like the concept has come
water bottles, dumbbells and resistance bands are strewn from my mum,’ she smiles. ‘She’s the ultimate fighter;
around us. ‘I was just very, very disappointed in my a champion. Everything my mum has been through…
performance,’ she sighs, pausing as she tries to articulate Obviously she’s a very sassy woman, that comes with being
her feelings. ‘I know everyone’s going to say, “Why? That’s African, but she always comes out smiling. She’s never
so weird.” But I actually feel like I lost. That’s just me. moaned, she’s never complained that she’s had a hard life.
I always want to be the best version of me.’ She just gets on with it. That is the mindset of a true warrior.’
It’s been five days since Ali returned from Las Vegas, Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and her family of
where – contrary to what she’s saying – she won her debut US nine lived in a three-storey house moments from the beach.
fight. The judges voted in favour of the Somali-born, London- But in the early 1990s, when she was still a baby, life was
bred boxer over American Mikayla Nebel, cementing her turned upside down with the outbreak of the country’s brutal
status as an undefeated professional boxer. ‘I wouldn’t say civil war. Her parents were already considering joining the
I’m undefeated; I’ve only had three [professional] fights,’ she mass exodus of Somalis fleeing the country for safety when
laughs. ‘You’re still undefeated, champ!’ an eavesdropping tragedy stuck. Ali’s eldest brother was outside playing in the
fellow boxer shouts. garden when he was killed by a grenade. Ali doesn’t remember
Ali quickly climbed through the ranks of amateur boxing him. ‘I don’t remember anything from Somalia, but my mum
after winning her first fight in London in 2012. In 2016, she says it’s probably a good thing because it was so traumatic.’
won the English and British national titles – the first British In the haze of grief, the family left their country, first for
Muslim woman to do so – and in 2018 took on Nike as a Mombasa, Kenya, travelling by a small sailboat on a journey
sponsor. In 2020, she made her professional debut (different that took the lives of many of the more than 200 refugee
boxing styles, higher stakes and payment for fights), after passengers on board. They stayed there for a year, relying on
renowned promoter Eddie Hearn signed her to Matchroom food rations from UNICEF aid workers while Ali’s parents
Boxing, while Anthony Joshua took her onto the books of his worked tirelessly in the hope of coming to the UK. In
258 management label. ‘He messages a lot asking if I need November 1992, they arrived in London and applied for
anything. I haven’t gone to him for anything yet but if I need asylum. They were moved into temporary housing: first
a private jet or a yacht one day, I might hit him up,’ she jokes. in Paddington, then Manor Park, East Ham, Whitechapel
She might get one, too: ‘Ramla is a true inspiration,’ Joshua and finally Bethnal Green, where Ali’s parents still live today.
says. ‘I feel privileged to be working with her. She has so much Due to the chaos and devastation of the war, Ali doesn’t
know her exact age or birth
date. She estimates she’s
between 29 and 31, likely
M P L A I N S , JUST GETS ON W I T H I T. towards the latter, and has
an honorary birthday of
16 September, but ‘it’s never
really felt real’. Growing up,
potential in the ring and has worked so hard out of it to spread she’d get jealous of other children. ‘We weren’t really the
positivity. She’s an incredible athlete and a wonderful person.’ birthday-celebrating type. My mum would get gifts, but there
The out-of-the-ring positivity Joshua references is Ali’s wasn’t a party with a cake or balloons. The way that I see it,
activism, which she fuses with her boxing. In 2018, she it’s just a day, it’s just a year – it doesn’t matter. You’ve got
launched Sisters Club: a free self-defence class for vulnerable your health, a roof over your head and food in your belly.
women in London, which she plans to expand nationwide. In Those are the most important things. But I’ll always accept
2019, she travelled to the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan with gifts if people want to give them to me,’ she says, laughing.
UNICEF, where she taught young refugee girls who had fled After arriving in the UK, Ali’s father – who possessed
the conflict in Syria how to box. And she’s just written a book, multiple degrees, spoke fluent Italian and had owned his own
Not Without A Fight, which is part-self-help, part-memoir and business – found work on a building site, while her mother
comes courtesy of #Merky Books, a Penguin imprint launched stayed at home to raise six children. ‘There was always food
by Stormzy in 2018 to champion young, diverse voices. on the table, we were never in a position where the heating
For others, Ali is more familiar as a figure in the world was off or we didn’t have hot water,’ says Ali. But, looking
of fashion than sport, thanks to her burgeoning modelling back, she has realised that her mother only ate her children’s
career. (She’s on the books of IMG, which also counts Gigi leftovers, never cooking a meal for herself. At school, Ali and
and Bella Hadid, Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser as her siblings qualified for free meals: ‘I could never afford to
clients.) She is undeniably beautiful, with delicate features, take in packed lunches, but I always wanted to.’

123
In 2020, Ali reflected on the lifeline free school meals gave Though, years later, Ali’s family have come around, her
her family, and spoke out about the government’s decision mother still hasn’t watched her fight. The pair had an
to discontinue them during the school holidays. Her thoughts agreement that she would travel to Tokyo to watch
on Marcus Rashford, who led the ultimately successful her daughter if she competed in the Olympics this year.
campaign to get the decision reversed? ‘Oh, what a legend.’ Unfortunately, the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions mean
At home in east London, traditional Somali culture was that, when we talk, it is looking unlikely. ‘I think it’s
blended with Western influences. In her book, she writes of reckless that the Olympics is still going ahead,’ she sighs.
happy memories watching YouTube-streamed Somali soap ‘It’s obviously been a lifelong dream of mine, and I will still
operas with her mother, and we bond over our mutual love of go and represent my country with pride, but it’s very risky.’
Nineties Nickelodeon shows, such as Kenan & Kel, Sabrina The In spite of assumptions, given the national titles she’s won,
Teenage Witch and Sister, Sister. She listened to her older sister’s it’s not Team GB that Ali is representing. The call-up never
Backstreet Boys and Peter Andre albums and loved reading, came, and the devastation of this spreads across Ali’s face as
her favourite book being Pride and Prejudice. Meals consisted soon as I ask about it. ‘It was so sad. I did everything that
of roti, chapatis and slow-cooked meats and her mother was was possibly asked of me and I never got invited to Selection
house proud, covering the sofas and carpets with plastic Camp.’ Ali, who had trained with the GB squad in Sheffield
except when guests came over. Ali wore a hijab and went to on several occasions, explains that when a boxer wins both
Quran classes at the local mosque. That is until one day when amateur national titles – as she did – they are usually called
she was about age 11, on the way home from class, two boys up for a trial with the squad. ‘There is a lot of politics involved
blocked her way with their bikes, tore off her hijab and in why [I didn’t get invited]. I don’t want to speculate,
stamped on it, laughing. She stopped wearing it after that. because it isn’t my place. I was really heartbroken and wanted
‘It’s the event that has most shaped me into who I am to stop competing.’ England Boxing told ELLE that Ramla
today,’ Ali says, looking down. ‘I was shocked, even though had been touted ‘as a boxer with potential’ but, at the time of
at the time I didn’t know it was a racist attack.’ Did she selection, there were only three weight categories in women’s
connect her decision to stop wearing a hijab with that Olympic boxing (there are now five) and her weight was not
moment? ‘Not at the time, because I was so young. I wasn’t one of them. Though she could have attempted to box at the
smart enough to put the two together,’ she laughs, self- lowest weight category, in those groups ‘there was significant
deprecatingly. Ali didn’t tell anyone what had happened, competition from boxers who, at that time, were significantly
not even her parents. She still hadn’t, until writing about more advanced in their development’. England Boxing added
it in her book. Now, not wearing a hijab is a personal choice: that it ‘wishes Ramla all the very best’.
‘One day, when I’m ready to put it back on, I feel like I will. Following a chat with a friend who had focused their
I do my prayers, fasting, my charitable donations. I’m very efforts on competing for a country other than the UK, Ali
in touch with my religion and my faith.’ decided to represent Somalia. To do so, she had to set up
When Ali was a teenager, her mother became concerned a boxing federation in the country, which was no easy feat.
when she experienced
bullying in school because
of her size. After a doctor
told her her daughter was T H E H I J A B B A C K O N , I F E E L
overweight, she bought her
a junior gym membership.
Ali started boxercise
classes – and caught the bug. She began training at a local ‘At the time, I thought it was such a cop out – “You couldn’t
boxing gym, despite the warning from the coach that ‘girls get on [Team] GB so you’re doing the next best thing.” But
don’t box’. She got better and better and started competing, I’m really happy about my decision.’ Her confidence has
all the while keeping her newfound passion a secret from her been cemented by the influx of messages she’s received
parents. They eventually found out when one of her London- from Somalis showering her with adoration and pride.
based fights was broadcast locally and her brother was aghast Ali only started to believe she could box full time when
to see his sister on screen throwing punches in the ring. Ali she met her now-husband Richard Moore, who is also her
returned home that evening to her family sitting together in coach, sparring partner, day-to-day logistical organiser and
the living room: ‘It was some sort of intervention.’ Her mother pretty much everything else, too. As he walks through the
cried with worry about her daughter’s safety and her decision revolving door into the gym, his friends fall about laughing,
to have a hobby that went against their values. They ordered watching him struggle to carry three of Ali’s suitcases. ‘Is that
their daughter to stop boxing and she obliged. Temporarily. a metaphor for your relationship?’ one of them jokes. He
But she couldn’t stay away. She’d quit, become depressed, leaves us to chat, apart from one small interruption to bring
return and give up again when the guilt of betraying her Ali her 4pm snack, a healthy acai berry yoghurt pot, by the
family’s wishes got too much. ‘My boxing career has had a lot looks of it. Ali wrinkles her nose in disgust as she takes
of stops and starts, much to the detriment of my career,’ she a spoonful. Yoghurt aside, she’s evidently grateful for him,
says. ‘I feel like I should be a lot further on than I am now.’ glowing whenever he’s mentioned.

Jacket, £1,790, and
skirt, £990, both
ALEXANDER McQUEEN.
Gold earrings £3,350,
gold bracelet, £6,150,
and rings, from left:
rose gold and diamond,
£4,600, rose gold and
diamond, £10,000,
gold, £1,010, and gold,
£2,040, all CARTIER
“ W H E N I ’ M R E A D Y T O P U T
L I K E I W I L L . I ’ M V E R Y
I N T O U C H W I T H M Y F A I T H ”
Dress, £1,870, PETAR
PETROV. Boots, £600,
MOLLY GODDARD.
Gold earrings, £3,350,
gold, £1,010, gold and
diamond, £4,600, gold,
rose gold and white
gold, £810, and gold,
£2,040, all CARTIER
“ W E ’ R E B O X E R S . G I V E U S
T H E R E S P E C T W E D E S E R V E . I T ’ S
P U T T I N G O U R L I V E S O N T H E L I N E ”
According to Ali, Moore pursued her. A boxer himself, he and sexually harassed by a coach who then forced her out
would hang around at the gym, watch her train and attempt of the gym after she confided in another female boxer about
to strike up conversation, which didn’t work. ‘Growing up what had happened. With age, hindsight and an industry-
getting bullied, I never had any confidence. When he started spanning reckoning of how workplaces treat women, Ali
pursuing me, I thought somebody had dared him, so I never can name what happened to her as abuse but at the time she
gave anything back.’ A month later, Ali relented and went to blamed herself, convinced that she must have ‘led him on’.
a BBQ at his house. The rest is history, she says – by which Now, Ali uses her status to call out misogyny and racism,
she means that, after meeting in May 2016, Moore proposed joining a new wave of athletes – such as Naomi Osaka, Lewis
in August (by which time he had converted to Islam) and they Hamilton and Raheem Sterling – who are determined to
married in October. Around this time, the couple discussed show that there are human beings behind the crowd-pleasing
whether to buy a house or invest in Ali’s boxing career. performers. She has a serious gripe with some of the men in
‘I was smart – I said we should get the house. He said, “Nah, boxing, whose behaviour actively discourages women from
we’re going to do the boxing.” That was all of Richard’s joining in. She was outraged when watching back one of her
savings. We were this close to being completely broke when fights (as she does with each one), hearing a commentator –
Nike came on board and started sponsoring me.’ To separate Ali won’t name names as she doesn’t ‘want to get anyone into
their professional and personal lives, they have a rule: ‘What trouble’ – call her a ‘beautiful girl’. On Twitter, another pundit
happens at home, you don’t bring to the gym,’ and vice versa. described Ali and her opponent as ‘a model and scaffolder’.
A day in the life of Ramla Ali involves a wake-up time ‘You’re watching me compete, why are you not commenting
of 8am. Moore will cook her breakfast (‘He makes all of on my boxing?’ she says, animatedly. ‘What does me being a
my meals when I’m in camp, because he doesn’t want me model have anything to do with it? I’m a boxer. What does her
getting obsessive over what I eat’) and then they’ll head being a scaffolder have anything to do with it? She’s a boxer.
to the track for conditioning at 10am (with packed snacks Give us the respect that we deserve. We’re both in the ring,
provided by Moore). They eat lunch, she’ll nap, then it’s it’s a dangerous sport, we’re both putting our lives on the line.’
off to the gym for her second training session of the day. Making boxing accessible for women is a passion of Ali’s,
and it’s what’s driven her to
set up Sisters Club. In the
classes, Ali teaches women –
A D A N G E R O U S S P O R T, W E ’ R E several of whom are victims
of domestic abuse – how to
defend themselves. They’re
taught how to how to throw
They finish by eating dinner together and watching a film. punches effectively, to turn their hips correctly for extra
It’s the same every day, apart from rest days. momentum and power. ‘It’s for any woman, but primarily
Or on those days when Ali’s pursuing her other career in for those who don’t feel comfortable training around men,’
fashion. She developed her love of clothes and style in her she explains. ‘It’s not just for Muslim women but it initially
early twenties when, between training and studying law at started that way because I was being pestered to find women
university, she worked in a shoe shop on London’s Oxford a safe space where they could take off their hijabs. Now, it’s
Street. ‘At 6pm, I’d toddle off to New Bond Street and walk for any woman who is vulnerable and feels like they don’t
past Dior, Coach, Chanel, window shopping and thinking, have access to sport. A lot of the women that turn up are
One day… Who knew I’d end up being paid to wear it?’ single mums. Would a single mum in that situation be able
She recently became the face of luxury jewellery brand to afford a gym class? Not really. That’s why it’s free.’
Cartier and she still can’t quite fathom it: ‘They want to As our allotted time draws to a close, Ali changes into
work with me! You’ve just got to pinch yourself sometimes.’ her fight gear to spar. Her kit is less than pristine and she’s
As amateurs aren’t paid to fight, Ali is transparent about embarrassed. ‘At least there’s no blood on it,’ her husband
the fact that it has been modelling, not boxing, that’s allowed jokes. If the next steps on the horizon – her book, Olympic
her to earn a living. And even now she’s turned professional, and professional boxing, modelling (‘I want my face to be
the earning potential for women is incomparable to male everywhere!’) – weren’t enough to be getting on with, a film
athletes. In 2017, Floyd Mayweather came out of retirement about Ali’s life is in the works by Oscar-winning producer Lee
to pocket a reported $275m for one fight against Conor Magiday, known for The Favourite. Ali says she turned down
McGregor, who earned around $85m. A 2020 feature in The offers to buy the rights to her life story for two years, fearing
Athletic suggested that, by comparison, high-profile female the magnifying glass would be too intrusive, but she’s finally
boxers might be able to earn six figures, depending on the fight. found a team that she trusts, who understand her. ‘I’m more
Ali is an outspoken voice in the post-#MeToo conversation than my story. All my years of hard work in the ring has
about women in sport, joining high-profile gymnasts and proven that. Yes, I am a refugee. Yes, we were poor. Yes, we
female wrestlers who have opened up about their experiences were living on a council estate. But I don’t want it to define
of sexism, harassment and abuse. Ali’s book recounts an me and who I am now. I want people to see past that, because
incident in her early days of training, when she was groped I am past that. Look at me now. Undefeated, as they say.’

127
Cream jacket, £645,
NANUSHKA. Cream
dress, £350, MM6
MAISON MARGIELA.
Gold earrings, £3,350,
£10,600, and gold and
diamond, £4,600,
all CARTIER
Dress, £14,500, and
socks, £340, both DIOR.
Rose gold earrings,
£4,100, and rings, from
left: gold, £2,040, and
£4,600, all CARTIER.
HAIR: Stefan Bertin
at The Wall Group.
MAKE-UP: Jenny
Coombs at The Wall
Group using Danessa
Myricks Beauty. NAILS:
Michelle Humphrey at
LMC Worldwide.
SET DESIGN: Phoebe
Shakespeare at Saint
Luke Artists. FASHION
ASSISTANT: Lois
Adeoshun
M A K E
A N
E N T R
P R A D A
Dress, £7,500, PRADA
Welcome to a new season and your first look at AW21.

Headlines: dressing up is back. Fashion is back. We are back
Photography MEINKE KLEIN
Styling AURELIA DONALDSON
A N C E
M O S C H I N O
Yellow jacket, £1,720,

matching skirt, £860, and
yellow hat, price on
request, all MOSCHINO
C H L O É
Dress, £1,280, sandals, £515, and bag, £1,160,

all CHLOÉ. Nose ring (worn throughout), model’s own
S A I N T L A U R E N T B Y
A N T H O N Y V A C C A R E L L O
Left: jacket, £4,850, top, £660, skirt, £1,175, and boots, £1,940, all SAINT
LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO. Belly button jewellery, model’s own.
Right: top, £755, skirt, £945, and shoes (just seen), £630, all SAINT LAURENT BY
ANTHONY VACCARELLO. Earrings (worn throughout), model’s own
B A L E N C I A G A
Dress, £2,250, and boots, £1,350, both BALENCIAGA

V E R S A C E
Top, £615, skirt, £615, shoes, £615, and tights, £230,

all VERSACE
M I C H A E L K O R S C O L L E C T I O N
Left: dress, £5,625, and sandals (worn throughout), £435, both MICHAEL
KORS COLLECTION. Right: dress, £490, MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION
G I V E N C H Y
Black and cream dress,

£14,620, GIVENCHY
D I O R
Dress, £5,900, and trousers,

£1,150, both DIOR
S A L V A T O R E F E R R A G A M O
Dress, £11,715, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO. Briefs, £40, WACOAL

A L B E R T A F E R R E T T I
Black jumper, £435, gold trousers, £6,120, and

black hat, £420, all ALBERTA FERRETTI
D O L C E & G A B B A N A
Top, £600, trousers, £770, and bra, from a selection, all DOLCE & GABBANA
M I U M I U
Cream dress, £4,500, black boots, £1,190, and beige hat, £350, all MIU MIU
C H A N E L
Jacket, £5,370, and trousers, £5,255, both CHANEL

A L E X A N D E R M c Q U E E N
Jumper, £2,740, skirt, £990, boots, £690, and belt, £420, all
ALEXANDER McQUEEN
M A X M A R A
Top, price on request, skirt,

£885, and socks, price on
request, all MAX MARA
L O U I S V U I T T O N
Left: top, £2,200, and skirt, £3,600, both LOUIS VUITTON. Right: dress,
price on request, and trousers, £1,200, both LOUIS VUITTON
T O D ’ S
Left: jacket, £1,420, TOD’S. Right: jacket, £3,690,

and shorts (just seen), £850, both TOD’S
I S A B E L M A R A N T
Dress, £789, and boots, £1,290, both ISABEL MARANT

G U C C I
Top, £520, and skirt, £1,150, both GUCCI

V A L E N T I N O
Left: jumper, £1,790, shirt, £890, and skirt, £950, all VALENTINO. Right: jacket, £3,300,
shirt, £790, and skirt, £980, all VALENTINO. Shoes, £900, VALENTINO GARAVANI
S I M O N E R O C H A
Dress, £1,895, and harness, £975, both SIMONE ROCHA

R O K S A N D A
Dress, £2,995, ROKSANDA. Sandals, £430,

MOLLY GODDARD
G I O R G I O A R M A N I
Black top, £6,400, and black skirt, £2,900,

both GIORGIO ARMANI
C E L I N E B Y
H E D I S L I M A N E
Jumper, £790, and skirt,

price on request, both
CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANE
M O L L Y G O D D A R D
Dress, £2,400, sandals, £430, and socks,

£75, all MOLLY GODDARD
S A L V A T O R E F E R R A G A M O
Shoes, £625, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

D O L C E & G A B B A N A
THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE Top, £559, skirt, £645, and

earrings, £558, all DOLCE & GABBANA
F E N D I
Left: jacket, £2,350, shorts, £620, earrings, £260, and tights, £175, all FENDI. Right:
shirt, £980, trousers, £980, and earrings, £420, all FENDI
G U C C I
Shoes, £750, GUCCI. Socks, £7, FALKE

Earrings, £558, DOLCE & GABBANA. HAIR: Hiroshi Matsushita using Bumble and bumble.
MAKE-UP: Joey Choy at Future Rep using Glossier. NAILS: Michelle Class at LMC
Worldwide using Dior Manicure Collection and Prestige Hand Cream. MODELS: Coumba Samba
at Anti-Agency, Elspeth Wright at Milk, Eman Deng at PRM and Georgia Howorth at Next.
SET DESIGN: Phoebe Shakespeare at Saint Luke. FASHION ASSISTANT: Grace Clarke
beauty
GOING BEYOND THE SURFACE
WOR DS: JENNIFER GEORGE. PHOTOGR A PH Y: A LESSA NDRO GA ROFA LO.
COLOUR VISION The future’s bright

IF YOU’RE STUCK IN A RUT with your hair, TAKE THE LEAD FROM THE AUTUMN/WINTER SHOWS
AND THROW SOME COLOUR AT THE PROBLEM. The bolder, the better.
THE MOOD IS PERFECTLY EXECUTED HERE AT Dolce & Gabbana ’s HEDONISTIC SHOW,
WHERE STYLIST Guido Palau CREATED VIVID TIE-DYE LOOKS ON THE MODELS
Edited by
JENNIFER GEORGE
and GEORGE DRIVER
175
Photography by Kate Bellm
176
Elle WELLNESS
AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS A PANIC ATTACK. I’D HAD THOSE BEFORE. That all-too-
familiar sensation of hands pressing on my chest, snaking around my throat,
making each inhalation shorter than the last. I gasped for air. The room began
to blur. I tried to calm down, to do the one thing you’re told to do in difficult
situations: breathe. But every attempt sent pain shooting across my chest. My
efforts to fill my lungs felt futile. This wasn’t panic. Something else was wrong.
It took what felt like forever to subside. In reality, it was probably around
15 minutes. Panting, I reached out to feel carpet beneath my hands, realising
I’d dropped to my bedroom floor. I saw the clothes I’d been carrying strewn
around me. The tear tracks down my cheeks told me I’d been crying.
This was in December 2020, at the height of the pandemic. But it couldn’t
be Covid-19. I’d had no other symptoms. I’d followed all the rules. I’d had two
recent tests, in preparation for seeing family.
Both clear. But the next day, I had another
attack. Hours later, another. They seemed
Waiting to
to come from nowhere – otherwise, I felt fine.
The attacks became more frequent, and
eventually sent me to hospital. There, tests
EXHALE
confirmed my suspicions: the virus had found
its way to me. It was unusual, the doctors
said, not to present any expected symptoms,
but not impossible. I should get better over my
10 days of mandatory quarantine. But, for me,
Trying to overcome long Covid the effects persist, inextricably weaving
not only changed how themselves into my everyday life.
It feels selfish to talk about my ‘struggle’,
Olivia McCrea -Hedley saw her when so many have lost their lives. So I don’t
body–it transformed her mind really tell people I was unwell. I just talk
about my ‘weird breathing’. Which is an odd
thing to even discuss – I’ve never given
much thought to my breathing before.
We’re not supposed to.
We take around 22,000 breaths a day: our body’s cycle of taking in air,
extracting oxygen, expelling carbon dioxide. It’s pivotal to our existence and
yet, most of the time, we don’t even notice we’re doing it. But, suddenly, the one
thing that had always been effortless became the one thing I couldn’t control.
Control is something that has, in a way, ruled my life. I like to have it.
I like to exert it. I like to be in charge of my thoughts, my body, work. I like
being able to predict the results of my actions, to set a target and achieve it.
I plan everything down to the tiniest detail – imagining every possible
outcome so I’m prepared for anything. My friends have vowed never to throw
me a surprise party, because they know I’d rather have planned it myself.
So to suddenly lose my treasured autonomy was tougher than I could have
imagined. Breathing became all I could think about. Monitoring it was an
obsession: tracking my oxygen levels; testing how far I could push myself.
I went from being completely independent to reliant on those around me.
I spent months having meals made for me, just about moving from bed to
desk to sofa and back again. Even walking to the bathroom left me exhausted;
panting as if I’d been sprinting. I barely left the house. I didn’t really want to.
Something strange happens when your body stops working as it should.
Your mind shifts. You feel untethered, like you’re drifting out to sea without
any idea of how to get back. Physically, I was tired. Emotionally, I was
exhausted. And it began to show. I got angry over the smallest things. I cried
at TV shows (I never cry over TV shows). I stopped returning messages.
177
Elle WELLNESS
INTO THE WOODS

There are only so many times you can jokingly OLIVIA (PICTURED
reply to ‘How are you?’ with a Spotify screenshot BELOW) TOOK TO
of The Corrs’ Breathless. The reality felt too NATURE AT CABILLA,
A CORNISH RETREAT
much to type: I didn’t feel like me anymore. THAT PROMOTES
It took almost six months for me to get THE BENEFITS OF
a long Covid diagnosis. According to a study SPENDING TIME
OUTSIDE IN NATURE
by Imperial College London, up to two
million people in the UK have had symptoms
for at least 12 weeks. For some, that’s been
breathlessness and extreme fatigue, like me,
while others have had excruciating headaches,
digestive issues and more.
Why did it affect me so badly? I’m still not
sure. It could be my age (I’m 29) or perhaps my
gender – that same study found that long Covid
rates were highest among those aged 25 to 34,
and 14.7% of women had ongoing symptoms
after three months, compared to 12.7% of men.
It’s also possible that my experience was
completely random. In reality, no one knows
how the virus will affect them until
they experience it. ‘There’s
a trajectory of illness that can
vary in different groups of people,’ “There are only
says Professor Gisli Jenkins of the
National Heart & Lung Institute so many times you
at Imperial College London. can jokingly reply
‘And there are a lot of ways that
your breathing can be damaged to ‘How are you?’
by Covid. If you damage your with A SPOTIFY
diaphragmatic muscles, you won’t
suck as much air in. If you damage screenshot of The especially now. ‘A pandemic
the alveolar membrane, you won’t
get the oxygen travelling into your
Corrs’Breathless” involving a virus that can
significantly affect the respiratory
bloodstream. And there could be system has seen the number of
so many other problems at play. It’s people using breathwork for their
something we are still trying to unravel.’ physical health and emotional wellbeing explode,’ he adds.
Not knowing anything for sure did not sit well with me. And apparently there is a ‘wrong’ way to breathe: ‘Most
So while I waited for medical professionals to work out what people aren’t aware that they are breathing poorly,’ says
was going on inside my body (still unknown), I turned to Bostock. ‘The most common dysfunctional pattern I see is
alternative methods, looking for something, anything that where people use their neck, shoulders and upper chest
would give me relief. That’s how I found breathwork. muscles (rather than the diaphragm) to expand the chest to
According to Richie Bostock, author of Exhale and take in air – as those muscles aren’t supposed to be used
founder of the breathing app Flourish, breathwork is 24/7, this can activate the body’s stress response and cause
‘any time you intentionally become aware of your breath pain.’ So, by trying so hard to breathe during my attacks, had
and use it to improve your physical and mental health and I actually been stressing out my body – and myself – more?
performance and emotional wellbeing’. A visit to my chiropractor, Dr Bav Raindi of the
‘The way you breathe affects just about every system in Chiropractic London Group, confirmed that is what I’d been
your body,’ Bostock says. ‘When you know how to use your doing. I’d gone complaining of more shoulder pain than
breath purposefully, it can increase energy levels, rebalance usual, and when I told him about my chest pain, he wasn’t
hormones, heighten focus, improve sleep, digestion and surprised. ‘Your posture has changed,’ he said. ‘The muscles
cardiovascular health.’ This was exactly what I needed. along your shoulders, upper back and across your chest have
Luckily, breathing is the latest elemental human tightened and become shorter, while the muscles in the mid
practice to be co-opted by the wellness industry. ‘Pre-2020, back have weakened and elongated, causing you to “hunch”
the interest in breathwork was already increasing rapidly,’ over. This is common in people with shallow breathing
says Bostock, who is often referred to as ‘The Breath Guy’. – those muscles are overcompensating, putting increased
But that’s not to say that a renewed focus isn’t necessary – pressure on the joints and therefore causing that pain.’

Elle WELLNESS
Learning that my breathing was having a knock-on effect completely clear, littered with the brightest stars I’ve seen.
for the rest of my body made me even more determined to It was under those stars on my third night that I realised I’d
fix it. I looked up breathwork tutorials on YouTube. I read begun to change. Acres of ancient oak woodland had enveloped
books. I downloaded Fly LDN’s online app to remind me me from the moment I’d arrived: twisted trees curving into
of the ‘belly’ breathing the yoga instructors tell us to practise a dense canopy, bluebells carpeting the forest floor and
during class. (Engage your diaphragm as you inhale, rather scenting the air with a delicate perfume. Without realising,
than those chest muscles, moving it downwards and pushing I’d been practising the Japanese art of forest bathing, or
the belly out.) I tried box breathing (inhale for four seconds, shinrin-yoku – the act of mindfully spending time in nature.
hold for four, exhale for four and repeat – ideally for four A recent study found that just two hours of forest bathing
minutes), alternate nostril breathing, that technique from can lead to improvements in physiological and psychological
Dr Sarfaraz Munshi’s now-viral YouTube clip, where you health, plus a decrease in blood pressure.* As I walked
cough as you exhale to relieve mucus in the lungs. through fields and forest and along the river each day,
Some of those techniques worked, providing me with I suppose I was, without realising, practising box breathing
moments where I felt like I had some semblance of control – inhaling deeply and taking my time before exhaling slowly.
over my body; that I could finally take in enough oxygen. But I wasn’t counting the seconds. I wasn’t tracking my
Over time, I began to see small signs of recovery: I could oxygen levels. I let my body tell me how it wanted to work.
walk that bit further, climb a few more stairs, inhale more I felt energised, yet more relaxed than I had in months.
deeply without those sharp pains flashing across my chest. I guess breathing ‘well’ can do that to you. ‘Deep, mindful
Emotionally, however, I was declining. Every time I left breathing helps release endorphins, or the “feel-good”
the house, the lingering fear of Covid followed. My mind hormone,’ says Fly LDN yoga instructor Kate Hiley. ‘Our
swirled with ways I might catch it again. When we were exhale is connected to our parasympathetic nervous system,
allowed inside restaurants, I still made friends sit outside. which is responsible for our body’s rest and digest response.
I developed an expensive habit of taking taxis, after the So taking deep breaths followed by a long, slow exhale can
confined, airless spaces of public transport caused panic tell our body and mind that we are safe and can relax.’
attacks. I felt vulnerable. This was a fragility I wasn’t used to. It dawned on me that the more I’d worked at breathing
City life began to feel claustrophobic. Parks were full of ‘better’, the less progress I’d made. Apparently it’s common.
reunions and celebrations; groups gathered on every corner; ‘When Covid makes breathing difficult, you realise
queues snaked out of every shop I tried to visit. Everywhere everything you took for granted is at risk. You start thinking
I turned, there were people. People breathing in the same about breathing – and when you do that, you breathe in a
air as me, and potentially breathing out the virus that sent non-autonomous way,’ says Professor Jenkins. ‘As a result,
me into decline. The air seemed heavier, somehow: thick with your diaphragm moves in the wrong part of the respiratory
pollution and weighed down with the possibility of infection. cycle – when it should be going down, you might be trying
Whenever I went out, I felt like my throat was closing up. to bring it up because you’re overthinking it. You start to
Even though I’d found coping mechanisms for my attacks, work against yourself, which is where things can go wrong.’
the problem hadn’t gone away: I still With the work I’d been doing,
couldn’t breathe properly. Especially trying (and often failing) to ‘win’
not in London. I needed space. at breathing, I’d lost sight of what was
That’s how I found myself in “Without going on. I’d been trying to control
a tent, wrapped in a duvet, listening
realising, I’d been the uncontrollable, so kept ending
PHOTOGR A PH Y: K ATE BELL M/K INTZING, COURTESY OF OLIV I A McCR EA-HEDLEY.
to the rain hammer against the up back at square one. But during
canvas. On a farm in Cornwall. At practising the those few days out of the city, when
a retreat promoting nature’s healing
benefits. Frankly, the last place art of FOREST I’d stopped counting and measuring
and stressing, I felt recalibrated –
BATHING:
*EN V IRONMENTA L HEA LTH A ND PR EV ENTIV E MEDICINE , 2019.
you’d expect me to be. But Cabilla’s after more than half a year of feeling
slogan – ‘We want you to leave
feeling better than when you arrived’ mindfullyspending disconnected, that synergy was
on its way to being restored. It’s
– appealed in its simplicity. That’s
what I craved. Not necessarily a
timeinnature” time to stop being disappointed at
my body for not working as it should
physical transformation (doctors are and start appreciating how it has
working on that), but to feel better. carried me through.
At Cabilla, nothing specific was required; no exercise I can’t control my recovery or speed up the process, but
regimes or forced activities. The point is to simply spend I’m just grateful that it’s happening. Even though I still need
time outdoors. The farmland is a pollution-free site, and the breaks when I go for walks, and stairs often feel like climbing
lack of impurities in the air was palpable. I inhaled as deeply Everest, I’m slowly getting better. My mind still swirls with
as the dull ache in my chest allowed. The air felt clean. Pure. ‘what ifs’, and I know it will never fully calm down, but it is
It’s set in one of the UK’s only dark sky environments, quieter. And when those fears begin to creep in, I know
which is obvious as night falls. The inky expanse overhead is what to do. Close my eyes. Count to four. And breathe.

179
Top, £235, SAINT
LAURENT BY
ANTHONY
VACCARELLO.
White gold and
diamond ear cuff,
£5,740, MESSIKA.
Necklace, £55,
UNDERGROUND
ENGLAND
WHO’S THAT GIRL?

USING YSL BEAUTY’S
CLASSIC RED TONES,
MAKE-UP ARTIST FLORRIE
WHITE GIVES A NOD TO
THE TRADE MARK
ROUGED FEATURES OF
ANNIE LENNOX. THE LIP
COLOUR WORN AROUND
THE EYES (YSL ROUGE PUR
COUTURE SATIN LIPSTICK
IN RHYTHM RED, £31) IS
MISMATCHED TO
THE MOUTH (YSL THE
SLIM VELVET RADICAL
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£31) FOR A COOLER LOOK.
Elle BEAUTY
Ne w
RoMaNC e
Take this as confirmation: make-up is officia
back. Inspired by the bold hues and brazenyll
shapes of the glam rock and new wave
movements, the key is a splash of colour and
a
of confidence. Bonus points for bleached brolot
ws
Words JENNIFER GEORGE
Photography JENNY BROUG
H

181
Elle BEAUTY Shirt, £565,
SAINT LAURENT
BY ANTHONY
VACCARELLO.
Earrings, £75,
MISSOMA
OH BOY!
TAKING INSPIRATION FROM
THE KING OF THE CLUB
KIDS, FLORRIE MAKES BOY
GEORGE’S SIGNATURE
MAKE-UP WEARABLE WITH
SOFT, DIFFUSED EDGES.
SWIPES OF EYESHADOW
(FROM THE YSL COUTURE
COLOUR CLUTCH PALETTES
IN SAHARIENNE AND
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CONSIDERED BUT NOT
CRISP, LEAVING A PRECISE
FUSCHIA LIP (YSL THE SLIM
VELVET RADICAL LIPSTICK
182
IN FATAL CARMIN, £31) TO
ADD A REFINED EDGE.

Jacket, £2,365,
SAINT LAURENT
Elle BEAUTY
BY ANTHONY
VACCARELLO. Rose
gold earring, £8,550,
CARTIER. Necklaces,
from top: £575,
£230, and £165,
all MISSOMA.
Badges, from top:
£5, £1 and £1, all
UNDERGROUND
ENGLAND
BASE NOTES
FOR A STRIPPED-BACK
STATEMENT, MAKE SKIN
THE FOCUS: USE YSL BEAUTY
PURE SHOTS HYDRA BOUNCE
ESSENCE IN-LOTION
(£31.50), FOLLOWED BY PURE
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CREAM (£59) TO PREP,
A TOUCH OF CONCEALER
(TOUCHE ÉCLAT
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AND HIGHLIGHTER
(COUTURE HIGHLIGHTER
IN PERLE, £36) TO FINISH.
RESIST REACHING FOR
183
THE MASCARA – THE
BARER, THE BETTER.

Elle BEAUTY
KISS AND MAKE UP

YES, THIS LOOK IS MOSTLY
ABOUT THE SOLID SUPER-
SIZED LINER (YSL COUTURE
LIQUID EYELINER IN
BLACK MATT, £28), PAINTED
ON IN A GENE SIMMONS-
ESQUE SHAPE. BUT TO
KEEP IT FROM LOOKING
LIKE FANCY DRESS,
FLORRIE PAIRS IT WITH
A SOFT SWEEP OF SUNSET
HUES (FROM THE COUTURE
CLUTCH EYESHADOW
PALETTE IN SAHARIENNE,
£100) AND A FLUSH OF
AMBER BLUSH ACROSS
THE CHEEKS.

Elle BEAUTY
TRUE BLUE
AN EIGHTIES HOMAGE
ISN’T COMPLETE
WITHOUT A BIT OF FROSTY
SHADOW. HERE, THE ICY
SHADE (FROM THE YSL
COUTURE COLOUR
CLUTCH EYESHADOW
PALETTE IN SAHARIENNE,
£100) IS FLANKED BY
GRAPHIC LINER (YSL
CRUSHLINER IN BLEU
ÉNIGMATIQUE, £23) AND
A SOFT NUDE LIP (YSL THE
SLIM VELVET RADICAL
LIPSTICKL IN AMBIGUOUS
BEIGE, £31) TO MAKE THE
LOOK MODERN.
THIS PAGE Jacket, £3,410,

SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY
VACCARELLO. Earrings, £105,
necklaces, from top: £575,
£230, and £165, and bracelet
(worn as chain on jacket),
£120, all MISSOMA.
Badge, £5, UNDERGROUND
ENGLAND. Rings, from left:
white gold, £2,820, white
gold, £1,020, yellow gold,
£960, and white gold and
diamond, £4,900, all CARTIER.
OPPOSITE Jacket, £1,605,
SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY
VACCARELLO. Earrings, £395,
LE MONDE BERYL. White
gold ring, £1,960, CARTIER.
STYLING: Georgia Medley.
HAIR: Jake Gallagher at
The Only Agency. MAKE-UP:
Florrie White at Bryant
Artists. NAILS: Michelle Class
at LMC Worldwide. MODEL:
Barbara Maldonado at Premier
Model Management. FASHION
ASSISTANT: Lois Adeoshun
185
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188
Elle BEAUTY
The undone face

There’s a new approach to cosmetic
procedures, and it’s the antithesis
of the more-is-more aesthetic you
see on social media. This is WHEN CLIENTS SIT ON DR VICKY DONDOS’
much more subtle; imperceptible, CLINICAL BED, the first thing she does
is hand them a mirror. ‘Tell me what
even. Meet the cosmetic doctor you see,’ she says. It’s less of an
instruction; more a friendly inquisition.
leading the charge She watches as women (it’s almost
always women) pore over their faces,
Photography by Helena Gurowitsch pointing to a pigmentation mark
here, an almost invisible crease there.
But it’s when, and more crucially
how, they speak about their faces that
Dr Dondos (known to her regulars as
Vicky) really takes notice. She will make notes. She will remember that Client X
feels ‘sad’ when they look in the mirror. Or stressed. Or, God forbid, ‘too much like
their mother’. That’s when things start to get interesting.
‘I’m fascinated by those people who come in, sit down and immediately tap into
the emotional side of things. They explain that their face makes them feel a certain
way, as opposed to coming to me with a highly researched shopping list of procedures
they think they need.’ With these clients, she is more therapist than cosmetic doctor,
as intrigued by the workings of their minds as she the voluminosity of their lips.
Dondos, who at 47 looks at least a decade younger, is one the UK’s pre-eminent
cosmetic doctors. A practising aesthetic specialist for over 15 years, there’s nothing
she doesn’t know about the ‘tweakment’ business – and there’s nothing she doesn’t
know about how women feel when they submit their faces to cosmetic intervention.
It’s this that intrigues her. So much so that she has written an excellent book,
The Positive Ageing Plan. In it, she explores the complicated niche between natural
evolution and cosmetic intervention, offering multiple plans for women who fancy
a bit of both. As part of the book’s research, she interviewed hundreds of women
– including her own clients – about what beauty meant to them. ‘It’s not about looking
younger,’ she says firmly. ‘It’s looking fresher, less tired – more like themselves.’

189
Elle BEAUTY
The book walks through the foundations of skincare, and speed, yet ultimately helping those in her care. (She also has
what it makes very clear is that aesthetic procedures will a PhD in psychology.) It was when her partner, Geoff – who
only get you so far. Stress, sleep and how much sex they’re works alongside her in their joint practice – began looking
having are far more vital in determining how Dondos’ clients into a move into aesthetics that she became intrigued.
look in the morning than a sprinkling of Botox. (Though ‘For research for the business, I agreed to pop to Harley
her ‘sprinkles’ are some of the best in the business). Street. By the end of it, my entire face was covered in black
‘Let’s be clear, Botox and fillers are what people come pen from a host of male doctors telling me what I “needed”
[to me] for,’ she says, matter-of-factly. ‘And they are the to fix. It didn’t seem right,’ she says.
cherry on top; they do give that “wow” effect. But – and it’s From the start, Dondos developed a reputation for lo-fi
a big but – there’s only so much you can do on the outside. work – stealth procedures, if you will. Her clients still had
You have to look at the inside, too.’ lines on their foreheads, while her
Curiously, Dondos describes use of filler was subtle; imbuing faces
her role as being as much about with freshness. She has a lightness
‘holding the reins’ on aesthetic of touch, and is renowned for the
interventions as it is encouraging ‘undone’ look. It’s a bit Parisian;
them. Which seems mad, when you imperceptible but still dazzling.
consider this is her stock-in-trade. Her own face is an example. It is
But then she’s not like other cosmetic older, sure. But the skin is immaculate,
doctors. If you’re one of the lucky few the lips ever-so-slightly plump. There
who manages to get a consultation QUIET REVOLUTION
are lines around her eyes and frown
(she now only works two days a week DR DONDOS IS CHANGING HOW lines in all the right places. She is not
at her practice, Medicetics) don’t WOMEN SEE THEMSELVES perfection, but she wears her age well.
expect any quick fixes. In fact, don’t ‘I’ve been having Botox since I was
expect any procedures at all – you’ll 34. I have it in my crow’s feet and
have to wait at least two weeks for “I’m deeply masseters [the muscles at the back of
that. She likes to do what she calls
a ‘download’, so clients can sit with
conflicted about the jaw]. I have a bit of filler every year
and I’ve just had a skin-tightening
the information first. ‘I will probably having work done treatment. But I’m always testing
do myself out of business,’ she laughs.
Perhaps. Or she might just be the
and it’s my JOB. myself. I haven’t had Botox in so long,
it’s good to see what my face looks like.
answer the industry is looking for. There’s a side I’m scared of getting on that slippery
of me filled path, always scrutinising myself.’
She says cosmetic doctors are the
WITH GUILT”
COSMETIC PROCEDURES HAVE COME
A LONG WAY over the past 15 years. most ‘at risk’ for too much work. ‘Not
Once the preserve of the well-heeled just because of accessibility, but from
over-50s market, worried about crows the pressure. We see it all the time
feet and frown lines, it has morphed into something else at cosmetic conferences. It’s like, “Oh dear, she’s fallen, he’s
altogether. While it has always been an industry based on gone… They used to be so beautiful.”’
wish fulfilment – the wish to look fresher, smoother, sharper The issue is, cosmetic doctors are often seen as walking
– now, it is enticing a younger generation with the promise of advertisements for the work they do. Covid regulations have
avatar-style faces honed and designed by social media filters. meant she must wear a mask when meeting clients, so she
You can get lip fillers on Groupon for as little as £70, and first insists on a virtual consultation where they can see her
filler is also being used to reshape noses, jawlines and cheeks. entire face. ‘For me, it helps. It’s really important that I show
Tales abound of women handing over Snapchat-filtered people I’m not about perfection.’
images in the hope of recreating what they’ve seen on Instead, she is about ‘positive ageing’ – the ability to
screen. Major surgery is no longer needed to craft an entirely visibly age alongside a little medical intervention, if desired.
A DDITIONA L PHOTOGR A PH Y: NICK THOMPSON.
new face. This is the age of quick-fix facial overhauls. Instead of a 15-step South Korean-style skincare routine,
‘The thing is, I’m the client,’ Dondos says from her west it’s one that includes an acid (a must), plus hydroquinone for
London office. ‘I’m deeply conflicted about having “work” pesky pigmentation. But, most of all, it’s about connecting
done, and it’s my day job! There’s a side of me [filled with] mind and face. She tells me she is considering having a Big
shame and guilt: Why should I put so much time and money into Brother-style Diary Room in her next clinic (slated to open
my appearance? Once I got around all that myself, I’ve tried in north London next year, reaching beyond the traditional
to help people with their own feelings; to take away some of enclaves of Belgravia and Harley Street) for clients to really
that head space. I only look after people who look in the mirror reflect on what they’re getting from these treatments.
less after treatment. It’s a way of feeling OK with what I do.’ ‘One thing I’ve learnt for sure is that it’s never about how
Dondos started her career as an NHS gastroenterologist. people look,’ she says. ‘It’s almost always about how they feel.’
It was a vocation she was suited to: working at breakneck The Positive Ageing Plan by Dr Vicky Dondos is out now

Elle BEAUTY
THE DIRECTORS’ CUT

Hair tools
Two beauty
journalists, two very
THE TREND different approaches. THE RESULTS
HOPPER SEEKER
George Driver ELLE’s beauty J en ni f er Georg e
Hi, my name’s George and I don’t directors George My dog, my phone and my hot
own a hairdryer. There, I said it. As
per my usual approach to beauty,
Driver and brush. Those are the things I’d take
to a desert island. My husband is
my relationship with hair tools is Jennifer George give a grown man, he can make his own
equal parts try-hard and totally lazy.
It’s either hours watching tutorials
us the lowdown way, but I can’t live without my
hot brush. I rely on it so much that
to recreate the perfect undone wave, I have three, in case, God forbid,
or just me, my wet head and the air. two break. It sounds dramatic, but
Whereas Jenn is renowned for her armfuls of hair with a my hair is my ‘thing’, my best asset. I’m not trying to brag
new silky smooth split fringe that would make Jeanne Damas – I’d rather my ‘thing’ be virtuoso cello – but here we are.
envious, what tops my head is more akin to ‘Eighties mum I have a good base: thick hair inherited from my Asian
KDLU· ² ÀQH EXW ELJ SRXI\ EXW QRW VKLQ\ ,W PD\ KDYH EHHQ 2. mother, dark chocolate brown and yet to be invaded by
30 years ago, but now? It’s not exactly a vibe. But after years greys. And I can just about do a Lady Godiva impression,
of dyeing, my tortured lengths can’t handle daily hairdrying. length-wise. However, the daily ’do that I’m known for
In an attempt to keep some shine and moisture, I air dry, – big, bouncy, shiny – is not something I wake up with.
only turning to tools if I feel like experimenting. The To get it, I wash my hair Every. Damn. Day. Sometimes
results are unpredictable, which is where my ghds come in. not on a Sunday, if I’m too hungover to stand. After product
Temperature controlled for my hair’s sake, these straighteners (oil to seal the ends, mousse to create volume) and a rough
have seen me through a Pinterest-load of cuts and dye jobs. dry, I turn to my beloved hot brush. My weapon of choice is
And now, they’re cordless. For the times when making a coffee the Babyliss rotating brush. I’ve had a lot of practice, so I’ve
takes precedence over making myself look presentable, I can nailed the technique and can style my whole head in seven
style my hair in a cab or, if I’m feeling bolder, on the Tube. minutes. Working on 80% dry hair, the tool seals and
,·P \HW WR ÀQG DQ HDVLHU ZD\ WR WUDQVIRUP P\ ÁXII\ VPRRWKV DGGLQJ YROXPH DQG D VXEWOH ÁLFN
bob. Simply rock them as you move down each section of Dyson’s new hairdryer attachment, a smoothing nozzle
hair (after spritzing with heat protector, of course) and WKDW GLUHFWV WKH DLU ÁRZ GRZQ WKH KDLU VKDIW LV WKH LFLQJ RQ
you’ve got easy breezy waves minus the frizz. WKH FDNH SHUIHFWO\ VPRRWKLQJ Á\DZD\V
If I’m feeling fancy (and have a couple of spare hours), The result is ‘Have you just been for a blow-dry?’ hair,
I’ll use my tongs to curl my way to old Hollywood waves. and I’m quoting from weekly comments, not a press release.
The key to getting it right when you don’t have much hair? ,W FDQ EH ÀGGO\ DV WKH URWDWLQJ EUXVK FDXVHV SDLQIXO WDQJOHV
Use a medium barrel tong, curl in the same direction if you spin it the wrong way. But take your time – it’s worth
then leave to cool before brush g r , t ow it for the volume (and ego) boost. I can’t imagine being
a ha yer and I can manage hair like Zoey Deutc without one. In fact, I might get a fourth. Just in case…
BABYLISS
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NORTHWOOD
CURL IT
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192 .COM / U K SEP T EMBER 20

Elle BEAUTY
MOTHER OF PEARL
RIGHT: BH
COSMETICS GEM ON
FACE & BODY JEWELS
IN PEARLY, £5
Beaut y by Hannah Thompson Photography by Paul Zak
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TOP LEFT: CLAIRE’S
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A DDITIONA L PHOTOGR A PH Y: IM A XTR EE , STEPH A NIE GA LEA, A LEX FR A NCO,
CL A IR E BR A ND, M A RCIN K EMPSK I, K A R EN COLLINS, M A R I A NA M A LTONI.
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FAR LEFT: DONNI
X FACE LACE HEAD
IN THE CLOUDS
FACE DECALS, £13
NEXT BIG THING Decorativedecals

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193
Elle BEAUTY
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The Miami mani
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Wo r d s by G e o r g e D r i v e r
Photography by The Masons
SOUTH BEACH PASTELS, ART DECO WAVES, a nod to the

Nineties… When it comes to manicurist Ami Streets’
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LQÁXHQFHV+HUPDVKXSVW\OHLV¶DOODERXWOD\HULQJ ABOVE:
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PASTEL NAIL FILES,
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NA ILS: A MI STR EETS USING THE DIOR M A NICUR E COLLECTION
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MODEL M A NAGEMENT. FASHION ASSISTA NT: LOIS A DEOSHU N.
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PHOTOGR A PH Y: IM A XTR EE , GET T Y IM AGES.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: ALICE GAO, COURTESY OF THE GOODTIME HOTEL.
DISCOVER an A-list oasis

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Edited by LUCY HALFHEAD

Elle EXPLORE
CANADA’S CAPITAL
of COOL
An epic art scene, rebel vibes and seriously stylish
restaurants make Montreal the hippest destination around
Wo r d s by Ly d i a Sw i n s c o e

Elle EXPLORE
SLEEP IN STYLE
FAR LEFT: YOU CAN’T
MISS THE CITY’S
STREET ART. BELOW
LEFT: W MONTREAL.
RIGHT: THE PRETTY
PLATEAU DISTRICT
EAT LIKE A LOCAL

LEFT: TRY POUTINE,
THE QUÉBÉCOIS
DELICACY, AT
FRITE ALORS!
BELOW: HOTEL
WILLIAM GRAY
SURROUNDED BY RETRO BOTTLES OF ACID-BLUE

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ODUJHVWFLW\RQHEULJKWEXWFROG0D\PRUQLQJ,·GGRQH

2O5
little research for my trip, aside from booking a modern
artsy loft on Airbnb. It promised a great location, in
bohemian Mile End, close to Montreal’s most famous
bagel shop: Fairmount Bagel. It even came with a
guidebook listing brunch and dinner recommendations
in the immediate area. I knew I’d picked the right place
to stay. My only plans were to seek out incredible food,
cool coffee shops and the city’s most intriguing art.
I soon discovered that Montreal is the perfect
destination for a city break
with an edge: small enough to
get around on foot, but large
“My favourite enough to have a burgeoning
murals were those art and gastronomy scene.

Every piece of wall I passed
SO HUGE, en route to another restaurant
you have was covered by huge,

incredibly detailed murals and
to cross the road to creative graffiti. During lazy
appreciate their mornings I’d walk all the way
down Saint Laurent Boulevard,
FULL SCALE” photographing abstract street
art by world-renowned artists
and political commentators
along the way. Industrial-style
coffee shops Café Nocturne and Dispatch Coffee
punctuated my walks with velvety flat whites and
expertly baked pastries, and it didn’t take long for me
to realise that Montreal is as addictive as the city’s
ethically sourced, perfectly roasted coffee beans.
My favourite murals ended up being the biggest and
brightest, the ones hidden off main roads in abandoned
car parks, or creations painted strategically between
windows and doors, so huge that I had to cross the road
to appreciate their full scale. Australian artist David
‘Meggs’ Hook captured my attention one afternoon with
FIND HIDDEN GEMS a 90ft-tall piece highlighting climate issues, depicting
TOP: EXPLORE THE
CITY ON FOOT.
a woman holding a conch shell against a backdrop of
ABOVE: MAY AN OLD coral pink hibiscus and tangerine-coloured daylilies.
SONG OPEN A NEW Hook’s Expand Your World was completed in 2016 as
WORLD. BELOW: HOTEL
WILLIAM GRAY
part of Montreal’s Mural Festival, yet still remains as,
if not more, relevant today. I also fell in love with Mister
Xray’s Lost Paradise, situated in a car park between Saint
Laurent Boulevard and Rue Saint-Dominique. It features
cartoon hand grenades, original typography and a colour
palette inspired by the artist’s childhood in Florida. But
the mural I kept returning to admire was a collaborative
project between local artists Bryan Beyung and Gene
Pendon. Their brilliant piece, May An Old Song Open
A New World, next to Chinatown, depicts a Chinese opera
singer against a bright red background (synonymous
with prosperity and heroism in Chinese culture) and
was created to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity.
Indeed, Montreal’s diverse population is unique in
North America, with minority residential segregation

Elle EXPLORE
much lower than most US and European cities. This

fusion makes for an incredible food scene with Asian,
European, Latin American and African influences
throughout Montreal’s restaurants and bars. Aside from
poutine – the definition of comfort food, consisting of
chips topped with gravy and cheese curds – I ate my
way through Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls and zingy
juices at Venice MTL. Elsewhere, neon signs and La
Habanera’s icy Hemingway daiquiris transported me
to Cuba, if only for a few hours, and Satay Brothers’
cloud-like bao buns provided the snack of dreams.
Brunch in Montreal is a real institution, so I made
it my mission each day to linger over a mélange of small ENJOY THE SCENERY
plates and coffee. Just me, my book and some of the BELOW: HOTEL
coolest interiors the city has to offer. There’s something WILLIAM GRAY.
BOTTOM: THE
magical about sitting alone in an unknown place, BIOSPHERE IS AN
savouring brand new dishes while observing the world. ENVIRONMENTAL
One beautifully cosy spot – Larry’s – turned out to MUSEUM
be a 15-minute walk from my Mile End loft. Taking
a spot at the copper-topped bar, my go-to dish soon
became a stack of moreish homemade pikelets, paired
with a side of smoked salmon and some seriously
decadent scrambled eggs. I’d take turns, cheating on
Larry’s with nearby Arts Cafe, where rich shakshuka and
insanely good cheddar scones featured on the menu.
When I wasn’t hunting out restaurants or taking
photos of Montreal’s street art, I’d walk to the top of
Mount Royal, a small mountain with sweeping views
right across the city, or hop on
the metro to visit the biosphere
– a wickedly photogenic yet
eerie steel dome that sits “Brunch is a
adjacent to a whole museum
dedicated to the environment. real institution here
On my penultimate day, so I made it my
I spent a few hours in
downtown Montreal at MAC mission each day
(Musée d’art contemporain), to linger over
the city’s contemporary art
gallery. Known for exhibitions SMALL PLATES
and coffee”
PHOTOGR A PH Y: LY DI A SW INSCOE , STEV EN W R IGHT, THE BI A LONS,
from prominent artists such as

Teresa Margolles and Olafur
ETIENNE DELOR IEU X, U NSPL ASH, A L A M Y, GET T Y IM AGES.
Eliasson, I was lucky enough to

catch a whole show dedicated
to Montreal-born legend Leonard Cohen, featuring his
writing and music. One of his quotes replayed in my
mind as I wandered back along Saint Laurent Boulevard
toward my airy apartment: ‘I feel at home when I’m in
Montreal – in a way that I don’t feel anywhere else’.
Although I wasn’t born in Canada, I know what
he meant. There’s something about the city that’s
reassuring and exciting in equal measure. Its relaxed
vibe and the stunning restaurants, not to mention
the cute barber, make for a heady combination – one
that’s (almost) worth missing a flight for.

2O7
Elle EXPLORE
THREE DAYS IN... Procida

Escape the crowds and live la dolce
vita for a long weekend on Italy’s
best kept secret, Capri’s tiny neighbour
Wo r d s b y L u ke A b r a h a m s
HARBOUR HAVEN
BELOW AND FAR
RIGHT: VISIT MARINA
DI CORRICELLA FOR
OUTDOOR DINING
AND A SPECTACULAR
VIEW OF THE SEA
DAY 1
Hotels are relatively scarce here, so rent an
Airbnb apartment and experience Procida
like a local. After dropping your bags, walk
to the marina through cobbled streets with
Vespas whizzing past, and set off along the
waterfront. Here, you’ll get a glimpse of
what life in Italy was like before tourism,
with fishing boats bobbing on the waves,
and al fresco eateries where you can watch
postcard-perfect sunsets over the bay.
THE HOT TICKET
Da Mariano
Laidback seafood restaurant Da Mariano
POOLSIDE CHIC (above) is popular with residents, who flock
CHECK INTO AN
AIRBNB BEFORE
here to feast on stuffed calamari and
YOU STEP OUT TO spaghetti alle vongole. The fish is so fresh,
EXPLORE THE ISLAND and you eat looking out across the sea. Finish
with a signature La Procidana citrus cake.

Elle EXPLORE
DAY 2
Procida is tiny and, as a result, it’s
refreshingly quiet and easy to navigate, so
get up early to explore. Start with a walk to
the ancient citadel for one of the best views
of the Marina di Corricella, then discover
the pretty medieval village of Terra Murata.
Palazzo d’Avalos and the 16th-century Sacre
di San Michele are worth a visit – if you
come in August, the town square is alive
with traditional markets and live music.
DON’T MISS
Vivara Island
The uninhabited volcanic atoll (above) is
where to go for an extra dose of Mother
Nature. Windswept and wild, the reserve is
covered in kaleidoscopic florals. Book a tour
in advance as it’s not always open to visitors.
DAY 3
Top up your tan on the long, narrow ribbon
of sand at the Spiaggia di Chiaia, complete
with views of Marina di Corricella in the
distance, and you may spot a celebrity or
two. Afterwards, hit the shops, and for the
ISLAND LIVING
ABOVE: TAKE best limoncello pit stop, Enoteca Borgo
A DIP IN LA SUITE Antico is where it’s at. You’ll find jewellery,
BOUTIQUE HOTEL’S
sandals and totes for the beach at the
UNIQUE BLACK
A L A M Y, V IT TOR IO GI A NNELL A, @M A R ICELL ASHOP.
POOL. BELOW: ENJOY boutique Maricella (above). In search of

PHOTOGR A PH Y: PIETRO FI A LLO, GET T Y IM AGES,
VIEWS OF THE PORT bold-print dresses? Don’t miss Mediterraneo.

FROM THE CITADEL
THE PARTING SHOT
Boat tours
Say ciao to Procida life on a boat tour
around the island. Go solo or grab a guide
from the harbour for hours of fun
discovering secret swimming spots and
forgotten coves before you fly home.
2O9
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It is the quality and balance of heritage and vibrance which have
attracted a star studded clientele for generations.
You will find their flagship store filled with shoppable items
at 131 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10016.
The newest designs are ready for order online at
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Photographer: Rudy Arias
Stylist: John Henry Edington
Model: Natalie Aponte
FASHION
EDIT
FASHION
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BOTANICAL BEACH BABES

Botanical Beach Babes Los Angeles® is a luxury sustainable lifestyle brand
that features eco-friendly swimwear collections exclusively designed by their
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Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. Select from a beautiful variety of swimwear styles
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Botanical Beach Babes swimwear collections are inspired by femininity,
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ESSENTIALS
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ABOVE STUDIO
Combining my love for
fashion, my life-long
mission to empower
women, and a nod to my
colourful Thai roots is the
birth of my brainchild,
Above Studio. Through
its sustainable efforts,
Above Studio will show
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story of Thai art and
culture with the help
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bag at a time.
abovestudio.co
Models: Maren Daniels, Alina Lam Photographer: Tyler Wang
Stylist: Stephanie Fiel Producer: Hugo Contreras
EVINCE LONDON
Evince London was
founded by two best
friends Anna and
Aysha with a passion
THE ALEXANDRITE
and ardour for luxury Are you a person of discerning taste that admires one-of-a-kind,
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scents that result in new
Alexandrite is a magnificent gem: named after Tzar Alexander,
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the only stone associated with royalty, it was the most prized
last a lifetime."
gem amongst aristocracy in Europe.
The brand inspired by this legendary gem creates masterpieces
Shop at : www.evincelondon.com
of the jewellery art poetry worthy of a Queen.
Follow us at Instagram: @evincelondon
Facebook: Evince London Perfume. www.thealexandrite.com
ESSENTIALS
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ELLEADA HAIR SERUM
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ESSENTIALS
EDIT
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ELLE FASHION
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ELLE HEALTH
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TO ADVERTISE HERE PLEASE CALL THE ELLE TEAM ON 020 3728 6260
Elle FINAL WORD
My fashionable life
TORY
BURCH
The fashion designer, 54, on her most extravagant
purchases and the pieces she’ll treasure forever
Photography by Connor Langford
I WAS SUCH A TOMBOY, I DIDN’T WEAR A DRESS UNTIL LEE RADZIWILL WAS THE MOST STYLISH WOMAN,
PROM. My mom was so into fashion, she got me a YSL dress so intelligent, self-confident and assured. Lee [Jackie
with pink sequins, a black velvet trim and a big black tulle Kennedy’s younger sister] was the queen of the one-liner.
skirt. It was definitely a statement. A lot of true style has to do with confidence, the way you
carry yourself and the way you feel about yourself.
I TOOK RISKS WITH FASHION BUT, looking at high school
pictures, it hasn’t always worked out. I loved vintage and I’d I HAD TWO WEDDING DRESSES. Both were by Sarah
remake things. I was made fun of because I was a bit preppy, Burton for Alexander McQueen, and they’re definitely the
a bit of an athlete. Friends labelled me a ‘prock’ – a preppy most expensive items I own. One is made from beautiful
jock. I wore Grateful Dead T-shirts with Hermès scarves. lace fabric, with a high neck, three-quarter-length sleeves
and almost to the ground. The other is a little more
MY FATHER SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DESIGNER. He made all extravagant, made from an ivory tulle with these beautiful
of his clothing with tailors. He was known in Philadelphia for flowers all over it. I knew I didn’t want to design my own
his style: he was the first of his friends to wear Gucci loafers wedding dresses and they are really special.
in the 1950s and he had dinner jackets lined with scarves. He
soldered charms on a gold Zippo lighter; we weren’t allowed ONE THING I REALLY MISSED WITH COVID-19 WAS
to touch it. When he passed away, I made it into a pendant. VINTAGE SHOPPING. Going in and finding unusual pieces
that you don’t see online. My most worn item is a suede
I WORKED AT BENETTON IN HIGH SCHOOL. The only thing jacket of my mom’s that she designed in the 1970s. I wore
I did was fold sweaters. With my first paycheck, three friends it through high school and we just did a version of it for our
AS TOLD TO: DA ISY MUR R AY.
and I bought tickets to see Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. SS21 runway show.
TRAVEL HAS ALWAYS INSPIRED MY STYLE. My university had RUNNING A FASHION BUSINESS TEACHES ME TENACITY.
a programme called ‘Semester At Sea’, where you travelled But also the beauty of surrounding yourself with
to 15 countries. We started in Spain and ended in Japan, extraordinary people. That’s one of my biggest talents
via India, Taiwan, the Philippines, China and Russia. India – having an incredibly talented team. The most important
was one of the most inspiring places. The embroidery and thing is to create a company that is a place where people
vibrancy struck me; it was an infusion of beauty and colour. feel appreciated, safe and valued.

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SEPTEMBER 2021 £4.

THE COVERS UPFRONT

218 MY FASHIONABLE LIFE: TORY BURCH

runway moments to the standout beauty looks, plus

EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

176 WAITING TO EXHALE

18O NEW ROMANCE

187 1O OF THE BEST: LIP BALMS

188 THE UNDONE FACE

192 THE DIRECTORS’ CUT: HAIR TOOLS

1O6 WHY WE’RE ALL HOT FOR PROPERTY

112 TAVI GEVINSON: THE NEXT ACT

others, all while building a successful modelling career.

134 MAKE AN ENTRANCE

3O EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

Creative Director TOM MEREDITH

For all advertising enquiries, call 020 3728 7713

Executive Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief and

Luxury Sales Director SHARON DAVIES-RIDGEWAY

THE new SEASON

to break into ” As part of that scheme, we opened up the

EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

mentorship scheme with 10 young creatives in Black studies. Having

BRIGHT young THINGS

I swallowed my shame and stored it Deborah and suspicious of me. ‘You

THE MOOD Pileiton

BAG, £850, PACO

SCREEN SAVER Addison Rae

gender-flipped romcom revamp He’s All That IS REALLY, REALLY FAMOUS

EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

By 2019, she had moved into the Hype House, a mansion-

you don’t have Therapy helps, she says. She goes

it figured out ” once a week (‘Twice, if I need it’)

UNIQUE BUILDING SITS

56 EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

When Bulgarian designer Kiko Kostadinov started his eponymous North

Emma Corrin, Tessa Thompson, Kristen McMenamy and Beyoncé.

Behind the success of the brand’s womenswear, launched in 2018,

SPOTLIGHTON... is a far cry from the leafy

Kiko Kostadinov ‘Our parents were teachers;

WORDS: SARA McALPINE. PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF KIKO KOSTADINOV.

58 EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

£970, CELINE BY HEDI

THE HYPE Little Simz

EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

SONNY BAG, £495,

VINTAGE TREASURES Seoul is amazing the Changdeokgung Palace. It’s in an old

6O EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

Admit it, there’s nothing more interesting than peeking

a different couple (and crisis) in each episode.

PSST... Disastrous liaisons

EL L E .COM / U K SEP T E M BER 2021

BIG NATURALS BOLD BAROQUE

THE LOOK Gold standard EARRINGS, £840,

describing his styles as

subtle polish. From £150. NET-A-PORTER

62 EL L E .COM / U K SEP T ER 2021

ERIN GRAY IN GIGI