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environmentELLE.COM/UK September2O19LITERARY TOUCH
An avid reader,
Elaine’s books take
pride of place in
her living roomELLEPlay137“ SOME of MY E ARL IES T
MEMORIES are
SI T TING IN THE
BATHTUB PRETENDING
to INTERVIE W
MICHAEL JACKSON
or ALBERT EINSTEIN ”
old separates in clashing prints, statement bags and all manner
of white boots line the walls, floors and magazine racks inside
media mar vel Elaine Welteroth’s airy living room in Brooklyn. The two-
bedroom Bedford–Stuyvesant Brownstone she’s called home for the
past six months is filled with an eclectic mix of modern interiors with
traditional touches, all highlighted by the Brooklyn sunshine that
floods the space. Swathed in a fleece-lined bathrobe with matching
slippers gifted to her by close friend (and fellow Project Runway host)
Karlie Kloss, Elaine is comfortably lounging on a sofa despite the
sartorial chaos that surrounds her. ‘I’m having a custom closet built
this week,’ she explains. ‘I am about to embark on a 1O -city tour for
my book, so I need to be able to have a closet where everything
is orderly and I can easily pick out my
outfits. I had my friend [closet consultant]
Lauren Preston come in, and we went
through all my clothes; what to lose, what
to keep. I call her Marie Wa-kondo, the
Marie Kondo of Brooklyn,’ she laughs.
Her book, More Than Enough:
Claiming Space For What You Are (No
Matter What They Say), is the latest
pivot for the 32-year-old editor-turned-
TV-host, who is redefining what life can
be after a career in magazines. The
book is part-memoir, part-manifesto,
written to help inspire the next generation
not just to follow her path, but exceed it.
Elaine is best known for her work at
Te e n Vo g u e from 2O16 to 2O18, where,
at age 29, she held the title of Editor, then
Editor-in- Chief from 2O17 – the youngest person ever appointed the
title and only the second African-American in history to hold such a post
at Condé Nast. Her relatable point of view and foresight to spearhead
messages of inclusivity and diversity made her a global influencer
with millions of followers. Elaine held senior roles at US titles such
as Ebony and Glamour, and was previously the Health and Beauty
Director of Te e n Vo g u e before her tenure as Editor. Her profile has grown
even larger since joining Project Runway – with a panel of judges that
includes Kloss, Brandon Maxwell and ELLE US Editor-in- Chief Nina
Garcia – as well as a recurring gig as a red-carpet host for high-profile
events (the Oscars, the Met Gala), for big US networks (ABC and E!).
Growing up in the Bay area of California, Elaine was the eldest
of two, raised by a black mother and a white father. A lack of
representation of women and girls that looked like her on TV, in books
and magazines made Elaine resolute that she would do things
differently, if given the chance – and tell the stories of inspirational
pioneers. ‘Some of my earliest memories are sitting in the bathtub,