FOR THE LONGEST TIME, especially when I started out
working in fashion, whenever anyone asked me what I did,
I’d deliver the answer with an apologetic wince. I was
pre-empting their response, which was inevitably a casual
dismissal (from anyone outside the industry) or wide-eyed
credulity (from anyone desperate to get in). It didn’t occur
to me at the time to defend my position, to explain that it
was neither the mindless indulgence or glittering non-stop
party they were suggesting – even if I had wanted to
I probably couldn’t have found the words back then.
Even now, I find myself playing down a compliment on
a hard-to-find pair of heels, not wanting to seem like I put
too much thought into the purchase and hoping to appear
like I hadn’t been squirrelling
away money from my last
three pay cheques so I could
afford them. But if there’s one
clear takeaway from recent
seasons, especially the SS19
collections highlighted in this
issue, it’s that there’s power
in fashion. And it’s up to us to
embrace it.
In the words of the late,
legendary photographer Bill
Cunningham, quoted above,
fashion is armour. In the now cult documentary,Bill Cunningham
New York, he sums up its important role. “The wider world
perceives fashion as frivolity that should be done away with in
the face of social upheavals... I don’t think you can do away
with it. It would be like doing away with civilisation.”
Fashion is inextricably linked to the world we live in and
never has that been so apparent on the runways, where the
season played out against a backdrop of sexual-assault
@ GENEVRAA_LEEKPhotography: Simon Upton. Rosie wears: dress, $POA, Louis Vuitton, louisvuitton.com.au; earrings, approx $63, Maria Black, maria-black.com“
FASHION
IS THE ARMOUR
TO SURVIVE
THE REALITY
OF EVERYDAY LIFE”
allegations, political upheaval, global warming, fearless
body positivity and ongoing race debates. Whether
designers responded with escapism – see Chanel’s
models strolling barefoot in the sand in bike shorts (they’re
back and on p36) – or pragmatism – see the every-woman
blazers from Gucci, Burberry and Saint Laurent (decoded
on p52) – the subtext was unavoidable.
While I was writing this, Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the
US House of Representatives and current ELLE woman
crush, was graciously uninviting Trump from giving the State
of the Union address during a protracted government
shutdown. When Pelosi emerged to field frenzied media
questions in a sharp red pantsuit, bold beads and a queenly
chequered scarf, there was no question who was in control.
It’s the kind of attitude coursing through our “Run As You
Are...” feature this month (p78). Where once women in
politics were trying to blend in just to get ahead, they’re
now standing up, speaking out and taking what writer
Lena de Casparis refers to as the “Rihanna approach” – as
in, giving less of a flying toss.
That message filters through on every page of this issue,
from our modern workwear guide (p51) to our fashion
features director Grace O’Neill’s piece championing
strong female characters in film (p48).
Yes, we’ve covered every last trend you need to know
about, but as our cover shoot with trailblazing model and
businesswoman Rosie Huntington-Whiteley illustrates
(p132), this season is about carefully selecting pieces you
really love and wearing them your way, unapologetically.
And if you need any more inspiration to do just that, nab
a ticket to the ELLE show at Virgin Australia Melbourne
Fashion Festival in March at vamff.com.au. Make sure to
come and say “hello”. I’ll be the one proudly showing off
my shiny new shoes.ELLE
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