COLLAGE BY MAXWELL N. BURNSTEIN The COVID-19 pandemic forced the industry to reflect on what needs to change, and the Black Lives Matter movement only intensified that urgency. We spoke to designers, activists, models, and sustainability pioneers about finding a path forward that respects the planet and ensures inclusion for all. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE…
This summer, when I spoke with Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, who are co-creative directors of both Oscar de la Renta and Monse, they said the pace of running two brands meant that working remotely had already become a way of life for them. As Garcia put it, the two “are on our phones no…
Shortly before fears of COVID-19 swept through this spring’s Fashion Week, fashion show production maestro Alexandre de Betak was already reexamining his business model. Famous for his transporting work for the likes of Dior, Rodarte, and Jacquemus, de Betak released a statement declaring that shows must be smaller, more sustainable, and more digital. The pandemic…
Indya Moore has been getting creative. The model and Pose star has been turning laundry bins, chairs, and pieces of Styrofoam into makeshift camera stands to shoot socially distanced campaigns. Moore is just one of many models who’ve become their own photographer, stylist, and/or glam team during the lockdown. Moore has enjoyed the creative freedom,…
When so many “fashion people” speak in tentative, pre-digested sound bites, Virgil Abloh’s candor and refusal to go along with conventional wisdom is refreshing. For ELLE’s look at the future of fashion, the Off-White founder and artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton talks about how creativity is like a sprint, why brunch is the…
After a breakneck couple of years, Brandon Maxwell has learned the value of slowing down. The 2019 CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award winner and Project Runway judge spent the height of the pandemic at his Brooklyn home and studio, where he rediscovered his love of the design process. As part of ELLE’s look…
Stephen LovekinShutterstock When we caught up with Gabriela Hearst this summer, the sustainability champion remained optimistic about the future of the industry. Hearst, who was just awarded Womenswear Designer of the Year by the CFDA, also wanted to set the record straight about the misconception that being green means spending more. She spoke to ELLE…
For Dior’s artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri, the lockdown was a time for reflection on everything from sustainability to the renewed importance of craft (something she showcased in the house’s artisan-centric cruise show in July.) As part of ELLE’s examination of the future of fashion, the designer shared her thoughts on the «shameful wastefulness» she…
After months of lockdown, Milan had recently re-opened, with workers flooding back to offices, and Donatella Versace was happy to be back in the office (though she had picked up some Zoom skills in quarantine.) Below, as part of ELLE’s look at the future of fashion, the designer speaks about how this moment is making…
During the height of the pandemic, one of fashion’s foremost eco-warriors found ample reason to be hopeful for the future. As part of ELLE’s look at the future of fashion, Stella McCartney shared why she continues to raise the bar and why sustainability cannot exist without solidarity. You’ve been a champion of sustainable design from…