Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i ELLE

One of Maria McManus’s customers—a “fabulous L.A. woman,” as the Irish-bred, New York–based designer describes her—recently confided to her that she has two dry cleaners: one whom she entrusts with her Maria McManus clothes, and one for the rest of her wardrobe. “I’m sure she owns incredible brands,” McManus says. “So I was deeply honored that I was part of the chosen few.” That kind of loyalty can’t be bought, no matter how many marketing dollars you throw at it. McManus is one of a handful of designers who might not have their names on billboards, but who have painstakingly built a following, becoming a hit with discerning shoppers who prefer realism to runway theatrics. Many of these brands are led, or co-led, by women: Elin Kling of Toteme, Camille…

In 1985, the biggest French import wasn’t the Concorde, it was ELLE. Supermodel Yasmin Le Bon graced the cover of our inaugural American edition, with cover lines promising that “Bold Trends” and “Natural Beauty” awaited within. In the ensuing four decades, those might as well have been the watchwords for a magazine that has always prioritized both cutting-edge fashion and a fresh-faced, unaffected approach to style. Along the way, we gave readers an all-access pass to the ateliers of Alaïa and Gaultier, broke the news of then-emerging brands (including Jacquemus, whose designer Simon Porte Jacquemus was still working in retail when we found him!), and brought the best of the runway to life with a first-class cast of supermodels and celebrities. And if we say so ourselves, we still look…

Pat McGrath can tell you, but she would rather show you: “Start with the first question, my angel.” We are meeting about her first major beauty project since launching her eponymous brand, Pat McGrath Labs, 10 years ago. Her wide cheekbones and smooth hair—encircled with her signature black, bejeweled stretchy headband—fill the screen, and I don’t need a Zoom pop-up to tell me that the queen of beauty has entered the conversation. “How could I not?” she coyly says when I ask her why she agreed to become the creative director of cosmetics for La Beauté Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of women’s collections, Nicolas Ghesquière, and McGrath have had a long creative relationship, which includes creating rainbow faces inspired in part by obscure 1980s sci-fi movies. True to…

I’ve called Susan Orlean to discuss creativity, but I can’t stop staring at the poster-size playing card propped up behind her chair. The Queen of Hearts grimaces back at me while the legendary New Yorker staff writer—and author of nine books, the latest of which is Joyride, out October 14—basks in her glass room of curiosities. Her iconic red hair and berry-colored lipstick stand in stark contrast to the riot of vegetation behind her, kept at bay only by the floor-to-ceiling windows that separate her offce from the wilderness outside. On the desk to her right are a book, a downy teddy bear, and a typewriter the shade of key lime pie. I’ve prepared for where this conversation will take us: I have, of course, read Orlean’s work, scratching notes…

VIRGO AUG 23–SEPT 22 It’s reinvention time, Virgo. Significant endings and adventurous beginnings overlap with eclipses on your identity axis. As a chapter closes, your next evolution begins. But be aware: Relationships, and your approach to them, will morph in the process. LIBRA SEPT 23–OCT 22 This month’s lunar and solar eclipses stir your subconscious, allowing you to mend in unexpected places. Old habits or limiting patterns may unravel. Adopt a beginner’s mindset—this next phase of life starts with your own willingness to let go. SCORPIO OCT 23–NOV 21 Your community—and what you need from it—is shifting as the eclipses spotlight your friendships, allies, and long-term goals. Detach from what you’ve outgrown, and focus on aligning yourself with people who reflect the leader you’re quickly becoming. SAGITTARIUS NOV 22–DEC 21 Career revelations arrive…

The BAG The work of midcentury masters Josef and Anni Albers inspired Loewe this season. The Spanish house linked up with the artists’ foundation for a color-soaked collaboration. The RING Louis Vuitton’s Monumental ring, from its Virtuosity High Jewelry collection, features diamonds, emeralds, white and yellow gold, and onyx arranged in the house’s signature Damier check. The SHOE These sinuous slingbacks by Anthony Vaccarello are the perfect entrée to his sensual, boldly hued fall 2025 Saint Laurent collection.…

At a certain point over the last half-decade, online attitudes shifted from futuristic to nostalgic, taking personal style along with them. The year 2020 saw the resurgence of McBling and Y2K, which coincided with the explosion of TikTok, sending fashion aesthetics into digital hyperdrive. From there, microtrends took on a life of their own, ultimately leading to intense trend fatigue and the rise (and fall) of quiet luxury. Now, as we come out of the sweeping haze of cashmere cardigans and wide-legged trousers, fashion is once again experimenting with measured extravagance, blending late-20th-century power dressing with the flippant attitude of 2010s grunge and presenting us with a new hybrid. Call it “polished rock.” It’s the result of two phenomena converging: continued nostalgia, on the part of brands and fans alike,…

JUDE Designers Jurgita Dileviciute and Denitsa Bumbarova are ahead of the eccentric footwear curve. They’re known for subtly subverted shapes, funky cutouts, and all night comfort. (Dakota Johnson is a fan.) RÙADH Get ready to step into your perfect pair of ethically sourced, small-batch denim, courtesy of New York City designer Jac Cameron. TOTEME You may know it for its easy outerwear and cozy knits. But Elin Kling and Karl Lindman’s Stockholm-based brand also turns out our ideal minimalist handbags.…

GILDED AGE Gold is the eternal canvas for jewelry, and its unique properties allow for countless interpretations, leading each designer to transform the material anew. Jeweler Marie Lichtenberg harnesses the possibilities of the metal with her 18K gold collection of rings, necklaces, and signature lockets. This month, you can explore the pieces both in the brand’s Paris salon and online. marielichtenberg.com. MODERN LOVE Jonathan Anderson’s work is always rich with references, and his final presentation for Loewe was no exception. The collection debuted during the fall 2025 season in Paris and included a collaboration with the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. Josef ’s Homage to the Square, a masterpiece series consisting of over 1,000 works, and Anni’s graphic woven designs were interpreted across enveloping coats and signature accessories, like…

Last year there was a contest for the best baguette in New York City. Seventeen different bakeries entered the competition, and the results were graded on appearance, taste, and something a little less tangible. As one chocolatier put it, “A good baguette is a mouthful that brings back memories.” You don’t need a scorecard to rate the reasons for the continuing popularity of the Baguette, the iconic Fendi bag designed by artistic director and third-generation family member Silvia Venturini Fendi in 1997. The Italian house is celebrating its centennial this year, but the bag feels as fresh as it did nearly 30 years ago. Elizabeth Taylor was rumored to own at least 18 of them. In more recent years, Madison Beer clutched her phone and Baguette in one hand while…

In September 2022, a woman went looking for lip filler and found herself at a Skin Beauté medical spa in Randolph, a suburb about 15 miles south of Boston. There, she encountered Rebecca Fadanelli, the glamorous 30-something owner, who told her she was a nurse. According to court documents, the woman asked what substance was being injected into her lips, but Fadanelli didn’t answer directly—she simply said that she had purchased the products from Brazil and China. Then Fadanelli also injected filler in between her eyebrows, allegedly without her permission. Soon, bumps started to form in the woman’s lips, and she experienced tingling on her forehead where she had been injected. The client asked Fadanelli for a copy of the prescription, but Fadanelli never provided one. Suspicious, she searched for…