ELLE UK is marking its 40th anniversary – and the indelible impact it has made on the British fashion industry – with a host of events, special print and digital covers, and celebrations of established icons and rising powerhouses, throughout 2025.
ELLE UK brought the pages of the February issue starring Cynthia Erivo to life with an intimate cocktail reception in partnership with Louis Vuitton on January 23rd. Hosted at the maison’s private apartment on New Bond Street, the event marked the beginning of the anniversary celebrations.
“This feels like a good moment to put some joy, and love, and lightness out there into the world,” said Editor-in-Chief Kenya Hunt in her opening speech. “The writer Audre Lorde once said that joy can give you energy for change. And that’s the spirit that we want to take into this year.”
As a leading brand celebrated for bringing together established and emerging names within the creative industry, ELLE has always looked at fashion within the context of cultural and societal changes and approached it with a greater sense of inclusivity. Building on this legacy, the brand will expand its Generation Next program, offering emerging designers an opportunity to accelerate their career and gain support from experts within the fashion industry. The winner of the recently-announced Generation Next prize, which will be judged by fashion designers including Simone Rocha and Marco Capaldo, and include a cash grant and mentoring from business leader Eric Collins, will be announced next month ahead of London Fashion Week.
There will also be numerous events bringing together members from the ELLE COLLECTIVE – the brand’s fashion and beauty membership community launched in 2023 – for exclusive access to behind-the-scenes content, inspiring advice from editors and industry experts, as well as the opportunity to meet designers, stylists, thought-leaders and creatives.
Other activations to mark this milestone will include a series of performances, screenings and talks to celebrate the trailblazers across fashion, art, film, music, sustainability, and politics who will define the next 40 years.
Kenya Hunt says: ‘We are proud to celebrate ELLE’s 40th anniversary in the UK. From the rising-star designers and cultural figures to know, to energising ways to style our wardrobes that reflect our new reality, ELLE has always been a place of discovery ahead of its time. We look forward to marking this milestone with a year of events that pay tribute to legends from our past, while introducing you to the rising powerhouses who will define our next 40 years.”
The February issue is on newsstands now—read the exclusive interview with cover star Cynthia Erivo here.
ELLE US will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025.
