20 passionate people who shaped ELLE

Archana Pillai

Archana has been with ELLE a full 19 years, and as publisher, fostered an enduring culture of editorial independence. “At ELLE, I learnt to stay true to what I believe in and what feels right to me, without reacting wildly to every new thing that comes along,” she says.

Cotton dress, péro by Aneeth Arora.

Ami Patel 

She left ELLE as an art director, but it was here that Ami realised her true calling—she is now one of the top celebrity stylists in the country. “I found my career path through ELLE,” she reminisces.

Silk blouse with bow details, Gucci. Dungarees, Zara.

Amitabh Nanda

Amitabh was part of ELLE's founding team, a writer who made up the rules as he went along. “ELLE was my first job, and the editorial environment was very... dramatic,” he smiles.

Linen shirt, Jack & Jones. Printed blazer, Aartivijay Gupta. Digital watch, Amitabh’s own.

For 20 years, ELLE has been made by—and has made—passionate people who’ve each shaped the magazine in their own way. Say hello to our family of 20 firebrands:

Neerja Shah

One of ELLE's earliest editors, Neerja was the original Miranda Priestley—a strong, opinionated force of nature. “ELLE is so much my baby that it started at home—my dining table was the office,” she laughs.

White shirt, Anas Dokadia. Crushed velvet blazer, Rajesh Pratap Singh.

Flip through the gallery for more.

Pramiti Madhavji

The longtime editor of ELLE Décor, Pramiti started out on the art team of ELLE, where she found her passion for design. “ELLE has always been a place for pure creativity,” she declares.

Wool jumper, Gucci. Crushed velvet trousers, Zara. Silver earrings, Amrapali. Ring, Pramiti’s own.

Anish Trivedi

As a contributing writer to ELLE, Anish lent his delightfully irreverent voice to take the conversation beyond fashion. “Breaking the stereotypes that surround Indian society—that’s what ELLE is about,” he says.

Shirt, Anish’s own. Denim jacket, Levi's.

Bandana Tewari

A cultural magpie and life of the party, Bandana built her uncommon voice writing on fashion for ELLE. Now the fashion features director at Vogue, she's also a mentor and educator. 

White shirt, Tommy Hilfiger. Metallic trousers, H&M. Necklace and bracelets, all Bandana’s own. Sandals, Forever 21.

Nonita Kalra

Nonita, now the editor of Harper’s Bazaar, is ELLE’s longest-serving editor, beloved for her grace and charm. Over almost 13 years, she defined and personified the spirit of the magazine. “We had worked out a system of organised anarchy that allowed us to create and innovate. Work always felt like play,” she smiles.

Dress, Cos. Leather heels, Miu Miu. Gold earrings, Dhora.

Anaita Shroff Adajania

Anaita, who spent her formative years at ELLE, is the fashion director of Vogue and Bollywood's most influential stylist, and paved the way for a generation of women in fashion. “The foundation and grounding I received here still hold me strong. ELLE was where I found my groove,” she says.

Silk wraparound shirt, shorts and ring, all Anaita’s own. Sandals, Forever 21.

Edward Lalrempuia

Eddie started out as a stylist with ELLE, 11 years ago. He's now the fashion director at Harper’s Bazaar, hugely admired for his sharp, minimal aesthetic. “ELLE to me is Indian fashion. It’s a place where new talent is introduced and groomed. For me, it was an education,” he says.

Striped knit jumper, Gucci. Jacket, denim trousers, hat and embellished sneakers, all Edward’s own.

Kadambari Lakhani

As beauty editor, Kadambari was always a social influencer—and instrumental in launching the ELLE Beauty Awards. “ELLE is a pioneering magazine—ahead of its time. I was proud to be a part of that,” she says.

Bodysuit, H&M. Satin pants, Bhaavya Bhatnagar. Peep-toe heels and analogue watch, Kadambari’s own.

Karuna Laungani

Karuna styled some of the coolest shoots in ELLE as fashion editor, and has now turned her unerring eye to fashion design. “I came in as a kid and grew up here. I learnt everything at ELLE—every life skill possible,” she says.

Metallic dress, Rajesh Pratap Singh. Silver earpiece, Amrapali. Ring, Karuna’s own. Sneakers, adidas Originals.

Narendra Kumar Ahmed

As ELLE's first fashion editor, Nari brought his trademark chutzpah to form the magazine's style DNA. "At ELLE, I learnt that fashion is what you want it to be, not what is dictated to you,” he says.

Cotton T-shirt, Zara. Linen jacket, Priva. Linen trousers, Narendra Kumar. Leather moccasins, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sita Wadhwani

Sita spent a decade writing for ELLE, and went on to become one of the earliest, brightest digital editors in the lifestyle space. “Now more than ever, ELLE stands for the best mix of fashion in the context of culture,” she says.

Linen jumpsuit, Sita’s own. Tan stilettos, Forever 21.

Mohan Neelakantan

As fashion director, Mohan styled some of ELLE’s most unforgettable covers and fashion shoots, with a flair for dramatic, striking imagery. He says, “Here I learnt to be fearless with styling, to tell a story through a fashion editorial and to give a social context to pictures.”

Kurta, Abraham & Thakore.

Prashish More

As creative director of ELLE, Prashish constantly reinvented himself, and built a thriving community of young creative talent. “The reputation I have in the industry today is because of ELLE. It gave me a platform to experiment," he says.

T-shirt, chambray baseball shirt, bowler hat and analogue watch, all Prashish’sown.

Sonam Savlani

As digital editor of ELLE, Sonam built our massive social media communities from the ground up. “ELLE taught me to speak my mind and never water down my opinions,” she says.

Ruffled blouse, Cord. Denim trousers, Gucci.

Nidhi Jacob

An oddball fashion editor with the instinct of a writer, Nidhi made ELLE a more playful, inclusive space for thinking women who enjoy fashion. "We wanted to change not only how ELLE was seen, but also how fashion magazines were perceived,” she reflects.

Dress, skirt and shoes, all Nidhi’s own.

Mehernaaz Dhondy

Mehernaaz spent 10 years at ELLE, starting as an intern and leaving as deputy editor—to become the editor of Grazia. “ELLE makes fashion as democratic as you want it to be and that, perhaps, is its biggest strength,” she says.

Satin dress, H&M. Peep-toe heels, Gucci.

Photographs: Sushant Chhabria; Styling: Surbhi Shukla; Hair And Make-Up: Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa (Mumbai), Shruti Sharma (New Delhi); Assisted By: Amie Banerjee, Nikita Kataria (Styling).

Cheryl-Ann Couto

Cheryl, deputy editor and an exceptional writer, elevated the quality of stories in ELLE, with her keen sense for what words should do together. "ELLE is about a deep love of ideas and people, and a constant effort to make sense of the world with open-mindedness,” she smiles.

Tunic, Myoho. Silver earrings, Amrapali. Analogue watch, Cheryl’s own.