Charles Mingus, the American jazz pianist once said, “Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.” In this issue of ELLE, we explore art and creativity through dif-
ferent forms. There’s jewellery with graphic design, literature, art inspirations, drag queens and a lot more. While fashion and beauty are the core of ELLE’s DNA, this issue aims to tap into them through an artistic lens. With creative lines increasingly blurring and collaborations being the flavour of the season, this edition packs in some unique features. In the recent years, sustainability has also become an integral part of ELLE’s content. With each edition, we tap into social initiatives as well as stories of people who are striving to make our planet a better place. This issue has Angelina Jolie – actress, director, producer, screenwriter and long-time activist talking about her environmental programme launched by Guerlain and UNESCO, Women for bees. We also have 12 eco-celebrities from different walks of life sharing with us their journey on fighting to protect and to love “mother nature” and in turn, humanity. From forests, oceans to wildlife and air quality, they talk about their love for all things nature.
My favourite story in this issue is Dare Drama Drag. Conceptualised by Sukriti Shahi, ELLE India’s Beauty Editor, it explores the art of six global drag artists who use make-up and beauty as a medium of self-expression and originality. The photo-feature effectively showcases the power of creativity and how it can be used to create unforgettable impressions and experiences.
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Impressions also brings me to our cover star, the very vivacious and straightforward Sara Ali Khan. What I like about her is that she isn’t your typical female actor. She effortlessly defies every stereotype that is usually associated with a Bollywood personality. The Columbia University graduate is a rare combination of beauty with brains. While there is a fun, unfiltered, crazy side to Sara that we usually see on her social media, there is also an intellectually stimulating, well-read side to her that loves Russian history and ancient classics. Our writer Hasina Khatib deep dives into this cultural side of Sara for this issue and explores a completely new, unknown avatar. I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. Until the next one, stay safe, stay happy.
Find the latest issue on stands now or download your digital copy.
