Elle Canada - November 2021 by SOMOSTUDIO - ส้มโอสตูดิโอ

NOVEMBER 2021

THE BEAUTY GRAND PRIX AWARDS

Tried, tested and approved

BILLIE EILISH

TAKING CHARGE

GLORIOUS

THE NEW FRAGRANCE with Shay Mitchell

N 237 O

NOVEMBER 2021

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHY, ALIQUE (FOR ELLE U.S.); SWEATER AND NECKLACES (GUCCI), GLOVES (CORNELIA JAMES) AND RING (GERMAN KABIRSKI)

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX The best in makeup, skincare and a whole lot more—chosen by you. BY MARIÈVE INOUE

CELEBRITY Billie Eilish is calling the shots. BY MOLLY LAMBERT

STYLE & FASHION 24

STYLE The new Roaring Twenties. BY CAITLIN AGNEW

SHOPPING Denim on denim on denim.

STYLE Process Visual’s intuitive design. BY ERICA NGAO

SHOPPING Warm and fuzzy.

STYLE The history of cosmic fashion. BY MAROUCHKA FRANJULIEN

FASHION Punk meets prep.

104 FASHION Playful, luxurious silhouettes.

82 ELLECANADA.COM

Elegance is an attitude

Kate Winslet

The Longines Master Collection

BEAUTY & WELLNESS 72

BEAUTY All hail Helen Mirren. BY THÉO DUPUIS-CARBONNEAU

BEAUTY The dangers of skin lightening. BY PIA ARANETA

BEAUTY The multiple talents of Shay Mitchell. BY MISHAL CAZMI

HEALTH How to put some pep back into your running step. BY MARIE-PHILIPPE JEAN

FEATURES 32

PROFILE Padma Lakshmi’s voice of reason. BY AMAN DOSANJ

BOOKS The rise of women in the graphic-novel world. BY CAITLIN STALL-PAQUET

104

SOCIETY The dream of farm living comes with a heavy dose of reality. BY EVE THOMAS

FILM How Canadian Black

PHOTOGRAPHY, JAN WELTERS; COAT, SWEATER, UNDERWEAR AND SANDALS (BOTTEGA VENETA) AND NECKLACE (CHOPARD)

women in the film industry are breaking the mould. BY SUMIKO WILSON

SOCIETY Femcels: reclaiming involuntary celibacy. BY NONA WILLIS ARONOWITZ

113

DESIGN A contemporary Dutch canal house. BY NISSE BENHADDAOUI

118

TRAVEL Chasing the northern lights in the Yukon. BY TRUC

EVERY MONTH 15 16 18 30 112 128 129 130

PUBLISHER’S NOTE JOANIE’S PICKS FRONT ROW DEBUT ELLE ONLINE SHOPPING GUIDE HOROSCOPE ESCAPE

NGUYEN

122

DESIGN Creative director Willo Perron on his body of work. BY JOANNA FOX

127

DESIGN Taking the quilt beyond the bed.

ON THE COVER Billie Eilish is wearing a coat by Balenciaga. Photographer Alique (for ELLE U.S.) Stylist Patti Wilson Makeup artist Robert Rumsey (A-Frame Agency) Hairstylist Benjamin Mohapi (Benjamin Salon) Manicurist Ashlie Johnson (The Wall Group) Set designer Nicholas Des Jardins (Streeters) Producer Honor Hellon (Honor Hellon Production)

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Creativity starts with a detail.

When we observe things not only as they are, but as what they can become, the smallest detail can bloom into a whole creative vision, right in front of our eyes. Nikon Lenswear allows you to see the details capable of awakening your imagination, even harnessing life-changing possibilities, like the fleeting beauty of a cherry blossom dress on a haute-couture runway.

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A DETAIL.

NIKON LENS WEAR .CA

PUBLISHER SOPHIE BANFORD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOANIE PIETRACUPA CREATIVE DIRECTOR ANNIE HORTH SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER ROSALIE CHRETIEN ASSOCIATE EDITOR JOANNA FOX BEAUTY DIRECTOR THÉO DUPUIS-CARBONNEAU GRAPHIC DESIGNER LAURENCE FONTAINE EDITORIAL COORDINATOR CLAUDIA GUY FASHION & MARKET EDITOR ESTELLE GERVAIS FASHION FEATURES WRITER MAROUCHKA FRANJULIEN DIGITAL DIRECTOR CYNTHIA QUELLET DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER CAMILLE CARDIN-GOYER DIGITAL CONTENT ASSISTANT ALEX GONTHIER CONTRIBUTORS CAITLIN AGNEW, PIA ARANETA, NISSE BENHADDAOUI, KARINE BLANCHET, GUILLAUME BRIÈRE, MISHAL CAZMI, AMAN DOSANJ, MARIE-ÈVE DUBOIS, MARJORIE DUNHAM-LANDRY, JANE FIELDING, DIANA HABER, MARIÈVE INOUE, MARIE-PHILIPPE JEAN, PATRICIA KAROUNOS, LIZA KARSEMEIJER, MARLEE KOSTINER, MOLLY LAMBERT, KATIE MOORE, ERICA NGAO, TRUC NGUYEN, CÉSAR OCHOA, CIARA RICKARD, YANG SHI, CAITLIN STALL-PAQUET, EVE THOMAS, ALEX VALLIÈRES, NONA WILLIS ARONOWITZ, SUMIKO WILSON TO REACH EDITORIAL editors@ko-media.ca TO REACH CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-866-697-3776 or ellecanada@kckglobal.com ADVERTISING SALES SENIOR DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, GROWTH AND PARTNERSHIPS MÉLISSA GARNIER, 514-914-3605 DIRECTOR, CONTENT & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS KARINE MARQUIS, 514-941-4067 NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR (TORONTO) MARCELLE WALLACE, 647-404-4035 SALES DIRECTOR (TORONTO) MARNI ARMOUR, 416-508-8784 NATIONAL DIRECTOR, DIGITAL EXPERT PAULA CEBALLOS, 514-791-8296 SALES DIRECTOR (MONTREAL) SANDRINE DAHAN, 514-449-7438 MULTI-PLATFORM PROJECT MANAGERS TAMMY HURTEAU, VANESSA RISCH PRODUCTION COORDINATOR LINDA DESJARDINS KO MÉDIA INC. PRESIDENT LOUIS MORISSETTE GENERAL DIRECTOR SOPHIE BANFORD FINANCE DIRECTOR SEAN REES MARKETING AND CIRCULATION DIRECTOR MARIE-ANDRÉE PICOTTE MARKETING AND CIRCULATION PROJECT MANAGER GABY BEAUDOIN ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN GENTA CIKA ACCOUNTING CLERK SANDY ESSOMEYO ELLE® IS USED UNDER LICENSE FROM THE TRADEMARK OWNER, HACHETTE FILIPACCHI PRESSE, A SUBSIDIARY OF LAGARDÈRE SCA

FULLER, THICKER

& LONGERLOOKING LASHES IN JUST 4 WEEKS!*

ELLE INTERNATIONAL CEO CONSTANCE BENQUÉ CEO ELLE INTERNATIONAL LICENSES FRANÇOIS CORUZZI SVP/INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF ELLE VALÉRIA BESSOLO LLOPIZ FASHION EDITOR CHARLOTTE DEFFE BEAUTY & CELEBRITY EDITOR VIRGINIE DOLATA SYNDICATION DIRECTOR MARION MAGIS SYNDICATION COORDINATOR SOPHIE DUARTE COPYRIGHTS MANAGER SÉVERINE LAPORTE DATABASE MANAGER PASCAL IACONO DIGITAL & GRAPHIC DESIGN DIRECTOR MARINE LE BRIS MARKETING DIRECTOR MORGANE ROHÉE WWW.ELLEINTERNATIONAL.COM INTERNATIONAL AD SALES HOUSE LAGARDÈRE GLOBAL ADVERTISING SVP/INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING JULIAN DANIEL jdaniel@lagarderenews.com Registered user: KO Média Inc., 651 Notre-Dame West, Suite 100, Montreal, Quebec H3C 1H9. Contents copyright © 2021 by KO Média Inc. ELLE Canada is published 9 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues. May not be reprinted without written permission. Single copy price: $5.99+tax. Full subscription price: Canada, 1 year, $19.99+tax; for subscription inquiries, call 1-866-697-3776. Digital editions are available on Zinio, Apple News, Press Reader and Ebsco. Printing: TC Transcontinental Printing, 1603 Montarville Blvd., Boucherville, Quebec J4B 5Y2. Distributed by Coast to Coast Newsstand Services Ltd. Publications Mail Agreement 43144516. ISSN 1496-5186

*Based on Consumer Research Studies

Cultivating Beauty in the world AS A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS, CANADIANS ARE OUR FRIENDS AND OUR FAMILY. WE ARE THEM. AT GROUPE MARCELLE, BEAUTY IS A FAMILY AFFAIR. WE ARE PROUD TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE ELLE QUÉBEC & ELLE CANADA BEAUTY AWARDS WINNER’S CIRCLE YEAR AFTER YEAR.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

LOST IN BEAUTY

PHOTOGRAPHY, ALEXIS BELHUMEUR

VERY YEAR, ELLE Canada and ELLE Québec organize

the Beauty Grand Prix awards, an event that many beauty fans and industry pros look forward to. Over a period of months, readers from across the country blind test a number of products, which means they aren’t influenced by labels or packaging. If you turn to page 50, you’ll find out which products won over the 2021 jury. Before I started working in the world of magazines, I was on a jury for these awards—although they’ve since become more prestigious. I’ve always been fascinated by beauty products. When I was very young, I locked myself in the bathroom and tried all my mother’s elegant-looking bottles without her knowing. Later, as a faithful subscriber of ELLE Québec, I applied to be a product tester for the Beauty Grand Prix and, as luck would have it, I was chosen. To my delight, I received boxes filled with mystery products, and I definitely got my money’s worth (that is, the price of a stamp for my application). There were so many treasures! I took the time to touch, smell and try each of the products I received. Tough work, I know! There are numerous criteria, and it’s necessary to keep a notebook and meticulously record

everything. Think of mascara (we tested 10 this year!): Does it lengthen? Create volume? Add strength? Make your eyes pop? Or does it smudge? How’s the hold? What about the brush? Is the product easy to apply? Does it smell? And let’s talk about texture! For each category (this year, there are 40), there were between four and 12 products to test. These days, there are more and more beauty products on the market. The selection is vast, and it’s easy to get lost in the beauty aisles—and in all the promises made by brands. Every year, dozens of new companies are born, all trying to meet the needs of consumers while sticking to their values. Organic, natural, environmentally friendly, vegan, recycled packaging, minimalist containers—the list of positive attributes is endless. And that’s wonderful, but it’s becoming harder and harder to decipher what actually works. This is where the Beauty Grand Prix comes in. No smoke and mirrors, no marketing, no secrets: The winning products help us face the world with conﬁdence—and maybe even give us a nice glow. So let yourself be guided in all things beauty by the recommendations of our dedicated and diligent jury. Happy reading! Sophie Banford , publisher

@sophiebanford

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JOANIE’S PICKS

SHOES

The loafer, reinvented This style is making a serious comeback, and it goes with everything: well-cut jeans, unisex pants, a sporty look or a feminine dress—with or without sheer ankle socks.

“Monolith” loafers, Prada ($1,455, ssense.com)

November Wish List Editor-in-Chief JOANIE PIETRACUPA

STYLE

The coffeetable book

This must-have fashion bible is a compilation of 100 emblematic pieces from one of France’s most famous couturiers.

BEAUTY

The glowy look

This light and ultra-luminous (but not glittery!) foundation can be applied with your fingertips for an even, dewy, radiant complexion. Huda Beauty GloWish Multidew Vegan Skin Tint ($49, sephora.ca)

PHOTOGRAPHY, MAUDE ARSENAULT (J. PIETRACUPA) & GETTY (MODEL)

Yves Saint Laurent: The Impossible Collection by Laurence Benaïm ($1,305, assouline.com)

Live beautifully

DOUBLE SERUM DOUBLE POWER NOW FOR YOUR EYES

agree that this is the perfect duo for overall anti-aging results.

New Double Serum Eye Global Age Control Concentrate

CLARINS.COM

Innovation: a unique double formula 96% from natural origin enriched with 13 plant extracts, including our potent organic wild chervil and turmeric extracts, to boost the skin’s 5 vital functions and act visibly on all signs of aging. *Satisfaction test - 28 days Double Serum Eye + 7 days in Double Serum duo - 108 women.

FRONT ROW

November

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like oak and walnut with more contemporary touches—such as cylindrical glass change rooms lined with fabric designed by the house’s London studio and McQueen-clad mannequins referencing the runway collections—the space creates a highfashion tension between raw and refined. alexandermcqueen.com

TEXT, THÉO DUPUIS-CARBONNEAU, JOANNA FOX, MAROUCHKA FRANJULIEN, YANG SHI & CAITLIN STALL-PAQUET; PHOTOGRAPHY, PAOLO ROVERSI FOR ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

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This November, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN will be opening its doors to Canadians with a new retail space in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Keeping with the house’s nature-influenced store-design concept—conceived by creative director Sarah Burton in collaboration with architect Smiljan Radic—this will truly be a distinct luxury-retail experience. Combining materials

MCQUEEN HAS ARRIVED

What’s on the ELLE editors’ radar right now.

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PHOTOGRAPHY, KRISTINA DITTMAR (WARREN STEVEN SCOTT) & COURTESY OF THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND PICASSO ESTATE/SOCAN ( THE BLUE ROOM, 1901, OIL ON CANVAS, 50.5 X 61.6 CM)

PIECES TO GATHER

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FRONT ROW

If you’re a fan of Toronto-based Nlaka’pamux designer WARREN STEVEN SCOTT (we are!), check out his latest collection, Cedar in Sec-he Sky, which explores the broad notions of gathering. For his label’s clothing debut, Scott’s highly recognizable colourful acrylic earrings are joined by a select range of dresses, tops and skirts inspired by traditional cedar-weaving techniques and woven clothing of the Pacific Northwest. As for the jewellery pieces, there are nine new styles in two new custom colours, and they’re all made from recycled cast acrylic sourced from Italy and produced with 100 percent recycled raw materials. warrenstevenscott.com

Feeling Blue Head over to the Art Gallery of Ontario in downtown Toronto and take a dive into the sky-hued world that was Picasso’s turn-of-the-century Blue Period. It’s the first time the Spanish artist is being featured in a Canadian exhibition that focuses on this part of his career—back when his representations of human bodies could still be identified as such without, say, a woman’s elbow ending up in the middle of her forehead. More than 100 paintings, sculptures and works on paper will be on display, so clear an afternoon and head into the blue. ago.ca

The Blue Room (1901)

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FRONT ROW

Natural Beauty Among the items intriguing us this month is the new jewellery collection from Ukrainian brand LAKE STUDIO. This unique wearable art is made from real juniper flowers and thistle buds that are picked in London (where designer Anastasiia Riabokon lives) and then coated in hot porcelain. This process burns the plants while preserving their shape, and then gold-plated accents are added to the pieces before they’re mounted on earrings, hairpins, necklaces and brooches. lakestudio.org

HATS OFF This fall, Want Les Essentiels, which was recently acquired by Quebec company Quartz Co., is collaborating with Isaac Larose, the Montreal designer behind Parisian brand Larose Paris. Still following? The collaboration has resulted in two unisex hats—a bucket hat and a cap, both made from Econyl reclaimed nylon—that were designed in France and are available online now. wantlesessentiels.com

PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF LAKE STUDIO & WANT LES ESSENTIELS

HOP

ANAD

FRONT ROW

WELL SCENTED “I wanted to reinvent the principle of the extract in a contemporary way by deconstructing the very architecture of a perfume,” says Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, the official nose of LOUIS VUITTON, about the very first collection of extracts from the house. The five resulting fragrances—Dancing Blossom, Cosmic Cloud, Rhapsody, Symphony and Stellar Times—do not have top, heart or base notes, but each one interprets the essence of olfactory families by playing with raw materials dear to the perfumer. The most luxurious detail? The sculptural bottles, designed by AmericanCanadian architect Frank Gehry, whose three-dimensional caps evoke a sense of swirling, rhythmic movement.

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PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF VUITTON (LOUIS VUITTON)

Period Equity

Louis Vuitton Les Extraits Collection ($620 for each 100 mL bottle and $415 for a refill, louisvuitton.com)

Did you know that in some remote communities in Canada, a box of sanitary pads can cost up to $40? Linda Biggs and Jayesh Vekariya of Vancouver company Joni want to change that with biodegradable products that are made from organic bamboo and sold at a reasonable price and include free shipping—no matter where you are in the country. Since its launch, the young company has also distributed more than 100,000 sanitary pads to those in need thanks to its “one-for-one” model (which helps distribute donated period products to communities and people in need), and it has also made strides in its work destigmatizing menstruation. getjoni.com

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FRONT ROW

Every ’90s-movie lover will feel their hearts flutter this November as two nostalgiaheavy reboots hit theatres. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

When a cash-strapped mom and her two kids move into a dilapidated farmhouse left to her by her father, little do they know that it comes with a few unforeseen (and unseen) house guests. This sequel, which has a cast that’s bursting at the seams with stars—including a few familiar faces from the original—is out on November 11. And we can’t guarantee that you won’t be afraid of no ghosts.

Montreal-based singer-songwriter Lauren Spear, a.k.a. LE REN, has just released her debut album, Leftovers , and it comes with a hefty serving of melancholic nostalgia. Produced by American multi-instrumentalist and singersongwriter Chris Cohen and recorded during lockdown, the LP is reminiscent of the artist’s previous work; it’s anchored by eloquent lyrics and luscious soundscapes worthy of folk darlings like Gillian Welch and Joni Mitchell. Much like actual leftovers, this body of work was not intentional; it emerged from a collection of words, feelings and moments from the past that continue to remain relevant in the present. leren.secretlyca.co/leftovers O

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HOME SWEET HOME ALONE

Square Meal

BACK TO THE FUTURE

PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES (GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE) & YANG SHI (LE REN)

Kevin McCallister may no longer be this film franchise’s prankster, but on November 12, we get to meet Max Mercer, a kid who gets left behind as his family heads to Japan. When a couple of baddies looking to get their hands on some family jewels come a-knocking, he’s more than ready to stand his ground. With an all-star comedy cast including Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Kenan Thompson and Pete Holmes, this reboot is sure to deliver all the warm holiday feels.

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HOP

FRONT ROW

ANAD

DENIM FOR ALL

Finding the perfect pair of jeans was one of life’s great challenges—until we discovered DECADE STUDIO. Born out of a sheer desire to be done with unflattering, shapeless, ill-fitting jeans, the brand uses only 100 percent cotton denim, has inclusive sizing and employs what it calls the “ratio fit,” which allows space for hips and bums (hooray!) while keeping a cinched-in waist. Even better, all items are ethically and sustainably made and the brand offers personal fittings at its Vancouver-based design studio to help you find your dream pair.

mawenzihouse.com

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Exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart and shoppersdrugmart.ca

WORTH THE WAIT

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While we were excited about the launch of FLORENCE BY MILLS , the new beauty brand from British actor Milly Bobby Brown, we had to be patient for its arrival here in Canada. Well, the time has (finally!) come to dive into this playful world of vegan, cruelty-free and easy-touse skincare and cosmetics dreamed up by the young Stranger Things star. Our favourites? The Mind Glowing peel-off mask (its metallicmagenta shade makes it as pretty as it is effective), Cheek Me Later cream blushes and Zero Chill face mist.

Inspired by her family’s history and how they survived the Armenian genocide, La Presse journalist Rima Elkouri wrote her first novel, Manam; two years since the original French version was first published, it has now been released in English. The title refers to the town that main character Léa’s family fled from, a place where they would certainly have perished had they stayed. In this tale about drawing out the truth from older generations who are reluctant to offer it up, we see a masterful puzzle of a history being put together one piece at a time.

PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF DECADE STUDIO (DECADE STUDIO), FLORENCE BY MILLS (FLORENCE BY MILLS) & MAWENZI HOUSE PUBLISHERS (MANAM)

Uncovering Truths

decadestudio.com

ELLECANADA.COM

PRADA

GUCCI

ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER

GIVENCHY

style

IN LIKE A LION Welcome to the ROARING STYLE of 2022. By CAITLIN AGNEW

PHOTOGRAPHY, IMAXTREE

THE NEW YEAR IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER—a fact that might leave those still

processing the events of 2020 feeling somewhat panicked. For some, finding a way forward lies in chasing optimism and the anticipation of a new-found sense of freedom, an outlook that has earned this moment comparisons to the Roaring Twenties. On the runways this season, designers hinted at a new version of glamour for the 2020s that combines liberation and self-expression. It will come with a healthy dose of mindfulness too, as consumers continue to prioritize sustainable choices. With outlooks shifting because of the environmental crisis, these ’20s are set to do some roaring of their own. After the hardships of the First World War and the Spanish flu came the liberty, creativity and prosperity of the 1920s. It was also a time of innovation and disruption, which can be compared to our current fast-evolving technological world full of viral TikTok dances and space exploration by billionaires. Fashion-wise, the glitz and glam embodied by flapper-era icons like Josephine Baker and Louise Brooks ELLECANADA.COM

STYLE

WHILE WE COULDN’T GET MORE CASUAL AT HOME, ON THE , DESIGNERS SIGNALLED THEIR WITH A RETURN TO , INCLUDING SOME DIRECT REFERENCES TO THE .

fall runways athleisure fatigue fabulousness Jazz Age

was linked to a common thread of new-found freedom. Coco Chanel’s designs famously empowered women to ditch their corsets for sportswear, readily available to them for the ﬁrst time, so they could ﬁnally enjoy activities like tennis. Consider today’s popularity of champ Naomi Osaka, who graced the cover of Vogue in January and reps brands like Levi’s and Louis Vuitton. Activewear is now a status symbol, shorthand for the precious commodity that is leisure time, and pencil skirts have been replaced by sweatpants—the new foundation of the work-from-home uniform. While we couldn’t get more casual at home, on the fall runways, designers signalled their athleisure fatigue with a return to fabulousness, including some direct references to the Jazz Age. This glitz came via sequins at Prada and Givenchy, feathers at Valentino, Saint Laurent and Gucci and taffeta at Dries Van Noten. At the same time, many gravitated toward more functional fashion, like the sleek elastic catsuits at Tom Ford, Maisie Wilen and LaQuan Smith and the cozy blanket-like shawls at Chloé, Stella Jean and Louis Vuitton. As far as runway trends go, those comfortable blanket shawls may be the most likely to gain real traction in today’s new normal. “The most obvious ‘trend’ accelerated by the pandemic is the need for comfort,” says Sara Maggioni, head of womenswear at trend-forecasting agency WGSN. “It has sort 26

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of become a non-negotiable now.” She adds that this desire for comfort has already worked its way into traditional formalwear. “We are seeing a lot of innovation and experimentation with formal jersey and knitwear—so, essentially a formal look but with comfort-driven materials. This is very much here to stay.” That pared-down, minimalist glamour is exactly what’s resonating with stylist Anna Trevelyan right now. “I’m sitting in the zone of ‘Yes, I’ll wear my heels and, yes, I’ll wear a cute dress, but maybe it won’t be with, like, crystals hanging off my ears and an embroidered cape’ or whatever over-the-top-ness I would have worn it with before,” she says. Trevelyan, who has styled risk-takers like Kylie Jenner, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Lizzo, to name a few, singles out Rick Owens as the leader of this minimalist approach. “He’s doing this kind of future glamour that’s really dressed up and extreme but in quite a casual way, using T-shirt fabrics and interesting cut-outs and minimal colour palettes but with a kind of futuristic edge,” she says. “He’s got this post-apocalyptic vibe going on.” However, this vibe might be a little too spot-on. With today’s environmental crisis, says Maggioni, the spirit of innovation, which in the 1920s led to a moment of great excess, will be applied to maximizing resources through approaches like fibre recycling and upcycling. And when we do choose to invest in new pieces, versatility and cost per wear will be top of mind. As Maggioni points out, “Climate change is a real threat, and the consumer is becoming increasingly aware of it.” Take Sidia, the line of caftans that Coveteur co-founder Erin Kleinberg launched in July 2020. Inspired by her late grandmother’s love of the garment, which traces its origins to ancient Mesopotamia, Kleinberg says it’s the flow of the cut and the easy, light nature of the drape that make caftans so versatile and flattering. “I’m a big believer in elevated simplicity—creating pieces that enrich your day-to-day and make space for whatever you need, whether that be styling one with layers of baubles before a night out or wearing one post-bath for your self-care rituals,” she says, adding that she doesn’t anticipate that we’ll be making a full-on switch to what she calls “hard clothes” anytime soon. “If this past year has taught me anything, it’s that there’s something beautiful in finding comfort in the way we dress and being able to elevate that for the everyday and for ‘dress-up’ moments.” Maggioni points out another soon-to-be-seen effect of the pandemic: a desire for escapism and a fresh start. “Often from depression and misery come creativity and an explosion of celebration when you come out the other side,” says Trevelyan. “I haven’t seen it yet, but I feel like it will happen.” Despite the ongoing uncertainty, that’s definitely something to be optimistic about.

STYLE

Skirt, REDValentino ($1,250, redvalentino.com)

Vest, Re/Done ($498, shopredone.com)

ALEXANDER McQUEEN

Sunglasses, Loewe ($480, ssense.com)

DENIM

Fever

Double, triple, head to toe.

Jacket, Mango ($102, shop.mango.com)

STYLING, ESTELLE GERVAIS; PHOTOGRAPHY, TED BELTON (ALEXANDER MCQUEEN)

Boots, Michael Kors MKGO ($248, michaelkors.com) Ring, Mejuri ($95, mejuri.com)

Cap, Celine ($530, celine.com)

Earrings, Cuchara ($98, cuchara.ca)

Skirt, J.W.Anderson ($859, farfetch.com)

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STYLE

PROCESS VISUAL Designer Jessy Colucci on letting intuition be his guide.

OR MONTREAL’S JESSY COLUCCI, the very essence of his label lies in its

name. The 25-year-old designer launched Process Visual while he was still a fashion-design student at the city’s LaSalle College, and the moniker was inspired by his preferred method of presentation in class. “I had difficulty expressing myself verbally, but I was good at finding imagery that represented my feelings,” he says. “I remember building massive documents of text, visuals and even objects to get my ideas across.” These compilations of diverse references, from astrology to art movements, eventually became the basis for each new collection. Colucci maintains an emphasis on elaborate draping and dramatic silhouRETROSPECTION COLLECTION ettes and stays true to his design ethos by “My label is about my past, present using his own formula. “When I learned and future. I love creating different to destroy the rules, fashion became fun combinations and applying them to for me,” he says. During the pandemic, a theme or an idea that I’m working he returned to school, studying sculpture on. I’m also a very nostalgic person; and photography to expand his creative looking at my past makes me able to scope. In revisiting design from a fine-arts appreciate my present. Each collection perspective, Colucci realized that he’s is a continuation of the last one—a bit content to eschew the industry’s fast-paced the same but with a twist.” seasonal cycle in favour of slowly crafted collections that have greater permanency. No matter how a piece begins, he trusts his intuition through to its completion—and it hasn’t let him down yet. “I believe in energy,” he says. “To have a potential customer feel the energy that I’ve put into a piece is something I find very beautiful.”

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WRITTEN IN THE STARS “There are little hints of astrology in my

work. My grandma has always been into astrology—she did my birth chart when I was young—and it’s an infinite world of possibilities. It helped me understand that everyone’s a snowflake. It’s about embracing flaws and trying to work with them, not against them.” STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS “My own evolution is very interesting.

Even though the public sees the evolution of my brand as something that’s happening slowly, behind the scenes I’m running around and doing a lot of things. Every collection [captures aspects] of my life—the people I talk to, the things I’m inspired by, the challenges I go through. It can start with a word, an object or a conversation—anything can light the spark that leads to the creation of a collection, and then I build my own narrative into that. And for some reason, everything works together.”

PHOTOGRAPHY, JEREMY DIONN; ART DIRECTOR, JESSY COLUCCI; STYLIST, HARRY CORRIGAN; ASSISTANT STYLIST, GABRIELA HÉBERT; MODEL, AMÉLIE CLÉMENT

By ERICA NGAO

STYLE

Coat, Stand Studio ($662, luisaviaroma.com)

Mules, Source Unknown ($89, thesourceunknown.com)

Hat, La Canadienne ($135, lacanadienneshoes.com)

Gloves, Isa Boulder ($258, ln-cc.com) Scarf, Jil Sander ($480, farfetch.com)

Mittens, Apparis ($74, apparis.com)

STYLING, ESTELLE GERVAIS; PHOTOGRAPHY, IMAXTREE (RUNWAY)

Boots, Brother Vellies ($1,338, brothervellies.com)

MIU MIU

Soft

FOCUS Feel the fuzz for a warm and cozy winter uniform.

Slippers, Call It Spring ($30, callitspring.com) Jacket, Raey ($1,960, matchesfashion.com)

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DEBUT

Bilal Baig The Canadian multi-hyphenate is carving out their own path.

“I’M A PLANNER,” Toronto-based writer-actor Bilal Baig says

SCREEN TEST “Visibility is a really complicated thing. Sometimes

I like to be looked at, and other times I want to shrink and hide and disappear—to exist in the world but not be pointed at. I didn’t know much about the industry, but TV felt like the place to go to be looked at—especially if you’re leading a show—and that was hard and scary for me.” CHANGE MAKER “There’s a real chance this show could change lives and impact people in a way that my art hasn’t yet. I thought, ‘If we do this right, with integrity and compassion, I might be able to reach all these people—people who look like me and [people who] don’t look like me.’ That felt transcendent, like I could really be of service.” MULTI-FACETED “Sort Of sends a clear message that we are here and we aren’t invisible. It’s so important for trans and non-binary people and people of colour to see representation that is not clouded in stereotypes. I got tired of the empowered sassy, bitchy queer character. We all deserve a lead character who doesn’t always know what to say but has a great beating heart and a real drive to help people out.”

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“I LIKE TO MANIFEST THINGS.” TV STYLE “It was really important that we landed on a look for

Sabi that felt non-binary—and that’s a hard thing to do. Sabi always wears bangles upon bangles [because] they first learned about femininity through their Pakistani mother. The other thing is their relationship with coats and jackets—it felt important for a trans character to have something that could feel like a shield.” CURRENT READ “There’s this book of poems called Zom-Fam, by Kama La Mackerel, that was recently published. They are a trans, Brown and Black artist out of Montreal whose work I’ve been following for a while. There’s just something they’re able to do with their words that makes you feel like you’ve been transported in time and [space].”

TEXT, PATRICIA KAROUNOS; PHOTOGRAPHY, GREG WONG

early in our video call. “I like to manifest things.” That’s part of what makes the TV series Sort Of (which Baig co-created and stars in) so special: It wasn’t part of the plan. When an industry pal, fellow Canadian Fab Filippo, asked Baig—who is the ﬁrst queer (trans-feminine) South Asian Muslim actor to lead a Canadian prime-time series—if they wanted to work on a show with him, Baig wasn’t sure. But then the duo landed on a premise for the dramedy, which follows Sabi, a gender-ﬂuid millennial who turns down an opportunity to live abroad so they can stay on as a nanny for a family dealing with the aftermath of an accident. “I thought it was so beautiful that two people who look so different are feeling something similar internally,” says Baig of working with Filippo. Sort Of—which started streaming on CBC Gem in October and will make its debut on CBC Television on November 9—may not have been part of the plan, but with its moving performances, dry humour and big heart, it’s exactly the kind of show we need right now.

STYLE

Conquering the

COSMOS As the prospect of space tourism edges closer to reality, fashion is turning—yet again—to the stars.

MAXIMILIAN

In July, a Virgin Galactic shuttle and a Blue Origin shuttle left our atmosphere for a few minutes. On board were billionaires Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos, respectively, who want to make space tourism a norm for those who are willing to shell out for it. Will the cosmos become the destination of choice for the fashionable jet set—the same crowd that flocks to Gstaad and St. Barts—when they’re looking for the ultimate novelty experience? This fascination with outer space isn’t new: The fashion world has been drawing inspiration from the universe at least since the 1960s. During the Cold War, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. fought a technological battle against the backdrop of the space race until Apollo 11 took Americans to the moon and Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk its surface on July 21, 1969. Designers at the time were highly influenced by space exploration, the possibilities of which they explored with futuristic wardrobes. The figurehead of this “space age” fashion, former civil engineer André Courrèges, designed space-age jumpsuits and PVC clothing throughout the 1960s. In the same vein, Pierre Cardin created vinyl miniskirts, plexiglass helmets and metallic waders and Paco Rabanne released his 1966 collection, Twelve Unwearable Dresses—unwearable because some of them were made from metal plates or Rhodoid discs and weighed up to nine kilograms. These pieces became the eccentric couturier’s trademark, and he dressed his muses—including Françoise Hardy, Audrey Hepburn and Jane Fonda—in them. (He also designed the costumes for Barbarella, the science-fiction movie starring Fonda as an adventurous astronaut.) In 1969, Italy’s Giancarlo Zanatta created the first moon boot, a UFO-style winter boot inspired by those worn by the Apollo 11 astronauts and later remade by Jeremy Scott, Fendi and Dior. Over the decades, designers—such as Thierry Mugler in the ’80s and Alexander McQueen in the ’90s—continued to use outer space as inspiration. Were they driven by the desire to predict or prepare for the future or to explore a universe that has no rules or limits? When Chanel installed an (almost) life-sized rocket ship under the glass roof of the Grand Palais for its fall/ winter 2017/2018 show—with models parading in retro outfits reminiscent of Courrèges’ futuristic style—we were nothing short of star-struck. For fall/winter 2021/2022, some designers created intergalactic wardrobes that are at the height of the trend, like Balmain’s utilitarian jackets and metallic jumpsuits and Maximilian’s nod to the ’60s futurists. Before the Louis Vuitton show, creative director Nicolas Ghesquière talked about his need to invent an “extra-

Ursula Andress in The 10th Victim (1965)

ordinary journey” since some borders were still closed due to the pandemic. For this unusual voyage, the designer created protective capes and flashy coats that look like they could double as survival blankets. But it is Balenciaga’s conquest of space that is most obvious: Designer Demna Gvasalia collaborated with NASA to create, among other pieces, a parka that will thrill both budding cosmonauts and fashionistas keen to reach the outer atmospheres of style.

BALMAIN

PHOTOGRAPHY, IMAXTREE (MAXIMILIAN & BALMAIN) & ALAMY/COURTESY OF EVERETT COLLECTION (U. ANDRESS)

By MAROUCHKA FRANJULIEN

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Padma We Trust

Top Chef’s PADMA LAKSHMI is the unapologetic voice of reason the world needs right now. By AMAN DOSANJ

PHOTOGRAPHY, INEZ & VINOODH

PROFILE

ITH GREAT POWER COMES great responsi-

bility. Okay, that line is actually from Spider-Man, but the sentiment rings true for the witty, straight-talking voice we’ve come to know and expect from food expert Padma Lakshmi. “If you look at my work, it’s all about uncovering rather than hiding,” she says over Zoom. For years, Lakshmi’s career—which has spanned several continents—has done just that. Whether she’s talking about abortion rights, anti-racism, immigration or endometriosis, you can’t help but feel that the Indian-American New Yorker has your back. So when two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Gene Weingarten of The Washington Post recently described Indian food as “the only ethnic cuisine in the world insanely based entirely on one spice,” Lakshmi—who literally wrote The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs—answered the call. “On behalf of 1.3 billion people, kindly f**k off,” she tweeted, before penning a follow-up op-ed in the same publication. “It just was so idiotic,” she says. “The whole thing was so stupid, I couldn’t not react.” Now, the Emmy-nominated host of Top Chef and (most recently) Taste the Nation, model, activist, New York Times Best Seller author, co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador has added children’s-book author to her resumé. Tomatoes for Neela is based on a story she used to tell her daughter, Krishna (now 11), and Lakshmi hopes it will spark a love for and curiosity about food and cooking—and the diversity of that world— early on. “It’s to give a different set of characters for once,” she says. “I wanted to tip the scale a little bit to even it out.” A few days ahead of her recent book launch, we spoke to Lakshmi about identity, cringey moments, that “one spice” incident and her hopes for a more equitable restaurant industry.

ON BEING A WOMAN OF COLOUR IN THE MEDIA “I’ve [been] in a different lane because what I do for a living on Top Chef —or

[what I did] before on Planet Food or Padma’s Passport —doesn’t have anything to do with my ethnicity. I strive to be good at my job to pave the way for other female members of the media— regardless of their ethnicity—to do what they want. I don’t feel like I’m an ambassador for anybody except women in general.” ON TOMATOES FOR NEELA “The book is about teaching your

children about fruits and vegetables: when they’re in season, who brings them to us, respecting everyone in that food chain and respecting the food that your family makes together. It’s also to [show] an intergenerational story because I really believe that everybody in a family has something to contribute to the education of a child—and that the child is richer for it.” ON CRINGEY MOMENTS “There are lots of things [about Indian

people] that I’ve read or seen in films that have made me cringe. Indiana Jones [and the Temple of Doom], for one—and I love Spielberg, so I feel torn about it—but that scene where they’re eating snakes that they cut open and other snakes come out of this one big...I guess it’s a python. The thing is, we know that many Indians are vegetarian! So the idea of eating live snakes? I understand it makes for a scary, fun adventure movie, but it’s just ridiculous.” ON DIVERSITY IN PUBLISHING “First of all, you get better literature

and you get a plethora of experiences and stories from different points of view. It’s enriching for the marketplace and it’s enriching for readers, but it also inspires empathy. I cringe at the title of my first cookbook, Easy Exotic. But I think even back then, 20 years ago, I was trying to do the same thing I’m doing now, which is [to] say that none of this is ‘other’—none of this is weird or strange. All of it is important.” ON THE “ONE SPICE” INCIDENT “It was just so astonishing in its

“I strive to be good at my job to pave the way for other female members of the media—regardless of their ethnicity—to do what they want.”

idiocy, and it wasn’t funny. And the best comedy has truth to it, right? But this was neither true nor funny, so I didn’t understand its reason for existing in the pages of a venerable publication like The Washington Post. Somebody in my office put it under my nose and said, ‘Do you believe this shit?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, sadly, I do believe it.’ But it’s hard to let it go.” ON THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY “I would like to see more executive chefs who are from diverse backgrounds. I would like to see the food industry—the restaurant industry, in particular—rebuilt [following] the stress of the pandemic in a more equitable way so that the profession allows those participating in it to have a family, to have humane hours and to be paid a living wage.” ON HER IDENTITY “You don’t have to fit into anyone else’s version

of what it means to be Indian—you have to figure out what it means to you. That didn’t happen for me until I was almost 40. I realized I didn’t have to be more Indian or less American or forget any part of me. Both of those things could exist inside me fluidly, peacefully. [And I realized] that I shape my own identity. I don’t struggle with trying to be more Indian—I’m Indian enough! I’m just Indian in the way that I want to be.” ELLECANADA.COM

BOOKS

WONDER WOMEN Though there’s still work to be done, the past 20 years have seen the graphic-novel industry morph into a world full of diverse female voices.

IMAGE COURTESY OF DRAWN & QUARTERLY (CYCLOPEDIA EXOTICA BY AMINDER DHALIWAL)

By CAITLIN STALL-PAQUET

HEN MARVEL WAS PACKING MOVIE THEATRES at the turn of the millennium

with its ﬁrst blockbusters—you might remember beating the summer heat watching Spider-Man or X-Men on the silver screen—there was change afoot in the print-comics industry that these action-packed superhero tales came from. It all started back in 1964, when American comic critic Richard Kyle coined the term “graphic novel” to refer to stand-alone books that include illustrated content and often more complex plots than their ﬂoppy-style serial-comics siblings. Although not everyone was in agreement about the distinctions between these works—which are often more akin to illustrated books—and comics, it’s undeniable that a genre was born. After the massive success of American author and illustrator Art Spiegelman’s Holocaust narratives, Maus I in 1986 and Maus II in 1991, the graphic-novel genre gained momentum as a growing branch

of literary art being shaped by titles like Chris Ware’s Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (1995), in which an adult man meets his father for the first time, and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (2000), which details her experience of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. And many cartoonists who propelled the style forward were exploring new realms that the likes of Marvel, DC and Dark Horse Comics had never touched. As these narrative-focused works grew in popularity and their distinction from traditional superhero comics became more evident, a place was forged for more diverse stories and voices to surface—namely Montreal publisher and bookstore Drawn & Quarterly, which got its start printing floppy comics in 1989. Dirty Plotte, by local cartoonist and writer Julie Doucet, released in 1991, was one of the publisher’s first publications to move toward this new genre; Doucet wrote raunchy autobiographical feminist tales and quietly revolutionized our ideas of what type of stories can fill the classic panel layout. ELLECANADA.COM

BOOKS

Though she shook up the scene, Doucet also ultimately quit it, partially because it was dominated by white men—something that’s been changing in the indie-graphic-novel industry since that time. (Currently, Drawn & Quarterly’s roster usually includes as many women as men.) With more works being produced, these illustrated narrative-centric books also needed physical space. Drawn & Quarterly founder Chris Oliveros and publisher Peggy Burns lobbied the Book Industry Standards and Communications board to make comics and graphic novels a classiﬁcation so there would be an actual planned place for them on bookstore shelves. During the 11 years that Tracy Hurren, the publishing house’s senior editor, has been working there, she has seen a shift in representation, with more female, LGBTQ+ and racialized people using this doubled-up medium. “You have two tools at your disposal: You have words and images, and the marriage of the two seems to make it a bit easier to tell personal stories,” she says.

IMAGES COURTESY OF DRAWN & QUARTERLY

The genre also makes it possible to breathe new life into past works. This past summer, queer writer Amanda Deibert released Work for a Million as a graphic novel; it’s based on a beloved classic mystery by Canadian writer Eve Zaremba. The novel was part of a series, launched by the author in 1978, that introduced the ﬁrst openly lesbian detective in the genre in 1987. Though this part of the publishing industry has seen a lot of progress when it comes to inclusivity, it still has blind spots, which are, fortunately, starting to get some eyes on them. One of these issues is ageism, especially for female cartoonists. “Because comics used to be so male-dominated, we have an old guard of cartoonists who are male and publishing works, but a lot of the female perspectives are younger,” says Hurren. Later this winter, though, Drawn & Quarterly is releasing Our Little Secret, an illustrated memoir about coming to terms with trauma by Emily Carrington, who is a ﬁrst-time cartoonist in middle age, and Walk Me to the Corner, by Anneli Furmark, a lusty graphic novel in which a woman leaves her husband for another woman later in life.

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folks who live among everyone else. Dhaliwal reached back into Greek mythology and placed the Cyclops smack dab in our own society as a clever metaphor for the “otherness” that can come with standing out from the majority. Integrating these mythological beings into the everyday allowed the cartoonist to explore vulnerability, fear and what it feels like to be seen. For all the praise Dhaliwal has received for her work, she has also dealt with a substantial amount of criticism; you might call it the downside of ﬁnding success through a public platform like Instagram. There are still plenty of people who don’t want to see the status quo get shaken up, both in the real world and on bookshelves. Though the rise of this genre has gone hand in hand with increased inclusion, the rules are still being deﬁned by a new generation of authors and indie publishers as well as a growing fan base that’s just as diverse as the cartoonists putting pen to paper.

When Aminder Dhaliwal, who had been working in the industry since 2012, was turning her Instagram comics into a printed book and seeking a publisher, Drawn & Quarterly was her top choice—not only because of its roster of gender-diverse and racially diverse talent but also because the independent company would allow her more creative and artistic freedom. She now uses that freedom to dig into ideas about inequality and alienation. After drawing exclusively female forms for her web-ﬁrst, print-second comic, Woman World, which imagines a female-only universe, she wanted to draw monsters. Those creatures eventually turned into monster pin-up characters as she played around with the dominant idea that sexualization is almost exclusively channelled through beauty, which eventually led her to create a single-breasted female Cyclops who navigates the world being ostracized and fetishized. The Cyclops are a minority group at the centre of her latest graphic novel, Cyclopedia Exotica (published last May), which delivers a world that is a mix of reality and fantasy; it falls into the category “low fantasy,” which is when an otherwise normal realm has a magical element. In this case, that element is a race of one-eyed ELLECANADA.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY, CHRIS BENZAKEIN

SOCIETY

A Farm of One’s Own The dream of fleeing the city and living off the land has never been more popular—but what does it really take to get off the grid and grow something? By EVE THOMAS

t all began on Instagram. While working in fashion in Montreal, Jen Salvador became invested in the world of Floret, a family-run flower farm in Washington state that has almost a million followers on the app. She was so captivated by the pastel fantasy it presented that she used her three weeks’ vacation to take a floral-design course in Toronto, mostly dealing with baby’s breath, carnations...the stuff you see in plastic wrap at the grocery store. But she wanted more. She wanted the dizzying rows of daffodils and the wheelbarrows full of peonies she saw on her feed in between other accounts’ sun-dappled shots of powder-blue eggs and fluffy Highland cattle. She also wanted to know where the flowers came from and how they were grown. “We don’t really consider pesticides [when it comes to] flowers the way we do with food,” she says. “But you press your nose into them; you put them on the dinner table.” So, Salvador decided she would grow them herself. Using some savings and the income from a few freelance design contracts, she and her partner bought his grandparents’ 53-hectare Nova Scotia farm—a plot of land that hadn’t been worked in 40 years and started her company, Flower Supernova. “Last year, our main harvest was rocks,” she jokes, grimly recalling the havoc wreaked by grasshoppers, deer and drought. This year, however, she has 300 dahlias growing on 2,000 square metres and plans to harvest and cellar the tubers over the winter to market them to home gardeners in the spring. “I want to eventually share my own journey and inspire people the way I was inspired.” Perhaps you’ve felt the same pull while scrolling through rural-real-estate listings or buying seeds for your balcony garden—that lingering feeling that all of your problems would slip

away if you could just live off the land somewhere. While the urge to escape to the country is nothing new (see: gentleman farmers, #cottagecore, Marie Antoinette’s Hameau de la Reine), it does seem to have grown stronger for many people in recent years amid fears of food insecurity and climate change, not to mention the rising cost of city living, the pandemic and the increasing ability to work from home. And while for some this dream never goes beyond an aesthetic obsession with gingham picnic blankets and herb-studded focaccia, for others it is less about the looks and more about the labour and logging off to go touch grass. And while an environment-minded city-raised millennial Filipina-Canadian with no agricultural background may not fit the old stereotype of a Canadian farmer, in a country where the average age in the industry is 55 (and the shrinking farming population reached a historic low in 2011), newcomers like Salvador are sorely needed. “Farming is still controlled by old white men, but a lot of their kids don’t want to take over once they retire,” says Ananda Fitzsimmons, president of the board of directors at Régénération Canada, a non-profit devoted to regenerative soil practices (think compost and cover crops over fertilizer and pesticides) that has members across Canada producing everything from bison meat to Pinot Gris. “A huge amount of land is going to change hands in the next decade, and anyone who is just getting into it now is going to be politically active on some level.” Fitzsimmons herself fled the city in the ’80s as part of the “back to the land” movement, when she and five families tried to make communal living work on a farm in Quebec. “We had absolutely no idea what we were doing,” she says with a laugh, noting that the locals weren’t terribly impressed with their new

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hippie neighbours. She tried again, this time on a farm closer to Montreal surrounded by artists and “eco-people”; she has been living there full-time since 1992, growing and preserving enough food to be self-sufficient. And the neighbours? They’re working overtime to attract fresh blood so they can keep their local post offices and schools. Also helping to lure aspiring agriculturists are resources like Arterre and Young Agrarians—organizations that facilitate mentorships, internships and land-matching between newcomers and experienced farmers and landowners. About 100 kilometres away from Fitzsimmons, in Quebec’s Chateauguay Valley, Stephanie McBride confesses that she, too, was incredibly naive when she first established her farm, Old Wood Hollow. “I thought all chickens could lay eggs, even roosters,” she says. Four years later, with help from an agricultural-start-up grant, the 35-year-old mother of three grows no-till vegetables and raises heritage Mangalitsas (the “Kobe beef” of pigs), sending out weekly community-supported agriculture boxes and supplying top Montreal restaurants like Elena, Lawrence and Park. Her husband works on the West Coast most of the month, so it is often a one-woman operation, along with a staff that’s been “I WANT TO EVENTUALLY SHARE MY made smaller during the pandemic. OWN JOURNEY AND INSPIRE PEOPLE Although McBride—with her smooth skin, wavy THE WAY I WAS INSPIRED.” brown hair and crisp overalls (“I swear I don’t wear these all the time; it’s a coincidence!”)—could easily pass for an influencer, she only created her website at a friend’s insistence, and when she does post, the sunsets and pony rides are balanced out by unflinching honesty. “Nature McBride is sharing her nascent wisdom with friends and family doesn’t care if you had a bad day,” she says. “Sometimes I’m a lot these days as they move out to the country and visit the farm so tired that I cry the whole time I’m working.” more. She hopes to support the growing community with new Just a sample of her morning routine is enough to snap any (admittedly Instagram-friendly) projects, including converting an city mouse back to reality: up at 4 a.m. to do paperwork, quality old building into a cider brewery and stocking her recently purcontrol on last night’s harvest and health checks on 26 pigs and chased general store with local products like charcuterie and wine. piglets, make breakfast for her kids and dogs and attempt to Over in Nova Scotia, Salvador’s community remains move an enormous shelter for the free-range animals. largely virtual for now. She takes Floret’s online courses at her McBride takes setbacks in her stride and knows first-hand own pace and hopes to eventually grow a thousand dahlias, the steep cost of failure. She tears up while describing an early breeding and naming her own varieties. She still takes design frost that destroyed all her eggplant seedlings and again over contracts to support herself and her partner; an outside job a sow she lost to an unplanned birth. Every delay or mistake is a reality for most modern farmers. “My friends sometimes can mean the loss of an entire crop, a high-profile customer envy the life they think I have,” she says. “But we all have or precious time with her family. At the same time, she says, problems—they’re just different kinds. I’m far from my family, her perspective on more conventional tragedies has changed. and it’s harder to earn a paycheque. But I feel less stress, and While she and the kids used to hold funerals for each deceased I’ve got a new-found appreciation for everything that grows.” chicken, now the dead animals go right into the compost, where Four decades ahead of Salvador on her journey, Fitzsimmons they can return to the soil. agrees. “I have so much space around me now, and I love being McBride is Indigenous but was raised by adoptive Scottish in touch with the seasons,” she says. “The wonder of it never parents, and she credits both aspects of her background for gets old.” McBride expresses a similar sentiment on her blog: her shifting perspectives on land stewardship and the cycle “The little things I worried about before starting Old Wood of life. “When my father used to take me out deer hunting, Hollow... I can’t even remember them now because they can’t he explained that they were overpopulated and would starve compare, for me, to the rhythm of life here.” otherwise,” she says. “He was really clear that when you take It’s enough to keep you dreaming. a life, you have to be accountable.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY, PEXELS

SOCIETY

PHOTOGRAPHY, YVONNE STANLEY

Kelly Fyffe-Marshall

FILM

Her Way How Canadian Black women in the ﬁlm industry are breaking the mould. By SUMIKO WILSON

HAT’S THE VALUE OF BEING PART OF A STORY if you can’t tell your own? In the past decade, onscreen diversity has made unprecedented leaps forward, but behind the scenes, barriers blocking Black women from the director’s chair have been tougher to take down. “The biggest obstacle keeping Black women from the director’s seat is the same thing that has kept white women from the director’s seat: men,” says Jamaican-born, Canadian-raised filmmaker Jennifer Holness. She lets out a laugh, not because there’s anything particularly funny about it but because of the obvious irony. The past 12 months have been historic for women working behind the scenes in the film industry. In 2020, Regina King was the first Black female director to have a film screened at the Venice Film Festival. Then, at the Oscars, Chloé Zhao became the first woman of colour to win Best Director. Marvel is diversifying its director’s seats too. Zhao’s Eternals is making its way into theatres this month, and Cate Shortland’s Black Widow is the franchise’s first film directed independently by a woman. On top of that, Candyman director Nia DaCosta will be bringing the Captain Marvel sequel to life. This is exciting but also perplexing. Why has it taken so long for female-identifying directors to be recognized? For Holness, it’s a matter of the industry catching up to her. Her latest film, Subjects of Desire, was a standout at this year’s South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Tex. But indie-festival exposure doesn’t fully address the issue at hand. The problem appears to lie in the fact that the flow of progress has been reduced to a trickle. Since Kathryn Bigelow’s history-making Best Director win for The Hurt Locker at the 2010 Oscars, only two other women have been nominated in this category: Greta Gerwig in 2018 for Lady Bird and Zhao for Nomadland in 2020. Although the Oscars aren’t the sole authority on directors of influence, they ELLECANADA.COM

FILM

“What we’ll NEVER KNOW is HOW MANY BLACK PEOPLE we LOST in this industry due to RACISM— WOMEN who were just GROUND OUT by the really SICKENING RACIST and SEXIST SYSTEM.”

Sasha Leigh Henry on-set

continue to be a leading force in film, which speaks volumes about the state of the industry. This crisis is particularly discouraging for Black women, who have never been represented in this category, and in the Oscars’ 92-year history, only six Black directors have been nominated—and none have won. Director, screenwriter and social activist Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, who’s based in Brampton, Ont., says that limited opportunities can pit Black female filmmakers against one another. “In our communities, we’re taught the scarcity mentality and that only one [of us] can get [acclaim] at a time,” she says. “It hasn’t been until the past four years that I’ve actually become friends with other Black female and non-binary directors. We were never put in the same room because we were competing against one another for work.” Today, collaboration is at the core of Fyffe-Marshall’s work, including her short film Black Bodies , which won the Toronto International Film Festival’s Changemaker Award in 2020. Her new venture, Make Ripples, is an organization aimed at maintaining the momentum for change following the 2020 uprising. One of her frequent collaborators is Canadian director, producer and writer Sasha Leigh Henry, who was behind the shorts Bitches Love Brunch and Sinking Ship, the latter of which premiered at TIFF last year. For Henry, the cost of inequality in film is steep. “What we’ll never know is how many Black people we lost in this industry due to racism—women who were just ground out by the really sickening racist and sexist system,” she says. “We will never get to know of or see the heights of their work.” It’s not because Black female directors don’t exist, and it’s definitely not because they aren’t as talented; it can be attributed to the fact that it’s more challenging for their voices to be amplified.

PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF SASHA LEIGH HENRY (OPPOSITE PAGE), COZY DQ/DEQUIERA ATHERTON (SINKING SHIP) & COURTESY OF HUNGRY EYES MEDIA (SUBJECTS OF DESIRE )

Sinking Ship, directed by Sasha Leigh Henry

Henry thinks it boils down to how Black women are perceived in society. “Historically, based on whatever skewed statistics Hollywood wants to use, Black women aren’t the ones who are bankable,” she says. “When people are like ‘Just hire the best person for the job,’ it doesn’t work because there are a lot of reasons—namely capitalism, sexism and racism—why the best person for the job will not be in this seat.” She also attributes the inequality to resistance from the old guard. “In the context of this society, the people who have power don’t want to give it up, and what’s ultimately driving that power is the almighty dollar.” Holness echoes these sentiments on the industry’s adherence to gatekeeping—but it’s not being done just by cis men anymore. “In this country, [gatekeepers] are now predominantly white women,” she says. “‘Diversity’ in this country used to only mean gender diversity; there was no real look at equity-seeking groups or racialized groups when people were talking about diversity.” Thankfully, things are changing, says the filmmaker, who also owns production studio Hungry Eyes Media. “Those are some of the big obstacles, and I think that they’re starting to get addressed.” For Fyffe-Marshall, experience is the biggest hurdle. “The industry as a whole doesn’t like to take chances on first-timers, which doesn’t leave room for people to grow,” she says. “This leaves a huge gap in the middle. We have a lot of PA programs [a way for inexperienced production assistants to get training and hands-on experience], but what happens when you’re past that?” On-set inequity isn’t a new conversation, but the slow pace of change should be questioned. Black women and non-binary folks being stalled in entry-level roles is symptomatic of diverse hiring that’s purely performative, as if productions are including Black women to check a box or meet a diversity quota, not to foster long-term growth. When the opportunities do arrive, asserting authority can pose its own challenges for Black women behind the scenes. “I’ve been on-set as an AD [assistant director], and when I’ve asserted my authority, as a Black woman who is young, I’ve found that people don’t want to listen to me,” says Fyffe-Marshall. “That’s something

I’m still working through. If I get angry, I become the angry Black woman. So how do I assert myself in a way that lets them know I’m the boss and I don’t have to come off as a stereotype?” Though the challenges don’t appear to be letting up, neither is the momentum for the growing number of Black women forging their own paths to the director’s chair. And the payoff goes beyond the end credits. For Henry, the biggest source of hope is seeing audiences being impacted by her work. “My work is really just looking at humanity in its smallest, most intimate moments and trying to magnify what that feeling is like for so many of us,” she says. For Fyffe-Marshall, that moment comes earlier in the process. “[It’s] when a script is finished, when my producer likes it and when the crew comes together and I get to look at all the faces that are going to make something that’s in my head come true.” Over the course of her decades-long career, Holness has found hope by filling the experience gaps on her own set and seeing the payoff in real time. Acclaimed Canadian actor Stephan James’ first feature was Home Again , written by Holness and directed by her husband and creative partner, Sudz Sutherland. “Stephan and his brother are such wonderful men, and they’re paying it forward now by creating a space with the Black Academy to uplift, train and develop the next group of Black filmmakers and performers in this country,” says Holness. “That’s the kind of stuff that makes me hopeful.”

Subjects of Desire, written and directed by Jennifer Holness

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COLLAGE, JENS WORTMANN

SOCIETY

THE FEMCEL REVOLUTION How an underground group of women is reclaiming involuntary celibacy. By NONA WILLIS ARONOWITZ

*NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED.

OREEN* WAS BULLIED throughout middle and high

school because of her looks. Classmates called her fat and ugly. She didn’t feel sexually or romantically desired. Boys didn’t treat her the way they did her more attractive friends. Growing up in a religious West African immigrant family who taught her that sex outside of marriage is a sin made it even tougher for her to have a sex-positive attitude. Neither her sister—the “pretty one”—nor her mom understood what she was going through. “I didn’t have any type of self-esteem or confidence,” she recalls. “[The world] taught me that my worth and my value as a female, as a young lady, were connected directly to what I looked like.” In her senior year of high school, Doreen tried to put herself out there. She experimented with makeup, wore flattering clothes and debuted cute hairstyles. But she got no closer to the loving, respectful relationship she wanted. She built up the courage to tell a boy she liked him, but then she overheard him call her “ugly” to his friends. Around the same time, another guy she knew proposed a friends-with-benefits arrangement. She agreed, thinking it might lead to a genuine connection. It didn’t. Instead, it made her feel “disgusting, like [she] wanted to rub [her] skin off and jump into a brand-new body.” After they fooled around, he expressed his annoyance via text that they hadn’t gone far enough. When they were in public, he refused to kiss her or hold her hand, even though he flaunted his other girlfriends on Instagram. “It felt like I was being used,” says Doreen. It made her feel even worse than if she hadn’t been dating at all because of something the guy said to her: “[He told me that] I’m not good enough to be in a relationship but I am good enough just for something sexual.” She’s 20 now, a couple of years older, but that remains the only time she has hooked up with someone.

Shortly after this experience, Doreen found the “femcels,” a community of women online who describe themselves as being unable to have sexual or romantic relationships as a result of a toxic blend of misogyny and impossible beauty standards. It’s a female take on “incels”—so-called “involuntary celibates” who, in general, feel entitled to have sex with women but struggle to find partners and are resentful of people who are sexually active. The term made headlines in 2018, when Alek Minassian wrote “The Incel Rebellion has already begun!” on Facebook minutes before driving a van into pedestrians in Toronto, killing 10 and injuring 16. In his post, Minassian also hailed self-identified incel Elliot Rodger—who killed six people and injured 14 before fatally shooting himself near the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014—as “the Supreme Gentleman.” But the term “incel” was actually coined in 1997 by a woman known as Alana; she created the Involuntary Celibacy Project as a source of comfort and support for lonely, hurting people. Alana has since distanced herself from the community, but now, 24 years later, femcels have taken her concept full circle and created a space that honours a female perspective. Doreen strongly identified with what femcels were writing on Reddit threads and other forums: that society systematically deprives unattractive women of love and respect; that the only way to “ascend” is through dramatic alterations to one’s looks; that pretty people just have it easier. Raw, wistful accounts on these threads often reveal deep loneliness. “Seeing young beautiful women still makes me want to die,” wrote vcardthrow2, a user on a femcel site called ThePinkPill. It feels like, they added, “a rebuke from God of your own happiness, because you understand what’s possible, what sort of destiny he offers better people.” ELLECANADA.COM

SOCIETY

The femcel and incel communities appear to not get along, in part because the latter doesn’t believe the former can exist. They may look at women like Doreen and think “See? Someone was willing to have sex with you.” All women, many incels say, have the choice to be sexually active or not; so-called “femcels” are just being too picky. While most women would probably not identify as involuntarily celibate, many can relate to the frustrating expectation that they should prefer awful sex to no sex at all. And they might even recognize their worst dates in the observations of a ThePinkPill user who goes by Feelinveryblue: “A woman can get sex if she has next to no standards, doesn’t care about whether or not she has an orgasm and doesn’t mind being used as a human fleshlight.” Femcels might struggle more than other women to have fulfilling sexual and romantic relationships, but their no-holdsbarred assessments of the sexual marketplace reveal a lot about the misogyny-laden obstacles to female pleasure. Many femcels would say that sleeping with men who disrespect them or abuse them makes this “choice” akin to choosing between starving and eating poisoned food. “Being the person a man is willing to ejaculate into is like being a toilet,” says Giga, a femcel in her 20s. “It can be a very dehumanizing experience.” Giga created ThePinkPill after the Trufemcels subreddit was banned for reportedly violating Reddit’s rule against promoting hate (although some blame other factors, such as vengeful incels or Redditors who flagged self-harm rhetoric). The very nature of having sex as a straight woman leaves her somewhat vulnerable. Part of it is physical; the bodily surrender of being penetrated is just not required for heterosexual men. And, of course, the other part is cultural: Sex is often on terms set by men, many of whom are taught to express their aggression, power or contempt for women—especially those deemed “undesirable”—through sex. Lisa Wade, a sociologist and the author of American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus, explains that one of the ways young men navigate the “hostile environment” of sexist hookup culture is to “treat women badly if they know they’re low status,” whether because of social class, race, attractiveness or body size. Wade’s research shows that these women are more likely to encounter rude or abusive treatment from men. Giga concurs. “Women take much higher risks when it comes to sex,” she says. “Safety is a consideration that cannot be ignored.” All of this potential risk is at war with most women’s genuine desire for sex, affection and love, no matter what status men assign to them. “I’ve seen some risky behaviour taken by women in this community, because being lonely and wanting to be desired can take a toll,” says Giga. Even if a guy deigns to have sex with a woman he deems unattractive, “ask yourself what people-pleasing behaviour from an inexperienced woman 48

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FEMCELS MIGHT STRUGGLE MORE THAN OTHER WOMEN TO HAVE FULFILLING SEXUAL AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS, BUT THEIR NO-HOLDS-BARRED ASSESSMENTS OF THE SEXUAL MARKETPLACE REVEAL A LOT ABOUT THE MISOGYNYLADEN OBSTACLES TO FEMALE PLEASURE.

looks like, sexually speaking,” she says. At minimum, it looks like taking less than you want while tamping down the voice in your head that demands better—a painful experience that a lot of women can relate to regardless of their looks. “Students will say ‘I would love to be having sex, [but] hooking up seems so uncomfortable, so cold, so fraught with disappointment and the potential for frustration and trauma that it just doesn’t seem worth it to me,’” says Wade. It’s one factor researchers point to when trying to explain the recent dip in young people’s sexual activity: Women feel more empowered to say no to sex that doesn’t meet their terms or expectations. For many femcels, not accepting bad treatment is an act of self-love. Despite the sadness and anger they may feel, many operate on the premise that they are entitled to respect. “I deserve to experience that for myself, and I deserve to know how that feels,” says Doreen. “I’ve really been trying to come into loving myself this year, but it’s hard to do that when you’ve never really been desired in that way by anybody else.”

THE PRO’EXPERT NAIL REPAIR CARE TESTED & APPROVED**

95% 91% 91%

On Simon: Tank top (Rick Owens). On Emma: Earrings (Jil Sander)

beauty

The results are in: Jurors from all over the country put dozens of beauty products — from skincare and makeup to hair care and body care — to the test for the 25th edition of ELLE ’s

Beauty Grand Prix.

Here’s the cream of this year’s crop. By MARIÈVE INOUE

Photography CARLOS + ALYSE

Creative direction/styling ANNIE HORTH

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Makeup

Earrings (Gucci)

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

CONCEALER

EYEBROW PRODUCT

Under $35

ANNABELLE COSMÉTIQUES PERFECT CONCEALER ($8) This aptly named concealer is a creamy concoction that really delivers when it comes to covering blemishes and dark circles. “The applicator is wonderful,

Under $30

REVLON COLORSTAY BROW CREATOR ($15.50) Enhancing your brows is simple with this water- and smudgeproof pencil; it lets you fine-tune your arches with thin, hairlike strokes. Bonus: There’s even brow powder. “I love that the tip

the formula goes on easily and it brightens the under-eye area all day long!” – Nadia Patriarco, Montreal

is retractable and that it has a

Over $35

smooth, velvety texture.” – Angela Feola, Laval, Que.

CLARINS EVERLASTING CONCEALER ($38) Excellent coverage and brightening action in an easyto-blend formula—it’s basically everything we’ve ever wanted in a concealer. “What a

Over $30

GUCCI CRAYON DÉFINITION SOURCILS EYEBROW PENCIL ($42) Matte and versatile with a buildable intensity, this luxe pencil has a spoolie on the end and makes giving your brows definition and oomph an absolute breeze. “It really blends

powerful product! A small dab covers imperfections beautifully.” – Michelle Oakley, Victoria

in with my brows and gives me a great matte finish that looks very natural.” – Sarah Papaioannou, Oshawa, Ont.

LIQUID EYELINER ANNABELLE COSMÉTIQUES FREE SPIRIT LIQUID EYELINER ($10) Get your cat-eye on effortlessly with this liner; it offers uninterrupted ink flow and a precision felt tip. And don’t worry: Your look is sure to last all evening. “This eyeliner is amazing: It goes on perfectly every time and is easy to take off at the end of the night.” – Melanie Centis, Riverview, N.B.

PENCIL EYELINER ANNABELLE COSMÉTIQUES WATERLINE MATTE KOHL EYELINER ($9) When you’re feeling the bold liner look but not the messiness, this waterproof kohl is your go-to: Its formula was designed to be used on your waterline without smudging. “I’m able to apply this liner without irritation or watery-eye issues—and it lasts all day long!” – Stephanie Cummings, Kingston, Ont.

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BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

MASCARA Under $15

COVERGIRL LASH BLAST CLEAN VOLUME MASCARA ($11) Breathtaking volume in a vegan formula that’s infused with argan and marula oils and that doesn’t clump or smudge? We’re in! “As a front-line worker, I need a mascara that can withstand the heat from my wearing glasses and a mask all day. This mascara does all that and more: It makes my lashes look longer, more defined and volumized.” – Shirine Eltaher, Ottawa

From $15 to $30

PUPA MILANO VAMP! SEXY LASHES MASCARA ($26) It’s a mascara trifecta: volume, curl and lift in a single formula. And with its curved brush that applies generously, you’re in for a real treat. “This mascara has an innovative wand that applies without clumping and has lengthening and curling effects.” – Katie Brodkin, Vaughan, Ont.

Over $30

CLARINS SUPRA VOLUME MASCARA ($33) The only thing that surpasses a mascara that gives you intense colour, volume and definition is one that does it while also making your lashes fuller over time. “This mascara is excellent all around: It is easy to apply and offers beautiful results.” – Chantal Perreault, Sherbrooke, Que.

TINTED CREAM Under $40

PUPA MILANO PROFESSIONALS BB CREAM + ANTI-AGING ($38) This little tube offers hydration, radiance and lightweight coverage along with some antiaging benefits. What more could you ask for in a BB cream? “It is extremely easy to blend, moisturizes nicely and has a natural finish.” – Andrea Di Clemente, Mississauga, Ont.

Over $40

LISE WATIER CC CREME COLOUR CORRECTOR MULTI-PERFECTING MOISTURIZER ($50) Cover all your bases with this multi-tasking formula, which falls somewhere between skincare and makeup: It hydrates your skin, evens out your complexion and gives you a luminous glow. “It spreads like a dream and sinks into the skin easily, giving it the most natural look. And it doesn’t cake up when you apply it with other products.” – Aksha Verma, Toronto

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SETTING PRODUCT Under $30

ILLUMINATOR MARCELLE TALC-FREE TRANSLUCENT LOOSE POWDER ($19) When you need your makeup to last all day long, this mattifying loose powder is your BFF. Enriched with vitamin E, it helps control shine and keeps your complexion looking flawless. “It lasts the entire day and gives me a fresh matte finish.” – Veronica Martinez, North York, Ont.

FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA KILLAWATT FREESTYLE HIGHLIGHTER IN LIGHTNING DUST/FIRE CRYSTAL ($48) Finding a highlighter that makes your skin glow without making it too shimmery is like spotting a unicorn—and this long-wearing cream-powder hybrid really is something else. “This highlighter is a powder but feels almost like a cream, and it

Over $30

makes my skin look lit from within.” – Shireen Lee, Courtenay, B.C.

MILK MAKEUP HYDRO GRIP PRIMER ($44) With hyaluronic acid, aloe water and niacinamide in its formula, this hydrating primer smooths your skin while providing the grip your makeup needs to last through even the longest of days. “It helps my foundation last and keeps my skin hydrated, so my face doesn’t feel dry when I apply powder.” – Belle Wu, Edmonton

RED LIPSTICK LISE WATIER ROUGE VELOURS MAT SUPRÊME IN CABERNET ($28) A lipstick that is both moisturizing and matte may sound too good to be true, but this richly pigmented formula, which is infused with Labrador-tea extract, will convince you otherwise. “The colour is amazing, and I get so many compliments when I wear it. It doesn’t dry out my lips, and it lasts most of the day.” – Yasmine Karroum, Ottawa

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Hair

Necklace (Pauline Rader)

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

HAIRSTYLING PRODUCT PUREOLOGY COLOR FANATIC MULTI-TASKING LEAVE-IN SPRAY ($33) This multi-tasking spray (it offers 21 benefits!) does its best to provide whatever your hair needs, from moisture to shine to heat protection. Try it once and you’ll be convinced. “After using this, my hair looks healthy, feels smooth and smells great.” – Terri Bourque, Scarborough, Ont.

DRY SHAMPOO Under $30

JOICO WEEKEND HAIR DRY SHAMPOO ($24) When showering is out of the question, this dry shampoo proves to be a saviour, sopping up excess oil and giving your mane an instant refresh while adding volume and texture. “This product doesn’t leave a white cast on my dark hair, and it feels soft and light. Plus, the nozzle is easy to use in any direction.” – Jodie Jones, Brandon, Man.

Over $30

AMIKA PERK UP DRY SHAMPOO ($33) A superfine mist, an invisible finish and hair that looks and feels clean are all things we’re adamant about when it comes to dry shampoo. Luckily, we have this one in our beauty stash.

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER: NON-COLOURED HAIR

excellent results: It leaves my hair

KÉRASTASE CHRONOLOGISTE BAIN RÉGÉNÉRANT ($51) AND MASQUE INTENSE RÉGÉNÉRANT ($77) There’s no reason your hair shouldn’t get in on the protective and hydrating benefits of vitamin E and hyaluronic acid—and that’s exactly what these two revitalizing formulas offer. “My hair feels clean and hydrated

shiny and very manageable.”

with no tangles after using these products.”

– Paola Murillo, Beaupré, Que.

– Lyse Davitt, Waterloo, Ont.

“This product absorbs quickly into my hair without leaving a residue and provides

ELLECANADA.COM

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER: DAMAGED HAIR Under $25

JOICO K-PAK RECONSTRUCTING SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER ($19 each) Hello, amazingly shiny, soft, strong hair! Thanks to guava extract and keratin, this duo will repair your mane like no other. “These made my hair look shiny and smooth and even added volume, which is something I struggle with.” – Aisha Grant, Edmonton

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER: COLOURED HAIR Under $25

GARNIER WHOLE BLENDS SULPHATE-FREE REMEDY HONEY TREASURES REPAIRING SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER ($9 each)

Turn damaged hair into soft, deeply nourished tresses with this shampoo and conditioner combo—which also smells like heaven (honey, vanilla and mimosa flower, oh my!). “These products leave my hair easy to comb out and feeling soft and clean.” – Judy Bruce, Wasaga Beach, Ont.

Over $25

KÉRASTASE BLOND ABSOLU BAIN LUMIÈRE SHAMPOO ($45) AND FONDANT CICAFLASH CONDITIONER ($49) This shampoo and conditioner are musts if your ideal hair colour involves bleaching it first. Enriched with hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower, the pair works wonders on damaged strands. “This duo yields amazing results! It leaves my hair supple and full of vitality. It adds volume too, which makes styling a lot easier.” – Chantal Meunier, Lachine, Que.

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Over $25

REDKEN ACIDIC BONDING CONCENTRATE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER ($27 each) This pH-balancing shampoo and conditioner help strengthen weakened bonds and restore hair in a big way. “These products really helped repair my hair, making it less damaged and stronger.” – Leslie Jardine, Kingston, Ont.

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

HAIR MASK Under $20 (tie)

DOVE STRENGTHENS + WHITE CLAY HAIR MASK + MINERALS ($5) Inspired by clay face masks, this formula helps strengthen damaged strands and prevent further breakage. It’s a novel idea—and a great one at that! “This product makes my hair soft and shiny without causing it to feel heavy or greasy like other hair masks do.” – Tami-Lynn Fripp, Kamloops, B.C.

HERBAL ESSENCES BIO:RENEW ARGAN OIL & ALOE VERA SULFATE-FREE HAIR MASK ($10) Did someone say “deeply nourishing”? This formula, which blends argan oil and aloe vera, hydrates and restores your mane and smells ah-ma-zing. “It has a nice light scent that lingers after use and

HAIR OIL Under $20

PANTENE PRO-V HYDRATING GLOW THIRSTY ENDS MILK TO WATER SERUM WITH BAOBAB ESSENCE ($9) This hair serum packs a serious hydration punch without weighing hair down, and it gets major bonus points for how effectively it smooths split ends. “This light and creamy hair lotion has a subtle fresh scent, is easy to apply and makes my hair soft and shiny.” – Tabitha Meyer, St. Catharines, Ont.

a thick texture that doesn’t drip off— and it leaves my hair soft!” – Jennifer Greeley, Lachute, Que.

Over $20

KÉRASTASE GENESIS MASQUE RECONSTITUANT ($72) This fortifying formula is the crème de la crème when it comes to caring for weakened strands and preventing breakage. Five minutes is all it takes to help repair and detangle. “I like both the fragrance and the texture of this mask. My hair feels smooth afterwards, even if I don’t use any other styling products.” – Shelley Tee, Markham, Ont.

Over $20

KÉRASTASE ELIXIR ULTIME ORIGINAL HAIR OIL ($62) Nothing short of a revelation, this precious elixir combines maize, argan, camellia and pracaxi oils to help reduce frizz, smooth strands and add an incredible amount of shine. “It absorbs nicely into my hair and keeps it soft and shiny all day!” – Tracey Mills, Vancouver

ELLECANADA.COM

Face

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

ANTI-AGING NIGHT CREAM Under $80

REVERSA COLLAGENIQUE CREAM ($60)

Containing peptides, a special energizing complex, fragmented hyaluronic acid and goji-stem-cell extract, this cream helps restore skin’s firmness and elasticity while it deeply hydrates. “This cream has a

ANTI-AGING DAY CREAM Under $80

smooth, airy texture and glides easily over the

NEUTROGENA FRAGRANCEFREE RAPID WRINKLE REPAIR CREAM ($36) One week to plumper and smoother skin is what this fragrance-free formula promises, thanks to retinol and hyaluronic acid, two ingredients that have achieved superstar status. “I was pleasantly

skin without leaving a greasy feel.” – Ivana Boccia, Bradford, Ont.

From $80 to $100

IDC DERMO EXPRESS MULTI-ACTION 16-IN-1 GLOBAL ANTI-AGING CREAM ($80) Not everyone has time for elaborate skincare routines, so this potent multi-tasking moisturizer is a godsend for those who prefer simplicity as it eliminates the need for a serum and an eye cream. “I’ve

surprised by how effective this product is. My skin feels hydrated and smoother, and my wrinkles are less prominent.” – Noof Al Shirawi, Mississauga, Ont.

seen a noticeable difference in my skin: It looks From $80 to $100

Over $100

brighter and has fewer dark spots.” – Gurpreet Kaur, Montreal

LABORATOIRE DR RENAUD TRIPLE LIPID REGENERATING YOUTH CARE ($88) This is just what your skin has been craving: a moisturebarrier-regenerating cream that contains a trio of essential lipids, niacinamide and Ecobiotys, which helps balance the skin’s microbiota. “This moisturizer eliminates

JOUVIANCE 3-IN-1 DUO PRO ADVANCED ANTI-AGING CREAM + BOOSTER SERUM ($120) We love a well-rounded product, and this one does everything you’d expect from an anti-aging formula, from firming the skin to targeting wrinkles to brightening the complexion. “This cream absorbs really quickly and leaves my skin soft.

VIVIER DERMA-V ($160) Boasting a blend of ingredients that hydrate and repair the skin while also feeding its microbiome, this innovative moisturizer is an essential step in your routine, no matter your skin type. “It has a silky texture and a light,

Over $100

dry patches and illuminates my skin. After a

I also noticed that it smoothed out

fresh scent, and it makes my skin feel like

few days, I noticed more plumpness as well.”

some of my wrinkles.”

satin and look absolutely radiant.”

– Ray Gagliano, Montreal

– Lina Helie, Trois-Rivières, Que.

– Claire Jacques, Lorraine, Que.

ELLECANADA.COM

FACE SUNSCREEN Under $40

LA ROCHE-POSAY ANTHELIOS ULTRA-FLUID FACIAL SUNSCREEN SPF 50+ ($29) Texture is everything when it comes to finding a sunscreen you’ll want to use Every. Single. Day. It’s no wonder this one is so popular—and it’s sweat- and water-resistant too! “This product

EXFOLIATOR

goes on as light as air and makes reapplying a breeze.”

Under $50

– Marsha Matkowski, Winnipegosis, Man.

OLE HENRIKSEN LEMONADE SMOOTHING SCRUB ($42) Lemon peel, sugar, holy basil and camomile may sound like a recipe for lemonade, but they actually help this exfoliator make your skin glow—and smell delicious. “I LOVE the fruity smell of this

Over $40

MONAT SUN VEIL DAILY MINERAL PROTECTION SPF 30 ($52) A lightweight daily mineral sunscreen that combines zinc oxide for sun protection with skincare darlings hyaluronic acid and antioxidants? Sounds like a dream, but it really does exist—and it delivers. “This product is absorbed into my skin within seconds, plays well with makeup and has a subtle and pleasant scent” – Erin Hayden, Ottawa

FACE WASH Under $30

VICHY PURETÉ THERMALE FRESH CLEANSING GEL ($21) Washing your skin after a long day is such an enjoyable experience—especially with this gel, which foams into a rich lather and leaves your face feeling silky smooth. “This did a great job of removing my makeup and cleansing my skin, and it left it super soft!” – Alicia Love, Whitby, Ont.

Over $30

CLARINS HYDRATING GENTLE FOAMING CLEANSER ($38) Gentle is best when it comes to cleansing, and this creamy formula—enriched with alpineherb and aloe-vera extracts— gets everything just right, softening and refreshing the skin while it works. “This product is pleasant and refreshing and makes my skin feel clean without any dryness or tightness.” – Alice Ketchum, Barrie, Ont.

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scrub! It exfoliates without irritating my skin, and it’s mild enough to use frequently.” – Raizelle Adler, Thornhill, Ont.

Over $50

FILORGA SCRUB & MASK EXFOLIATING BUBBLE MASK ($74) When it comes to exfoliating, a multi-faceted approach is most effective. This mask helps remove dead skin cells while enzymes reveal fresh skin and bubbles provide an oxygenating effect. “I found that my skin looked lifted, and the product definitely made my face look brighter. The bubbles are fun too!” – Kimm Coleman, Weyburn, Sask.

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX DAY SERUM Under $50

GLOW RECIPE WATERMELON GLOW NIACINAMIDE DEW DROPS ($45) If a dewy complexion is what you’re after, this hybrid serum is non-negotiable. Infused with niacinamide, it boosts brightness when used before or after your moisturizer (or both!). “This serum has the most amazing glowy effect on my skin!” – Natalia Harvey, St. Albert, Alta.

From $50 to $100

OLE HENRIKSEN BANANA BRIGHT VITAMIN C SERUM ($86) Vitamin C? Check. Exfoliating acids? Check. Brightening pigments? Check. All that and some hyaluronic acid for good measure make for a formula that will give you brighter, firmer, hydrated skin with fewer dark spots. “It

NIGHT SERUM Under $50

VICHY MINÉRAL 89 FORTIFYING & HYDRATING DAILY SKIN BOOSTER HYALURONIC ACID SERUM ($42) Made from just 11 ingredients, this hyaluronic-acid serum is 89 percent Vichy volcanic water and is the hydration ace you need in your beauty rotation. “My skin looks rosy and more radiant after using this serum. It feels as though it actually nourishes my face with nutrients, and it makes my skin very supple.” – Lisa Hallman, Kitchener, Ont.

immediately makes my skin look refreshed, and I’ve noticed a lot of improvement in overall texture

From $50 to $100

and appearance since I started using it.” – Amy Richard, Sudbury, Ont.

Over $100

ESTÉE LAUDER PERFECTIONIST PRO RAPID BRIGHTENING TREATMENT WITH FERMENT2 + VITAMIN C ($105) If you long for a brighter, more even complexion, this serum, which combines vitamin C with ferments and hyaluronic acid, is your best bet. Ciao, dark spots and acne scars! “High

ESTÉE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR SYNCHRONIZED MULTI-RECOVERY COMPLEX SERUM ($95) There’s a reason this serum is so iconic: It really does do it all, from hydrating the skin and strengthening its protective barrier to smoothing out wrinkles and improving firmness. A must! “I can see the effects of this serum on my fine lines; it makes my skin look

scores all around for this day serum, which

smoother in the morning.”

keeps my skin moisturized and supple and

– Brandy Grondin, Timmins, Ont.

makes my skin tone more even too.” – Susanne McCarthy, Dashwood, Ont.

Over $100

CLARINS SUPER RESTORATIVE REMODELLING SERUM ($142) This formula helps reduce wrinkles, brighten the skin and redefine facial contours thanks to narrow-leaf-plantain, harungana and Montpellier-rock-rose extracts, all wrapped up in a gorgeous texture. “It’s truly a miracle product. It makes my skin softer and firmer, and it even seems to reduce my wrinkles.” – Mylene Coupal, Terrebonne, Que.

FACE OIL G.M. COLLIN DAILY CERAMIDE COMFORT ($116) Ceramides keep your skin moist and hydrated—and they’re what make this serum so beneficial. The single-dose capsules are such a joy to use that you’ll never want to be without them! “These pods are perfect because they keep me from using too much product. The serum absorbs quickly and leaves my skin very soft.” – Michelle Borden, Lachine, Que.

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX MAKEUP REMOVER Under $20

GARNIER SKINACTIVE ALL-IN-1 MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER FOR SENSITIVE SKIN ($10.50) A quick swipe is all that’s needed to remove your makeup thanks to the micelles in this oil- and fragrance-free formula, which leaves skin refreshed. “It removes my makeup well and leaves behind a refreshing, clean sensation.” – Henna Sahebzada, Brampton, Ont.

EYE MASK PATCHES $20 and over

G.M. COLLIN INSTANT RADIANCE ANTI-AGING EYE PATCH ($50) Cooling, relaxing and—we’ll admit it—just plain fun to use, these hydrogel under-eye patches act like an eraser for dullness and signs of fatigue. look brighter and smoother, and

BIODERMA SENSIBIO H2O MICELLAR WATER MAKEUP REMOVER ($20) It’s hard to beat Bioderma’s original micellar water when it comes to removing makeup gently and effectively, but with its practical pump top, this version takes the experience to the next level! “I love the

they’re super easy to use.”

bottle’s unique nozzle, and the formula removes

– Lucie Huchette, Montreal

every trace of makeup with a single cotton pad.”

“Wow! These patches made my eye area

MOISTURIZING DAY CREAM Under $50

– Melissa Ho, St. Thomas, Ont.

TONING LOTION CLARINS HYDRATING TONING LOTION ($38) This hydrating, softening toner combines aloe-vera and saffron-flower extracts to help rebalance your skin after cleansing and prep it for the rest of your routine. Plus, it feels amazing! “My skin is much smoother

LANEIGE RADIAN-C CREAM WITH VITAMIN C ($46) Dullness and dark spots be gone! This delightful citrus-scented gem of a moisturizer brightens skin in just a few days thanks to a formula that’s enriched with vitamins C and E. “This cream has a light, fresh scent, and its texture is thick without being heavy. It absorbs well and leaves my skin feeling moisturized all day.” – Jessica St. Pierre, Fredericton

after application and feels more hydrated and softer.”

Over $50

– Anna Andreitseva, Toronto

BIODERMA ATODERM LIP BALM ($10) Imagine sailing through winter with a nourished, supple pout and avoiding chapped lips altogether. You can make it happen with this rich, moisturizing balm. “This has a

G.M. COLLIN MARINE COLLAGEN REVITALIZING CREAM ($98) A lightweight formula that hydrates beautifully is a winning combo for a moisturizer—bonus points if it also smooths fine lines. This marine-collagen-based revitalizing cream boasts all of the above, making it a judicious choice. “This cream is incredible! I was

great slanted tip that makes application

surprised by how bright and refreshed my

easy, and its texture is the bomb!”

face looked after just one application.”

– Krista Embertson, Calgary

– Angie Chymy, Winnipeg

LIP BALM

ELLECANADA.COM

FACE MASK Under $25

EYE CREAM URIAGE EAU THERMALE WATER NIGHT MASK ($21) This lightweight water sleeping mask floods your skin with hydration while rebuilding its protective barrier so you can wake up to a fresh, glowy complexion. Where do we sign?

Under $80

LISE WATIER AGE CONTROL SUPREME THE EYE CARE ($74) This comforting fragrance-free eye cream is designed for all skin types and includes concentrated Labrador-tea extract in a formula that was created specifically to pamper the delicate skin around the eyes.

“This product has a light scent and isn’t sticky. Plus, my face is glowy and feels beautifully hydrated in the morning.”

FACE MIST

– Janet Shaw, Dunsford, Ont.

Under $50

Over $25

CLARINS HYDRA-ESSENTIEL HYDRATING MULTI-PROTECTION MIST ($35) Your skin could likely use some extra hydration right about now, and this plant-ingredientenriched mist is the quickest way to get it. It will help plump and smooth your skin as well as protect it from daily aggressors.

SATURDAY SKIN YUZU VITAMIN C SLEEP MASK ($37) Nothing is more satisfying than topping off your nighttime skincare routine with a sleeping mask. This yuzu-, niacinamide- and retinolinfused jelly one was our jurors’ fave.

“This mist really helps set my makeup and

– Sid Willis, Lethbridge, Alta.

“After only one week of use, this cream has reduced most of the fine lines and wrinkles under my eyes and lightened my dark circles.” – Jodi Kaplan, Shawnigan Lake, B.C.

Over $80

FILORGA NCEF-REVERSE EYES MULTI-CORRECTION EYE CREAM ($89) This impressively complete formula, enriched with hyaluronic acid, collagen, vitamin C, escin and caffeine, helps revitalize skin and tackles signs of aging from all sides.

“The texture of this light, silky mask is lovely, and its scent is heavenly. I woke up to my skin feeling hydrated and smooth.”

keeps my face matte with a subtle glow all day long.” – Sharon Best, Scarborough, Ont.

“This eye cream glides on easily and absorbs quickly. It has noticeably

Over $50

brightened my under-eye area.” – Marlene Johnston, Toronto

YON-KA LOTION YON-KA INVIGORATING MIST ($52) Mists are a must for hydrating, toning and soothing skin—and they’re a refreshing pick-me-up you can use throughout the day. This one also boasts the benefits of aromatherapy. “This mist is fine, and the application is easy and even. It makes my skin feel refreshed and gives it a natural glow.” – Liz Bandeira, Caledon, Ont.

ELLECANADA.COM

Bodysuit (Rui)

PHOTOGRAPHY,

Body

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

BODY LOTION Under $20

LUSH SLEEPY BODY LOTION ($12) Kick-start your evening self-care routine with this dreamy lightpurple lotion, which moisturizes and soothes your skin while its calming lavender and tonka scent helps you relax. “It has a great consistency, absorbs quickly and

HAND CREAM Under $20

BIODERMA ATODERM HAND & NAIL CREAM ($10) Hand cream is a must (especially after 18 months of frantic handwashing!), but the key is finding a formula that moisturizes effectively and absorbs quickly. Mission accomplished! “I like that its texture is thick and creamy. It makes my hands feel very soft and hydrated, and its scent is light and enjoyable.” – Kellie Walsh, Calgary

Over $20

CHANEL LA CRÈME MAIN TEXTURE RICHE ($70) Your hands will drink up this comforting, delicately fragranced hand cream, which combines May-rose wax, iris-pallida extract and shea butter in an exquisitely designed oval vessel. So luxe. “I love everything about this cream, from the shape of its container to the way it squeezes out. It keeps my hands soft, and its scent is wonderful.” – Pearl Saban, Thornhill, Ont.

leaves my skin soft and smooth. Plus, it smells amazing!” – Tammy Schwandt, Edmonton

From $20 to $50

CLARINS MOISTURE-RICH BODY LOTION ($49) Waiting for body lotion to sink in before you get dressed can be a pain—but not with this rich, moisturizing shea-butter-infused formula from Clarins. It just melts right in. “The cream is very hydrating, and its effects really do last 24 hours. It makes my skin much softer and suppler.” – Louise Lebrun, Montreal

Over $50

LABORATOIRE DR RENAUD BIONUTRITION INTENSE HYDRATION BODY MILK ($60) Nourishing, soothing and lightweight, this body milk—with urea, emollients and niacinamide to hydrate and boost cell regeneration—ticks all the boxes! “It goes on smoothly and absorbs easily. My skin was soft and smooth and still felt moisturized in the evening.” – Judy Elliott, Simcoe, Ont. ELLECANADA.COM

BODY WASH Under $25

OLAY CLEANSING & FIRMING BODY WASH WITH COLLAGEN AND VITAMIN B3 COMPLEX ($10) There’s nothing like a luxurious lather to turn your morning shower into a delightful selfcare session—and that’s exactly what this firming collagen- and vitamin-B3-infused body wash will do. “It has a nice mousselike texture. It rinses off easily and leaves my skin feeling satiny soft.” – Chantal Rousseau, Quebec City

Over $25

MALIN+GOETZ RUM HAND & BODY WASH ($30) Hydrating amino acids and glycerine help this hand and body wash keep your skin smooth. We can’t decide which is more addictive: its sweet and spicy scent or its frothy foam. “It leaves my skin feeling quite hydrated—almost as though I’ve put moisturizer on.” – Maria Wilgosz-McCarron, Courtice, Ont.

DEODORANT & ANTIPERSPIRANT

SELF-TANNER

SECRET ANTIPERSPIRANT DEODORANT WITH ESSENTIAL OILS LAVENDER + EUCALYPTUS ($8) When did deodorant get so refined? With pure essential oils that have been carefully selected to create a calming lavender and eucalyptus scent, this antiperspirant helps you smell good and stay dry. “It goes on

THAT’S SO GLAM BODY DARK INSTANT TANNING MOUSSE ($50) The secret to getting a bronzed glow without damaging your skin? This instant tanning mousse, which provides an even colour and a good dose of moisture. A must-have all year round!

smoothly, I never notice any sweat

It’s also extremely easy to apply and

and I never have to reapply!”

dries in no time.”

– Eileen Gignac, Britt, Ont.

– Eela Pondini, St. John’s

ELLECANADA.COM

“The product comes out as a luscious foam and smells like the beach—beautiful!

Men

BEAUTY GRAND PRIX

Tank top (Rick Owens)

For details, see Shopping Guide. Models, Milly Keurna (Dulcedo Models), Simon Bissonnette (Montage Models) and Emma Auger (Public Image); makeup artist, Sabrina Rinaldi (The Project/ Byredo); hairstylist, David D’amours (Folio Montreal/ Kérastase); editorial producer, Estelle Gervais; set coordinator, Laura Malisan

FACE WASH CLARINSMEN EXFOLIATING CLEANSER ($36) What we want: soft, clean skin. How we get it: with this creamy face wash, which doubles as an exfoliator thanks to lava powder and salicylic-acid microbeads. Bye, dull skin—see you never. “This product does a wonderful job and isn’t too harsh on my skin.” – Tyler Noseworthy, Gander, N.L.

FACE CREAM AFTERSHAVE

CW BEGGS AND SONS ANTI-WRINKLE DEFENSE MOISTURIZER ($38) Your best ally against loss of hydration and daily stressors is this anti-wrinkle moisturizer. It’s infused with Canadianred-maple and Kakadu-plum extracts, which help keep your skin healthy and radiant. “Good, fast

CLARINSMEN AFTER SHAVE SOOTHER ($34) This soothing alcohol-free balm is exactly what your face needs after shaving. Purslane, centella and blue alpine thistle help calm your skin and reduce redness and irritation. “It absorbs easily and quickly

and refreshing: This product hydrates my

and leaves my skin feeling soft for hours.

skin without leaving an oily residue.”

It also gives a fresh sensation.”

– Bobby Lee, Toronto

– Anik De Carufel, Sorel-Tracy, Que.

ELLECANADA.COM

CONTEST

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No purchase necessary. The contest takes place in Canada starting October 14, 2021, and ending November 14, 2021. The contest is open to any resident of Canada having reached the age of majority in their province of residence. Approximate value of $3,200 per case. Visit ellecanada.com/contests for complete rules and eligibility requirements.

PHOTOGRAPHY, FERNANDO GOMEZ / TRUNK ARCHIVE

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Featuring all 72 winning products from the 2021 Beauty Grand Prix To enter, visit ellecanada.com/contests

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PHOTOGRAPHY, GETTY IMAGES

BEAUTY

Class Act Acclaimed actor Dame Helen Mirren opens up about being a L’Oréal Paris ambassador at 76, the importance of both big and small victories for women and why the word “beauty” should be replaced with “swagger.” By THÉO DUPUIS-CARBONNEAU

“

T LOOKS LIKE we’ve got the same headband! I’m so into

them!” exclaims Helen Mirren as soon as we connect for our Zoom call and she sees me appear on her screen. She may be a Dame, one of the world’s greatest actors and the only person to have achieved the famous Triple Crown of Acting in both the U.S. (Academy, Emmy and Tony awards) and the U.K. (BAFTA Film, BAFTA Television and Laurence Olivier awards), but I can tell right away that Mirren is profoundly relatable and down-to-earth. She’s quick to recommend that I check out Headbands for Hope, a company that donates a headband to a child with an illness for every item sold. This desire to make a difference is evident throughout our conversation, along with her enthusiasm about having been an ambassador for L’Oréal Paris for the past seven years. “When I was in my 20s, there was no way a woman of my age [now] would be a spokesperson for a beauty-product company,” she says. “When I came on board, I thought, ‘I don’t know if I’m good enough, if I’m beautiful enough—I’m certainly much too old.’ [But] in fact, the L’Oréal family was so welcoming and so unpressurized in that direction; [they] wanted me because of who I am, and that’s all.” Mirren feels that this openness to a wider perspective on beauty mirrors the profound transformations that are taking place in our society. “Life doesn’t come in pivotal switches,” she says. “Mostly, it’s incremental. It happens in such tiny incremental changes that you are not aware of them at the time. You suddenly look back and go ‘Oh, my God! I’m a completely different person than I was 30 years ago.’ Also, society and culture change incrementally. We’ve got further to go, and other things will come, but it’s been a great journey for me. It’s why I want to live for a long time: I want to see what’s coming—I don’t want to miss out!”

She also underlines the importance of gender representation for the next generation of young women looking for role models. “Every time I watch the news and [an expert] comes on and it’s a woman or those [COVID] doctors and scientists are women—that would never have been the case 30 years ago,” she says. “The more that’s the case [now], the more 10-year-old girls are out there thinking ‘Oh, I can be that!’” While Mirren is an undeniably beautiful person both inside and out, she isn’t the biggest fan of the word “beauty.” “I love getting dressed up and putting on makeup and high heels, but I think the beauty industry should be called the ‘swagger industry,’” she says. “I’m looking for a new word that doesn’t have to do with beauty. Because we are not all beautiful, but we can all swagger!” Mirren feels most beautiful when she’s at home. “I’m living in a place that has a lot of nature around it,” she says. “There’s something very settling about being just who you are and in nature—with no makeup on, actually—as a part of the beautiful planet that we’ve inherited. I just hope we are not going to destroy it.”

IN HELEN MIRREN’S BEAUTY KIT

“It’s always so diﬃcult to ﬁnd a great foundation, as the foundation is what everything else sits on. This one is a new discovery of mine, and it’s amazing.” L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Serum Foundation ($20, lorealparis.ca)

“No bullshit—I always have one in my purse because you can just put it on without looking in the mirror. It’s like a very coloured balm. It’s fabulous.” L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Hydrating Core Lipstick ($14, lorealparis.ca)

ELLECANADA.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY, STOCKSY

DESPITE REQUIRING HARMFUL INGREDIENTS, SKIN BLEACHING IS AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON—AND A BILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY—WITH DEEP ROOTS IN FILIPINO CULTURE.

BEAUTY

THE DARK SIDE OF

SKIN LIGHTENING By PIA ARANETA

ANELLE TORREDA, a Filipina living in Mitchell, Ont.,

is the oldest and darkest (something she was always conscious of) of three sisters. When she was 17 years old, Torreda began subscribing to a common skincare regimen that many morena (brown-skinned Filipinas) adhere to, purchasing soaps, lotions and pills all promising lighter skin. “In the environment I grew up in, being white was being beautiful,” she says. Once Torreda was able to earn and save her own money, she also started getting bimonthly skin-bleaching treatments of glutathione IV drips, for which she paid $125 to $250 a session. “It was really expensive, but it didn’t matter because of the pressure that I felt during that time,” she says. Still, she remembers the rosy glow she eventually acquired and the compliments she’d receive from her lola, or grandma. “I felt super conﬁdent,” says Torreda. Skin-lightening products and treatments aren’t just popular among Filipino people, though. The World Health Organization reports that nearly 40 percent of women in China, Malaysia and Korea use skin lighteners, as do 60 percent in India and a significant number in some South American countries, particularly Brazil, and Nigeria and Togo. Skin lightening is an international phenomenon, yet the practice is relatively unknown in Western countries. And though the global industry is booming, projected to reach over $30 billion by 2027, experts have warned users about harmful ingredients that are often found in skin-lightening products. While the beauty industry has made some progress in embracing the diversity of skin tones in the past ﬁve years, colourism—discrimination that exists within the same racial or ethnic group—and deeply rooted beauty standards related

to race make skin-lightening just as normalized in some parts of the world as tanning is in the West. The idealization of whiter skin in the Philippines stems from more than 300 years of colonization by Spanish, American and Japanese forces. The presence of the Chinese merchant class during the colonial period, which spanned the 16th to 20th centuries, also led to more mestiza (mixed Filipinos) and fetishized whiter attributes. The Philippines declared independence in 1946, but colonial beauty standards managed to stick around. “Colourism isn’t just about skin colour; it’s about a power dynamic,” says Joanne Rondilla, an assistant professor of Asian American studies at San Jose State University and the author of Is Lighter Better? Skin-Tone Discrimination Among Asian Americans. “I cannot think of any Filipino who was not raised with the words ‘Don’t stay out in the sun or you’re going to get too dark,’” she adds. For Kayla Rivera, a Filipina singer and actor who was born in Calgary, opting to embrace her natural skin tone—in spite of the fact that her managers told her she would get more opportunities if she lightened her skin—felt right to her. “I think whatever you do, do it for yourself and do what will make you feel beautiful and conﬁdent,” she says. “You should never feel pressured by other people.” At Belo Medical Group, a long-established aesthetics clinic in the Philippines that has locations throughout the country and specializes in skin-lightening services (and that was recently called out for its insensitive advertising about the effects of the pandemic on people’s physical appearance), treatment begins at the client’s car. Staff meet the customer with an umbrella, shielding them from the sun, and walk them into the luxurious clinic, where they are greeted by the scents of citrus and lavender. ELLECANADA.COM

BEAUTY

Li says that there is currently no safe way to lighten skin. “I “One of my visions was to make the Philippines the most always encourage my patients to embrace and celebrate their beautiful country in the world,” says Vicki Belo, a highown skin tones,” she says. “The end goal, really, for all of us, ly-sought-after cosmetic dermatologist and the founder of Belo should be healthy skin.” She adds that with the growing variety Medical Group. She adds that people come to her to “feel of shades of moisturizers and makeup, future generations may happier by looking better.” Many of her clients travel from become more comfortable in their own skin. other countries like Singapore and India to spend the day at Since the Black Lives Matter protests, which forced the her clinic and have cosmetic procedures—like a 360-degree world to recognize systemic issues of racism and colourism, liposuction or an eye lift and eye-bag removal—or “the people have been calling out beauty companies to address the Cinderella Drip,” her popular skin-lightening IV treatment controversial sale of skin-lightening products. Last summer, containing glutathione and ascorbic acid. Glutathione is an Johnson & Johnson announced it would discontinue some of its antioxidant that’s naturally produced in the liver and inhibits Clean & Clear products that were sold in Asia and promoted to the production of melanin, the substance responsible for reduce dark spots and whiten skin. Unilever also came under skin pigmentation. In the Philippines, a glutathione IV is a fire for its Fair & Lovely line in India. One commercial for the normalized treatment in medi-spas and endorsed by plenty line’s whitening cream features a woman in low spirits saying of Filipino celebrities. “People abroad can’t understand it,” her face resembles “the new moon.” says Belo, adding that many people After applying the product, she in the West want tanned skin and becomes confident and successful. don’t receive judgment for it. “It’s The line has since been renamed more dangerous because you go out “I THINK THAT WHEN WE’RE Glow & Lovely. Similarly, L’Oréal in the sun and risk getting cancer.” BATTLING SOMETHING removed the words “white,” “light” T he Food a nd Dr ug and “fairness” from its Garnier Administration (FDA) in the AS BIG AS THE MARRIAGE skin-whitening products. Philippines has issued several BETWEEN COLONIALISM AND Taking matters into their warnings on the use of injectable CAPITALISM...IT’S GOING TO ow n ha nd s, some Fi l ipi nos glutathione as a skin-whitening TAKE A LONG TIME FOR US have been building movements agent, highlighting its harmful TO SEE SUBSTANTIVE MOVES of their own, calling out the coleffects on the liver, kidneys and AWAY FROM THIS ‘LIGHTER ourism within their culture. Juro nervous system. Still, it makes its IS BETTER’ MANTRA.” Ongkiko, a freelance photographer way into the country and its clinics (@jurongkiko on Instagram), and can be purchased online; you started the Moreno Morena project can even find some YouTubers (@morenomorena.ph on Instagram), uploading videos of how to make featuring untouched photos of Filipinos with darker skin tones. DIY glutathione injectables. Asia Jackson, a Black-Filipino actor (@aasian on Instagram), Other skin-lightening ingredients like hydroquinone and started #magandangmorenx, which means “beautiful brown corticosteroids can also be harmful if overused, causing severe damage to the skin. But of all the skin-lightening ingredients skin.” The hashtag is a movement that challenges the idealized that are administered, mercury is by far the most dangerous. relationship between lightness and beauty. “Tan and brown“It is poisonous,” says Monica Li, a cosmetic and medical skinned Filipinos are made to feel insecure, ashamed and dermatologist based in Vancouver. Products containing embarrassed of the natural colour of their skin despite being mercury can lead to kidney damage, peripheral neuropathy Indigenous to a cluster of tropical islands in the southeast Pacific, (a nerve disorder), scarring and depression. The FDA has where the geography and climate make brown skin the norm,” banned over 135 skin-whitening products in the Philippines Jackson writes on her website, asiajackson.com. due to alarming levels of mercury; some of the products Whether or not the global reckoning on race and colourism contain 31,000 times the legal limit, according to EcoWaste will have an impact on the skin-lightening industry remains Coalition, an advocacy group that has been testing products to be seen, says Rondilla. “I think that when we’re battling on the market. Unfortunately, because the ones that contain something as big as the marriage between colonialism and mercury are the cheapest, they’re still commonly found in capitalism...it’s going to take a long time for us to see substantive marketplaces in Asia or sold illegally in Canada and the U.S. moves away from this ‘lighter is better’ mantra.” 76

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ELLE PROMOTION

FORGET EXTENSIONS:

THIS LASH SERUM DOES ALL THE WORK FOR YOU Lashforever Canada’s eﬀective formula is backed by can’t-miss results.

PHOTOGRAPY, LASHFOREVER CANADA

hen it comes to getting wide-eyed, high-drama lashes, we’ll go to great lengths: We’ll buy pricey volumizing mascaras and brow gels, endure lengthy lash-extensions appointments and learn the latest makeup trends to make our eyes look bigger and brighter. But let’s be real—it’s all a lot of work for short-term payoff. And, as with all things beauty, dedicated treatment is always more effective than fleeting fixes. Enter Lashforever Canada’s Revive7 line: a clinically tested, all-natural collection of potent serums designed to revitalize your lashes and brows. The Canadian brand’s proven formulas begin with a cocktail of 7 ingredients—including essential peptides, vitamins and botanicals—that work together to replenish and restore. Plus, there’s real scientific validation to back it up: Revive7 comes recommended by dermatologists and is registered with Health Canada. Lacklustre lashes come back to life with Revive7 Lash Serum, Lashforever Canada’s hero product, which it launched almost 10 years ago. Enhanced with optimized protein complexes (think of them as the building blocks of our bodies), this gentleon-the-eyes treatment targets thin, brittle lashes, repairing damage that’s a side effect of extensions, aging and hormonal changes. The result is a laundry list of lash superlatives: longer, fuller, healthier and strong enough to withstand daily weathering. The beauty brand’s Revive7 Mascara is also infused with the exclusive formula, making for a double-duty product that nourishes while it wows. And if you’re struggling with sparse brows, there’s the Revive7 Brow Serum, which is amped up with a formula that’s similar to but stronger than the Lash Serum and with a wider applicator to reach every last hair.

By now, you’re probably wondering just how long this lightweight, long-lasting serum takes to work its magic: only seven to 14 days for deep conditioning to really set in (hello, stronger, softer hairs) and 21 to 31 days for full, noticeable results. The before-and-afters are next-level impressive: short, thin, fragile lashes turned into a patently voluminous set, while slight, spare brows—even ones reminiscent of the pencil-thin ’90s trend—are made full, lush and feathery. It’s an eye-catching deﬁned look you have to see to believe. For more information, visit Revive7Science.com.

BEAUTY

Passionate PURSUITS SHAY MITCHELL has built a successful career on her own terms—and she’s determined to keep it that way. By MISHAL CAZMI

ELLECANADA.COM

Cacharel Yes I Am Glorious Eau de Parfum Spray ($85 for 50 mL, shoppersdrugmart.ca)

While she is hyper-visible, Mitchell does prioritize her privacy. “If I have to question anything [that I’m about to post], then I’m not putting it up,” she says. “And whatever I do put up is fair game to ask me about.” The same goes for keeping away from online negativity—Mitchell will always read feedback from fans and customers but disengages when it comes to trolls. Motherhood dictates how she chooses to spend her time these days. Atlas just turned two, and Mitchell is grateful to have spent the past year at home making memories with her instead of constantly being on the go. “Being able to see her change every single day truly was the best gift I could have had as a new mom,” she says. The pandemic has also reaffirmed how Mitchell wants to live her life: connected to the things that really matter. Right now, that’s Atlas, family and friends, and she’s making up for lost time with moments in person instead of chats via Zoom and FaceTime. “The next time I see my parents or family in real life, it will be just that—without a phone.”

PHOTOGRAPHY, GREG SWALES

ANADIAN TALENT SHAY MITCHELL , who has conquered television, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok—commanding each medium with equal finesse—always seems to be plugged in. A thriving presence on multiple platforms means the former Pretty Little Liars and You star is constantly sharing her professional and personal lives, whether it’s her acting career, her lifestyle brands, her travel adventures (which inspired her YouTube series, Shaycations) or her life with partner Matte Babel and daughter Atlas. But the secret to her social-media success has less to do with being an “online persona” and more to do with knowing when to disconnect. “I really have fun with [social media], and that is the key word,” says the 34-year-old via Zoom from her home in Los Angeles. “Once it stops being fun, then I turn it off. I don’t feel pressure to continue to shoot. I can go months or years without shooting anything, and I’m okay with that because I have a really healthy relationship with social media.” That keen self-awareness and selectiveness also extends to how Mitchell approaches her entrepreneurial pursuits and creative collaborations. Her own two ventures—luggage and accessories brand Béis and a ready-to-drink sparkling tequila line, Onda, launched this past summer—were passions first and foremost. “Travel and tequila, you know what I’m saying?” she jokes. “Those [brands] came from doing what I love and [offer] products that I love selfishly and want other people to love as well.” In 2020, Mitchell became the ambassador for Cacharel’s Yes I Am collection of fragrances, and it’s a partnership that’s close to her heart. “I remember seeing a bottle of Cacharel on my mom’s dressing table when I was growing up,” says Mitchell about her personal connection to the storied French brand. “Every day, before she went to work, [putting some on] would be the last thing I’d see her do. It’s a full-circle moment.” Mitchell was also drawn to the collection because it represents multi-faceted modern women like herself who aren’t defined by any one thing. The brand’s fourth fragrance, Yes I Am Glorious, happens to be her favourite. “It has a mix of peach and vanilla with an undertone of sandalwood,” she says. “It’s sultry, but it’s also flirty.” The scent is all about self-affirmation, and Mitchell’s is, fittingly, ”Do what you love.”

HEALTH

HITTING THE

PAVEMENT

There are many strategies that can help you optimize your running practice, but how do you keep the pace when you’re not having fun? By MARIE-PHILIPPE JEAN

A FEW YEARS AGO, I ran the Toronto half-marathon. It was cold, and I hated it. I’m a trainer who prefers exercise that lets you move your body in all directions. I found the rigidity of the sport boring, and when there’s no fun in something, I quickly tire of it and give up. But eventually, I was able to find pleasure in running thanks to joining the team at Happy Fitness, a Quebec-based running collective that celebrates getting outside and moving, and reading Haruki Murakami’s book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. What I learned is that the secret to consistency lies in finding joy in your practice. Here are five ways to (re)discover your stride. SLOW DOWN Beginners tend to have only one speed, and it’s usually too fast. Running puts stress on the body by forcing it to make a multitude of physiological adaptations. If you run slowly when you’re starting out, you give your body time to adapt to each and every movement, making the physical transition easier.

CHERISH SOLITUDE In his book, Murakami says that he runs for miles in order to spend time with himself without owing anything to anyone. In doing so, he becomes an observer of his own thoughts, clearing his mind so he can recharge. When I run, I try to do the same thing.

PHOTOGRAPHY, LULULEMON (MAIN IMAGE)

LACE UP ON THE REG When you enter the world of running, you immediately hear talk about distance and speed, but what you should focus on first is consistency, even if it seems less important. Putting on your running shoes three times a week and getting out for a run, even if it’s just for five minutes, helps build a new habit that can be integrated into your normal routine. And stick to the basics: Do it without a watch or any digital data, using only your instincts to guide you. FIND YOUR INTRINSIC MOTIVATION When an action brings you joy, you tend to repeat it. Associating running with the pleasure of spending time outside, looking at the scenery and taking in nature rather than focusing on the potential aesthetic results is a way to anchor yourself in the present moment. KEEP IT SIMPLE The beautiful thing about running is that it’s inexpensive. Unless they’re full of holes, a pair of runners from the back of your closet are good enough to get you started. And if you decide to really get into it, take a trip to a specialized store like the Running Room (runningroom.com) to find the right shoes.

4. 2.

ELLE LOVES 1. Therabody Wave Duo ($129, therabody.com). 2. AirSupport High Support Bra, Lululemon ($98, shop.lululemon.com). 3. Ride 14 runners, Saucony ($165, saucony.com). 4. Teaology Purity Shower Body Wipes ($18.50 for a pack of 10, teaologyskincare.ca). 5. Taurah Cooling Mist ($25, shoptaurah.com)

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fashion

NOVEMBER

PHOTOGRAPHY, ALIQUE; NECKLACE (GUCCI)

Channel your inner rebel.

C A L L I N G T H E S H OTS

WITH HER SOPHOMORE ALBUM DEBUTING AT NUMBER ONE AROUND THE GLOBE, BILLIE EILISH OPENS UP ABOUT MAKING MUSIC, DIRECTING HER OWN VIDEOS AND WHY SHE DOESN’T GIVE A $%#! WHAT ANYONE HAS TO SAY ABOUT HER HAIR, CLOTHES OR SEXUALITY. By MOLLY LAMBERT Photographer ALIQUE (FOR ELLE U.S.) Stylist PATTI WILSON

Coat (Erdem)

Coat (Balenciaga) and rings (Gemma N. A. Hunt, Martine Ali and Rare-Romance)

O n a warm July evening in the backyard of a private Beverly Hills mansion secured by Spotify, a crowd of A-list stars including Olivia Rodrigo, Ben Platt, Willow and Jaden Smith, Amanda Kloots and Khalid is counting down the minutes until the official release of Billie Eilish’s sophomore album, Happier Than Ever. Eilish is both excited and nervous about the world ﬁnally listening to her new album—she likens the experience to letting other people taste her “favourite cookie” that she’s been baking in secrecy for the past year. Wearing vintage Prada sunglasses, a copper Miaou corset with a sheer black long-sleeved Maison Margiela shirt and vegan TLZ L’Femme strappy black vinyl pants, she addresses the crowd from the top of a staircase overlooking an illuminated cerulean pool. “This is fucking nuts!” she says with a throaty cackle. “I am so happy to see people in person and get hugs and see smiles…and my album comes out in two minutes!” As she shakes her microphone triumphantly in the air, the crowd bursts into wild cheers. “I just love this album,” she says, leaning over the wroughtiron balcony. “It’s my favourite thing I’ve ever created.” After thanking her brother and collaborator, Finneas, she throws her head back and lets out a gleeful whoop. “I’m just so stoked!” she says. At exactly 9 p.m., the album bursts through the sound system. Fifteen minutes into the listening session, the title track begins to play. And as the lush, melancholy ballad explodes into a cathartic blast of hard rock, Eilish executes a perfect rock-star move—she jumps into the pool fully clothed. Without missing a beat, her two best friends, Zoe and Drew, jump in with her, and they all start singing the lyrics together at the top of their lungs. “Oh, my God—it was amazing!” says Eilish, reﬂecting back on that wildly spontaneous moment one week after the party. “It was completely unplanned. I was standing on the edge of the pool singing, and my friend Carly was like, ‘Billie, get in the pool!’ And I don’t know, I was just feeling in the moment, so I got in, [and I was] wearing four-inch-high platform boots!” From the side of the pool, Finneas watched the joyful spectacle with bemused appreciation. “I was like, ‘Oh, there she goes!’” he says, noting that it was classic Billie behaviour.

“One of the many great qualities she possesses is her appetite for fun.” Eilish stayed in the pool for most of the party. Almost all of her friends eventually got in with her. “I kept pulling them in,” she says with a laugh. The Gatsby-esque soiree was meant to be an immersive experience of her album, and the impromptu aquatic rave allowed Eilish to direct the experience—both for herself and others. “I love big parties, but they can be a little overwhelming because everyone wants to talk to you,” she says. “In the pool, I could call my own shots. I would swim up to somebody, talk to them and then swim away and talk to somebody else.” These days, Eilish is calling the shots more than ever before. After famously shooting to the top of the music charts at just 13 when “Ocean Eyes,” the single she created in her L.A. bedroom with Finneas, went viral on SoundCloud, the seven-time Grammy winner is upping the ante for her highly anticipated second studio album. In addition to writing her own songs (some with the help of Finneas), she directed all the videos. “I am a very visual person, and music videos have always been my favourite form of artistry, ever since I was a kid,” she says. “Since the beginning, almost all of my videos were my own ideas. I just didn’t know that I could direct them. It’s hard to translate an idea that you have in your own head—to make somebody else understand it—and then make it come to life. Sometimes you’ve just got to do it yourself, even if it’s hard.” For the title song’s video, Eilish was filmed in a dreamlike sequence escaping from a flooding house. “Water used to be my biggest fear—I was terrified of drowning and having my head stuck underwater,” she says. “But I’m a daredevil. I want to do everything that scares me.” To conquer her phobia, the pop star jumped right in, literally and figuratively. The video’s water stunts were shot in a giant outdoor tank that was also used in the obstacle-course game show Wipeout. With the aid of clever sets and a weighted scuba instructor who pulled her underwater, Eilish swam through the flooded house, holding her breath through multiple takes, and surfaced on a constructed rooftop. “Half of the video was shot underwater,” says Eilish. “So I pretty much overcame my fear of water. It was fucking crazy, dude.” Water isn’t the only fear Eilish has confronted head-on recently. For several years now, she hasn’t even felt safe leaving her own home. After her address was leaked online, stalkers and paparazzi started showing up in her yard. And as her fame has grown, she has endured relentless scrutiny on the internet for everything from the way she dresses to whom she dates. “Or my sexuality!” she says. “Like, oh, yeah, that’s everyone else’s business, right? No. Where’s that energy with men?” Like many stars who are thrust into the spotlight at a young age, she was initially blindsided by the relentless drumbeat of criticism. “I just wanted to make a song once, and then I kept making songs. I never said, ‘Hey, pay attention to my life.’ All my friends know I don’t wanna see any of [the negative chatter]. When people send me something mean, it hurts my soul.” Even the simple act of getting dressed has posed challenges for Eilish, who spent the early years of her career honing a silhouette specifically designed to deflect attention from her body. Many of her fans were deeply attached to her signature oversized-streetwear, skater-goth aesthetic, which some saw as a refusal to be sexualized. So when she started experimenting

ELLECANADA.COM

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l o s t

P e o p l e

Shirt (Peter Do), rings (German Kabirski) and gloves (stylist’s own)

1 0 0 , 0 0 0 a r e

f o l l o w e r s .

s c a r e d

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b i g

b o o b s . ”

Coat (Erdem), rings worn as ear cuffs (Chrishabana) and fingertip rings (Sterling King)

with new looks, occasionally stepping out in more form-ﬁtting clothes, the reaction from certain fans was swift—and vicious. Beneath an Instagram shot of her wearing a Miaou tomatoprint corset with a lace bra peeking out, trolls left comments like “disingenuous” and “cringy asf.” One person posted, “The industry really changed you huh smh.” While Eilish understands why some fans might want her to remain suspended—Peter Pan-like—in the exact state in which they ﬁrst encountered her, she struggles to process the vitriol. “People hold on to these memories and have an attach-

ment,” she says. “But it’s very dehumanizing.” The corset post represents a perfect snapshot of the insanity. “I lost 100,000 followers just because of the boobs,” she adds with a rueful laugh. “People are scared of big boobs.” Eilish’s struggles are far from unique; double standards within the music industry go way back. “The problem is, we still live in a very sexist world where women are put into categories,” says Madonna, who knows whereof she speaks. “You’re either in the virgin category or the whore category. Billie started off in a non-sexualized category, not pandering to the masses and ELLECANADA.COM

Coat (Erdem) and fingertip ring worn as an ear cuff (Chrishabana)

not using her sexuality in any way, which was her choice, and God bless her for that—after all, she’s been a teenager all this time. [But] if she wants to turn around and take photographs where she is portrayed as a feminine woman, showing her body in a way that she hasn’t in the past, then why should she be punished for it? Women should be able to portray themselves in any way they want. If Billie were a man, no one would be writing about this. A man can show up dressed in a suit and tie for the ﬁrst three years of his career and then the next month he could be dressed like Prince or Mick Jagger—shirt off, wearing eyeliner—and no one would say a word.” At 19, Eilish is still evolving. “You’re not even supposed to really know who you are until you’re at least my age or older,” she says. She still mixes streetwear with designer clothes, and—as her outfit at the release party attests—she is not going to let a few angry haters dictate how she dresses. For our interview, which takes place in a private suite at L.A.’s swanky The London West Hollywood hotel a few days before the album-release party, Eilish wears baggy ecru basketball shorts and a white hoodie with images of anime bikini girls bleeding green goo over a Prada soccer jersey. Her buttery-blond hair, which she recently debuted online to much fanfare, is cut in a shoulder-length shag that swishes when she talks. Though she isn’t wearing a hint of makeup, her large ice-blue eyes give her an otherworldly quality that calls to mind the hypnotic lyrics “Fifteen ﬂares inside those ocean eyes.”

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Eilish says she dyed her hair blond because she was tired of acid green. “I couldn’t go anywhere with that hair because it was so obviously me,” she says. “I wanted anonymity.” When she ﬁrst went blond, she suddenly felt free—like she was reintroduced to the world. “I went to a park with a friend, and I was like, ‘No, I can’t take off my hood!’ I was terriﬁed of the paparazzi and these stalkers I’ve had. But my friend was like, ‘Don’t worry: You’re okay. Nothing’s gonna happen.’ And I took my hood off, and I felt like a new person.” Like anyone who colours their hair, Eilish also just wanted a change. “I had no goal of ‘This is going to make everybody think differently of me,’” she says. “I’ve had different-coloured hair and [different] vibes for everything I’ve ever done. I wanted this album to have its own thing.” Still, many fans resisted the new look, and they made their opinions known. “The other day, I posted a video from when I had green hair, and I saw people go, ‘I miss this Billie, the green-haired Billie,’” says Eilish, who is sprawled out on a giant L-shaped couch, her feet dangling over the edge. Her bodyguard hovers by the door. “I’m still the same person. I’m not just different Barbies with different heads.” Eilish doesn’t want fans to overthink her hair choices or her decision to wear more-revealing clothing. In fact, ditching the uniform of cavernous sweatsuits was less of a strategic move than a practical one for Eilish, who loathes the summer heat in L.A. so much that it gives her a kind of reverse seasonal

Jacket, dress, pants, hooded turtleneck and bucket hat (Marc Jacobs)

Sweater and necklace (Gucci), gloves (Cornelia James) and ring (German Kabirski)

affective disorder. “The other day, I decided to wear a tank top,” she says. “It wasn’t even a provocative shirt. But I know people are going to say ‘Holy fuck, she’s dressing sexy and trying to make a statement.’ And I’m like, ‘No, I’m not. It’s 500 degrees, and I just want to wear a tank top.’” She feels burned out on social media. “I’m jealous of people who don’t have it,” she says. “I really wish there was a way to avoid it—literally delete my account but still have contact with the fans. I want to be able to have both, but you can’t.” She misses live performing, which is her favourite way to maintain a connection with fans. For Eilish, whose life had been “going, going, going,” the pandemic offered a chance to pause and reflect on how her life has changed with success. And while Happier Than Ever is not a “COVID album” per se, it was produced during lockdown, and one can’t help but imagine that the fear and isolation of this time brought some intensity to the creative process. “The album came from a lot of self-reflection,” she says, nervously tracing patterns in the velvet couch with her fingers. “Happier Than Ever is really just me processing trauma.” Success may have made Eilish a critical darling, but it couldn’t protect her from the challenges facing many young women today: toxic boyfriends, a complicated relationship with one’s own body, the fear of doing or saying the wrong thing online. Moody and raw, the lyrics on Happier Than Ever explore the challenges she has endured over the past few years with unflinching honesty. Throughout the album, Eilish grapples with dark subjects like how the human need to be desired is twisted back on young women and turned against them, how victims are blamed for their own assaults and how girls are pushed into certain moulds and punished when they don’t fit into them. “Making this album was cathartic and freeing,” she told the crowd of friends and music-industry insiders at her album-release party. On Happier Than Ever, Eilish’s signature breathy vocals are still there, but she leans into the power of her singing voice more and more. She cites jazz vocalists like Julie London, Johnny Mathis and Peggy Lee as her heroes and lights up when asked about “Billie Bossa Nova,” her take on the Brazilian bossa nova genre. “‘The Girl From Ipanema’ is one of my all-time favourite songs,” she says excitedly. To fans and critics alike, her sophomore album marks a triumphant and logical progression from the first, the music of an extraordinarily talented singer-songwriter who refuses to rest on her laurels and isn’t afraid to explore the darkest corners of the female experience. She chose to make an artistic album—the album she wanted to make—instead of pandering to the latest trends and charts and other people’s expectations. “If you are making an album to please other people, you can sometimes lose sight of what would really make you happiest with your music,” says Finneas. “Billie is the opposite of that. Her North Star is just like ‘I love this’ or ‘I don’t love this.’” Her vision paid off. Crushing the pop-music status quo, which typically favours catchy and relatable music, Happier Than Ever debuted at number one in 19 countries, including the U.S. It also nabbed the record for highest vinyl sales upon release over the past 30 years. Eilish says she is happy to see rock ’n’ roll—especially girl rock—coming back. A fan of contemporaries like Willow Smith

Padded poncho and dress (Marni), ring (Lillian Shalom) and boots (Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons) For details, see Shopping Guide. Hair by Benjamin Mohapi at Benjamin salon; Makeup by Robert Rumsey at A-Frame Agency; Manicure by Ashlie Johnson at The Wall Group; Set design by Nicholas Des Jardins at Streeters; Produced by Honor Hellon at Honor Hellon Production

and Olivia Rodrigo, she resists the popular notion that female musicians—and women in general—should be pitted against one another. In fact, some have tried to manufacture a rivalry between Eilish and Rodrigo. (“This is where the real love is” is how Eilish captioned a series of photos, including one in which she is hugging Rodrigo, from her album-release party when she posted them on Instagram.) “It’s sad because girls are trained to be competitive with each other,” she says. “And all the people who have modified their bodies or their faces and then deny it make it worse.” To be clear, she is not against changing your body with plastic surgery or beauty filters; she just believes in disclosure. “I totally understand Facetuning a pimple,” she adds, gesturing to an unfiltered breakout on her own chin. “Just don’t lie about it—‘Oh, yeah, that’s just naturally how it looks.’” While the blockbuster success of her second album hasn’t inured Eilish to the threat of stalkers or the sting of online trolls, she is learning to navigate the more jagged edges of fame with grace and humour. During an Instagram Q&A with fans in August, an online hater interrupted to write, “no more plain boring outfits were so fucking tired…what happened to you.” Instead of allowing the negative comment to “hurt her soul,” she clapped back with a hilarious image of herself dressed in a massively oversized blue outfit. “What, you want this again?” she joked. And the internet laughed—with her, not at her.

PRETTY

Sweater and skirt (Molly Goddard) and boots (Simone Rocha) Opposite page: Dress and shirt (Christian Dior)

PUNK

Unleash your inner rebel and raise eyebrows for the right reasons, mixing military-style boots and leather jackets with preppy pieces.

Photographer MEINKE KLEIN Stylist AURELIA DONALDSON

Sweater and shirt (Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini), boots (Simone Rocha), pin worn as a necklace (Underground England) and socks (Falke) Opposite page: Jacket, shirt and skirt (Simone Rocha)

Sweater (Gucci), skirt and pin (Le Kilt), petticoat and boots (Simone Rocha) and socks (Falke)

Cardigan (Paul Smith), skirt (Le Kilt), boots (Miu Miu), tie (Moschino), pin (Underground England) and socks (Falke) Opposite page: Top and skirt (Valentino), boots (Simone Rocha) and socks (Falke)

Coat (Versace) and boots (Underground England) Opposite page: Top and skirt (Celine by Hedi Slimane) and boots (Simone Rocha) For details, see Shopping Guide. Model, Gaïa Orgeas (Premium Models); hairstylist, Hiroshi Matsushita; makeup artist, Pamela Cochrane (Bridge Artists); manicurist, Michelle Humphrey (LMC Worldwide); fashion editor, Charlotte Deffe; fashion assistant, Julia Harvey

Coat, pants and boots (Fendi), sweater (Alberta Ferretti) and beanie (Lison Bonfils)

PLAY INTO THIS SEASON’S LUXURIOUS ALLURE. Photographer JAN WELTERS Stylist CLAIRE DHELENS

Blazer (Alexandre Vauthier), top (Ralph Lauren), pants (Versace) and loafers (J.M. Weston)

Dress (Louis Vuitton), earrings and necklace (Messika) and gloves and mittens (Hermès)

Dress and boots (Chloé), earring worn as a brooch (Alexandre Vauthier) and bracelet (Tiffany & Co.)

Dress, cuff and boots (Balenciaga)

Blazer (Gucci), shirt (Balmain), clip-on earrings (Tiffany & Co. vintage, at Collector Square) and bow tie (Samson)

Sweater, dress and hat (Miu Miu) and bracelet (Van Cleef & Arpels)

Trench (Alexandre Vauthier), bodysuit (Dolce & Gabbana), sweater (Dior) and loafers (J.M. Weston) For details, see Shopping Guide. Model, Maty Ndiaye (GIRL mgmt); hairstylist, Anne Sofie Begtrup; makeup artist, Ania Grzeszczuk; styling assistant, Federico Toscani

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PHOTOGRAPHY, IMAXTREE (STREET STYLE)

STREET STYLE Celebrating the return of IRL

lifestyle The “Meltingpot” dining table is by Dirk van der Kooij, and the mirror and pendant light are by Boffi.

CONTEMPORARY CANAL HOUSE Renovating a 17th-century house in the heart of Amsterdam is no walk in the park. Two architects took on the challenge and created a bold, eclectic home. By NISSE BENHADDAOUI

Translation by LIZA KARSEMEIJER

Photography by JAMES STOKES

The chairs are by Verner Panton.

DESIGN

HEN GABRIEL OLSZEWSKI AND LUUK MELISSE saw this historical building in the middle of Amsterdam’s Canal Belt—the most-sought-after area of the Dutch capital—it was love at first sight. “We could feel the house’s soul— it just felt right,” says Olszewski. “I love living in dwellings with a profound history.” But how does one modernize a house that’s more than three centuries old without losing its character? The couple decided to put this daring task in the capable hands of architects Gabriela Puig Soleille and Carole Martinod of Modernshapes. “Luuk and I both have creative vision: I work in marketing, and he owns a holistic-fitness studio,” says Olszewski. “We knew exactly what we wanted for our future home but had to reconsider because of renovation restrictions that came with the house’s ‘monument’ status. Gabriela and Carole helped us find our Plan B: They enabled us to turn our boundaries into opportunities.”

ART OBJECT Like many canal houses, this one was packed with small rooms, so one of the biggest challenges was making the property feel bright and spacious. Skilfully turning the building’s limitations to their advantage, the architects created a new layout that made the rooms feel light and airy. The restrictions included a ban on curtains on the bedroom windows, so, inspired by Public Hotel in New York, they designed a contemporary canopy bed with curtain tracks. An awkwardly placed column in the living room became an arched doorway with a built-in refrigerator. “The column was right in the middle of the room, so we played with it until it became an art object,” says Martinod. The peach-hued arches are a real showstopper and flaunt Olszewski’s style. “It’s very mid-century modern. The height difference between the doorways gives them an edgy twist. The colour is intense but not too intense. We’re very glad that we opted for a bold statement.” Above: The vintage “Strips” sofa is by Arflex, and the pendant-light arrangements are by Michael Anastassiades for Flos. Right: The rug is by ELLE Decor, the artworks on the wall are from antique markets in France and the sculpture and vase on the side table are by Jeff Koons and Iittala, respectively.

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The bed was designed by Gabriela Puig Soleille and Carole Martinod.

BUT HOW DOES ONE MODERNIZE A HOUSE THAT’S MORE THAN THREE CENTURIES OLD WITHOUT LOSING ITS CHARACTER?

DESIGN

ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY Although the couple’s interior has a contemporary look, it contains many decades-old elements. The wooden floors and the antique mirrors on the walls are repurposed pieces from Parisian apartments. Both the living room and the kitchen boast a ’70s sofa from Arflex. These vintage pieces create a pleasant contrast with the present-day furniture, such as the minimal copper-tinted kitchen by TM Italia and the melted-plastic dining table by Dutch designer Dirk van der Kooij. “We don’t like doing ordinary or toned-down interiors,” says Puig Soleille. “That sometimes results in communication difficulties with clients, but not with Gabriel and Luuk. They encouraged us to take our ideas even further. This allowed us to push our own limits, which made for a great collaboration.” The new homeowners are more than happy with how it all turned out. “Although the interior is quite stylized, it’s a place where we feel at ease,” says Olszewski. “The house just feels so welcoming—it’s a great place to unwind.”

Top left: The side table was a vintage find. Right: The sink is from an antique shop in Amsterdam.

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The northern lights, as seen from the Northern Lights Resort & Spa in Whitehorse

TRAVEL

Northern

REFLECTIONS Chasing the aurora borealis in the YUKON. By TRUC NGUYEN

PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF NORTHERN LIGHTS RESORT & SPA

ETTING TO THE YUKON FROM EASTERN CANADA is

no easy feat. From Toronto, the journey starts with a five-hour flight to Vancouver, and a connecting flight to Whitehorse adds another two and a half hours. From there, getting to the territory’s historic Klondike region requires a six-hour drive north or a one-hour flight to Dawson City with local airline Air North. But the otherworldly sights at the end of that long journey can make the trip more than worthwhile, as I discovered in early September when I headed north in search of the aurora borealis. The northern lights had been on my travel bucket list for years, and as someone who dreads sub-zero temps, I jumped at the opportunity to see them at the tail end of summer rather than in mid-winter. “The aurora season is basically from the beginning of September to late April,” says Tobias Barth, co-owner of the Northern Lights Resort & Spa in Whitehorse, where I spent two blissful nights during my trip. “It has nothing to do with the time of the year or the temperature—it’s just about the darkness.” The lights are there during the other months, but they aren’t visible due to the brightness of the night sky. Winter is a popular time for viewing the auroras because the colder weather can mean clearer skies and fewer clouds—although they can be visible even on partly cloudy nights. But you can see them even in mid-August if the conditions are right. “It all depends on the solar activity…and the weather,” says Barth. Auroras appear when charged particles from the sun collide with molecules in the earth’s atmosphere, creating flashes of light. During my trip, I found myself constantly checking the skies, local weather forecasts, aurora apps like My Aurora Forecast and Aurora Forecast and even the Aurora Alert Yukon Facebook group. I learned about Kp-index numbers (the higher

the better) and cloud-cover percentages (the lower the better) and that the odds of catching the lights on any given night can change quickly, depending on your location and whether you happen to be looking up at the right time. “The auroras are not something you can schedule—they can appear or not appear,” says Barth. “They can appear for 10 seconds or for hours.” And even though the most common time for aurora viewing is the darker hours after midnight, Barth says that, depending on the time of year, they can be visible anytime between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. On my trip, overcast and rainy evenings led to at least one cancelled late-night aurora tour in Dawson City (operators won’t head out if there’s little chance of seeing the lights) and a few nights where I headed straight to bed without so much as a second glance at the skies, knowing that the odds of the lights being visible were slim to none. Thankfully, conditions and forecasts can change quickly, even over the course of a few hours, so it can pay off to stay optimistic and determined. On the second night of my trip, as I stood in a grassy ﬁeld at the Northern Lights Resort, the clouds cleared just after midnight and the aurora borealis appeared in the sky. Excitement rippled through our small group of ﬁve, which included both locals and hotel guests, as we watched the sky shift and begin to glow. The lights don’t look as bright in person as they do in photos, but it was still a beautiful display and unlike anything I’d ever seen before—especially when, as if by magic, they changed colour from white to bright green with a hint of purple and danced gently across the horizon. The whole thing, from appearance to transformation, lasted less than 15 minutes. But this was one geomagnetic storm that I will never forget. I had chased a dream and caught it—for a moment. ELLECANADA.COM

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TRAVEL Tombstone Territorial Park

SHOP Downtown Whitehorse is where you can find locally made goods and stylish souvenirs. Pick up colourful soaps made with ingredients like fireweed and glacial silt at Anto Yukon, Uncle Berwyn Birch Syrup and other useful gifts at The Collective Good and handmade accessories from Indigenous artists like Marilyn Jensen and Sharon Vittrekwa at Unorthodox. Anto Yukon

SEE & DO Expect a lot of late nights if seeing the northern lights is a priority for you; most aurora tours don’t head out until 10 p.m. or later. But during the day, there are ample opportunities to explore Yukon’s rugged beauty and vast landscapes by car or with small group tours. You’ll want to spend at least one day exploring the scenic Southern Lakes region south of Whitehorse. Epic North Tour Experiences offers a day trip that includes stops at picturesque spots like Miles Canyon, Emerald Lake and Carcross Desert. Or, for a romantic experience à la The Bachelor, book a float plane with Alpine Aviation and fly over the lakes and northern British Columbia’s Llewellyn Glacier in just a few hours, scenic picnic stop included. In Dawson City, The Klondike Experience’s City and Goldfields tour is popular with visitors looking to learn more about the area’s gold-rush history, while Parks Canada’s Strange Things Done in the Midnight Sun walking tour offers a guided peek inside a number of historic buildings. Tombstone Territorial Park is more than worth a visit, whether you go for a day hike or overnight camping trip or splurge on a once-in-a-lifetime sightseeing flight, which includes a landing inside the park, with Trans North Helicopters.

Dawson City

In Whitehorse, be sure to stop by The Kind Café—an airy and modern spot that offers a gluten- and dairy-free and vegan-friendly menu—for a comforting Chaga Chai Latte or a kimchi-garnished Spicy Bap Bowl. After you’re done exploring the shops downtown, grab a birch-syrup cocktail or locally brewed beer at Gather Cafe & Taphouse before heading to dinner at the newly opened Belly of the Bison. Its menu highlights include a herb salad with haskap-berry vinaigrette and a flavourful seafood stew with olives and new potatoes. Over in Dawson City, food enthusiasts should make dinner reservations post-haste at BonTon & Co. A retail shop and café during the day, BonTon becomes an intimate smallplates restaurant in the evening. The menu, which incorporates ingredients and products from local and small-batch producers, changes often, but you’ll want to look for the charcuterie and cheese boards and the hand-chopped beef tartare.

BonTon & Co.

STAY Travellers looking to visit the Yukon will want to spend some time in Whitehorse, known as “the Wilderness City,” before venturing north to Dawson City, a National Historic Site where the Klondike Gold Rush took place. In the territorial capital, the cozy Northern Lights Resort & Spa is an ideal choice for aurora chasers. Located less than 20 minutes from downtown Whitehorse, the 65-hectare property offers a scenic and secluded vantage point for aurora viewing, chalets with north-facing floor-to-ceiling windows so you can watch the night skies from your bed and a guide who will knock on your door upon request should the auroras appear overnight. In Dawson City, the centrally located Dawson Lodge is a modern eco-conscious boutique hotel (the sheets are washed with TruEarth detergent strips, and the rooms are cleaned using plant-based products) that is pet-friendly and offers in-room massage services.

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PHOTOGRAPHY, TRUC NGUYEN (TOMBSTONE TERRITORIAL PARK & DAWSON CITY), ALISTAIR MAITLAND PHOTOGRAPHY (ANTO YUKON) & SEAN WARNICK (BONTON & CO.)

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