Table of contents for May 2026 in ELLE UK

THIS IS OUR MODERN ROMANCE ISSUE, AND I BOARDED THE Eurostar to Paris intending to write this editor’s letter about the evolving ways we love and navigate relationships now. Then the shows unfolded and a different set of events took hold. You see, show season is also shopping season for those of us who travel twice a year to cover the runways. And on a sunny morning in early March, ELLE’s fashion director Avril Mair and I arrived at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, the storied home of the original Chanel boutique, in pursuit of something new, hoping to catch Matthieu Blazy’s debut collection, which had just landed in store. We had been waiting and waiting – patiently, for months – for the handbags, the shoes, the Charvet shirts, the…

OFTEN, I THINK THAT ROMANCE ONLY HAPPENS IN RETROSPECT, that wistful look back at ourselves in another life and time. Maybe I’m just getting older. There’s a picture that sticks in my mind though, of a trip to Florence that my then boyfriend (now husband) had taken me on. It was a point in my life when the practicalities of getting dressed (no child, no dog, spare change for the dry-cleaner) were irrelevant. I’d packed to please. In the snapshot of a time long lost to reality, I’m leaning against a medieval wall in a cream maxi-dress from a Stella McCartney sample sale. The silk fell in thick pleats, a few unpicked, with two slits running up to the middle of my thighs, my arms cocooned in elaborate wide sleeves.…

ON A SUNNY FRIDAY EVENING in a hidden-away corner of west London, an event space at the boutique guesthouse Mason & Fifth was transformed into a colourful explosion of creative craftsmanship. Hand-crocheted wool hats were suspended from the ceiling, while patchwork quilt pieces adorned the floors and walls. The exhibition, curated by London-based Welsh designer Paolo Carzana, was the culmination of a two-week project run by Central Saint Martins for the next generation of fashion creatives. Dubbed ‘The Makers’ Camp’, its goal was to focus on reviving heritage craft practices, facilitating knowledge exchange between the West African fashion industry and that of the UK in a celebration of collaboration and creativity. Many of the most exciting fashion brands coming out of West Africa focus on preserving local culture, leveraging time-honoured…

Chaumet has introduced four new styles to its mesmeric Bee de Chaumet line. Recalling the geometric shape of a hive, the honeycomb motif is realised in mirror-polished yellow and rose gold on diamond-set earrings, bee-pendant necklaces and even a bold ring that graces the entire hand. The collection is endlessly stackable, whether you prefer to pair like with like or play with different metal combinations.…

IT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE MARBLED FOYER OF CLARIDGE’S. While I was waiting for a meeting, a well-heeled woman casually introduced herself as a tarot reader who was fresh from a fashion event in the hotel. Before I could tell her my name, she offered a reading. Truthfully, I’d never really believed in psychics, but I had nothing to lose, so we sat down. She said my cards held ‘words’ and ‘pens’ in my future, and that the hopeful feeling I had in my gut would soon settle. The week before, I had applied for a promotion. And, not long after meeting her, I was made ELLE’s beauty editor. I was sold, and have been returning for readings for many years since. I’m not alone. It seems everyone is…

Wild WEST Hermès’ SS26 show marked a fresh, carefree era of make-up, inspired by bohemianism and earthy tones. Halo eyeshadow shapes took the spotlight, enhanced with Le Trait Eye Pencils in Bronze and Marron Glacé, and offset by lips in high-shine gloss. Opt for a true-to-skin foundation texture for this look, applying a sheer layer with a fluffy brush to create soft, natural coverage across the complexion. Then, blend a wash of creamy bronzer over the hollows of the cheeks and the forehead for definition, and dust a highlighter onto the high points of the face for an elegant glow. Finish with a contouring stain and peachy tint on the lips for a plush, lived-in colour. NOTES on NOTES Instead of sweetened berries, try juicy pear scents for an elevated,…

‘My favourite part is the diversity of members. The event opportunities are incredible and ever-flowing – I refresh my ELLE app every day!’NIAMH, ELLE COLLECTIVE MEMBER UPCOMING EVENTS 25 MAY: OCEAN VUONG IN CONVERSATION WITH KENYA HUNT The acclaimed author of The Emperor of Gladness joins ELLE’s editor-in-chief for the next edition of ELLE x Soho House: The Book Club. COMING SOON: ELLE COLLECTIVE SUMMER SOCIAL Meet ELLE editors and members for after-work drinks and canapés, and celebrate the season in style. BENEFITS UPGRADE YOUR BEAUTY CABINET WITH OUAI Your chance to win a curated edit of ELLE’s favourite Ouai products, from next-level haircare to luxurious body scrubs. EASY WAYS TO JOIN ‘One of my favourite things about ELLE COLLECTIVE is deepening my connections with our ever-growing network of members. The…

The editor NAOMI PIKE ELLE’s commissioning editor wanted to work in magazines from the moment she was old enough to read them and is always proud to see her name in print: ‘Especially for features that have been months in the works, having started with the smallest idea.’ On page 98, she predicts how the most discerning brides will be dressing this summer, and the designers to know and love. ‘The bridal market is finally getting the inflection of high fashion, making finding “The One” all the more fun and, crucially, chic.’ The cover visionary OLIVIA MALONE Based between New York and LA, photographer Olivia Malone brings a sculptural element to her images. She loves working with women due to the inherent trust between them: ‘It creates a space where…

NATURAL attraction Next time you reach for your LBD, consider switching it for something with a softer palette. Here, the earthy tones of brown and yellow ground the looks, making a powerful impact Styling tip Lean into the boho revival with a fringed dress and oversized sunnies SOMETHING new A white dress is firmly off the cards, but a pair of white heels is not. They add a fun twist and instantly elevate your look PLUS one Flowing silhouettes in pink and red take us smoothly into the warmer months. Best paired with contrasting kitten heels and statement earrings, it’s a colour combination you’ll want to repeat throughout the year Styling tip Offset soft textures with silver hardware. Match your bag buckle to your jewellery stack for satisfying symmetry…

READY TO BE ROMANCED? FRESH FROM HER FIRST OSCAR NOMINATION, ELLE FANNING IS WOOING HOLLYWOOD WITH EVERY ROLE SHE TAKES. WE MEET THE STAR AS SHE APPEARS IN THE SEASON’S BIGGEST TV SHOW, MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES. MEANWHILE, WITH SUMMER APPROACHING, WEDDING SEASON MAKES A SPLASHY RETURN AND NUPTIALS TAKE ON A LAVISHNESS NOT SEEN SINCE PRE-PANDEMIC DAYS. PLUS: EMMA GREDE SHOWS US LEADERSHIP FOR A NEW ERA…

AFTER AN ERA IN WHICH BOYFRIENDS became embarrassing and romance was rendered low-key, it’s with great joy that I pronounce this The Age of Big Weddings. Because, in case you hadn’t noticed, love – and specifically saying ‘I do’ – is truly all around. In the past year, we’ve seen a flurry of fashion-crowd weddings, from Kristen Stewart’s back-garden wedding to screenwriter Dylan Meyer (see Backgarden baes), to dancer Patricia Zhou’s White Lotus-style celebration in the Sicilian villa featured in season two of the HBO show, and Charli xcx’s 365-partygirl wedding (part one) in Hackney Town Hall. There are plenty of nuptials on our screens, too, including The Drama, A24’s film about an engagement gone awry, that stars Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, who, according to her stylist Law Roach, is…

‘PLANT TREES UNDER WHICH YOU WILL NEVER SIT.’ That’s a principle I live by, based on a Greek saying. It reminds you that even if you don’t get the benefit of what you’re doing, you’re having a long-term impact. It’s astonishing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who takes the credit – when you’re not doing something to make people like you or say how clever you are, but because it will make the world a better place. That’s how I try to live my life. When I started working in publishing in the late 1960s, all sorts of things were considered normal. People could legally be discriminated against; a woman couldn’t go into a pub alone, or have her own mortgage without a man’s signature. At the…

SOFT-FOCUSED CLOSE-UP SHOTS ON PARTED LIPS, INTERTWINING limbs on a yacht surrounded by azure waters, a man leaning into a slender neck, young models running through orange groves, rooftops and bucolic gardens. So. Much. Running. These images – mostly made by men and mainly targeting women – once sold us the allure of fragrances. But now, the perfume scene is changing. After the era of minimalist fragrances in the 1990s, and the gourmand takeover of recent years, a new cohort of compositions is emerging: ones inspired by aphrodisiacs, sensuality and closeness, created by women. And while scents have long been used to seduce (see: Cleopatra and her penchant for roses), this time around, it’s female noses and founders who are redefining what it means to smell sexy. Fragrance-making is an…

AS SOMEONE WHO TYPICALLY GETS HER KICKS IN NIGHTCLUBS and at sample sales, I have, on occasion, been encouraged to ‘touch grass’. Standing 1,086 metres above sea level at the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, I realise it’s much more fun to touch clouds. The fresh coastal wind is picking up speed, pushing a pillowy haze of low fog across the rugged terrain and over the cliff edge, as if a higher power has just turned on a giant smoke machine. Over the Atlantic Ocean, the sun is setting in a spectacular light show of fiery yellows and burnt oranges. In the opposite direction, the moon rises for its night shift. I’m not a superstitious person, but now feels like a good time to make a wish: please,…

shop: BRIGHT ON It was an especially dreary winter, but now we’re ready to embrace the sunshine. On the catwalk at Chloé, Dries Van Noten and Ferragamo, and since worn by (from left) Dua Lipa, Paloma Elsesser and Gracie Abrams, bright, summery yellow is punchy and potent, and a much-needed dose of dopamine dressing. Pastels, pah! eat: LET’S BE SHELLFISH Forget our wardrobes – nostalgia is informing food, with the retro classic prawn cocktail finding its way back onto the best menus. In Soho, there’s Khao Bird’s Thai spin on the dish, while Montrose in Edinburgh upgrades theirs with langoustines and swaps the brandy in Marie Rose for Scottish whisky. And the Dante at Claridge’s coupe-served version is becoming the hotel’s most photographed dish. visit: CAFÉ JIKONI AT V&A EAST The east-London restaurant…

IN THE SUMMER OF 2013, 18-YEAR-OLD Kehlani posted her first song to Sound-Cloud. ‘Antisummerluv’ showcased her effortless, honeyed vocals over a sultry melody, with lyrics about toying with the idea of a summer fling. Thirteen years, four albums and seven Grammy nominations later, Kehlani is truly gaining recognition with a song that follows the same formula but has catapulted her to dizzying – and deserved – new heights. ‘Folded’, released last year, won two Grammys in February – Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song – and has had over 380 million streams. R&B godfather Mario posted a video of him singing it, which led to an official remix EP by a slew of other icons including Brandy, Toni Braxton and Ne-Yo. ‘So can you come and pick up your…

AROUND the clock Make a sleek statement with Omega’s round-faced watch, realised in silver and black SNAKE effect Bulgari’s wrap-around Serpenti watch is a sinuous standout that works just as well in the day as it does at night DISCO dials Make every second count with a watch smothered in sparkles HAPPY hour A khaki and brown colourway will help you transition seamlessly into spring HARD wired A dainty watch takes on a tougher persona when styled with substantial textures such as leather TWO THE second Round faces and cool hues are the perfect match for bold-coloured clothing. In this case, two is better than one TIMELESS touches Style soft textures with hard metals for an effortlessly elevated look DOUBLE trouble Never miss a minute with these beautifully crafted everyday…

ELLE Fanning had decided that an Academy Award nomination wasn’t on the cards this year. So, on the eve of the announcements, she did what any fun-loving 27-year-old actor with nothing to prove might do: she went out dancing. With her sister Dakota, she headed to Chateau Marmont, the Hollywood hotel whose candlelit corners, late hours and free-flowing martinis have long created a hedonistic sanctuary for the A-list. And that’s where they stayed until half two in the morning. Finally, the pair returned to their parents’ house nearby and collapsed into their childhood bedrooms. A few hours later, when the sun rose, her phone started buzzing. The house erupted. ‘I was screaming. My mom was there, with my grandmother and sister. My aunt had driven around,’ she says. Generations of…

HARRIS Reed HARRIS REED ENDED HIS FEBRUARY SHOW with four bridal looks, signalling his label is officially making wedding clothes. ‘The core element of Harris Reed bridal is that every piece oozes glamour and fluid opulence,’ he said. ‘These are pieces that help you take up space.’ Elaborate, gender-fluid, demi-couture creations put Reed on the map, but he has approached bridal designs a little differently. ‘I’ve really had the wearer in mind,’ he explained. ‘There’s a much more considered wearability – including ensuring you can have intimate moments without poking your partner in the eye with a wide-brim hat!’ Reed is still creating pieces for ‘risk-takers’, though. ‘I want to see a new generation of newlyweds wearing it; those that are willing to push bridal outside of the conventional norms,’…

EMMA GREDE IS A WOMAN WHO KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS. The day we meet for breakfast at Claridge’s, it’s crumpets: two of them, well-toasted, with a side of sausages and some HP Sauce. It’s not an issue that they’re no longer on the menu; the serial entrepreneur, who moved from London to LA eight years ago and has been missing her British-breakfast fix ever since, has called ahead to make sure they have some in the kitchen just for her. After a bit of back and forth – there’s a last-minute dash to Claridge’s Bakery nearby – two crumpets appear in front of Grede, who is clad in cream loungewear from The Row, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. This, I get the sense, isn’t a million miles away…

ELLE BEST OF BEAUTY 2026…

IT’S THE TAYTO-CRISPS VENDING MACHINE on the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin that is the first sign we’re in for a great mini-break. The packeted potato delicacy, which, until relatively recently, were only available in Ireland, will become a staple on our road trip from Dublin to Cork, and back through County Wexford. Parked up in Dublin, we celebrate our arrival with a Black Velvet (a cocktail made from Guinness and champagne) in the grand lobby of The Westbury Hotel. The Taylor Swift-approved stay (the artist took over a floor when she was in town for her tour) offers modern luxury, with indulgent beds and a restaurant that serves the city’s best soda bread with seafood. The next morning, we walk through Trinity College campus, stop in at designer Simone…

THE BEST BEAUTY TIP WILL ALWAYS BE REST. You glow from the inside from the endorphins you get from sleeping. I LOVE ANGELA DAVIS. I can only imagine the interesting conversation we’d have if she was in my chair. She’s full of unique wisdom and knowledge. ERYKAH BADU IS SO INNOVATIVE AND EPIC. I remember working with her and she brought 15 suitcases of hair-related creations that she’d put together herself. MY BEST IDEAS COME TO ME IN THE SHOWER. I put my to-do list in order and everything just flows. Cold showers wake up my senses. GETTING OUT IN NATURE FIRST THING WITH A WALK AROUND HYDE PARK IS A MUST FOR ME. It’s good for clarity and sets the mood for the day. I HAVE A LOT OF…