Elle (magazine)

It was founded in Paris in 1945 by Hélène Gordon-Lazareff.^[5][6] The magazine's readership has grown since its founding, increasing to 800,000 across France by the 1960s. Elle editions have since multiplied, creating a global network of publications and readers. Elle's international expansion began with Elle UK and Elle USA launches in 1985. Previous magazine editors include Jean-Dominique Bauby for Elle France and Roberta Myers, the longest-serving editor-in-chief at Elle USA. Véronique Philipponnat is currently the director of Elle France. Nina Garcia currently holds the position of editor-in-chief at Elle USA, appointed after the departure of Roberta Myers. The Paris-based Lagardère Group owns the brand internationally. Elle France's official headquarters is located in Levallois-Perret, Greater Paris.^[7]

Global operations[edit]

As of 2019, seventy-eight media licenses from the brand are available around the world: one Elle Girl, two Elle Men, five Elle à Table, twenty-five Elle Decoration, and forty-five Elle.^[35] According to François Coruzzi, CEO of Elle International, the magazine's centrals are located in Paris, London, and New York, and it has 29 offices worldwide as of 2019.^[35]


Technologically speaking, the Elle brand is a global network encompassing over 46 websites. Subscriptions account for 73 percent of readers in the USA.^[36] Websites and social networks compose Elle's 55 digital platforms.^[35]


The first international edition of Elle was launched in 1970 as An An Elle Japon.


In 1985 American Elle was launched with the first issue featuring supermodel Yasmin Le Bon on the cover.^[37] The magazine was jointly owned by Hachette and News Groups Publications (owned by Rupert Murdoch).^[38][16] The U.K. edition was also launched in 1985 and also featured Yasmin Le Bon on the cover.^[39][40]


In the US, the vast majority (82 per cent) of Elle's audience is women between 18 and 49. Its readers have a median age of 34.7 years.^[41] 40 percent of the readers are single, and the median household income is $69,973.^[42] "Our readers are young enough to think about life as an adventure and old enough to have the means to live it", said Roberta Myers, editor in chief.^[43]


Elle España was then launched in October 1986.^[44][45] Elle Italia and Elle Hong Kong were launched in 1987.^[46][47] The Italian publication went from a monthly publication to weekly publication in 2018.^[47]


Elle Brasil was launched in 1988 and 30 years later in 2018 the magazine was shuttered.^[48] In the same year Elle was also launched in China,^[49] Greece,^[50] Germany,^[51] Portugal,^[52] Greece^[50] and Sweden. However in 2021 the Portuguese edition was closed.^[52]


The following year in 1989 editions were launched for Quebec, The Netherlands and Switzerland.^[53][54][55] Australian and Taiwanese versions were launched in 1990. However in July 2020 Bauer Media Australia licence holder of the Australian edition announced its closure, citing declining advertising revenue and travel restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.^[56][57][58] In November 2020 the magazine returned in a digital only form.^[59] In September 2023 it was confirmed that the magazine would return to print in March 2024, published by Are Media, the successor to Bauer Media Australia.^[60][61]


Elle Korea was launched in November 1992.^[62] A year later in 1993 Elle Singapore was launched.^[63]


In 1994 Mexican,^[64] Argentine,^[65] Thai,^[66] Polish, and Czech^[67] editions were launched.^[68]


Elle Russia was launched in 1996 and the South African edition was also launched in the same year.^[69] The Russian edition was closed in 2022 after the licence was terminated due to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.^[70] Alongside the Russian and South African editions Elle India launched in 1996.^[71][72]


Elle Romania and Elle Norge (Elle Norway) were launched in 1997.^[68][73]


A Turkish edition was launched in 1999.^[74]


Elle Canada, Elle Ukraine and Elle Hungary were all launched in 2001.^[75] In 2020 Elle Canada closed its office in Toronto but continued publication.^[76]


In 2002 a Croatian edition was launched.^[77]


The Serbian edition of Elle was launched in 2005 along with a Bulgarian edition.^[78][79]


In 2008 Elle Indonesia and Elle Finland launched.^[80] A Danish edition was also launched later in 2008.^[81]


A Vietnamese edition (Elle Phái đẹp) was launched in 2010, under a licence with Ringier, however it ceased publication in 2020.^[82][83] The magazine was later relaunched.


Elle also publishes region-specific editions within countries, such as Elle Hong Kong^{[note 1]} and Elle Québec. Published in addition to Elle China and Elle Canada respectively. In Belgium since 2003,^[84] Elle is published as Elle Belgique (in French and for Wallonia) and Elle België (in Dutch for Flanders). Elle Middle East was launched in 2006 across the Middle East with Elle Oriental^[85] (published in Arabic and French for Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the Maghreb). The two publications were later rebranded into Elle Arabia and the French edition was dropped.


Elle Lithuania will launch in February 2024, the magazine will be published by the team who previously published L'Officiel Lithuania from 2010 till its closure in 2023.^[86]


Elle is a brand owned by the Lagardère Group of France. It is published in France by Czech Media Invest, in the U.S. and the UK by Hearst Magazines, in Canada by KO Média, in Brazil by Grupo Editora Abril, in Mexico by Grupo Expansión, in Argentina by Grupo Clarín, in Indonesia by Mayapada, in Singapore by Atlas Press, in Serbia/Croatia by Adria Media, in Turkey by Doğan Burda Magazine,^[87] in Germany by Hubert Burda Media, and in Romania by Ringier. In China, the publisher is Shanghai Translation Publishing House.^[18] In India, it is published by Ogaan Publications Pvt. Ltd. As an international magazine, Elle has its headquarters in Paris as well as licensed publishers in New York City, London, Toronto, Mexico City, South Africa, Istanbul, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brussels, Lisbon, Tokyo, Warsaw, Belgrade, Oslo, Helsinki, Bucharest, Athens, Delhi, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Jakarta, Kyiv, Kuala Lumpur, Sofia, Budapest, Bangkok and other cities.


In December 2013, Elle US hired Randy Minor as design director.^[88] In November 2016, Elle Canada promoted Vanessa Craft to editor-in-chief, making her the first black woman at the helm of an Elle magazine globally.^[89]