Bella Hadid, Yara Shahidi and Ashley Graham cover Elle’s latest digital issue, and inside, all three stars share their perspective on how culture is changing – and where they want that change to lead next.
HADID
Hadid’s famous sister Gigi shot her sister on an iPhone 11 at their family farm in Pennsylvania. Veronique Hyland interviewed her, and Hadid opened up about the need for change in fashion and the world more generally. She urged others to use their “voice and demand justice for what is important to you. One post can educate a lot of people, and most of the time, what I write resonates with my followers and they realize that they are not alone. If I am passionate about something, I will talk about it, and talk and talk and talk.”
She said that wants to see more diversity in fashion: “Going into the next (fashion) season, my fear is having to see another one of my Black girlfriends get her hair burned by a hair straightener, or do her own makeup because the makeup artist hasn’t been trained to work with all different skin types. I hate that some of my Black friends feel the way they do. Even if they’re sitting front row, they’re not feeling accepted. Our industry is supposed to be about expression and individuality, but the reality is that (many people) still discriminate because of exactly (those differences).”
GRAHAM
Graham, who gave birth to her son Isaac in January, was shot by her husband Justin Ervin. In an interview with Kristen Bell, she said that she’s embracing her new body: “When it comes to Facetuning and altering your body — erasing body parts and cellulite and lifting and tightening — I pass on all that,” adding: “At first it felt devastating, and then when I met Isaac, I said, ‘No, this is exactly what every woman has talked about for ages. This is not just a battle wound. This is something that has changed my life forever, and I’m going to celebrate my new body.'”
SHAHIDI
Shahidi spoke with Kaitlyn Greenridge about the importance of Black joy.
The Grown-ish star said: “We have to be viewing this moment as a preservation of Black life. A fight for our willingness to thrive, a fight for our willingness to be happy and unencumbered, a fight for our ability to just be allowed to exist. Joy comes from being able to consistently embrace our sense of community and revel in our culture year-round. We must believe that there is something that we’re fighting for in order to keep fighting.”
