ELLE UK has launched a joint initiative with The Social Mobility Commission to find the next generation of creative talent with its first-ever mentoring scheme in its September 2020 issue with cover star Adwoa Aboah. ELLE has given 12 young students, aged between 16 and 19 years old, access to the creative industry in a commitment to building a new future of fashion. 

With The Social Mobility Commission, ELLE was able to identify and draw students from a combination of medium and cold spots (disadvantaged areas) from across the country, including Blackpool, Hastings, Norwich, Wakefield and Ipswich to name a few, which are some of the most deprived opportunity areas in the UK across all social mobility indicators and the hardest hit by the pandemic.

During the curation of the September issue, each student worked alongside a mentor, including editor-in-chief, Farrah Storr, via Zoom to get an understanding of the process, whilst contributing ideas across everything from the creative direction of shoots, fashion styling, drafting headlines and the cover shoot with Adwoa Aboah. As part of this campaign, students interviewed and commissioned a piece from ELLE’s cover star Adwoa Aboah who penned a personal letter to the class of 2020 about growing up, lessons she learned, mental health, starting out in her career, the BLM movement and what is next.

Following the issue going to press, students will see their input come to life with their names across ELLE print and digital, with some students also getting the chance to see their artwork being used either as a subscription or digital cover. All students will be offered the opportunity to continue their mentorship until June 2021.