Meet Anne-Cécile SARFATI, ELLE editor in chief "Elegance is important because it is a way of expressing yourself with assertiveness"

Lisez-le en fran?ais sur le site de MyVestiaire

On an October Saturday morning, Anne-Cécile Sarfati welcomed me at her home in Paris. She was both cool and preppy in her black jumpsuit Carolina Ritzler. She inquired  about my career in the last 2 years, about my children, about my husband, about who were the last interesting encounters I had, about how I like to drink my coffee: because Anne-Cécile is interested in all the facets of women’s life ! She is so sincere in her commitment to support their desire for success.

And that's why she has written several reference books : about education, "little hassle and big worries from 1 to 7 years old and 8 to 12 years old", about  career development “women at work”, “ women in power” a collection of testimonials of exceptional women, and last but not least, she has launched in 2011 the ELLE ACTIVE forums to encourage women to develop their talents. If you've never been to one of them, take a few hours next time one of these events is organized in your city (Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille, Milan), because they are a gold mine for all and for any company that wants to promote an inclusive and diverse culture.

Anne-Cécile is a sincere and committed personality, a woman of great active and caring listening: meeting her and being interviewed by her is like drinking an elixir of self-confidence. Through her questions, she helps change our gaze and uncover some of our hidden resources. I had this chance, it’s my turn today: with great kindness, Anne-Cecile distills her aura, her imagination, her audacity and her sincerity.

Can you tell your story in a few words?

ANNE-CECILE

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I grew up in Paris in a fairly traditional environment: I quickly wanted to become autonomous. I got married very young and I left my family home to pursue law studies while working in a law firm. This austere environment corresponded to what I was looking for at the time and over the years I became interested in the media world without daring to take the plunge. I finally left everything to reinvent myself in the media world starting with an internship at Le Point, then at Biba and I finally  joined ELLE. It's been more than 20 years  and I'm now one of the Chief Editor, as Director of Editorial Diversification: my job is to multiply the expression channels of ELLE France.

Reinventing yourself ... it's a process: how did you get into these "new clothes" of journalist?

ANNE-CECILE

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I have always reinvented myself! It is extremely important for all of us to keep this ability to look at ourselves with distance, and benevolence; multiplication of encounters in real life allow us to reinvent ourselves.

I have always reinvented myself! It is extremely important for all of us to keep this ability to look at ourselves with distance, & benevolence; multiplication of encounters in real life allow us to reinvent ourselves.

Work, sense of effort, intellectual honesty are values that I incorporated very early and the legal world in which I started to work, matched them. I also met extraordinary people, including my best friend, Delphine Brunet-Stoclet,, who is still a lawyer. A more hidden facet of my personality began to express itself: a form of fantasy, a taste for frivolity. And then I had the chance to cross the road of Michèle Fitoussi, Ruth Elkrieff then Valérie Toranian, Constance Benqué, Isabelle Maury & Veronique Philipponnat : Valérie, Constance, Isabelle & Véronique recruited and promoted me, they "made" my career, eternal gratitude! Michèle and Ruth gave me the audacity to reinvent myself in an environment that I thought was inaccessible. Eternal recognition too! Empowered women empower other women!

At first, it was very difficult! I left a well-paid job, colleagues I liked, a prestigious status to confront me with a form of misunderstanding on the part of my siblings. But I was determined to follow my ambition and the legal experience helped me a lot: I knew how to search for information and organize it logically. I had to stand up, work hard to allow my ability to listen and my sense of commitment to express themselves: helping women in their lives, in all its meaning, that's my purpose. With this North star, I still reinvent myself constantly. I like movement.

? My North Star is helping women in their lives, in all its meaning. With this I reinvent myself constantly. I like movement. ?

How was your way of choosing your clothes?

ANNE-CECILE

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I have always loved fashion and the empowerment that a good outfit can give. My mother was very good with her hands and she made me extraordinary party outfits: I remember in particular a Cleopatra costume in red and gold brocade! I guess that must have influenced my tastes ... In college, I was fascinated by the style of one of my teachers: she had so much gait and looked good with her pencil skirts, well-cut jackets. These are two of the essentials of my wardrobe, well not necessarily together because it would be too "boring"! 

I have always loved fashion and the empowerment that a good outfit can give.

In terms of style I took risks, I made some errors, I got to know myself, to know what suits me to identify my style and build my looks. After a while we all get to know how to hide our weak points and highlight our strengths. It took me a long time to allow myself colors and today I play happily with them. I particularly like the dresses by the AML Paris brand with its beautiful prints that we do not see on everyone. 

When I arrived at ELLE, I realized that the subject of fashion was complicated: how can we translate an artistic fashion that is there to make the reader dream, to inspire her - that of women's magazines - in a practical and portable fashion, at the office for example or for a date? What do fashion trends mean? For example, in the early 2000s Hedi Slimane associated sneakers and costumes at the Dior show: it was really disruptive! Then the magazines relayed and everyone got started.

Inspiring but also guiding women is the goal of the ELLE Fall Winter 2019-2020 Style Bible that we have just published: we wanted it as the fashion bible of the season. Personally, he helps me a lot, as I hope he helps many other women! 

You are very athletic, what is your relationship to your body?

ANNE-CECILE

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My relationship to my body has quieted through sport. I am very sporty for several reasons: sport helps to maintain my figure, it contributes to my well-being by dissipating tensions and helping me to disconnect, it allows me to remain very greedy because I refuse to do without what I like, that is to say, everything that makes you fat, sweet, salty! So I practice between 45 minutes and one hour of sport every day! Often with friends or with my husband!

Why did you decide to get actively engaged to support active women?

ANNE-CECILE

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I was confronted with failure quite young with my close siblings. Failure can help you bounce back but you have to be helped and accept to be, be aware of your talents, work hard to develop them, maintain your network. 

Failure can help you bounce back but you have to be helped and accept to be, be aware of your talents, work hard to develop them, maintain your network.

Women face more obstacles than men in their career, yet their desire for success is just as powerful and legitimate. Support this desire: this is the purpose of the ELLE Active forums. They have been thought of as a magazine, with topics raised in plenary sessions and several practical workshops: some initiatives are societal, governmental, cultural (law enforcement, changing attitudes etc.) and others are more individual responsibility : identify your strengths, mobilize your network, build your self marketing.

Women face more obstacles than men in their career, yet their desire for success is just as powerful and legitimate. Support this desire: that's the purpose of the ELLE Active forums.

At the ELLE ACTIVE forums you have also launched style consulting workshops, why?

ANNE-CECILE

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During the ELLE Active Forum in Paris in March 2019, Christine Lagarde said that one must practice "dress, address, rectify", that is to say, "take care of one's look, be striking and assertive, take decisions". To dress is to introduce oneself to the world, to show others that we have internalized the codes of a milieu: I think that clothing is a great tool for making your message resonate. They give strength, energy and confidence.

That's why we systematically offer style workshops to learn how to build a dynamic wardrobe, trended and adapted to your professional world. They are very successful and are fully packed! It is the ELLE's fashion team that runs these workshops.

Christine Lagarde said that one must practice "dress, address, rectify" because dressing up is introducing oneself to the world, showing others that we have internalized the codes of a milieu: I think that clothing is a great tool for taking your message louder

Should we set limits in style?

ANNE-CECILE

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We must first internalize the codes to be able to play with full awareness. Know what's right for us and take into account the context.

I like the expression "multiply the territories of expression" that you use to present your role as director of editorial diversification.

ANNE-CECILE

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As I said above, reinventing yourself is essential because all jobs are changing! It requires a certain amount of adaptability, agility, flexibility and to tame your fears. When we do it we open ourselves to the world that comes and it's extraordinary. It is very important to get out of your comfort zone: for example, there are still too few women in the technology professions and they have to seize these subjects, we must understand the logic of the code to reinvent oneself !

Is elegance important ?

ANNE-CECILE

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Elegance is a form of self-assertion and that's very important.

Elegance is a form of self-assertion and that's very important.

What is a good fashion purchase?

ANNE-CECILE

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A beautiful material, a beautiful cut and the prospect of lasting. I love everything Vanessa Seward does. Her last collaboration with La Redoute is amazing. I just bought two tailored jackets by Society Room: a nice jacket anchors, & heals my posture. It gives a stature and boosts self-confidence during an important professional meeting.

How do you choose your outfit?

 ANNE-CECILE

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I have a fairly classic style that comes from my past as a lawyer. I like to add fancy touches that twist all of that. I love the Celine AH2019-2020 collection, and I have a real crush for the bourgeois style and the disco style: it's my "zaie zaie" side! At the beginning of the season, I spend an evening with a friend to build my outfits for the season, it's called "wardrobe editorial" at ELLE . I take a picture of these looks and I put them in a "dressing" folder on the EVERNOTE application . It's my solution when I lack of inspiration in the morning!

At the beginning of the season, I spend an evening to build my outfits for the season, I take a picture of the looks and I put them in a "dressing" folder : It's my solution when I lack of inspiration in the morning!"

How do make your clothes last ? 

ANNE-CECILE

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I transform them by calling the application TILLI. For example, I have lengthened a vintage dress in a navy and Burgundy scotch, it wa too short for this winter, but the print was very in the trend of this season.

A last very practical tip ?

ANNE-CECILE

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When I get tired of a garment or if I made a bad purchase, I go to "Troc en Stock", rue Clauzel in Paris: the garment knows a new life, I unclutter my cloakroom and I often leave with a new piece of clothe.

Anne-Cécile thank you so much for this interview: it was rich in advice to dare to be assertive and embrace our lives & success, in all the meaning of the word!

Interviewed by Sophie Ancely, Founder and General Manager of MyVestiaire