They say things happen in threes. After historic exits by Alexandra Shulman (British Vogue) and Graydon Carter (Vanity Fair), it was announced Monday that Robbie Myers would be departing Elle after serving as the magazine's editor-in-chief for 17 years. And on Tuesday, her announcement was replaced: Nina Garcia, of Marie Claire and Project Runway fame, will take over the glossy (she previously served as its fashion director from 2000 - 2008). Her first day will be September 18.
In a goodbye letter sent to her staff, Myers thanked Elle employees for upholding its tradition of being one of the leading examples that fashion and traditional journalism can work together in the same magazine. "Elle redefined what a fashion magazine can be, by assuming that a cultured woman could be simultaneously captivated by what Raf is doing at Calvin Klein, and, say, an (exclusive) interview with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg," she wrote in the email obtained by The Cut. Myers also cited her desire to be with her children, Frankie and Michael, as both teenagers prepare to go off to college.
She ended her note with news that she'll still frequent Hearst Tower; she'll be working on projects with Hearst president David Carey, "bringing new ideas about where fashion, retail, and most importantly women, are heading in this transformational moment in history, and I’ll be speaking on behalf of those women, and Hearst, in the fall," she said.
No doubt Garcia's arrival will bring even more eyes to the magazine: She boasts a cool 4.5 million followers across her social media platforms, thanks to her judging on Project Runway, her four fashion books, and her time as fashion director and then creative director of Marie Claire. According to The Times, it's expected Garcia will continue her duties as a judge on Project Runway while she serves as head editor at Elle. At the time of publishing, her replacement at Marie Claire has yet to be announced.