By Eleanora Morrison
We are living in a very significant moment in history. Much like a patch woven into a quilt that blankets generations of a family, the conversation surrounding gender equality and the celebration of women will soon be a motif woven into the greater framework of humanity for the rest of eternity. As women, we should feel uplifted and encouraged to create lives we love, especially now, as paradigms in our culture continue to shift.
We would be remiss, however, to not recognize that the progress we see today is a direct result of the strength displayed by women for centuries. Our brave sisters of the past–those whose names we will always know, and those whose names we will never know–are the reason why we are here. ELEANORA Magazine is inspired by their stories.
Named for my Italian great-grandmother Eleanora Benedetta and the legacy of every strong, pioneering and timeless woman like her, ELEANORA Magazine is the convergence of insatiable passions, curious interests and collaborative skillsets produced by a team of heart-strong creatives who dream of making an impact on the world in the way we know how: through our art. Our form of storytelling is original and unified in its mission to celebrate and honor the talented, outspoken, brave and authentic women whose shoulders we stand on today.
In a digitally driven, fast-paced world, we can too quickly forget to look to history for reminders of a greater sense of purpose and perspective that our daily lives can’t always provide. The complexities of the human condition, the powerful beauty of womanhood, the quiet simplicity of life’s most defining moments, and an ever-present quest for self-improvement on one’s greater journey are all part of life and have been transcendent issues within the female experience for generations. That is why our first, and intentional, September Issue features the legacy of Carmel Snow, who was Editor in Chief of Harper’s Bazaar magazine from 1933 to 1957.
Throughout months of reading and research, I prepared myself to creatively direct the vision for how we would figuratively super-impose Snow’s story over our modern-day lives as a mirror of our team launching our own magazine. In the process, I developed such a deep admiration for her legacy as the matriarch of the modern fashion and lifestyle magazine that I adopted a new mission and applied it to the way I hope this newborn project will function as long as it runs: as a raw talent incubator and a creative showcase for up-and-coming stars in need of a launchpad. A platform not for me as its Editor, but instead for everyone else who needs it.
Carmel’s career feels so significant not only because she pioneered the elevated concept of a sophisticated magazine for “well-dressed women with well-dressed minds,” but also because of how many designers, artists, photographers, writers, stylists and more whose careers and successes she made possible with the product she built…solely because she could.
That is how our issue came together. With some stand-out ideas, and a carefully hand-picked group of extremely special people who worked tirelessly to launch this magazine…because we could. There were no job descriptions with bullet-listed criteria. There were no resumes, there were only relationships. Above all else, this was about collaborating with humble, highly skilled storytellers to present our most elevated work possible that we all hope has an impactful outcome…if not immediately, then certainly eventually.
Had I not become acquainted with Carmel Snow, who lived before magazine editors were ever famous or of public interest, I would not have picked up on what it truly means to be a generous, selfless leader and how positively life-changing it can be for others when the responsibility of that role is taken to heart. I am grateful to know even a modest amount about her life, and I will think of her from this point forward as I carry her with me in my creative career.
For Carmel Snow, and every woman like her. And, of course, for our Nonnie.
Welcome to ELEANORA Magazine.
