Top talent, activist and humanitarian Cara Delevingne covers the September 2023 issue of ELLE UK. The Dior ambassador is styled by Aurelia Donaldson in ‘I Finally Feel As Though I Can Be Free’, lensed by emerging creative Quentin Jones [IG]./ Hair by Harry Josh; makeup by Hung Vanngo

Hannah Marriott sits down for the interview at an arts venue in Manhattan. Cara says “I’m resilient as hell.” That is good news because Cara has a global squad cheering for her.

AOC likes that Marriott opens with fashion comments! Picture Elsa from Frozen . . . in a beanie, wearing Nike x Supreme Air Force 1s. and you’ll get the idea. In an inversion of her high-fashion life, Delevingne’s body armor is not glamour but comfort — an “inversion of her high-fashion life.” Cara loves her trainers — “at least 40 pairs” and she loves vintage band T-shirts.

In this ELLE UK fashion story statement, Cara is all-Dior from a soft-dusting of Dior Forever Natural Bronze to her jewelry and rebel-woman clothes.

Battling Her Demons

Once again Cara Delevingne has battled her quest for sobriety, which she embraced again nine months ago when she checked into rehab in September 2022.

Cara’s history is well-known in fashion circles. Her mother, Pandora Delevingne, suffered from heroin addiction and bipolar disorder throughout her daughter’s childhood. AOC’s statement is not meant to blame her mother but to create context around Cara’s challenges. They are very real and lasting.

Citing close buddies Jourdan [Dunn] and Karlie [Kloss], the actor describes the trio as having been “thick as thieves”. So many people, such as Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, “have been so much more than work friends, and have taught me a lot about living”.

Traditional Therapy Often Fails

Cara shares that traditional therapy has never worked for her — although she has tried everything including the Alcoholics Anonymous’ 12-steps program. In Cara’s case, seeing her yoga instructor Colin Dunsmuir — with her for 12 years —via Face Time three times a week has brought very solid results.

Sometimes they talk, or they might do breathing or chanting: ‘Whatever my body needs. He knows me so well. But honestly, feeding myself creatively is probably the best self-care I can do. I feel like art is therapy to me.’

Remaining Engaged With Life

Cara also did not retreat from life during her rehab and recovery — a decision that goes against the grain of traditional thinking. Creativity and art are her therapy and she feels dramatic changes in her psychological and emotional approach to living, along with a never-before-felt sense of trusting herself.

Delevingne also speaks about reconnecting with her now girlfriend and musician partner Leah Mason, who she first met 20 years ago.

Finding Her LGBTQIA+ Family Once Again

Because of her major success in modeling, Cara lost touch in an intimate way with her LGBTQIA+ community, who is her extended family. Mason brought her back into that community, and Cara creates a great visualization near the end of the interview.

“The pair went to LA Pride together: Mason did a drum solo with a pair of dildos. ‘It was fan-tas-tic,’ she says, grinning, enunciating every syllable.”

You’re right, Cara. Playing drums with two dildos is FAN-TAS-TIC! And so is this very positive British Elle September 2023 interview about the state of your current life. Sending love, Anne.

Read the entire interview with major updates about Cara’s acting projects on interview link in opening paragraphs.