Last night, ELLE’s own Nina Garcia was celebrated at the prestigious Matrix Awards, an event dedicated to honoring female leaders who defy convention and redefine success in their industries. Held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City, the ceremony was a night of recognition, inspiration, and a promise to continue uplifting women everywhere.
Presenting the award to Garcia was Lucy Kaylin, editorial director of Hearst Magazines, who praised both Garcia and ELLE’s shared mission. “At their core, both Nina and ELLE are dedicated to the same thing: lifting women up,” Kaylin remarked. “She elevates people with real grace and kindness in a way that makes us feel like we belong. Simply put, she uses her platform for good.”
Garcia took to the stage to reflect on the moments in her career where breaking the rules was essential to her journey. “I might call myself a rule editor or rewriter, but I do know that I would not be standing here tonight if I had strictly followed what was expected of me,” she shared, offering a glimpse into the pivotal moments that shaped her path.
Garcia’s first act of rewriting the rules began with her dream of working in fashion—a dream that seemed distant in her small Colombian hometown. “I grew up in a small city in Colombia. I loved fashion, but coming to America to become a magazine editor wasn’t really the path for a girl in this male-dominated culture. My destiny would have been very different if it were not for my family’s support and the sacrifices they made to bring me to this country,” she said, highlighting the power of support and perseverance.
From there, she recounted her rise from “lowly assistant” to her breakthrough role as a host on *Project Runway*, a decision that demanded courage. “It required some courage,” she admitted. “I was nervous because at that time, fashion was so exclusive and so protective. But then I was like, ‘All right, I’ll take this risk. Let’s break some rules.’”
Garcia’s biggest leap came when she was offered the role of editor-in-chief at ELLE, a position that made her the first Latina to lead the iconic magazine. “When I was approached to take over as editor-in-chief of the biggest fashion magazine in the world, I knew I would be the first Latina to have that role,” she recalled. Her heritage, she said, has been her greatest strength, giving her a unique perspective on beauty, body, color, and race. “These turning points in my career have prepared me for this moment in media where we are rewriting the rules every single day.”
Looking ahead to 2024, Garcia spoke of her vision for ELLE as a guiding force for change in the media industry. “We are engaging new audiences, pivoting to new platforms, and evolving how we tell very important stories. My hope for the entire media industry is that we can be nimble and surprising and challenge the old rules without ever compromising our point of view. If we at ELLE can help in any way, then we’re going to use every single platform we have at our disposal to lift and empower women. I promise you one thing tonight, that is the one rule that I will never break.”
The evening, emceed by Ally Love, was filled with powerful moments and recognition of other inspiring women. Notable honorees included Kristin Chenoweth, who delivered a heartfelt performance of Nat King Cole’s “Smile,” as well as Meredith Kopit Levien of The New York Times Company, Jill Cress of H&R Block, Jennifer Lowney of Citi, Nancy Reyes of BBDO, and Rakia Reynolds of Skai Blue Media.
A highlight of the night was the recognition of 11 young women named as the 2024 New York Women in Communications (WICI) Scholarship recipients. In a touching part of her speech, Garcia directly addressed these rising stars. “To the New York WICI scholarship winners, congratulations! Go break some rules and dream big. You are the future.”
