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Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sabrina Elba on Why She's Excited for Motherhood Someday
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." In series Office Hours, we ask people in powerful positions to take us through their first jobs, worst jobs, and everything in between. This month, we spoke with Sabrina Elba, a model, entrepreneur, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development. Elba works with IFAD in African countries like Kenya, Zambia, and Egypt, helping farmers, combating hunger, and working on climate change initiatives. She also owns S'Able Labs, a skin care company, and recently partnered with Calvin Klein for their Eternity Amber Essence campaign, where she posed alongside her husband, Idris Elba. Here, she talks about her experience shooting that campaign (featuring the first fragrance she ever bought), how her mom has influenced her advocacy work, and why she's looking forward to someday becoming a mother herself. I got approached [by law enforcement] when I was 15 to go to gas stations and ask for cigarettes. If they would sell them to me—illegally, because I was younger—they'd be in trouble. So I was keeping the streets safe for my fellow young people. They wouldn't be able to buy cigarettes. I've always looked a bit older, because I'm tall, so I got away with it really easily. I remember thinking, 'Oh, I could be a detective. I'm really good at getting people.' I never thought I would get into entrepreneurship when I was younger. I am thankful that I've married someone who's opened my blinders a bit and shown me a wider view of what I could do. Starting a beauty business has been such a fruitful thing for me over the past couple of years. One of the reasons I was excited to work with Calvin Klein is because I'm getting to learn so much about the beauty industry. It has been like a master class to see the brand maintain an iconic fragrance by [remaining ] genuine and true to its original roots. When I moved to London, I took up a job in public relations. It was purpose PR, so we were doing PR for NGOs and charities. As an activist, it was great to see what other NGOs were doing in terms of strategy. But I did not enjoy sitting in an office for that long. I like a more dynamic work-life balance—being able to work while I'm away, while I travel, taking a laptop and going. When I was in PR, I was stuck in the office 9-5 every day. I'm really excited about motherhood. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, and I watched in awe as she raised five kids as a single mother. I think motherhood is something that should be taken seriously. I'm really excited to embark on that journey. It's not necessarily a job, but that's something I'm excited to do in terms of a life change. You need to understand every part of your business. For me, numbers aren't necessarily my thing, and trying to understand [that] side of the business wasn't fun, but I'm glad that I approached it with curiosity. Do not be afraid to ask questions. I'm so thankful there's no such thing as a stupid question. Ask, ask, ask. It's really important to make sure that you ask if you don't understand something. Fake it till you make it. I need to understand. I need to learn. I'm a trained esthetician now, so I understand skin better. I'm not a 'fake it till you make it' person. I would literally pass out from anxiety. My mom is a big part of the reason I do advocacy. She left Somalia when she was quite young and watched her home country fall apart on TV. It was a super frustrating and vulnerable position to be in, to feel like she couldn't help. She always told us, 'Africa is this amazing place. I need to go back and try to repair things.' She's had a 'give back' mentality that has bled into everything I do. Agriculture is a great way to uplift rural people through investment, not aid. It's about giving them a means to take care of themselves and a path of economic independence. It allows people to fight back against failed states, climate conflicts, or climate change. In general, [it also helps people] be able to make ends meet, and resist. I'm always trying to make the world a better place for the little girl my mom was. To able to work with a fragrance that's so nostalgic for me—it's the first fragrance I purchased, and I watched Christy [Turlington] be the face of it growing up—is an absolute honor. One thing I've always loved about Calvin Klein is they're not afraid to show every kind of love. Being able to show our authentic connection in that shoot was such a beautiful experience. It wasn't asking us to be anything but ourselves. It's really nice to see Black love showcased the way that Calvin Klein has done it. I wake up early. I call my family who live on the west coast of Canada. I love to work out with my husband, and do my skin care routine. Getting dressed is a huge part of my day. It just sets my mood. I love fashion. I love accessories. Fragrance really sets my mood, too. I'm someone who has quite an extensive morning routine, so I wake up early to get in all the things that I want. As soon as it's 8 P.M., I'm not doing anything, so I've got to get it all done in the morning. There's a bit of a false narrative around telling young women that they can do it all. You should try to do it all, but that involves sacrifice. I've had to accept that in my life. I've taken a step back from that pressure of trying to do it all. If I can't get everything done, I can't, but I try to prioritize and take things day by day. Being this busy means that I've had to make some sacrifices along the way. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Geena Davis Reveals the Book She Read Aloud to Jeff Goldblum While Shooting ‘The Fly'
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Welcome to Shelf Life, books column, in which authors share their most memorable reads. Whether you're on the hunt for a book to console you, move you profoundly, or make you laugh, consider a recommendation from the writers in our series, who, like you (since you're here), love books. Perhaps one of their favorite titles will become one of yours, too. The Girl Who Was Too Big For the Page might be Geena Davis's debut children's picture book, but it's not the author's first venture into publishing. (That was her 2022 memoir, Dying of Politeness.) In addition to her work as an actor, the legendary Davis—known for her work in The Accidental Tourist, Thelma & Louise, Tootsie, Beetlejuice, The Fly, and A League of Their Own, among many other Hollywood projects—is the founder of the Geena Davis Institute, which works to support equitable representation in media. She also produced the documentary This Changes Everything on gender inequality in Hollywood; co-founded the Bentonville Film Festival, which champions diverse storytellers in film and television; and will soon appear in The Boroughs, a 2026 Netflix series from Stranger Things showrunners the Duffer Brothers. Davis is Massachusetts-born and -raised and California-based; studied theater at Boston University; was a semifinalist for the 2000 women's Olympic archery team; has three children; and speaks Swedish. Likes: doing numerous takes; creative tasks; staying home. Dislikes: too much rehearsing. Good at: carving pumpkins; not blinking for long stretches of time; learning skills for movies (including horseback riding, sword fighting, tae kwon do, pistol shooting, ice skating, and baseball); procrastinating. Dig into her book recommendations below. L'Assommoir by Émile Zola. My all-time favorite book. I adore so many 19th-century novelists, but Zola is my favorite author. It's Up to the Women by Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt is the historical figure I would most like to play one day. Fortunately for me, she was making history her whole life, so I can't age out of the opportunity to portray her. How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. Deaf Sentence by David Lodge. A retired professor with hearing problems misunderstands a young woman, and calamity and hilarity ensue. Charles Laughton: A Difficult Actor by Simon Callow. An in-depth portrait of my absolute favorite actor—one of the greats. The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie. Hugh Laurie and I played Stuart Little's parents. Knowing I was once a foreign exchange student, Hugh gave me a copy of his hilarious book The Gun Seller in Swedish (called Skottpengar in that language). The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler. I read this book aloud to Jeff Goldblum when we were shooting The Fly together to help pass the time while he was getting his extensive makeup done. I remember already hating whoever was going to get to play the part of Muriel Pritchett, if there was eventually a movie version…but then it was me. And, yes, it changed my life. Moms with ADD: A Self-Help Manual by Christine A. Adamec. I bought this book as soon as I became a mother. And I blame my ADD for the fact that I never managed to crack it open. My kids are adults now…but I'm still holding out hope that I will read it someday. Horse by Geraldine Brooks. A gorgeous work of historical fiction. Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi.$11.11 at at at at at at at at at at at You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nordstrom's Beauty Director Autumne West Has a Virgo-Approved Inbox Strategy
In series Office Hours, we ask people in powerful positions to take us through their first jobs, worst jobs, and everything in between. This month, we spoke to Autumne West, national beauty director at Nordstrom. West has worked at the retailer for over 20 years, and now she directs its beauty vision, connecting the brand's merchandise to customers. To do so, she travels often to stores nationwide (still, she swears that she never uses a hotel shampoo). Ahead, West on the best advice she's learned as a leader at a 'people first' company, the saying from her mentor that has never left her mind, and how she got over imposter syndrome. I was a cashier at a grocery store in Omaha, Nebraska. I was a teenager in high school and thought it was so grown up. But really, I needed a job, because I wanted to maintain getting my nails done—specifically my SWV[-inspired] nail look. I was probably too young to be doing it, but I saw [the extra-long nails] on MTV and was like, I must have it. My mom said, 'I'm not paying for that.' But I also created jobs for myself. I traveled a lot as a kid. I was born in Washington, D.C., but then we immediately moved to Spain. Then I lived in Scotland, Florida, Italy, Nebraska, and L.A. There was a summer when we lived in Italy that I was a babysitter. I remember creating my own 'summer camp' and being really into it, where I would plan meals, snacks, and activities. I was in the fourth grade. A friend's sister had mascara, and after putting it on, I came home, and my mom said, 'Are you wearing makeup?' I was like, No, no, absolutely not. I was so determined to be mature. I was crying, and as I did, the mascara was literally running down my face. My mom grounded me. But I remember that I wanted to wear makeup so badly. When I got the opportunity to be a department manager. I oversaw the whole beauty floor at a Nordstrom location called South Center, which is south of Seattle. I remember being so excited. I worked so hard to make it to that level and loved my manager at the time. It was one of my most fun experiences, and it felt so good to get a team to want to believe in you. But prior to my current job, I could have happily retired being a [beauty] buyer [for Nordstrom]. I loved it so much. I was like, You're gonna have to kick me out of this job. I was a beauty advisor at the Nordstrom MAC counter. I worked at a store called Alderwood, and I still shop there on my days off, because it is close to where I live. I started there on the floor, in my mid 20s. My friend was doing makeup, and she said, 'I think you'll like it, try it out.' I figured, Oh, this will be a pit stop, but it has now evolved into an amazing career. At one point, I thought that I was going to be a MAC Global Artist and the person doing a model's makeup backstage. But I've found so much enjoyment in being a people leader, and so I went that route instead. I'm not sure I've had one. But I was the most terrified when I was on the Nordstrom sales force. I was there for seven years, doing different things. I went from a department manager at our Seattle flagship into the buying office and then to a more financial job. Imagine going from customer-facing to being at a desk with Excel spreadsheets and looking at ordering systems. I was working as a system replenishment buyer [who manages inventory] and couldn't believe they trusted me to spend the company's money. I was so stressed out. I kept thinking, If I'm bad at this job, I'm not going to make it or get to the next step. I had a major case of imposter syndrome. I genuinely thought they had made a mistake. It worked out in the long run, but it was a lot. We all have natural insecurities. I had a great mentor at the time. She was the general merchandising manager at Nordstrom. I just reminded myself that she believed in me, so I needed to believe in myself. I paused and remembered that I was there for a reason. The worst thing you can do in any job, big or small, is to not ask questions. If you are in a job for a while and don't admit that you don't know something early on, there will be a time when someone will be like, 'You didn't know that?' And yes, that's right, because you didn't say anything for six months. Even though we have a 'people first' philosophy at Nordstrom, that doesn't mean everyone's a people person. That's the reality. My first mentor used to say, 'People work for people.' I translate that as: Yes, we are here to do a job. Yes, we need to make the numbers and the goals. Yes, in order to do that, the paycheck should be the incentive. But people are human. The simple act of kindness—saying please, thank you—and appreciation can go such a long way. Sometimes you have to take the job out of it and be like, How am I supporting this person so that they can better support me, and we can get the job done together? I find a lot of value in that. I am not an 'inbox zero' person. But I am a Virgo, so I do have a routine. On Mondays, I have to write my to-do list for the week. I always start my week by looking at my calendar and writing out the list. If I don't prioritize that, I'll get sucked into replying to emails and reacting. For my email, I am very comfortable with an email that's not so important. I do not feel the urgency to reply. And then, when I do take the time to look at an email, there needs to be an action. I either have to file, delete, or action it. I like to run my inbox that way. People will leave product reviews. We still have a customer service line that people can call, you can also email our chat, and we get feedback from all angles. I've even gotten feedback from a customer on LinkedIn. They found me, and they told me something they didn't like. And I was like, You know what? Thank you for that feedback. I wish I had endless money to be an investor. I wish things were easier for indie brands. I hope it continues to get better. I also think customers have too much access to information, because sometimes it's wrong or bad information. But I enjoy that the consumer is asking questions. It means that we have to pay attention as an industry, and that can hold brands accountable. I do want to continue to see more diversity and women at those big seats at the table. There is still so much room to grow in that space. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
