I had the pleasure of interviewing Chere Di Boscio, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Eluxe Magazine and the Eluxe Awards. Chere, not to be mistaken for Cherie, founded the magazine after spending many years editing luxury glossies and growing frustrated with notions of luxury being equated with excess’ and ‘extravagance’. “Having more, more, more is NOT my idea of luxury” she exclaimed “nor is the idea of plundering rare natural gifts like the beautiful fur of animals or minerals and gems from the earth.” She looked around for a magazine that shared her worldview and concept of sustainable luxury to send her CV to, and finding none, she created her own.
I couldn’t agree more with Chere’s sentiment and vision to not only see a problem but make light of it and most importantly do something about it. Read on to learn more about this sustainable boss babe and prepare to be seriously inspired.
How do you define sustainable living? Why does it matter to you?
For me, it’s about living far more simply and consciously. It’s about embracing the beauty of the natural world more, and consuming harmful materials less. It matters because ultimately, for me, there is a spiritual connection here: we, the plants, animals and people are all one, and to do damage to our environment is to do damage to ourselves.
What advice would you give to someone who would want to start living more sustainably? 3 first steps.
1. Reduce your consumption of all things.
2. Educate yourself about toxic products vs natural – especially with regards to beauty products and food.
3. Go vegan – it’s the single-most powerful thing you can do to reduce your CO2 footprint. Even if you go vegetarian or reduce your meat consumption to a few days a week, that’s something….
In building Eluxe Magazine what are 3 challenges you encountered and how you overcame them?
Finding the funding was initially difficult, but luckily, I was in a position to invest my own savings into the project. Secondly, finding great staff was difficult. Luckily, Arwa, Diane, Jody, Lora and Chiara have been with me for years, and I treasure them! Currently, it’s a challenge to run the magazine from Peru. I chose to live here because I believe living sustainably and consciously here is far easier than it is in developed countries, but I recognize that I am missing a lot of networking and growth opportunities by doing so.
What are the Eluxe Awards?
They’re the world’s first sustainable luxury awards, surprisingly! We honor the creme de la creme in terms of eco luxury brands. I believe the 2019 awards will be held at the Mondrian Hotel in London, though we have yet to confirm.
Can anyone enter or be entered?
It’s open to any sustainable or organic brand, yes!
What are some of the proudest moments you’ve had since launching Eluxe Magazine?
Being able to grow continuously for five years with no investment other than my own savings makes me feel pretty proud, as does spreading the word about serious issues, like the dangers of the 5G network (our article has had almost half a million views). Having Mena Suvari and Nikki Reed on our covers, and knowing that they and other celebrities like Emma Watson and Ian Sommerhalder are fans of the magazine makes me quite happy, too!
What’s next for Eluxe Magazine?
The 2019 Eluxe Awards are happening in February, and of course, I hope to continue to grow the brand, promoting small ethical and sustainable brands along the way.
Chere’s favorites things:
Skincare must have: Subtle Energies skincare oils.
Fashion brands: I adore Amur and Maggie Marilyn for day looks and Gyunel for occasions – not that I have many living here in Peru these days!
Shoe brands: Susi Studio is my vegan shoe go-to.
Favorite cities you’ve lived in: I’ve lived in Paris, London, Cape Town, Buenos Aires and Toronto, but I can honestly say I am not a fan of cities at all, and currently live in the middle of nowhere in the Peruvian Andes – and love it!
Destinations you’ve travelled to: Peru, that’s why I live here, Bali and Tulum, but 20 years ago, before tourism ruined them.
YouTube Channels: Kristen Leo for fun, The Corbett Report for actual news insights.
Instagram accounts to follow: My top 6 are @sustainableinstilettoes @henrica.langh @ConsciousNChic @underneathmysilk @amurofficial @danielachristiansson.
Connecting and writing about boss babes who exemplify what it means to live a conscious and chic life is always a treat. To connect with Chere and the Eluxe Magazine team be sure to visit EluxeMagazine.com