i-D Pre-Spring 2012 by Chen Man

[mikel]

Stella's cover is stunning indeed.

 

[Ives927]

I'm really not understanding all the cry for more diversity. We are getting an all Chinese ensemble for a UK magazine in an industry dominated by Caucasians. Here, for once, a fashion magazine is fully embracing and celebrating a the culture of a minority group, yet here we are asking for more? There's something wrong with that picture.

We are getting what we have been wanting and demanding for, but now that we get it, it still isn't enough. I'm really not sure what more i-D could do. It's clearly stated that this is about the Chinese culture. They're doing this issue to coincide with Chinese New Year. How often do we see this is fashion?

Being Chinese myself, it is rare to see these beautiful faces in the popular Western AND Eastern media. We often get Chinese that have larger eyes, double eyelids and tall noses. Here we have such a diversity of beauty, but we're still not satisfied.

 

[AD011620]

amazing!

 

[AlwaysNicky]

i don't like them.i prefer Chinese models,like Liuwen ,Hesui or Feifei to do the covers.
stella's cover is absolutely stunning.

 

[vogue28]

Praise the Lord for.. fashionable covers. Stella's fails to appeal to me, so I suspect Mrs Beckham or Lara to bring the excitement.

 

[Zazie]

I'm so jaded (...just look at US Vogue doing its umpteenth "interpretation" of the sort of retro goddess (Bridget Bardot, Ursula Andress, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Catherine Deneuve, etc., etc....) worshiped by Anna Wintour's generation for lack of original ideas...) I seldom even glance at magazines anymore - they're all so cookie-cutter - but this is breathtaking! There's so much CHARACTER in each portrait that the meaning of fashion, of makeup colours, of ornaments, are all made to come alive. I am so glad they didn't just put typical faces on the covers, but a range of skintones and beauty, from fragile, soft, girlish to strong and regal. KUDOS and BIG LOVE for ID!!

I read through some of the other comments, and I'm struck by the tone of intolerance....come on, it is only ONCE in decades that ID attempted such a bold cover move, and there are still "conventionally white" covers to choose from, what's the deal with all the hate?

I'd hope that soon there'll be future covers with South Asian models or Slavic models interspersed with the conventional "model" covers. The world is made of 6 billion people of different colours, looks and cultures, it's more fun to see some of the others for a change.

 

[Zazie]

I mean, honestly...there have been hundreds, nay, thousands of Kate Moss covers, of Darias, of Enikos, of Sashas, etc...are we not even able to put up with one ethnic cover?

 

[MulletProof]

So nice to see you posting in this area, Zazie, very true everything you said.

 

[Lee MG Tisci]

truly stunning covers!! just beautiful pieces of art
my favorites are the ones with Liu Dan, Wan Bao Bao, Meng Lu, Xin Yuan, Pan Yan and Zhang Li Na

it kinda annoys me that there are other 5 "conventional" covers, it's unnecessary..
.

 

[|PerfectTonight|]

Intolerance! Seriously 5 other "conventionally white" covers? It's like having a statement and hiding behind it, so if it backfires we have a plan B. As much as I love Solve's work and Stella as the model, the cover itself is quite bland.

MulletProof lovely to read your posts, as always!

 

[clocked]

ok this is just cover overload. i mean, come on now...i liked the chen man ones already, but FIVE MORE? of white models? REALLY?

 

[modelista]

I'm looooooooving the concept the layout, styling & makeup are stunning & it's exciting to see soooooo many asian faces represented but 12 covers?!?!?! that's kinda crazy.. I mean, how is anyone supposed to pick just one

Also, r the girls models?? Cuz except for Liu Dan, I don't think I've ever heard of anyone of them
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[YoninahAliza]

So I was really pleased to see all the Chen Man covers but then i-D decides to have 5 covers of (presumably) white models too??? That kinda kills some of the awesomeness of the other 12 covers. And if they only have the other 5 models cover's at my local newsstand... well...I'm going to be royally ticked off.

 

[tentacules97]

I love i-D for doing this. The concept is very nice. I think it shows really shows how beautiful and diverse chinese are. Quncuo's and Xin Yuan's are excellent. Can't wait to see the content of the issue!

 

[tarsha]

Lara Stone by Alasdair McLellan



i-donline

 

[magnetic]

Pink Li Zheng cover is brilliant, it'll look fantastic in print.

 

[yesitsdagny]

Lara's cover is adorable. Minimal makeup, wind on her hair...it's the simplicity that makes this cover so striking. And Lara looks absolutely beautiful..

 

[Zazie]

So nice to see you posting in this area, Zazie, very true everything you said.

Thank you MulletProof, many of the other TFSers put it very well too. And yes, they needed 5 other conventional covers just in case.....

I just found out about a TV entertainment program called "Soul Train", as it seems its producer, Don Cornelius, just committed suicide. I did a Youtube search and I was stunned by how beautifully African-Americans dressed and danced back then. They all looked original and individual, such details, such fashion sense, it's amazing. I feel like this is what's missing from fashion now, even when Dries van Noten or Balenciaga "do" ethnic, it ends up looking like what Anna Wintour would wear. There's no boldness, edginess or flamboyance, no fun, no soul, i.e. I feel like I'm in the wrong decade. These ID covers will perk me up a bit for the cold month ahead.

Here's one Soul Train clip which I enjoyed watching:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R_lhP3J1eQ&feature=related

 

[jmrmartinho]

this issue is epic so far!

 

[Les_Sucettes]

Lara looks beautiful!