UK Harper's Bazaar September 2025 : Mariah Carey by Alexi Lubomirski

[Phuel]

Has September replaced August at Hearst UK? One big collections editorial and not much else fashion wise both in HB and Elle...

September’s become a nonevent nowadays, unfortunately. It really does look and feel like an August issue.

But Emma’s shoot is the only reason for this issue: Aylah styled to look like an 80s mannequin-come-to-life on the cover select should have been the look throughout the entire shoot. She really has the hardcore Stepford Wife features, it’s uncannily, surreally, beyond gorgeous-- and eerie, like an old Mesiel shoot for Franca's Vogue.

Mariah’s could have taken beyond the unexpected and styled as a Jessica Rabbit/Jayne Mansfield bombshell— resplendent, decadent, glitttering and absolutely fabulous in corseted Dolce, Gaultier, and classic Versace. But unfortunate that her branding is so strict and insistent on this permanent butterflies/roses/windblown hair CVS budget fragrance signature. She’s so capable of much much much more— just like she’s more than her horrid Christmas and Disney soundtracks: “The Roof” is one of the greatest vibe ever created. She’s the last of the great pop icons that still look amazing— if only she took a chance.

 

[Ludwig]

i loved Aylah's editorial. I don't know why Meisel never worked with her.. she always delivers

 

[Squizree]

It's nice to see Mariah in minimal colors and shapes but it's a cliche I'm so tired of. It's one of those 'stamps' magazines try to put on someone when editors decide they now need to be 'taken seriously'. @Phuel hit the nail. Why not lean into Mariah's ridiculous bulletproof camp?

But it's because Mariah never needed the blessing or gimmicks of the fashion industry to forge such a dominant career. Unlike someone like, say, Rihanna (cuz JLo would be too obvious). Mariah has to be TRANSFORMED before she can receive the industry's 'favor'.

 

[djowodjo30]

Downton Revisited

Celebrity : Michelle Dockery & Laura Carmichael
Styling : Grace Clark
Photo : Phillip Sinden



HB UK digital

 

[ivano]

I don't know how much retouch this has, but Mariah looks in her 30s in this magazine. This could be from 2005, really, and don't spot a difference.

Love the Aliyah's ed. Looks a bit ELLE magazine though, which I love!

 

[ivano]

*Aylah 😂 sorry

 

[Mr Yayo]

I've just received my print subscription issue, it's 226 pages. My cover was the Mariah Carey one, so the Aylah cover isn't necessarily the subscriber's one, as I wondered, and the other covers are the usual ones only available at museums or art galleries.

Plenty of new season ads. Inside front cover gatefold ad is Louis Vuitton with Emma Stone. Back page is Celine.

This isn't the flat and featureless world of Vogue, where they presume you no longer have any appreciable attention span - the issue is richer in content than scans would suggest, because so much of the issue is composed of better-quality written content about fashion, or interiors and travel etc. But that's hard to convey in a thread.

Also happy that they’ve started using more established models instead of random ones (although not as frequent/obvious as American HB).

They must have been reading my comments on this! Lol

 

[vogue28]

This feels so out of left field coming from British Harper's Bazaar, and feels more suited to the American edition. Not a fan to be completely honest. Despite Mariah Carey, it's a very underwhelming and bland-looking cover. The Dolce look is immaculate, but so boring for September. Lubomirski's photography feels flat here too.