UK Vogue April 2023 : Jill, Precious & Paloma by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin

[aracic]

I always think about what Franca pushed from her magazine and it was made in the best possible way. A curvy issue, an age one, a black other. It's the proof you can be more inclusive without loosing the quality and glamour. I don't know if sales for Edward are better going this way, but he could do better.

And it wasn't only Franca's visionary point of view either. Anna had her own commercial, albeit glamorous and beautiful approach to regular representation as well with the Age issues in August focused on all ages and the Shape issues in April for women with curves (although the biggest curves off the top of my head were pregnant bellies, so there's that).

 

[Yohji]

Wow, what a waste. It looks like they posing for Charlie’s Angels promo.

 

[LastNight]

I quite like the individual covers, but why such a gloomy backdrop? It’s been a miserable winter in the UK, I want my spring issues to offer some warmth and joy and hope for the new season, not more grey clouds.

Sad to have to agree that I&V seem to have slipped recently. I adore so much of their work but their recent offerings for Vogue haven’t been the best.

I’m hoping the logo will be a metallic silver in real life, which should lift the covers a bit and give them more of an allure. Overall these aren’t terrible, but could’ve been way better… I just hope the content isn’t as abysmal as last month’s…

 

[Deleted member 1957]

The group pic looks like a catalog from one of those brands that you find on the side of the page when you open a site. The individual covers are alot better but all too dark for April. These models all know how to deliver, I wish the direction was better.

 

[Benn98]

^^Meanwhile I've been sporting a stunning tan for a solid 6 months now. It's honestly the one part I don't miss about home.

What's all this talk about the girls not being supers, looking at you Lola?! Jill definitely isn't, no two ways about that. Despite all her covers (all bad btw and probably got all of them because she comes from the cheese country), she's not a super. She's not known outside fashion. Precious and Paloma are because they have a large following and American Vogue support their own beyond just covers. You'll find these two in Vogue's Youtube series, on the website, and on socials. They're known in and outside fashion and that is what constitutes a super.

I don't like the group cover at all. What's withthe lighting and set design? It looks so fake, like digital art (which I detest).
And I think the politics of it makes it even worse. Plus-size women are already hyper-sexualised because of their curves, for a fashion/women's magazine to further on that is just so problematic. And then you put the Black model right in the middle where her curves are the focus before you see her face? Granted Precious deserved the middle spot because she's got the biggest profile among the two and she's the better model, but it's just so tone deaf. I'm surprised that GKJ who is so hyper-aware of everything wouldn't have picked up on this. Or maybe she did and it's intentional, which, then I don't want to see any more tears on Instagram about 'the bullies' when you're quite prepared to perpetuate negative stereotypes by your own hand.

 

[Deleted member 141523]

And it wasn't only Franca's visionary point of view either. Anna had her own commercial, albeit glamorous and beautiful approach to regular representation as well with the Age issues in August focused on all ages and the Shape issues in April for women with curves (although the biggest curves off the top of my head were pregnant bellies, so there's that).

I remember some eds with Sophiel Dahl and the Kate Upton moment. Curvy at the time was more close to real female body (in general, thin and plus were always part of the spectrum). I don't want to talk about the current trend because is such a sensitive topic that you can hurt people. The point I can say is how rushed and forced the style/aesthetic is. The VI Meisel ed remains the best example of how to work with different body shapes without crossing any line of vulgarity or cheapness.

 

[Xone]

I don;t like the cover...individuals or group...and yes the word supermodels have been whored out at the point that it's just a way to express....to using "cool" for anything.

But Supermodels in the classic way they are not. and Honestly maybe (big maybe) Precious will build something interesting. The other two are a result of a facewash the industry needed and they got lucky. I don't consider them very talented in fact quite limited modeling skills.

And there is a video,a honestly they are very annoying...

 

[Benn98]

And there is a video,a honestly they are very annoying...

I hear you! It's the accents, American accents can sound quite annoying. Especially the ones from California.

 

[FashionMuseDior]

I think it's a lovely cover, defects and all. I love seeing these girls thriving in an industry that not long ago would've just said no and never. I appreciate the cover and especially the individual ones.

 

[Royal-Galliano]

"i don't know her."

 

[oaklee91]

Liking it!

 

[MON]

People wanting Meisel back just tells you all you need to know as to WHO the backbone of this magazine is.

The edition is rambling without Meisel. And the way the cover images for those terrible non-Meisel covers were chosen tells you about the direction this magazine has without Meisel.

Notice how during the non-Meisel issues, they constantly have those media plays/gimmicks like “firsts”, “all_____ issue” +++. They know without a Meisel feature, the issue is just a reprint of American Vogue.

 

[balmain1914]

Inezandvinoodh shot this?
it indeed looks like Luigi and Iango

 

[Starry]

I believe it's starting to become more and more apparent that British Vogue's budget is getting tighter and tighter, with every passing issue (especially with the absence of Steven Meisel).

Word.

Maybe not the only reason but most likely one of the biggest reasons for all the mess in Vogues: Conde Nast has no budget anymore.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

I feel like Leslie Sidora and Precious Lee would have created a stronger cover with better direction of course.

 

[Benn98]

Word.

Maybe not the only reason but most likely one of the biggest reasons for all the mess in Vogues: Conde Nast has no budget anymore.

Also, Meisel is expensive! He's probably easily more expensive than Annie.
So with the current shape of things in magazines, I predict they'll only use him for 2 maybe 1 issue per year soon.
UK Vogue's budget must still be far bigger than most if they can book I&V back to back.

I'd be interested to see the numbers. How are the Meisel covers selling and faring online (because more often than not they feature models)? And if they're not performing above average I can see how the suits will say 'find another, more cost-effective way to build prestige around the book'!

Other magazines have improvised on not being able to book big names. They work with new wave photographers. Or they bring the likes of Albert Watson, Walter Pfeiffer, Lacombe, Thompson etc out of retirement. Alt brought Bensimon out of retirement and that helped set the tone for what her VP was about. The worst thing a magazine can do is build a shrine around one photographer. Because when they leave everything falls to pieces. See VI & Meisel, V magazine & I&V, System and Teller.

 

[avonlea002]

I am surprised there is still someone willing to pay so much for Meisel's (or his assistants) editorial work. I don't even think his name equals bigger sales.

 

[Bugsy]

I don’t consider these women supermodels. To me , they are sort of stunt casting. Designers have to cast them or be criticized. If these are supermodels then anyone can be a supermodel.

 

[Ribs666]

I like this! I think the solo Precious cover is beautiful and that these covers will look really good on newsstands. Looking forward to to this issue!

 

[crmsn]

Whenever I see the main cover on Instagram, all I'm thinking is The Powerpuff Girls in a dystopian setting. It's the silver masthead that makes everything gloomy, though I'd like to see the print version if the silver foil enhances the image.

Paloma's covers and her Vogue USA one are eerily similar to each other.