UK Vogue July 2021 : Malala Yousafzai by Nick Knight

[MulletProof]

Yes, Vogue has always been political— and at their best, they were always so masterful at balancing politics with high fashion in impressive, clever and subversive creativity. Nowadays, they’ve lost any sense of creative initiative and just flatly parrot Time/Newsweek/Twitter.

Couldn't help a sympathetic smile at the 'wake up and smell the coffee' tone of *gasp* the involvement of Vogue in politics. I'm sure there's nothing but innocent rationale in assuming a 20 year-old online community might depend on the revelation of one of its newer members to finally learn about something that makes monthly appearances in fashion's biggest publication, but it gets a bit trickier (and in a way, telling of the lack of critical thinking involved in anyone nurturing a so-called 'passionate' level of interest in fashion) to think a Malala cover (of all things) is the activism and political side of Vogue. One might get a sharper picture of Condé Nast's lobbying and political servitude by connecting dots beyond a plain, for-dummies cover that cynically promotes wokeness knowing well it serves a corporate agenda that needs hegemony. If there's something our eternally perverted Vogue excels at, that's feeding (not presenting) political content when it tells you that Vogue's only mission is to serve mindless glamour (2012's A Rose in the Desert, 2003's Extreme Makeover, 1946's Berlin Letter, etc).

This is exactly what it looks.. not fashion and most definitely not activism and not politics, just an exercise of adding more space in the already spacious brains of the vapid readership they now depend on for survival. Just a bit more of this and they will have secured their jobs for another ten years..

 

[ivano]

The pictures are pretty, love the red composition. I was expecting a disaster after reading the title, but It doesn't look bad at all. I agree this belongs more to TIME magazine and not to Vogue.

 

[Nevin139]

Time Magazine ？？？？？？？？

 

[Stallonation]

Beautiful

 

[Yohji]

Whatever your stance is, can we as society please stop using the word ‘woke’ as a pejorative?

 

[MON]

I love her, but not this. Time Magazine Person of the Year at best.

If this were US Vogue this would have been dragged to filth for being predictable and basic.

 

[tjasmine]

Nice cover!!

I LOVE the 3rd shot of the editorial, and I think I would have preferred that as cover, but I still find this cover very appealing. Good for Malala!

 

[avonlea002]

Whatever your stance is, can we as society please stop using the word ‘woke’ as a pejorative?

Why though? It is a pejorative.

 

[Kiyoko]

Malala looks lovely & her story is very inspirational but this cover is exactly what peeves me with fashion magazines. There is no fashion or beauty that is awe inspiring - it’s totally forgettable. An article with a photo essay - perfect but as a covergirl - total misstep

 

[tigerrouge]

And in an ever changing magazine landscape you can’t fault Edward for consistently creating headline-worthy covers. I don’t love everything he’s done but his Vogue is the most tuned into the zeitgeist and manages to make news around the world. Almost all the covers this year have had some kind of exclusivity about them - it’s exciting!

He manages to make the magazine seem relevant, and in the hand, the print issue seems like a glossy product worth purchasing. But I feel like I should like Edward's Vogue more than I do - I see the cover shot online, which is designed to attract superficial comment, we all have our conversations like we're supposed to, then about two weeks after it comes out, my subscription copy turns up, I flick through it, nothing grabs me, but I store it away for looking through later, then I never return to it, and the issues that I have recycled, very little of the content was worth keeping, in comparison to what's already in my collection.

At this stage, it doesn't look like Conde Nast is going to permit any other person to ever become a contender for the title of 'great editor' so this is probably the best we're going to get.

I've said this countless times before, fashion magazines are not our friends, they never have been and they never will be. They will use whatever methods they can to continue with their primary purpose, which is to sell us products that none of us need. They aren't a not-for-profit educational service acting for the good of humanity. They're more like a salesperson selling you a T-shirt with a picture of Malala on it, and making you think you've greatly contributed to her cause because you bought it from them.

 

[SLFC]

I get the feeling now that Edward appears to be conde masts hail Mary. The final gasp of a dying company desperate to maintain relevance by casting whatever empty political platitude they can get their hands on. I'll have give him something though. He does it far better than Anna does. There is something there that sometimes always gives me a reason to pick a copy up whereas very rarely with Vogue US.

 

[JPineapple]

Whatever your stance is, can we as society please stop using the word ‘woke’ as a pejorative?

You’re asking too much :/

 

[Marc10]

It's interesting reading comments about the "lack of fashion" in the cover story, because the thing is, what she's wearing is very stylish and fashionable for millions of women around the world. It's probably one of the first times they see something that is appealing and desirable to them on the pages Vogue. And they deserve to have that as well. They shop high fashion and beauty products. It's not about being "woke", it's simply realizing that our way of life (meaning western and often white) is not supreme, and our social parameters should be broader. The people we see in fashion and magazines should reflect its audience.

 

[tigerrouge]

it's simply realizing that our way of life (meaning western and often white) is not supreme, and our social parameters should be broader.

Women's rights are hard won and easily lost even in Western countries and there are a fair number of social parameters which shouldn't be broadened for the good of half the human race.

 

[Xone]

He manages to make the magazine seem relevant, and in the hand, the print issue seems like a glossy product worth purchasing. But I feel like I should like Edward's Vogue more than I do - I see the cover shot online, which is designed to attract superficial comment, we all have our conversations like we're supposed to, then about two weeks after it comes out, my subscription copy turns up, I flick through it, nothing grabs me, but I store it away for looking through later, then I never return to it, and the issues that I have recycled, very little of the content was worth keeping, in comparison to what's already in my collection.

At this stage, it doesn't look like Conde Nast is going to permit any other person to ever become a contender for the title of 'great editor' so this is probably the best we're going to get.

I've said this countless times before, fashion magazines are not our friends, they never have been and they never will be. They will use whatever methods they can to continue with their primary purpose, which is to sell us products that none of us need. They aren't a not-for-profit educational service acting for the good of humanity. They're more like a salesperson selling you a T-shirt with a picture of Malala on it, and making you think you've greatly contributed to her cause because you bought it from them.

I understand but at this point, who thinks fashion magazines are our friends?...it's all about selling luxury exactly like you said, it's all about their agenda, and we can choose to buy or not to buy. For sure it's all about tricks and manipulation and generating engage now and all the superficial things you mentioned. So we have to know what is it and take it from there. The days of "objective" journalism are gone long time ago.

I didn't know she was that young....she looks like an older woman.

 

[Marc10]

Women's rights are hard won and easily lost even in Western countries and there are a fair number of social parameters which shouldn't be broadened for the good of half the human race.

I.. don't really understand how women's rights and the human race are in danger due to Muslim women being on the pages of Vogue?

 

[LastNight]

As much as people don't like to be called names for not liking this cover, I also don't really enjoy being thought of as vapid, or blindly lapping up whatever Edward puts out, or not seeing through the headline-grabbing tactics of this cover just because I like it. I'm well aware why the magazine exists and what it's main function is, as well as Edward's need to keep the magazine relevant, and yet I also still enjoy the final result and I'm excited about a new and unexpected cover star. It still feels like a fashion cover to me and I'm looking forward to reading her feature.

Some of the comments in here feel a little condescending. I don't feel like I've changed the world by picking up an issue with Malala on the cover, nor do I have the perception that Vogue is at the forefront of activism. It's possible to both want and enjoy Vogue's take on society and culture, while also understanding it's a surface level analysis and that the magazine is basically a glorified catalogue.

Vogue has always reflected the current times and featured people who best represent the era we're living in, it's funny how now that's now perceived as desperately clinging to relevance. There are many people with no interest in fashion who have made the cover over the years to promote their movies and music; to me this is an interesting, beautiful woman on the cover of Vogue who speaks to her generation in the same way those women did/do. Also, since September we've had Emma Corrin, Serena Williams, Beyonce, Kate Moss, Dua Lipa, Angelina Jolie, models by Meisel, Thandiwe Newton and Billie Eilish. All of them have been the usual fashion/celebrity covers and features you can expect from a magazine like Vogue - I don't really understand the fuss of having one cover star in an almost 12 month period that doesn't fit that mould.

 

[KoV]

Why though? It is a pejorative.

It’s been co-opted by *some* to mock or belittle people with progressive views. It certainly wasn’t originally intended to be or used as a pejorative.

 

[Yohji]

Why though? It is a pejorative.

Ok.

Also thank you to @LastNight for brilliantly articulating how I also feel.

 

[Phuel]

It's interesting reading comments about the "lack of fashion" in the cover story, because the thing is, what she's wearing is very stylish and fashionable for millions of women around the world. It's probably one of the first times they see something that is appealing and desirable to them on the pages Vogue. And they deserve to have that as well. They shop high fashion and beauty products. It's not about being "woke", it's simply realizing that our way of life (meaning western and often white) is not supreme, and our social parameters should be broader. The people we see in fashion and magazines should reflect its audience.

Who is demanding a Western way of life as the supreme end all??? And if you’d like the “people we see in fashion magazines should reflect its audience”, then perhaps cast more Asians and ME presence (…cuz I’m betting that the politically active individuals don’t give a flying fcuk about fashion and won't be giving Vogue a secondhand glance). Asian and ME women have their own traditional style that’s infused with “western”style and many of us have grown up with alongside these styles while growing up in the western hemisphere. Why not support these loyal customers of luxury/high fashion by celebrating their styles on the covers of Vogue???

And don’t want to be that person— however (LOL), a sari is not a fashion accoutrement nor statement for as you’ve put it, millions of Hindu/Muslim women. Those from the most wealthy upbringings to the lowest Untouchables, adorn the traditional sari from everyday life to the holiest of days. It may be exotic and fashionable for those not familiar with seeing it in an everyday context, but think of the most traditional (and religious signifying) garb of Western society and style it on the cover of Vogue (which nowadays means the opposite of what en vogue meant just 10 years ago…), and that’s the (lack of an) impact.

(BTW, not liking the cover isn’t a dismissal of Malala and her fight. Nor am I expecting her to be all vamped up in Balmain. Just that to put it frankly, this has not a whiff of high fashion.)