UK Vogue July 2021 : Malala Yousafzai by Nick Knight

[bc collector]

Who is demanding a Western way of life as the supreme end all???

There would be so much to say on this, I would't even know where to start from.
One thing is crucial to stress: without women liberation (and urban culture) there would be no fashion as such. Fashion does not just equal clothes, it is so much more than that on a symbolic level. I personally find it very puzzling that today wearing a hijab or a veil is considered the ultimate fashion statement (see the appointment of Vogue Scandinavia's EIC), it looks as if decades of work by the likes of Vionnet, Chanel, Quant, Westwood, Kawakubo, Prada (to quote just the pre-eminent females in the field) are going down the drain in the turn of a week. You cannot imagine what I would give to hear Mlle Coco's opinion on this matter, I can almost see her glowing in rage from the grave.
Let's cut to the chase: I will buy this "wearing a hijab is soo very woke" argument when I will hear of someone who has been fined or legally constricted to NOT wear a hijab in a democratic country, western or not. OR, conversely, when women in most Muslim countries will be free to wear miniskirts or show their hair as they please, without incurring in any social or legal trouble.
Fashion without freedom is nothing. And until this freedom will be granted to all women in all countries I will send the message back to the receivers.
Secondly, traditional ethnic clothes can be of interest for anthropologists, sociologists or such, but hardly constitute fashion fare. Again, take a look at the Japanese: they were not so lazy to slap a kimono on the covers of fashion magazines, they took techniques and shapes of traditional dressing, transformed them and made them desirable to wear for women (and men) all over the world. But I guess that's too much work and effort to ask of today's standard.

One last thing on Edward Enninful. I really do not know why this guy became so powerful and so quickly. I can think of dozens of stylists who were as qualified or more to do cover the post of EIC at Vogue UK. It might to have been a very truthful portrayal, but segment in The September Issue kind of made him look somewhat lacking in personality. It's not that I want to deny the guy has talent but I can't escape the feeling that he's deliberately cashing in on his blackness, gayness and any other -ness and that his strategy is uniquely that of riding the zeitgeist and please the woke tribe, but there is no real aesthetic research or advancement in his work. This cover is the symbol of what I mean.

Someone in the previous posts quoted the infamous Makeover Madness cover by Sozzani: for those who did not get it, it was a satyrical visual comment against something that many among her Vogue readers considered to be a common practice, she was kind of making fun of them.
Would Mr Enninful have the courage to do the same with his followers? Let me doubt it....

 

[Abby Zacky]

so good, edward !!

 

[Xone]

Edward is not gonna do NOTHING that put in risk his way to become US Vogue EIC. And to be honest all editors in majority are like this. They all want to be inclusive, please all the causes, and being the poster boys and girls of fashion activism. This is a way to do business but it's not the only way, even in this times. A lot of people here takes what Vogue is doing the solution for everything and tbh is the Anna Wintour culture (if the term is valid, not sure lol) and i understand because all the machinery AW presents and represents in the american market. and she wanst to expand it through all the Vogue's, first with Edward, the perfect candidate for her to show that CN is open and inclusive.

She should focus on her magazine and put some effort to make it interesting because British Vogue somehow is becoming better than US vogue.

In the end,AW is gonna do whatever she wants and how she wants as always.

 

[arabchic]

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.

I’m one of those millions and to put it out frankly hijab is forced on us; I bet if women had basic human rights in those communities we would definitely not wear it or claim it. Stop making purity culture something to be celebrated when hijab is never meant to be stylish because the ones who market it as stylish are delusional and you can see that when they’re not celebrated by their community (remember Halima Aden)

this cover is a National Geographic cover at best and I’m simply not interested in seeing this in fashion magazines

 

[VogueGirl8910]

The cover is very Time magazine's style, but the portraits are stunning & beautiful. Glad to see her on Vogue & made me forget the previous cover with Billie Ellish.

 

[LoveFashion25]

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.

He’s become an asset to Condé Nast whether people want to admit to it!

 

[Serend1pity]

Confused as to when Malala became a political behemoth as in Britain had always seen her as a humanitarian champion first and foremost.

anyway I would thing it’s nice to have a proper profile for the summer months when they’re usually so quiet

 

[TomFordforGucci]

(Next, just waiting on the prerequisite post accusing anyone that’s not bowing before Edward for this cover as sexist/racist/misogynist etc etc LOOOL)

“Yes…the “resistance” sure loves the slop and crumbs their corporate overlords throw them”

People are vocal to call out the “forced” woke diversity and inclusivity… but there was much silence during the avalanche of white models, actresses, editors etc in fashion over the last +2 decades.

 

[Benn98]

The first editorial preview, red and blue shot looks stunning. I'd have gone with that one instead.
Can't get behind the main cover or even the casting. I get that they were trying to be both serious and fashion-forward but those two don't make good bedfellows. Very soon fashion won't be able to exist on its own. In fact, I think we've already reached that stage.

 

[marsnoop2]

the meetup nobody asked for

 

[MDNA]

 

[GERGIN]

Choices.

I repeat, C H O I C E S.

 

[dior_couture1245]

Omg.

Omg.

Talk about the slop being thrown at us from our corporate overlords….

 

[Benn98]

I want to say that Edward took it a bit too far with the Tim Cook cover but then I'm reminded of the fact that Marissa Mayer and Sheryl Sandberg appeared in American Vogue. So I suppose it's the same? But maybe the Tim Cook effort should have been saved for YouTube only. Just seem so....pandering. Because everything about Tim Cook is pandering.

The digital covers are awful. But Edward should be commended for his timing with both the Billie Hell-ish and this cover. It's really quite perfectly timed and everyone is talking about it for all the right reasons. But I've always had a problem with Malala's activism (and her then obsession with Justin Bieber). It's ok to fight for the children and for them to get an adequate education, but just remember those kids will grow into women and gay persons who are oppressed under the very system she endorses at the same time. I find that problematic, sorry.

 

[Joromana]

As others have said, I don't love the cover. I like Malala, I like Nick Knight, but am surprised the cover looks a bit bland. The interior shots are better.

I don't mind Malala on the cover; she's a well-known figure, she would sell magazines, it makes sense. Not sure why people think this is some crazy push down their throats; she's not a political figure, she's an activist. Exactly what are people upset over? Chill out.

LOL as if anyone that’s “bothered” actually is so upset at this point with Edward’s profiteering gimmicks. It’s more amusing at the intellectually-dishonest, misattributing motive of some (whom never fails to miss the opportunity to assert their so-called superior progressive stance to mock those that roll their eyes at such virtue-signalling, current-era Vogue covers LOL) that will unquestioning kowtow to such marketing ploys of an ailing publication to desperately remain relevant (woke).

Your hard-to-decipher run-on sentence aside....

How is his scheme any different than what Anna started in the '90s/early aughts by putting celebs on the cover? They're all a push for attention and to generate sales.

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.

Did not even consider this perspective, thanks for including.

 

[Benn98]

Your hard-to-decipher run-on sentence aside.....

That's how they write, lol. There's this group of members of a certain era, Tigerrouge, Phuel, Mulletproof, whose posts you need to read over 3 or so times to fully understand what was said. Thought you'd have been used to it by now, lol.

 

[aracic]

I feel like I stumbled upon reddit and not the fashion spot, what is this crap? I mean I realise that fashion as we know it is no more, but a damn Apple CEO? Who cares?!

 

[LastNight]

I got my copy in the post today and just had a flick through.

It's a nice little issue for July - Malala's inside pictures are lovely, there's a beautiful studio shoot by Inez and Vinoodh, a nautical story with Edie and an editorial with Raquel. It doesn't seem packed with features: something about pottery and an extensive one with boxer Anthony Joshua. But overall it's decent and there are some really lovely shots inside. There isn't much of a summer feeling to any of it though, which is a shame; as cliche as it is I can't resist a good old-fashioned sunny beach shoot, but never mind!

 

[JPineapple]

I got my copy in the post today and just had a flick through.

It's a nice little issue for July - Malala's inside pictures are lovely, there's a beautiful studio shoot by Inez and Vinoodh, a nautical story with Edie and an editorial with Raquel. It doesn't seem packed with features: something about pottery and an extensive one with boxer Anthony Joshua. But overall it's decent and there are some really lovely shots inside. There isn't much of a summer feeling to any of it though, which is a shame; as cliche as it is I can't resist a good old-fashioned sunny beach shoot, but never mind!

Can you please post the I&V ed? After the stunning preview they shared on IG I’m dying to see it

 

[Xone]

Can't wait to see Raquel's editorial....