UK Vogue July 2022 : Beyoncé by Rafael Pavarotti

[LiliVoguing]

cool

 

[MON]

If this were by Anna, it would have been dragged to the moon and back.

I stopped following Beyoncé a long time ago because everything just felt pretentious. This is no exception. Even Kim felt bearable at some point.

I remain a fan of her music.

 

[Vitamine W]

Ok wow this is iconic! Easily one of the best photographs taken by Rafael.

Iconic is the most overused adjective of our age. At this point it equals mediocre.
Personally I cant stomach the narcissism and self importance displayed in this style of editorial storytelling.

 

[ivano]

I do like Rafael, his pictures are so avant garde, very original. I see some influence of Walker and Solve, and that's a nice touch of creativity to the table. I can see him doing American Vogue soon. Anna is calling new photographers, so can be possible at this point. For real fashion neds to get rid of Tyler and keep hiring guys like Pavarotti. Sign of the times.

 

[GERGIN]

Iconic is the most overused adjective of our age. At this point it equals mediocre.
Personally I cant stomach the narcissism and self importance displayed in this style of editorial storytelling.

Fair point!

I also always love reading your comments and feel blessed you quotes me

 

[dontbeadrag]

Ugh, what a tacky, tacky, tacky celebrity she is. Absolutely missing elegance and, most of all, genuineness of everything she does. Blatant marketing, calculation and attention frivolity. With someone like Lady Gaga and Meisel, as someone mentioned above their covers, it works, because you can tell she is really into fashion. If you've seen her Vogue looks video - you will see that Gaga is not playing when it comes to fashion knowledge, that is why it works with her and Meisel - she is willing, cooperative and, most of all, respects fashion industry and its creatives. Beyonce's ego stinks throughout the photos and all else that she touches, yet she completely lacks grace, experience and passion for it. You can be rich, but you can't buy refined and rich taste.

Everything she does comes off so pandering and very a la mode, but that is the difference - at the time Rihanna and Gaga set standards and fashion, which is their personal style. Beyonce has no style, only the ability to follow fashion.

Also, she is not the one to be always dragged. Look at Alicia Vikander threads - she's being dragged for her life (and rightfully so, she's a terrible model).

I will never get her. She's the McDonalds of music industry - easy to access and understand, fulfils a very wide audience, cheap, but so recognised and advertised that she became a titan of the industry. Is it bad? Not necessarily, I love McDonalds too, it's just that I'd prefer something more refined given a choice.

 

[Ivanity86]

I read some comments that used the word "iconic" this cover will not become, under Edward almost none of the covers he did will be, iconic are some of the covers under Alessandra shulman (Kate David Bowie, Gisele & Robbie Williams, Kate with the crown,Linda evangelista in the yellow taxi and many others) this cover is cute only because Vogue Italia and Vogue Paris have sunk and Vogue US has become a container of politically correct

 

[dontbeadrag]

I read some comments that used the word "iconic" this cover will not become, under Edward almost none of the covers he did will be, iconic are some of the covers under Alessandra shulman (Kate David Bowie, Gisele & Robbie Williams, Kate with the crown,Linda evangelista in the yellow taxi and many others) this cover is cute only because Vogue Italia and Vogue Paris have sunk and Vogue US has become a container of politically correct

Agree completely. However, I have to say Mona, Janaye, Achenrin and, holding my breath not to vomit, Pre-ugh-cious, covers are still iconic. Those were so good that to this day I distinctly remember each one of those and the whole things comes to mind quite often. That sure was a quality offering. And Adwoa's cover was honestly great and memorable. All the others could be, but for the wrong reasons (like that first Beyonce stripper cover).

 

[blueorchid]

I find it bizarre that covers being "iconic" is some sort of barometer of success or not in 2022. All I hope for now are half-decent covers with a minimal amount of effort and thought put into the styling and staging, even that seems like too much to ask. Expecting something to be truly iconic in 2022 seems like a folly!!

 

[ivano]

Well, Kristen and Gisele comebacks were the most iconic things over the last months, but yes, nothing else.

 

[TomFordforGucci]

Such a stunning and eye catching cover.

I’ll take “tacky” B any day of the week.

 

[Lola701]

Ugh, what a tacky, tacky, tacky celebrity she is. Absolutely missing elegance and, most of all, genuineness of everything she does. Blatant marketing, calculation and attention frivolity. With someone like Lady Gaga and Meisel, as someone mentioned above their covers, it works, because you can tell she is really into fashion. If you've seen her Vogue looks video - you will see that Gaga is not playing when it comes to fashion knowledge, that is why it works with her and Meisel - she is willing, cooperative and, most of all, respects fashion industry and its creatives. Beyonce's ego stinks throughout the photos and all else that she touches, yet she completely lacks grace, experience and passion for it. You can be rich, but you can't buy refined and rich taste.

Everything she does comes off so pandering and very a la mode, but that is the difference - at the time Rihanna and Gaga set standards and fashion, which is their personal style. Beyonce has no style, only the ability to follow fashion.

Also, she is not the one to be always dragged. Look at Alicia Vikander threads - she's being dragged for her life (and rightfully so, she's a terrible model).

I will never get her. She's the McDonalds of music industry - easy to access and understand, fulfils a very wide audience, cheap, but so recognised and advertised that she became a titan of the industry. Is it bad? Not necessarily, I love McDonalds too, it's just that I'd prefer something more refined given a choice.

While I do agree on certain points, I think it’s also important to say that loving, being able to digest fashion and it component is not the job of an entertainer.

In our era, the fashion box seems to be the one that people values in the industry because everybody wants a contract, a « friend of a house » affiliation and some sort of things. And being well dressed or by fashion standard well dressed doesn’t mean that you are a fashion icon.

I can recognize that Beyonce is a fashion icon in her own way. The persona Beyonce and her stages outfits has become synonymous with a certain formula that works from a fashion/entertainer point of view. Yes, the catwalk to sidewalk to sales trajectory is not present here compared to when Rihanna is involved but I think it’s fair to say that she has let her persona take he center stage compared to whoever she might be on her personal life.

We are in this very manufacturated time in fashion where we expect everybody to get it right for fashion. When it comes to fashion, I’ve always admired someone like Kelis because I’ve always felt like fashion was an extension of her personality. The same cannot be said for me about someone like Gaga or even Rihanna. Fashion helped them put some kind of substance to a kind of basic pop music even if Gaga’s artistry and stage presence (she is an amazing performer) has helped her transcended that.

Rihanna looks good in the pages of Vogue but when it comes to buying a ticket to see a show, I’m not sure I can count on her. And she is an entertainer…

 

[WAVES]

it’s camp and OTT in the best possible way and even if her expression in some of the pictures is somehow off. I don’t understand why does she need to pull of this unflattering expression in every single shot. had she been more relaxed this editorial would be spectacular.

still a must have.

 

[KoV]

This Testino American Vogue shot remains the gold standard for Beyoncé cover photos


mariotestino.com

 

[honeycombchild]

Beyonce always leaves me cold editorially. I know people go absolutely crazy for it and have seen this shared so much across social media with people literally falling over themselves for it. I find it all rather uneventful to be honest, despite the fact they have tried oh so hard to make it an event. An iconic event.

It is what it is, I'm sure it'll sell well with the interest in the new album.

 

[avonlea002]

It's very whatever. A simple portrait taken by a skilled photographer would be much more impactful.

 

[Bertrando3]

Any preview or idea about the other editorials of that issue?

 

[Benn98]

Gaudy, like 2nd rate vanity magazine that only gets accidental views on Issuu.

Zero redeeming feature and I find the photographer overrated. Much like the cover star.

 

[8eight]

Personally i would LOVE a simple portrait of Beyonce in a white t shirt laughing and looking like shes enjoying herself.

Its all over controlled and over thought and over retouched for me.

 

[Melancholybaby]

Its all over and over thought and over retouched for me.

That’s just Beyoncé in a nutshell these days. She’s bought her own hype and cultivating this “icon/legend” image and it’s all coming off so serious and self-important, it’s beyond off-putting at this point. Not fun or likeable in the least.