US Harper’s Bazaar September 2020 : Rihanna by Gray Sorrenti

[mikel]

Bazaar got a global deal with Rihanna and Vogue a global deal with the concept of ‘hope’.

 

[SLFC]

I'd say its alright, it seems like a mix of previous appearances and one of her vogue appearances.

 

[Deleted member 45369]

Shouldn’t Nicole Ritchie’s daughter start making the rounds on fashion covers by now? Isn’t she like 12 already?

 

[dodencebt]

Tens, tens, tens across the board!

 

[vogue28]

Nice, always a pleasure to see Rihanna on magazine covers but it could, undoubtedly, have been far better. It also might've been a whole different story had we encountered the work of Mario Sorrenti, as opposed to Gray.

They've certainly redeemed themselves after Rihanna's May 2019 cover which was almost headache-inducing.

 

[PowerDroid]

I like sophistication, that's my problem.
I mean, I LOVE Nan Goldin's work which is complex, poetic and sophisticated in its blunt reality. In my opinion this is a little bit of that and a little bit of 10 other things so I don't really know what to think.... It makes me feel a bit discouraged about the state of fashion photography. But what else is new.

 

[crmsn]

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! Great job, Harper's Bazaar. This might be their best September cover in years.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

They just needed to adjust the angle of her face very slightly and that harsh white light in her face but its still a welcome change from the other covers we keep seeing. The alternative cover looks like her at the MET a while back

 

[Armani]

Ah, you can never go wrong with Rihanna. Easily one of the most photogenic celebrity cover subjects... she just shines.

Now, please, for the love of god, release some music.

 

[LastNight]

Gorgeous! I can't even be mad at how overused Rihanna is by magazines, she always delivers. Really stunning cover and shoot.

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Great to see Rihanna on magazines, i think than she's an amazing model & see one photo than is horrerous on the main story, for example than she's take the trash to outside of her home, this not appropiated for a fashion magazine & i understood than were still in quaratine.

 

[Fiercification]

The main cover is really intriguing. Very fresh and the likes her arm gesture and the way the sleeves are shown off.

The main story goes downhill a few shots in, but hey, not bad from baby Sorrenti (although NGL, can we like nurture some of these newer photographers and let them good before ushering numerous other first timers, let alone teens in to shoot high profile editorial?)

 

[vayacondios]

Oh look. 19 year old fresh out of high school already photographing September covers for a big fashion publication. Add this to the multiple Loewe and Givenchy campaigns. Nepotism wins again.
How many 19 year old BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or Person of colour) photographers are shooting fashion covers? Luxury brand campaigns? To save you a thought....None.

When Tyler did it at 23 I remember the outcry on this forum about giving young newcomers big covers. Things like this happen and then you all will say 'oh, it's not racism... it's not white privilege...why is everything about race...' I remember some of the comments from just a few weeks ago regarding Anna's statements with some of you complaining about diversity and inclusion efforts . If you still can't see that there's a big problem in the industry, you're a part of the problem.

Even the people not necessarily supporting Gray's photos are being civil about it. Pointing out other elements of the cover that are bad... or making mild critiques. But go under the comments of ANY shoot Tyler has done and the difference is so clear.

Hate that I have to defend Tyler on this forum because I'm not even a fan of his work but yikes, the inconsistency is blatant.

 

[PowerDroid]

Oh look. 19 year old fresh out of high school already photographing September covers for a big fashion publication. Add this to the multiple Loewe and Givenchy campaigns. Nepotism wins again.
How many 19 year old BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or Person of colour) photographers are shooting fashion covers? Luxury brand campaigns? To save you a thought....None.

When Tyler did it at 23 I remember the outcry on this forum about giving young newcomers big covers. Things like this happen and then you all will say 'oh, it's not racism... it's not white privilege...why is everything about race...' I remember some of the comments from just a few weeks ago regarding Anna's statements with some of you complaining about diversity and inclusion efforts . If you still can't see that there's a big problem in the industry, you're a part of the problem.

Even the people not necessarily supporting Gray's photos are being civil about it. Pointing out other elements of the cover that are bad... or making mild critiques. But go under the comments of ANY shoot Tyler has done and the difference is so clear.

Hate that I have to defend Tyler on this forum because I'm not even a fan of his work but yikes, the inconsistency is blatant.

I think neither of them should be shooting covers for major magazines, regardless of race, family ties, network, etc. You should land a cover of a major fashion magazine when you deserve it but people taking shortcuts and choosing gimmicks over talent is pretty much what is happening now.
Having said that, Rihanna has approval on photographers so I am sure Gray was imposed by Rihanna. And Beyonce was imposing Tyler M. for her Vogue cover. Politics still play a huge role in the industry. It all changed when we became a celebrity obsessed culture and gave these people all this power.

 

[vayacondios]

I think neither of them should be shooting covers for major magazines, regardless of race, family ties, network, etc. You should land a cover of a major fashion magazine when you deserve it but people taking shortcuts and choosing gimmicks over talent is pretty much what is happening now.
Having said that, Rihanna has approval on photographers so I am sure Gray was imposed by Rihanna. And Beyonce was imposing Tyler M. for her Vogue cover. Politics still play a huge role in the industry. It all changed when we became a celebrity obsessed culture and gave these people all this power.

I agree with your point but that doesn't really change anything from what I said. I'm mostly calling out the hypocrisy in the forum... as opposed to advocating for one over the other. Multiple truths can hold and I think we're both right.

 

[balmain1914]

weird pose

 

[Phuel]

If the concept (very Terry Richardson) is Gray's alone and not suggested by a CD, then I see much potential here. The edit is rather quite lovely and full of clever, deadpan humour that only Rihanna could pull off; as if she would ever take out the garbage and change the lightbulb LOL The B&W shot should have been left out since it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the narrative, at all. The cover, however, is rather as generic as it gets. And with Rihanna, is any coverline even necessary, let alone the cluttered eyesore they’ve got going??? (Who cares about Jenny Holzer when it’s Rihanna on the cover…) Cover should just have been a foldout of her in bed with not a single line.

 

[ThickGlossies]

What do you people see in this woman

 

[mikel]

What do you people see in this woman

I guess enough for her to have this enduring career of more than 15 years.

 

[Benn98]

US Harper's Bazaar September 2020

Comfort Zone

Photographer: Sharif Hamza
Stylist: Elissa Santisi
Hair: Tamara McNaughton
Makeup: Grace Ahn
Cast: Barbara Valente









US Harper's Bazaar Digital Edition