^^^ I do remember the impact of such a cover on my impressionable teen eyes: It was beyond a magazine cover. It was an invitation to everything new, everything wild and everything magical seeing a life-size face demanding your attention with such surreal authority.
American Bazaar was the hot pretty young thing that showed us kids the wild side beyond fashion by the dynamic duo of Liz x Fabien, while American Vogue was the tired, safe and polite one that none of us cared for. And in terms of Nadja’s appearance on both covers, it epitomized night and day— which in retrospect, wasn’t necessarily awful for Vogue, just that it was seen as very… cool mom. And for a teen still learning so much, the allure, the thrill and the seduction of the night was all that mattered then. Especially when it looked so gorgeous.
(And in 2024, Bazaar stomps all over Vogue. At least international editions; not so sure about American Bazaar LOL ...Although American Bazaar's Emma in Miu Miu jockey's trying to look like Anne Hathaway in Les Misérable still looks more high fashion than American Vogue's Kendall looking like an outlet billboard...)