US Vogue March 2009 : Michelle Obama by Annie Leibovitz

[tigerrouge]

Well I expected it wouldn't be AMAZING coming from Leibovitz's recent work, I'm so excited about the lack of clutter and the lighting is lovely. It's just her smile is really bad otherwise it would be decent.

Yes, I expected it to be a much more 'cluttered' image, I was taken aback by how simple it is. I feel as if there's something missing in the overall design.

Overall, I don't mind it, I think magazines can only go so far with people in establishment positions, and perhaps after the atrocious PR Leibowitz got from her session with The Queen - being accused of overstepping protocol - US Vogue has gone to some length to show that no-one at the magazine has told Michelle what to do. Perhaps they have wanted to make it clear that Mrs Obama has dressed herself and posed herself as she sees fit, to ensure there are no 'bad stories' the media can seize on.

And that may also be the reason why it's not the most interesting of shoots. You get something interesting when you hand yourself over to someone else, to be styled anew.

I can't say I'm thrilled by the list of other ladies - I see enough of Carla etc already - but I can see how they make sense in the Power issue. These are women who are part of the political world, even if they're 'only' wives. But politics is as much about image as it is about who signs the statute book.

 

[j'adorekapusta]

i am sorry, but this?

First lady Michelle Obama is to appear on the March cover of Vogue, the first first lady to be on the famed cover since Hillary Rodham Clinton.

so being the first of two, that came after Clinton, is a huge achievement nowadays? not that it really matters, just a weird journalism.

 

[bun-bun]

^I also found that line odd.

 

[BerlinRocks]

ok ... a lot of US talking around here ... I can't read ....

what i'm just noticing and makes that cover historic is that ... Michelle has been shot right after her husband's election (Mme Clinton has been shot 2yrs after her husband's second election ... i'm just saying ... and for a sort of special occasion christmas ... which makes it look ridiculous ... and also if i remember correctly 1998 was Monica Lewinsky's Affair ....)
Michelle looks very confortable .... Mme Clinton was seated like very "conservative", like for an official photo of a Happy NYE card (december gives it sense) ... so Michelle is trying to be like the "we'll be really cool democrates" and not "yeah i'm democrate, but you know i still love the traditions" ....

both are season-appropriate dressed ... but Michelle's wearing a purple dress which makes her look more "young and fresh" more "edgy" .... than Mme Clinton black conventional dress (she was wearing long sleeves !!! unlike Michelle who's wearing nothing on her shoulders !) ....

second and eventhough it's for a march issue (spring !) michelle's interior (for the picture) looks more clear, more free, more spring, it's lighted with sun etc.
Both Clinton and Obama have roses ... in clinton we see the "red-love roses" very well well next her ("my husband loves me, i'll show you"), obama has "natural" pink roses ("i'll make a friendship nation, i'll show you") but they are discreet ...
etc. etc.

Obama is, to me, the first First Lady for Vogue US ......

oh and i forget through my comparision .......
Obama is described as a First Lady (alongside with her other First lady firends) ... Clinton was being represented as being Hillary Clinton (and not Clinton the First Lady)

 

[vavavinny]

I actually like the cover. It is very streamlined and elegant. I think it was a good idea that they decided to opt for as little text as possible- all of the attention is directed at Michelle. And that fuchsia looks stunning against her skin tone! I'm not sure about her facial expression though... it looks a bit off, especially her teeth.

 

[lamies022]

I love the cover and think its quite refreshing (especially the lack of text). The dress is beautiful and the composition is simple but still interesting. And to question whether the cover is deserved or not is ridiculous I must say; even as a fashion magazine Vogue's mission is also to tap into the here and now so to feature Michelle is not only an astute business-minded move but it makes sense with everything leading up to the inauguration last month. (And as sameone stated earlier if serena effing van der woodsen can land a cover I don't see why Miss Obama should not)

 

[t-rex]

I like her expression on the cover, it's sort of a sweet, sleepy smile

 

[eternitygoddess]

but branding those uninterested in the Obamas as racist and deciding their opinions are worthless ...that is just as ignorant as you are accusing them of being.

Bravo.

 

[Fashionturnip]

The cover is Ok....

But her face is literally grimacing...I cannot believe this was the best shot. True she is no model....but it looks like she started in a natural smile and had to hold it for 10 minutes.

IMO this is such a bizarre choice. Everyone was like WOW when it was announced she would be on the cover of Vogue.....after seeing that cover my interest is now squashed.

It should have been brilliant, natural and thought provoking. Not just 'ok'.

 

[loladonna]

I wish people would stop trying to make this a thread about race. Michelle is a relatively young, fashionable First Lady --something the US hasn't had in decades. Placing her on the cover is a no-brainer.

 

[MarryMeTomFord]

I am appalled, for one. Just because someone doesn't want to see Michelle Obama on the cover of Vogue, they suddenly become ignorant, unintelligent, and their opinion means nothing? Yes, Michelle and Barack have made history as a black couple in the White House. It's fantastic, exciting, and historical. However, I don't really care if she is the best dressed woman in the world... I will be impressed by what she does with her time as first lady. I understand that Vogue is not just about fashion but also about society, etc.... but branding those uninterested in the Obamas as racist and deciding their opinions are worthless ...that is just as ignorant as you are accusing them of being.

thank you apertures for the support.

I come from a country that has no race related issues. We may judge each other based on caste, religion, money etc, but not skin color. So any percieved racist vibes i'm shooting off to you ppl is all your imagination and your own fears of seeming racist and thereby overcompensating in someway.

Read that michelle doesnt have a stylist. Thats nice. MUCH better than ppl harking on the fact that she's the first lady.

 

[Caffeine]

OT, is it called under-bite? in dental terms?
I like the color but I agree that she had better smile than the cover.

 

[MarryMeTomFord]

My comment had been directed towards MarryMeTomFord who implied somewhat that people who like the Obamas only do so because they're black:

the last book that i fnished was obama;s audacity of hope. Would i read that if i found blacks repugnant? Then someone reminded me that at this point he is just a great orator. He hasnt done anything yet either.

'm just saying - and i've seen this sentiment echoed several times even on american tv - that they (the media, ppl in general) get cut more slack. how many jokes on obama do you see on late nite talk shows? yes he's not had any scandals, but neither did mccain and he got ribbed all the time. And lets not get into the fact that he won because it was good timing with Bush mucking up the economy and that he's not really all black....

 

[Franzy]

I'm just so hapy she got the cover. But I agree with the others that it's not that ICONIC. Well, I really don't like Leibovitz's work for US Vogue. When does this come out?

 

[Faith Akiyama]

Alright everyone - let's please move on. As difficult as it may seem, please do not turn this thread into a playground for direct/indirect attacks on each other or presumptions about another member's beliefs.

As we have been accepting/critical of all other types of covers in the Magazines forum, this cover, iconic or not, should not get exemptions from the same range of opinions. Please just remember to be at least respectful and reasonable in your posts and debates, as politically-charged fashion discussions are, no doubt, more sensitive.

Thank you for your cooperation

 

[MarryMeTomFord]

Thank you Faith Akiyama.

Does anyone have carla bruni and queen raina's scans?

 

[baguette]

1. Michelle needs to have her jaw fixed
2. Airbrush is way over the top which looks quite amateur
3. It looks like a cover for Operah magazine
4. Vogue has been doing horrible covers for quite a long time
5. Are we expecting to see a new Editor in chief in a short notice?

Oh and Jason Wu's dress looks ok, just ok.
That's all

Wait, the text says "..the world's been waiting for?"

Is there anything more stupid than that?

"World" is a big word.

are you serious? after Richard Avedon she's the greatest celebrity portraitist of all time, not my opinion or personal taste, it's a fact.

FACT?
Who told you that is FACT?
No one can say who is the best who is not. We can only judge on the works. One by one. There are good ones and also bad ones like this.

 

[vogue28]

Is this issue out in the US yet?

 

[dr4732]

Is this issue out in the US yet?

I think it will be out the 24th february. http://condenastmediakit.com/vog/calendar.cfm

 

[vogue28]

thank you for the info, and link debora25