US Vogue October 2009 : Michelle Williams by Mario Testino

[lamies022]

This issue surpasses the September issue in terms of originality. All the eds feel updated and fresh

 

[amandabug]

im a huge fan of michelle's style but that cover does nothing for her. the inside photo of her with the hat would have been better, if she was looking at the camera. i think us vogue has come a long way from being so prim and proper to putting an unmarried working mom of a young girl on the cover. good on vogue, and kudos to michelle for creating a seminal body of work that has finally overshadowed the recent tragedy in her life.

 

[tarsha]

I don't like this cover and this woman.

And I like eds, especially Karlie's one. I love every shot of her ed.
Also there are some good shots in Head Games.
And about Babes in Arms I can say that it's not anything special but still nice.

But I'm not getting this.

 

[Franzy]

I don't think anybody is the new anybody.
Vogue has always had the exclusive handful of girls that they like to famaliarize the readers with.
It's their way if making Vogue a sort of brand, an exclusive intimate family.
All the Vogues do it. I don't know why everyone points the finger at American Vogue.
Does anybody agree with this?
Because all this talk about who is the new who is getting to me.
Jourdan is not the new Liya. Liya was in the last issue. A well as Jourdan.

I have to agree with this.

And I see that this as Vogue's way of being exclusive. If you're a US Vogue girl, you are big. I like it. Exclusive.

 

[iriswills]

I don't ... which other Vogues do that ? VP kinda of does that but what else ?
I don't care about this family they create, I wanted to see them giving opportunities to new models because this is US Vogue which is one of best fashion magazines in the world and would be the greatest thing for a new model to be in there.

I disagree. Exclusivity is key when it comes to keeping Vogue interesting. I know it sounds crazy to think that featuring the same girls each month could be deemed interesting, but I'm thinking about the magazine as a whole. When Bazaar started to be more inclusive, featuring a bunch of new and different girls each month, it started to feel random and like ANY girl could show up in the mag. There was no "ooh and aah" factor, and I didn't develop an attachment to the girls. But, if a girl breaks it into the tight-knit Vogue family, then it feels like a much bigger deal. Yes, it can feel random and you wonder why certain girls deserve to be a part of the small Vogue family, but I think Anna does a good job of balancing her personal favorites with the girls who have genuine talent. And yes, I think some models still earn their way to the top even if we don't see their appeal (I mean, maybe Karlie is earning the rave reviews she's getting from the photographers and editors).

Oh, and let's not exaggerate this "new" model thing either. It's not like Vogue is still using just Amber and Shalom. Maybe if we all took a step back from the tedium of the monthly issues, we'd realize that models like Karlie and Iris (who have just had a feature dedicated to them in Vogue) are very new to the scene, and the model turnover has increased quite a bit in Vogue.

 

[Franzy]

^Amen. You pulled the words right off my mouth. I could not agree more.

 

[honeycombchild]

Just a point to add, it's certainly not just VP and US Vogue that do this, British Vogue and Kate Moss is probably the biggest example of it happening.

 

[Filipe]

I disagree. Exclusivity is key when it comes to keeping Vogue interesting. I know it sounds crazy to think that featuring the same girls each month could be deemed interesting, but I'm thinking about the magazine as a whole. When Bazaar started to be more inclusive, featuring a bunch of new and different girls each month, it started to feel random and like ANY girl could show up in the mag. There was no "ooh and aah" factor, and I didn't develop an attachment to the girls. But, if a girl breaks it into the tight-knit Vogue family, then it feels like a much bigger deal. Yes, it can feel random and you wonder why certain girls deserve to be a part of the small Vogue family, but I think Anna does a good job of balancing her personal favorites with the girls who have genuine talent. And yes, I think some models still earn their way to the top even if we don't see their appeal (I mean, maybe Karlie is earning the rave reviews she's getting from the photographers and editors).

I see what you mean. For me, the fact they use the same girls over and over again, just makes me feel very uninterested.

 

[tigerrouge]

To me, this debate about US Vogue's use of models is far more interesting than the actual contents of this month's issue. Sure, there are some nice shots in there, but I'm not finding anything that exciting in the scans I've seen.

 

[XavierRaphael]

I think it would be utterly idiotic for Vogue to use every new model that comes out ever new fashion season. Bleh!
People like to be famaliarized with similar faces.
I can carry on a conversation with a Vogue reader properly.
"Did you see Karlie in the couture Ed? Stunning right?"
as opposed to.
"Did you see uhm, that blonde girl in the couture Ed? Nice clothes. Who is she?"

 

[Filipe]

I think it would be utterly idiotic for Vogue to use every new model that comes out ever new fashion season. Bleh!
People like to be famaliarized with similar faces.
I can carry on a conversation with a Vogue reader properly.
"Did you see Karlie in the couture Ed? Stunning right?"
as opposed to.
"Did you see uhm, that blonde girl in the couture Ed? Nice clothes. Who is she?"

Does it even matters ? Do you think most people that read US Vogue cares about knowing their names, seriously ?
I'm not saying to put new models in every single issue, I'm saying to give some opportunities to new, with very potential models.

 

[XavierRaphael]

^Yes their readers do care. If you enter the mgazine business you would understand the importance.
Read the fan letters. People actually do know names!

 

[MyNameIs]

That is one ugly cover.

PS, when I read Michelle Williams I thought of Destiny's Child MW and was like 'what?!', lol.

 

[tigerrouge]

Generally speaking about the letters page and model use, I always thought that US Vogue selectively printed 'fan' letters about certain girls in order to give the impression that their model choice is a hit with readers, without any real evidence to prove that it is. Then again, they're also big enough to print the occasional letter complaining about overuse of Caroline Trentini, and goodness knows how many people might have emailed to say that.

 

[Filipe]

^ There you go, they know their names because 1st: they are have seen them over and over again and Sasha is one of most used so far in the magazine and one of the most famous model and 2nd: because they are already tired of some of them and for them to complain they need to know their names.

I should send an email complaining about Karlie ...

 

[jacquelineo]

Anyways, I think the editorials in this issue are stunning. I love the Burton one. I will be buying this issue for sure.

 

[MyNameIs]

Where do you send complains about models being overused? I'll so do it.

 

[XavierRaphael]

Get used to seeing the same faces. They won't stop.
I'm glad they won't either. I can't be bothered learning all these new names.
No wonder we will never see supers again.

 

[Filipe]

Oh wow, learning all the new names, that's really bothersome, that's for sure.

Where do you send complains about models being overused? I'll so do it.

I don't know and I just said that for saying, would be pointless for me to send an email saying that I'm tired of Karlie and that she's not good enough ... they don't care.

 

[SaidTed]

Where do you send complains about models being overused? I'll so do it.

VOGUE welcomes letters from its readers. Address all mail to Letters, VOGUE Magazine, 4 Times Square, New York, NY 10036, or via E-mail to [email protected]. Please include your name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity and may be published or used in any medium. All submissions become property of the publication and will not be returned

Vogue, September 2009 page 258

I always write when I am upset with something, although they probably just disregard my suggestions, it makes me feel like I'm doing something about it