US Vogue September 2020 by Jordan Casteel & Kerry James Marshall

[Hchloe]

Meh, I don’t hate it. I much prefer Kerry James Marshall’s cover of the two.

Obviously this wasn’t a normal year so we weren’t going to get a typical September cover. What exactly were some of you expecting?

 

[Benn98]

^See InStyle's September issue. That's what we were expecting, but with a more prestigious cast and crew. I mean, Laura Brown somehow managed to pull Vincent van de Wijngaard and Saskia de Brauw for a filler editorial (and to just prove how out of touch with fashion she is, foolishly relegated them to the back of the magazine). Are you telling me Anna couldn't get any of the many black photographers/models/actresses to shoot her cover?

I can't believe she is expecting the celebrity-obsessed readers she cultivated for decades to suddenly buy these covers featuring virtual unknowns, one who doesn't even exist in real life!?! Makes no sense to me at all. This will be their worst-selling September issue in years and that won't be on the artists but on her.

Nothing against Aurora James, but will US Vogue's international readers know who she is? Why not Joan Smalls who pledged half her wage towards the movement for the rest of 2020 and looks set to do the same in a smaller capacity for 20121? Some will say 'but it's American Vogue, for Americans', well guess what, the influence and power they wield is due to the fact that it's the most sought after and prestigious fashion magazine in the world. Despite having the least interesting fashion week of the top 4, and not even the force when it comes to the manufacturing of fashion clothing.

Can't wait to see the page and ad count of this issue.

 

[avonlea002]

Both covers are ugly. I do not care that they were painted by black people. If this is how the future of this magazine looks like, maybe it is better for it to die.

 

[Flamingjune]

^See InStyle's September issue. That's what we were expecting, but with a more prestigious cast and crew. I mean, Laura Brown somehow managed to pull Vincent van de Wijngaard and Saskia de Brauw for a filler editorial (and to just prove how out of touch with fashion she is, foolishly relegated them to the back of the magazine). Are you telling me Anna couldn't get any of the many black photographers/models/actresses to shoot her cover?

I can't believe she is expecting the celebrity-obsessed readers she cultivated for decades to suddenly buy these covers featuring virtual unknowns, one who doesn't even exist in real life!?! Makes no sense to me at all. This will be their worst-selling September issue in years and that won't be on the artists but on her.

Nothing against Aurora James, but will US Vogue's international readers know who she is? Why not Joan Smalls who pledged half her wage towards the movement for the rest of 2020 and looks set to do the same in a smaller capacity for 20121? Some will say 'but it's American Vogue, for Americans', well guess what, the influence and power they wield is due to the fact that it's the most sought after and prestigious fashion magazine in the world. Despite having the least interesting fashion week of the top 4, and not even the force when it comes to the manufacturing of fashion clothing.

Can't wait to see the page and ad count of this issue.

This is really depressing

 

[Nomar]

Both covers are just terrible.

 

[Tigerlounge3000]

I'm going to pop off on my first ever post and say I LOVE both of these covers. They address the moment, but still feel Fashion. I can't wait to see this in my mail box. And Hello!

 

[Miss Dalloway]

^See InStyle's September issue. That's what we were expecting, but with a more prestigious cast and crew. I mean, Laura Brown somehow managed to pull Vincent van de Wijngaard and Saskia de Brauw for a filler editorial (and to just prove how out of touch with fashion she is, foolishly relegated them to the back of the magazine). Are you telling me Anna couldn't get any of the many black photographers/models/actresses to shoot her cover?

I can't believe she is expecting the celebrity-obsessed readers she cultivated for decades to suddenly buy these covers featuring virtual unknowns, one who doesn't even exist in real life!?! Makes no sense to me at all. This will be their worst-selling September issue in years and that won't be on the artists but on her.

Nothing against Aurora James, but will US Vogue's international readers know who she is? Why not Joan Smalls who pledged half her wage towards the movement for the rest of 2020 and looks set to do the same in a smaller capacity for 20121? Some will say 'but it's American Vogue, for Americans', well guess what, the influence and power they wield is due to the fact that it's the most sought after and prestigious fashion magazine in the world. Despite having the least interesting fashion week of the top 4, and not even the force when it comes to the manufacturing of fashion clothing.

Can't wait to see the page and ad count of this issue.

Completely agree! This is a bit too try hard for me, it just doesn't seem honest. I guess how you guys feel about Edward's Vogue, is how i feel about this attempt by Wintour!!

 

[Flamingjune]

vogue.com is down. Been trying for a few minutes and this is what comes up.

 

[Yohji]

I'm pleasantly surprised by the second cover. Gorgeous.

 

[MON]

Thing is, we are no longer the target audience of Vogue, more so the suits in Conde Nast. Considering how well received these are all over social media, I guess they'll see it as a success.

Lest we be reminded that we are at the dawn of the digital age. It might not happen soon, but all publishing houses see their future in digital. You won't survive in the digital world if you don't catch up with what the users like - political correctness.

Hate political correctness in fashion magazines for all you want, but the next generation of readers (physically or digitally) prioritize political correctness above all else (rightfully so).

The time has come wherein a magazine, more so a fashion magazine, will not survive if it chooses to void itself from the realities of life.

Good luck selling a magazine with a pro lifer/all lives matter/birther supporter on the cover. Even if you put them in head to toe couture, you'd be dragged to filth even before the issue gets released.

TBH I expect that there will come a time wherein Vogue will start boycotting certain brands because there are issues on certain brands' use of "unpaid labor" and the people have called it out and called for action. I see it happening.


How Farnetti foreshadowed the entirety of 2020 in his January issue is insane.

 

[SRank]

So what about the creative landscape for Asian people? Diversity is great but hopefully it’s not a “beginning” for more mediocrity, because you should hire people for their talent rather than seeing skin colours or checking passports.

I completely agree with you that people should be hired based on their talent, and not on their skin color, but how often this happens?

We (and I included myself here) are so used to understand the white experience as universal, that everything that doesn't fit such space is understood as the other, the non-ordinary.

Vogue's commitment to increase the black participation on its office won't be a beginning for "more mediocrity", neither can we expect that it is going to bring greatness back to the magazine, those things depends on who is going to be hired, and not necessarily on how they look.

We don't see such kind of perspectives being put out when white editor's are pointed, for example. They can be as bad as they can be, but they are just "editors", the same thing doesn't happen to black editors, that will always have with themselves an scarlet-letterish "black" before any sentence that is written about them.

 

[helmutnotdead]

Honestly, I’m quite surprised to see all your expectations on this. Anna is one of the most boring editors out there for the past five years. The woman doesn’t have blood on her veins. It’s just corporate fashion. The content doesn’t matter anymore because they only pay attention on how it’s going to be virtually accepted. Vogue is dead. I couldn’t care less about Vogue. The only one who’s worthy is Emmanuelle and her job isn’t particularly strong. But I think the blandness/laziness of the other editions always help her a lot.
And don’t get me wrong: I understand that magazine industry is seriously struggling. This is not 2007. They can’t not afford Meisel and a super production anymore. So I appreciate the effort they’re doing despise the circumstances. But, then again, they can’t make excuses out of the budget. Look at what Emmanuelle did two months ago: all you need is a right team with a good eye and powerful ideas to execute.
At least I’m glad they took it seriously this month. It’s time to give the other ethnicities some visibility.
But if I want to see fashion and get delighted, I’ll always be waiting for Self Service, M le Monde or WSJ...
Vogue is not that place anymore.

 

[MON]

They can’t not afford Meisel and a super production anymore.

IIRC, the absence of Meisel in US Vogue was never a budget issue. It was allegedly deeper than that.

I think you are referring to Vogue Italia.

 

[mikel]

IIRC, the absence of Meisel in US Vogue was never a budget issue. It was allegedly deeper than that.

Can you spill that tea?

 

[helmutnotdead]

IIRC, the absence of Meisel in US Vogue was never a budget issue. It was allegedly deeper than that.

I think you are referring to Vogue Italia.

No. I’ve just remembered that 1920 editorial from the September Issue. I’d love to know more about that tho.
It was just an example. My point is that they can’t not afford that kind of stuff anymore.

 

[Handbag Queen]

Disappointed by this cover, I don't dare to imagine the editorials inside with photographers lacking in personality, I would prefer a thousand times over the jumping models of David Sims, the gray backgrounds of Demarchelier, the stories of Peter Lindbergh (RIP) and the glamorous chic of Mario Testino!!!!!

It's all going to be a mess!

 

[Handbag Queen]

vogue.com is down. Been trying for a few minutes and this is what comes up.View attachment 1155273

Maybe the adverse letters to the editor have wreaked havoc on their website!!!!!

 

[Handbag Queen]

^See InStyle's September issue. That's what we were expecting, but with a more prestigious cast and crew. I mean, Laura Brown somehow managed to pull Vincent van de Wijngaard and Saskia de Brauw for a filler editorial (and to just prove how out of touch with fashion she is, foolishly relegated them to the back of the magazine). Are you telling me Anna couldn't get any of the many black photographers/models/actresses to shoot her cover?

I can't believe she is expecting the celebrity-obsessed readers she cultivated for decades to suddenly buy these covers featuring virtual unknowns, one who doesn't even exist in real life!?! Makes no sense to me at all. This will be their worst-selling September issue in years and that won't be on the artists but on her.

Nothing against Aurora James, but will US Vogue's international readers know who she is? Why not Joan Smalls who pledged half her wage towards the movement for the rest of 2020 and looks set to do the same in a smaller capacity for 20121? Some will say 'but it's American Vogue, for Americans', well guess what, the influence and power they wield is due to the fact that it's the most sought after and prestigious fashion magazine in the world. Despite having the least interesting fashion week of the top 4, and not even the force when it comes to the manufacturing of fashion clothing.

Can't wait to see the page and ad count of this issue.

I predict 200 pages tops!!!
I couldn't agree with you more - Joan Smalls, Naomi and many other gorgeous black actresses and/or models would have been incredible choices. Not paintings. We wait all year for the September issues and this such an enormous letdown.

 

[Flamingjune]

I predict 200 pages tops!!!
I couldn't agree with you more - Joan Smalls, Naomi and many other gorgeous black actresses and/or models would have been incredible choices. Not paintings. We wait all year for the September issues and this such an enormous letdown.

What I know for a fact was that their ad target for this issue was 150 pages and that target was met. There is another section where they have ads and designers giving their message of hope. Just like they did in the 125th-anniversary issue where they had happy anniversary messages on the ads.

 

[mepps]

First cover painting is ugly, and forgettable.
Second cover painting is breathtakingly beautiful.
Emmanuelle wins the September cover battle.