US Vogue September 2023 : Linda, Cindy, Christy & Naomi by Rafael Pavarotti

[carbon-made]

It's truly disheartening to witness how the progressive values that EE has vocally championed reveal themselves to be nothing more than a mere façade concealing a harsh reality: nothing has truly changed.

Power struggles, the unrelenting grip of capitalism, the persistence of nepotism, and the unending fixation on youth are very much alive - just repackaged for the new era. If anything, this cover is just perfect in encapsulating it: en embalmed group of older women peddling a dream that has either dissolved with time or perhaps never truly existed. It's like gazing at the light emitted by a star, all the while knowing that it died millions of years ago.

"For things to remain the same, everything must change."

 

[tigerrouge]

When you're several decades older, having achieved immense fame based on your appearance, imagine the insights you'd have about how you've navigated life - IF you were speaking candidly.

But the interviews are likely to be as one-dimensional as the images.

If this had been an old Vogue Italia story, they'd be playing the Real Housewives versions of themselves, hamming it up. There'd have been a nod back to the May 1993 pillow fight cover. With a framed picture of Claudia in the corner.

 

[gazebo]

they'd be playing the Real Housewives versions of themselves.

I love this comment!

Literally make it about aging. Show the lines, the wrinkles up close, show your vulnerabilities, talk about the hardships and ugly side.

Put your money where your mouth is!

 

[A.D.C.]

I have to agree, that the story did not provide any new insights whatsoever. Having been following fashion for 20 years, not a single thing said that n that video was new or interesting to me. It’s like I already knew what they were going to before they said it. The Supermodel Era lasted maybe six years? And it has been milked for the last thirty. I’m a fan of all the women but I find it all so disappointing.

 

[jjjmmm]

I agree that the pictures and the styling are terrible and the cover should have been shot by a more established photographer but let’s not make this racial and say this photographer was hired “because of diversity” simply because he’s black. He obviously has made a career for himself in the fashion world, he did something right to get where he is — he just was not the right photographer for this shoot.

I'm not interested in race but they make it about race all the time! As if that's an entry point or stamp or approval. He clearly has no talent. Confetti on a picture with Linda and Christy?? Really?? At first I thought maybe this ridiculous photoshop that makes them look like cartoons was ironic or post-internety meme stuff... but no... they were dead serious about it. The body dysmorphia that Linda Evangelista talked about some months ago that she suffers from... and then they do this unrealistic airbrushed version of hers... Vogue talks about diversity but the ageism here is criminal, and the body-positivity is non-existant.
It's not only lack of talent, it's insanity (I blame those awful editors for that – Anna and Edward). That picture of those editors together is camp (and they decision to turn Edward's spectacles into sunglasses, to match Anna's just adds more mess to this seemingly AI generated disaster). This was such a missed opportunity, to do an iconic and celebratory cover, it's sad. But I guess it's another reminded that we are far away from any soul in this corporate times. Conde Nast is just some Wall Street/influencer type thing now.

 

[vogue28]

American Vogue, without question, won the battle of the covers this month. However, I agree with the vast majority of criticism this whole entire shoot has received over recent days. It all just reeks of post-production and manipulation but I do love the fact it's the supermodels, the composition and how monochromatic it is.

 

[Valentine27]

Of course it's good to see the Supers but I find the cover rather depressing. They all just look so stiff and lifeless. What's up with Christy? Her face has literally been copied and pasted on both US and British covers. I'd say only Linda and Naomi look OK there. The all black outfits don't help either ; it's very austere.

 

[Fiercification]

I find Rafael Pavarotti completely talentless and his come up is almost entirely driven by favouritism. Without Edward, I doubt he’d ever shoot a US Vogue cover and this shoot clearly illustrates why. It’s just so extremely mediocre when compared next to the bunch of new photographers who have been shooting US Vogue covers. The likes of Ethan, Théo, Nadine, and Colin - their work may not be for everyone but at least they bring something different to the magazine.

I have enjoyed Rafael's work up until this point in all honesty, but I think he works best with Katie Grand, who seems to push him in a more interesting, or even refined direction. He is unfortunately getting worse and worse latterly though; one of the newer photographers who can't seem to handle the pressure of a swiftly ascending career trajectory, and he's what, only 2 years into the peak of his career? The irony is that Tyler Mitchell seems to (finally) be improving and doing some quite impressive work on the whole now.

He was totally the wrong choice for this job; although I don't think I could bear to see Colin or Nadine's lo-fi interpretation of the supers. Ethan would've probably been the best choice, even with all of his Avedon via Meiselisms present, he can still take the kind of classic fashion pictures I prefer.

I still get the feeling Edward planned to ask Meisel to shoot this (let's be honest, this has to have been his idea originally), up until Anna caught wind of it and asked for the project to be shared across the two magazines, which is immediately when he knew he had to veto Steven as the top choice. Perhaps that's just my theory though .

 

[matheus_s]

happy for rafael. I'm Brazilian and maybe he's the first Brazilian to photograph an American Vogue cover

 

[RaisinBoy]

It's truly disheartening to witness how the progressive values that EE has vocally championed reveal themselves to be nothing more than a mere façade concealing a harsh reality: nothing has truly changed.

Power struggles, the unrelenting grip of capitalism, the persistence of nepotism, and the unending fixation on youth are very much alive - just repackaged for the new era. If anything, this cover is just perfect in encapsulating it: en embalmed group of older women peddling a dream that has either dissolved with time or perhaps never truly existed. It's like gazing at the light emitted by a star, all the while knowing that it died millions of years ago.

"For things to remain the same, everything must change."

EXACTLY!!!!
Not only Edward Enninful hasbt really changed much, but ironically he set us back by decades in a way he perceives how women should dress, what hair etc.
Sure, he pushed for more representation of black girls, but still he wants them to be 1950s housewives… Its appauling.

 

[MyConfashion]

Emotions aside. Technically these photos are bad. For Vogue it would be better to stop trying to make Rafael Pavarotti happen. So many covers and editorials, and not even one image that could be called iconic.

 

[disneyrollergirl]

Wait, why would Meisel not be able to feature in both magazines? Does he have beef with Anna? What have I missed?

I still get the feeling Edward planned to ask Meisel to shoot this (let's be honest, this has to have been his idea originally), up until Anna caught wind of it and asked for the project to be shared across the two magazines, which is immediately when he knew he had to veto Steven as the top choice. Perhaps that's just my theory though .

 

[Bombshell1]

I really dont understand that Claudia Schiffer is missing! She was also a big big Supermodel and in that aera, worked
with all of them together. Hm. And she is still working. Why is she not with them?

 

[crmsn]

I really dont understand that Claudia Schiffer is missing! She was also a big big Supermodel and in that aera, worked
with all of them together. Hm. And she is still working. Why is she not with them?

Probably because she wasn't a part of this cover. They've been discussing this exact cover, Peter Lindbergh, and Tatjana Patitz for both US and UK editions' BTS interviews.

Vogue UK

Claudia is also not included in Apple TV's The Super Models, premiering on September 20.

Apple

 

[Benn98]

Surprised nobody is clamouring for Kate, lol. So the cover is surprisingly well received in general, and getting a lot of buzz.
I think it might be a best-seller for Vogue. They've had at least, what 11 model covers since 2020 (most of them OG!) which is an incredible feat considering their history. There's definitely a renewed interest in models right now, the ones with a large profile and following of course. Hope more model covers are coming.

Still can't believe Cindy's last US Vogue cover was in 1994, and Linda's in 2006. Correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[kokobombon]

^as much as I don´t like the cover & editorial, I will take models on Vogue covers over celebrities any day of the week. So I´m glad this was well received and generated buzz.

 

[Benn98]

Not going to lie, the way I was shook when I saw Anna Wintour's name in my main inbox. I thought she was about to read me.
When have they started sending out newsletters under her name? LOL

 

[Deleted member 141523]

According to Vogue Mexico's IG the September Issue will be a global edition. Looks like the editorial will be printed in every sister publication of Vogue.

 

[Mr Yayo]

I wonder how much notice they all had in advance of the shoot in order to clear their diaries of any visits to the surgeons

 

[Benn98]

According to Vogue Mexico's IG the September Issue will be a global edition. Looks like the editorial will be printed in every sister publication of Vogue.

That’s crazy! What’s the psychology behind such a move? At this rate I wonder if Vogue have started using Chatgpt.