Vogue Italia April 2020 : A Blank Canvas by Ferdinando Verderi

[MyNameIs]

I don't get this. I know these are difficult times, but this just feels like a gimmick akin to their "no photos" covers. The cover is blank but I'm assuming the inside is business as usual? So what exactly does this achieve? If you don't think now is the right time for fashion, why put out the issue at all? If you want to pay homage to those on the front line, was there really no better way than a white piece of paper?

 

[Fiercification]

I can agree with both sides of the argument, and ultimately this was bound to be a situation in which Farneti couldn't win. However, I still feel that this cover is a) trite and b) reeks of opportunism (as does most of this man's creative output). Part of me wishes he hadn't bothered to put out this magazine.

And would it have been so insensitive to really have had something creative, poignant and inspiring on the cover? I mean something like Cara's UK Vogue cover by Meisel could have really worked in this moment. I do believe that Franca would've gone in that direction had she still been around.

So the issue is essentially a set of selfies of industry professionals? Which Self Service kind of do every season (albeit they're portraits). Genius!

 

[phungnam96]

So Vogue Italia now is the Buzzfeed of Fashion industry?

 

[VogueGirl8910]

I know than all of us are living in a crisis right now, but this cover is a market straregy to sell. From an issue after an issue, VI is a joke & Farneti ruined the Franca's legacy on this magazine.

 

[chanelh]

Where is Lora? I need to see her comment

 

[Benn98]

I guess it's kinda like in the States when you are waiting for your favorite show to come on, but it is interrupted (the first 20 minutes) by a State of the Union address. It happens a lot.

Definitely not the same at all. A state address is a piece of essential news that would affect everyone in a country while at the core, the cover of VI is a way to lure consumers into buying uber luxury products. It is not, despite all the moral clamouring on here, essential to every citizen.

could any of you do better while your home country is facing such as unprecedented situation more so than most countries? have a heart my goodness

We are not the editor in chief of Vogue Italia though, he is. It's his job to put the product into this public space, we as consumers of the product have the right to air our views about it. And as Bertrando and many others have already pointed out, there are countries with statistics similar to Italy (the US battling with the most infected cases). It's not about not having a heart, it's about the need to see things for what they are without all the smoke and mirrors.

 

[kokobombon]

When I think that VI can´t be more pretentious, they top themselves...
There was no need of a white cover imo, if they produced editorials, then use an image from one... I think we can all sympathize with the "models at home" imagery, for example.

I work in publishing, some companies stopped everything. They sent their office staff and people from warehouses who deal with shipping home. If you´re going to release your unnecessary magazine then it better be worth the effort you´re putting all those people through imo.

 

[Alien Sex Friend]

i assume the whole magazine will be just A4 blank soft paper convenient for using instead toilet paper...

Or we will have models shot themself on their iphones with some best of the season on with hashtag #stayhome... major eye roll. VI looks like there is a bunch of adolescents working there.

sorry no offence here, i feel that grief and all but this is not appropriate. However i was waiting for something like black canvas... Here we see white , like less depressing and more hopeful. i can even feel VI editorial zoom conference on that topic. I hate this pretentious art attempts from Farneti

 

[kasper!]

Considering what is happening in Italy, I am totally fine with this cover. However I also think it's not that bad to share the Italian flag cover with Vanity Fair...

 

[aracic]

Haha! Disgusting.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Condé Nast magazines are dead.

Ha, truer words! It reminds me of the time (i think as back as circa 2005ish) when Felix Dennis was at the magazine conference, got up to speak, and said to the audience full of leading insiders (think all of the Conde Nast top dogs.etc); "You guys are doomed!!! You are dead men walking".

It took some time, but was so right, for all the nonsense he got around to, he was right! It's game over time, this will see many, many titles folding, and lets be honest, some deserve to. Certain will go the digital route, and only few will remain in print. But if you look at offerings like this, it is no wonder.

And Ps: I don't mind this cover at all, it is possibly the least gimmicky thing he has done under his time at VI, but it perfectly reflects his tenure for the magazine: EMPTY!

 

[Royal-Galliano]

oh dear. now the previews are making it even worse.

i never liked these "tribute" contributions by a group of various individuals, they always felt hopeless even as anniversary messages. if i want to see what they have to say, i will go check their instagrams.

this cover is a big NO. they should have gone for something symbolic, not so explicitly worthless, lazy and disappointing. why not pay homage to the country's abundant art history? why not commission illustrators? why not go back to the magazine's archives? there's nothing collector about this.

franca would never ever publish this and i agree that it would have been better to just cease publication until things get better in the country.

 

[Benn98]

...it is possibly the least gimmicky thing he has done under his time at VI, but it perfectly reflects his tenure for the magazine: EMPTY!

Well, certainly one way of looking at it!

 

[Blayne266]

Imagine a cover & editorial of Nick Knights flowers from his garden or M&M taking their own series of photos from home and editing it all together to look like an actual editorial. I’m not interested in seeing a magazine full of Instagram like shots. Yes we are in a world wide pandemic but that doesn’t mean the work from home has to be uninspired or uncreative.

I actually do like the cover, I appreciate the thought & I will probably end up purchasing this issue but I do not like this idea of creativity being sacrificed for this ‘respectful’ gesture when it could of been achieve with a high level of creativity & style.

 

[Style Savvy]

I have to laugh.

 

[JPineapple]

As someone mentioned in cover rumor thread, Steven Klein photographed himself:

 

[Royal-Galliano]

after seeing klein's contribution, i seriously hope madonna gets a shot, too. her bathroom makes a memorable backdrop.

 

[aracic]

As someone mentioned in cover rumor thread, Steven Klein photographed himself:

Wow, both Steven and a horse

 

[Phuel]

It’s hard to criticize such a display of sympathy…

(But be assured the relentless hustling of ridiculously-expensive rags and kicks will shamelessly continue within the solemn and mournful cover, of course.

And I wonder— since there are over 40 individuals quarantined in their own home contributing to the content, how exactly is Emanuele getting all the rags/accessories/footwear to them??? Of course by the fastest delivery service available— and to at least 40 different addresses: That’s a lot of delivery traffic… Wasn’t that the point of his January issue: Environmental concerns of delivery services being a contributor to environmental pollution???? So I guess he’s OK with polluting the environment now... It’s all too easy to accuse this man of exploiting social/political issue to sell his Vogue from month to month, but that’s exactly what this man is shamelessly doing. And he’ll have moved on to the new gimmick for the next month :sigh:...)

 

[kokobombon]

^and they´re potentially putting those delivery people at risk...