Vogue Portugal April 2020 by Branislav Simoncik & Renée Parkhurst

You can always count on Vogue Portugal when it comes to the most pretentious cover.
Just stop with this "woke" sh1t. Vogue is a fashion magazine. If I want to read about world issues I will watch news.

I understand that they wanted to make a statement but why so literal? They have chosen the laziest option possible.

 

That's how you make a statement.

The first cover is stunning.

Though "Freedom on Hold + COVID-19" would have sufficed. Fear will not stop us was unnecessary

 

They're trying so, so hard to do their best Franca and each time they fail so miserably because they simply can't pull off what she did.
It sure is a statement, but it's not a fashion magazine cover. It's beautiful, yes, but it belongs inside and not on the front of a Vogue.

They do have potential, they just don't know how to do it properly.

 

Extremely tasteless.

 

Trying so hard to be cool, wow

 

Freedom on hold? If they think working from home and not being able to travel for a couple of months is having no freedom, boy are they in for a surprise.

 

"Brain On Hold" would be more appropriate for this...
By March 30, 2020, the virus had infected over 730,000 people worldwide, and the number of deaths had totaled more than 34,000.

 

Obvious.

 

First picture is beautiful. It reflects the current mood. I don't think there's a bad intention behind this. It looks like a Benetton ad from the early 90s. It's very hard to show something glamorous or happy in such a dark time.

 

The first comes off too contrived unfortunately then the second just doesnt make sense

 

Yikes.

 

I think the first cover is a really pretty one, it caught my attention right away. As literal as it is, I think it’s a beautiful image. The second one I could live without.

 

An obvious cash grab attempt here. Not gonna judge them for that in these trying times, everyone has to somehow earn their coin. But it's all so goddamn boring!

 

I knew COVID would be used as a gimmick soon enough..

 

I think this actually works, the first one.

 

Film kiss with protective mask to prevent infection during a
flu epidemic in Hollywood. 1937.

Source | Photo by Imagno/Getty Images

 

It's tacky. Trying to make money off the pandemic is tacky and tasteless and one of the ultimate things anyone in marketing or PR should NOT be doing right now. The first cover could possibly have passed as commentary, like Franca's VI, but their decision to actually use COVID-19 as a coverline ruined it all. It not only makes the entire effort very literal but also blatantly capitalising on the panic. Franca, for instance, used metaphors to tie in with her themes which immediately alerted passers-by that it's commentary. Maybe because they're not an English-speaking country, they don't get it?

 

Franca was a genius at combining fashion with mainstream media in a meaningful way. She understood better than any other eic that fashion is powerful not only culturally, but also politically and economically.

 

Not sure I want to be reminded of Covid-19 on the cover of a fashion magazine. It's not like Vogue Portugal are even paying respect to those who it has taken or the medics who're fighting against it (à la Elle France and this week's Grazia here in the UK). Very... questionable.