Don't be fooled by the cold cover (pale skin and crimson lips don't look good on small-eyed woman), December Vogue is editorially strong (even more so than September) and a great issue:
"Ticket to Paradise" with a very tanned Daria and a male model frolicking on an island, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier. Daria looks too wooden to be enjoying a luxurious vacation, but all is forgiven because of the excellent selection of resort dresses--Chloe (ruched brown dress with sequin halter), Vera Wang (above-ankle blue dress Jennifer Connelly wore), beautiful stuff.
Vogue's resident accessories photographer Raymond Meier shoots a glowy Polina K (one of the girls who get better w/ experience, both on the runway and in print) and this season's It bags & shoes, including that to-die-for Balenciaga bag in gold. In addition, even though accessories take the center stage, the clothes Polina wears are lovely. From Julia Stegner to Caroline Trentini to Polina K, Raymond Meier's work for Vogue this year is note perfect.
Finally, Steven Meisel shoots one of fall campaign's most popular faces Raquel Zimmermann (who had an accessories ed last month as well, but not in full-page format) in a monk-haircut with spring's most amazing pleated gowns--Lanvin, Lanvin, Lanvin--against a tasteful brown background. Beautiful movement of chiffon. This is your typical IT Vogue fare (the funky hair) glossed up.
Notable ads: Lily Cole for Chanel resort, Reiley for Dior resort, Sarah Jessica Parker for Gap (Hate her but Gap's doing something right design-wise. I already bought two bags from them and have my eyes on the sequin scarf) and a very sun-burned Gwyneth in a jewelry ad.
The only weak link of this issue (aside from the cold cover) is the coverage on European spring collections. I've never been particularly impressed with Vogue's collection coverage but, given that we've just had the most splendid season in Paris, this is quite disappointing. They tried to make it up with articles on smaller, US-based designers (Jovovich-Hawk and Daryl K for example), but it didn't quite work because they used Cinthia Dinkers [sp] as the model, who looks like a depressed Mischa Barton.
Verdict: Definitely a great issue. It would've reached-collector status had Vogue sagged the cover and put the other actress in "The Aviator" Kate Beckinsale on the cover. The color of the cover is almost identical to Blanchett's UK Vogue Feb cover and more "Sky Captain" than "Aviator."