Kicking off the new year and the new decade, Vogue Italia released 7 covers for their January 2020 edition which required no photoshoot production for any of them. The covers are entirely illustrated, something that has never been done in the whole of Vogue Italia’s history. Each cover has been illustrated by a different artist, giving each cover a completely different look. Vogue Italia posted each cover on their Instagram, and I was sat there scrolling as these were being posted. This created a hype, making me turn on their post notifications, waiting for each cover to be released. Each cover took my breath away because this style is something we haven’t seen in a long time, as the majority of covers nowadays are purely photoshoots with a popular celebrity on, especially US Vogue (read my recent blog post on how US Vogue needs to step up their game to the same level as it’s international sisters).
Each of the women illustrated is a real-life model (apart from the cover where the model is named "Female Figure") and wears pieces from Gucci. On one cover, the Dutch model Felice Nova Noordhoff is shown on the cover by the Italian artist Paolo Ventura, wearing a fringed pink and metallic gold top and green eyeshadow. Japanese artist and character designer Yoshitaka Amano has drawn model Lindsey Wixson in a thick black choker with an almost seductive look in her eyes. The style of this illustration is one of my favourites, being able to create emotion through drawing is pure talent.
The reasoning behind these illustrated editions of Vogue is to highlight the environmental impact that photoshoots have. Editor-in-Chief, Emanuele Farneti, said “One hundred and fifty people involved. About twenty flights and a dozen or so train journeys. Forty cars on standby,” when talking about the eight fashion editorials featured in their September 2019 issue, traditionally Vogue’s biggest of the year. “Sixty international deliveries. Lights switched on for at least ten hours non-stop, partly powered by gasoline-fuelled generators. Food waste from the catering services,” he continued. “Plastic to wrap the garments. Electricity to recharge phones, cameras…” All of these things add up, creating a big toll on the environment. And think about it, all of this was for one edition of Vogue, think how much more this amount is increased for each edition for each magazine worldwide. A gastronomical effect on the environment, just for a photo of the ‘in’ celebrity.
This style of production dates back to how Vogue was produced in it’s very first editions. And technically, this way of producing their covers obviously worked, because Vogue wouldn’t be where it is today without it. I think the illustration style is beautiful and can convey a much different outcome than a photoshoot. Also, the illustration was the main focus of the cover, whereas now, covers are covered in text, introducing what is in the magazine. I don’t like this. I think it ruins the cover and takes away from the photoshoot. Shown in the covers below from Vogue when it first started, the illustration is the main focus, creating a much more attractive cover. This would make me want to pick it up a lot more than a cover telling me it has the best 5 tips for losing weight in it.
Fashion is far from being sustainable and is one of the biggest contenders in hurting our environment. Therefore, every little does really help into improving how big fashion corporations can change the way they produce what they do, making things just that little bit more environmentally friendly. Italian Vogue will be one of the first of Condé Nast’s international publications to use 100% compostable plastic wrapping in 2020, something I think many other publications should follow.
Here’s to celebrating the art of illustration, something that will forever be a beautiful way of producing fashion content.
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