In a time where everything has been put on hold, magazines are having to come up with inventive ways to still produce an iconic cover. From facetime photoshoots to full CGI, technology and fashion are now hand-in-hand with one another to create images we have never seen before. However, some Vogue covers seem to be missing the mark and kind of ignoring the current climate we are in, acting like everything is okay. But is this to provide some kind of distraction from reality, or does it just appear a bit ignorant?
Vogue Taiwan - May 2020:
I think this cover is incredible and it took me a moment to realise it is actually full CGI due to the amount of detail there is. This is the first time Vogue have used this technique to create a virtual cover, and I think it is extremely successful. It explores cyber reality built virtually, interpreting and focussing on something none of us truly know what is to come: the future. There are no limits with building everything on a computer, so there can be an alpaca riding a metallic motorcycle on a load of silver grass if it’s wanted.
Vogue Paris - May 2020:
Glamour seems to always be a good path to turn down if all else fails. In normal times, I would really like these covers of the Hadid sisters in retro glam, but with other covers facing reality of a blank cover, or models wearing masks, it seems to just be a little ignorant. To be honest, I am in two minds about this, it provides a nice distraction for creatives to focus on some beautiful imagery, but the question on many people’s minds is whether this kind of imagery will be able to be created in the same way again. I prefer Bella’s styling, with it giving a Grecian Goddess vibe, but I do also like the heaviness of Gigi’s. Fashion and photography will ultimately have to change, so maybe clutching and providing images in a way we’re used to, isn’t so bad.
Vogue Italia - April 2020:
This cover to me seems to be the most authentic at the present, where Vogue Italia wanted to face the harsh reality. The editor-in-chief, Emanuele Farneti, wrote, “To speak of anything else — while people are dying, doctors and nurses are risking their lives and the world is changing forever — is not the DNA of Vogue Italia,”. I think this is an extremely sensible approach, and to some it may appear bleak, but I think it has an element of hope within it. White was chosen as a symbol of a brighter future and a blank space for future creatives to soon take charge. It is signifying that the fashion world is going to have to change, and I think will be seen as an iconic cover in years to come.
British Vogue - June 2020:
Dame Judi Dench is officially the magazine’s oldest cover star in its 104-year history. At 85, posing in a floral Dolce & Gabbana trench, the cover is vibrant and delightful with the light tones of pink. I would say Judi is an iconic British figure (she doesn’t like the term ‘national treasure’) and I think for many, this cover would be really pleasing to see, proving age is just a number. Although, again, this raises the argument of ignorance or a distraction, but for this, I think it is more of a distraction and to shed appreciation on Dame Judi. It’s an important message that we shouldn’t be afraid of ageing and should focus on living your life in the present. All in all, it seems like different issues of Vogue from across the world are taking different approaches to the pandemic. Italy with facing the harsh reality but looking forward to the future and giving an element of hope, and Paris providing what we’ve always seen on Vogue. I think many people will have plenty of different opinions on the methods that have been taken, but I think at the end of the day it is nice to have some sort of distraction from reality. I’d like to think people have accepted what is going on and want something to look forward to, and if that’s Judi Dench on a cover, or a complete CGI image, let them enjoy it in such a difficult time.
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