Picked up my new Vogue yesterday after reading an article trashing the mag for making their May 09 issue one all about models. The cover features nine famous faces in the industry at the moment, shot by Steven Meisel, the photographer who discovered/promoted them all, and who is featured in an interview and self portrait inside the magazine. The article I read said that Vogue should stop trying so hard to promote models, make them popular, or famous, and that the models should stay in the background.
To them I say: no way!
Personally, I am open for pretty much anything, since I believe people’s lives are extremely interesting, no matter who they are. I feel like the idea of doing an expose of sorts on the models of the moment is a great idea! Since the public knows very little about models, and too much about celebrities. Models do quiet work, and we only catch glimpses of them on runways or backstage, and I can’t say I’ve ever seen a long interview of a model – discounting Gisele, Kate, Naomi, or the other huge ones. I am interested in reading about their lives and loves, since one Vogue feature is the “Meet the Boyfriends” article. But then again, I’m a total sucker for relationship goss.
I haven’t read much of it yet, but I’m going to go do that now!
Also noticed: striking similarities between this issue & April Harper’s Bazaar.
- Vogue features models (including Gisele); HB has Gisele on the cover.
- Vogue has a feature of Natalia Vodianova (“The Great Pretender”) role-playing nine fashion legends; HB has Gisele personifying supermodels throughout the ages
- Vogue pays tribute to Steven Meisel, a great photographer known for discovering models; HB heralds Richard Avedon, another great photographer.
I wonder: do most people read both magazines? Or do the editors know that the public probably only reads one of the two? Or is it all a giant coincidence? Either way, it struck me that they were remarkably similar. Strange, very strange.
Night night,
s.
