62 | Ana Vintur i Edvard Eninful Anna Wintour and Edward Enninful Why is Vogue an institution? Because it promotes luxurious lifestyles, highly rated fashion and beauty, elevatingandgroundingcreatorsandbrands; because it addresses the rich, in uential and powerful, thusin uencing, informingandinspiringthosewhoareabletochangesomething.AndtheSeptember issueof thismagazine represents all of that, butmuchmore sothannormal.Aperson’splaceonthefashionmap isdeterminedby their presenceor absence in the September issue of Vogue. If you’re not in the September issue – you don’t exist. The editors of this cult magazine use the period of early autumn to summarise everythingweneedtoknowabout thenew season, fromfashiontocurrent social topics. Between irresistible shoes, dazzling jewelleryandadviceonhowtocare for yourself if youhaveaseriouslyhighcosmeticsbudget, skilfullyanddelectably runningstories and addressing topics of discriminationand injustice, a rmingartists, activists andwomen eager for change... I will take the liberty of comparing it with Shakespeare - it is multi-layered, which makes it receptive to everyone – from the super cial to the intellectual elite. But let’s ick through it fromthebeginning. The rst hundred of so pages of the September issue contain advertisements covering all trends, so if you only bought Vogue for fashion you don’t have to read any further. Next seasonwe will wear double-breastedjackets, preciselytailoredsuits, a purse to carry as a symbol of belonging to wealthy society, while highly rated are also sequins, high boots, long coats, an accentuatedsilhouette,militarystylesoftened with feminine details, lace and oral femininedresses, nostalgia for the1980s, animal print, andonenovelty–accentuatedshoulders. All in all, a blend of well-tailored designs that come across as somewhat bourgeois and current casual tendencies. We will start our further analysis with British Vogue, which – alongside the U.S. edition – is absolutely the most important and highest circulating edition (don’t forget that thereare22editionsofVogue).We don’twant tobotherAnnaWintour, butone American lady inLondon is causinga stir in the Kingdom, so she deserves to be given priority. Speci cally, thenews thatDuchess ofSussexMeghanMarkle is theguesteditor of theBritisheditionofVoguehas been lling tabloids all summer. We knew the cover page would present a collage of 15 portraits of women who are changing society in di erent ways, selected byMeghan, but Brits were very dissatis ed with her selection, consideringit“notBritishenough”.Nevertheless, Meghan launches the topic under the headline‘Force for Change’, posing the question of what changes we want to see in the world, with the answers provided by deserving women. And, indeed, Meghan’s 15 cover almost everything - Christy Turlington ghting for the right to give birth safely, Greta Thunberg providing a reminder of climate change, Adwoa Aboahonthe importanceofmental health. FormerU.S. First Lady Michelle Obama had the honour of interviewingMeghan inperson. Althoughher in uencehasweakened, she is still active inher ownorganisation, which works to empower adolescent women. Meghan utilised the culmination of this segment to promote the Smart Set project, which providesunemployedwomenwithclothingfor returning to work and provides them with training for job interviews. But let’s get back to fashion. The rst editorial in the UK edition is entitled‘Divine O ce’and in it you can expect tailored pieces that lengthen the gure, shoes that you can wear all day, like kitten heels and Mary Jane pumps, layered handbags – a new way to wear a business classic and a mini modernhandbag. Next come sustainabledesigns frombrands Veja and Outland Denim, and for the rest youactuallyhave tobrowse throughVogue for yourself.There, inadditionto trends, youareawaitedbygreat articles, suchas interviewswithprimatologist Dame JaneGoodall, whobecame famous forprotectingandstudyingchimpanzees. Shewas interviewed personally by Prince Harry, who is also known as an environmental activist. Their conclusion and message is that we won’t survive unlesswe realise thatwe arepart of thenatural cycle. NowwecanreturntotheBritishqueenof fashion who decides who’s who on the U.S. fashion scene. Speci cally, this year is precisely ten years since the release of The September Issue, a documentary starringAnnaWintour, though it’s important to note that tectonic changes were then occurring in technology and media. Fashion shows are broadcast in real time, you can check out new trends on the internet several months in advance, and all of that has impacted on the exclusivity of Vogue’s September issue. On the other side, this has created space for socially responsible topics. In American Vogue, alongside an impressive number of pages and advertisements, an emphasis isplacedoncosmeticspackagingandthequestionofwhetheracumbersomebeauty industrycan switch to an environmentally friendly track. The listing of brands that have stated they will switch to packaging made from recycled raw materials in the next few years should also encourage other cosmeticsmanufacturers toceasepolluting the environment. And the same topics also spill over into fashion. AnnaWintourherselfwrote intheopeningeditorial this September that the new goals are sustainability, responsibility and clothing that should bemade to last. Fashion stories are important, but we should take theopportunity to take stanceson values and issues that are even more important, emphasised Anna.
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