Thursday, August 21, 2008

A Brief Note to Ms. Wintour

Dear Ms. Wintour,

All year I look forward to the September Vogue. And never more than this one—I hadn’t even purchased Vogue for the last three months because I know better: they’re just summer fillers until the fall, when the spectacularly heavy book loaded with stunning editorials and thoughtful journalism arrives.

But is there some mistake? I seem to have flipped through a double dose of August, arguably the least important magazine of the year (so once said Linda, I believe, who was getting snitty about Cindy’s August cover; do correct me if I have my supes mixed up).

Where are the interesting articles? (Aside from the one about the woman with the addictive husband.) Don’t even try to tell me that the excerpt from Candace Bushnell qualifies as prose. To take Capote one step further, it’s typing with name dropping.

Where is the extra-inspiring fashion and photography?

And what is going on with the covers lately? The Kate Moss last month was a rare spot of model-y joy, but this month—Keira Knightley (again!!) in a busy ensemble on a busier page just does not work. I sense that there’s a slight homage to your jaw-droppingly bold and successful Michaela cover from 1988, but I’ll take the original (see a version above) any day.


To misquote Madonna, “C’mon, Vogue!”

Sincerely,

Miss C

13 comments:

WendyB said...

Oh, LindaE always told it like it was.

Imelda Matt - The Despotic Queen of Shoes said...

OH! I thought the cover was Natalie Portman. Has Keira just gone through chemo? 800 pages of nothing...great!

Anonymous said...

Vogue has become tiresome and it's difficult to tell the advertisements from anything else. The "armpit surgery" "article" last month was so ridiculous. Apparently women have become so vain, shallow, and vacuous that this has become an "issue". I used to really look forward to the September Vogue and other fashion magazines but no more. What magazines do you enjoy? I'd love to find one that I really, really enjoyed.

Anonymous said...

If little Keira doesn't close her mouth for a photo sometime soon, I'm going over there with a tube of Gorilla Glue.

Miss Cavendish said...

Hi Anon--My favorite magazine is the fashion supplement produced by the NY Times, which comes out, unfortunately, only a couple of times a year. I loved the August 17 issue . . .

K.Line said...

Very strangely, I posted about this issue of Vogue today too - differernt spin but aren't we on the same wavelength :-)

Deborah said...

Oh dear. I usually feel I can count on Vogue to come through when all others fail. My copy hasn't arrived yet but maybe that's a good thing? And that cover really is a disaster...

Anonymous said...

granted there are 798 pages, but if it's filled with predictable crap, what's the point? tsk tsk anna.

Jennifer said...

Maybe Vogue and Keira are going for a Guinness world record for the most times she can appear on their cover in five years? As for their bragging that it's "798 Pages of Brilliant Fashion", 75 percent of it is advertising, as it is in every March or September issue! I will say it's making a great booster seat for my laptop on my couch right now!

Elizabeth said...

I haven't cracked it yet, and am wondering what my reaction will be after reading this.

I suspect we've seen it all before by now.

I miss the supes, and wouldn't mind a break from Keira.

Songy said...

it seems like vogue US needs some serious evaluation. I've given up on buying these traditional fashion mags. I get to see most of stunning editorials and such online these days. Guys all rave about them if they are any good as you expect.

It is interesting however to see the rising of 'shopping' orientated fashion mags... these feature somewhat filtered information on what's beautiful out there. I guess sooner or later the current fad will go away as well... I suppose it's a cyclic revamping.. it will get better soon. Maybe the prada wearing devil's time is up.

Angie said...

That's it. Let's start our own magazine. A collective blog magazine. Or are we already doing that...?

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Oh, don't tell me it's substandard!! I've saved it all week to peruse today!! Gotta say, though, I was disappointed in the cover. Way too busy, bad hair style and why, oh why, is there not a model on the cover of the SEPT. Vogue?? I have a "thing" about actresses and celebrities taking the place of models. It's Vogue, not People. Sigh.

Did you see the layout with Linda Evangelista in the June Italian Vogue? Put HER back on the cover!