I would be remiss to not acknowledge the return of the original Supermodels to grace the cover of THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE of Vouge. Both the American Vouge and British Vouge united to bring these four together, decades later. 2023. Gracing the glossies, once again, it is with experience of time and years that each of these women, who have impacted not only the world of fashion, but beyond, are paid a tribute to in both the US and the UK issues. Capturing the coveted cover of Vouge’s most important editorial calendar month-September- is certainly an impactful statement. As these four women have and will always be Supermodels. Wisdom, poise and grace…
“They weren’t born into this. And they surpassed the world they entered into” – Roger Ross Williams, Director, “The Super Models”
In the late 1980’s to mid 1990’s, the Supermodels embarked upon the world of fashion as a new era of modeling hit the covers and pages of fashion’s glossies. Said to have been “A cultural moment that became singularly important” in fashion, the “Rare combination of extraordinary photogenic features, born-with it self confidence, intuitive style, intense curiosity, and utterly bananas work ethic flipped the switch for the industry“ (Brian Grazer, Director, “The Super Models”). All of which brought these models into stardom, both in pop culture and in page after page of fashion’s archives. Dubbed an “Elite clique”, they were business women in the art of their craft. And they were incredible. Rightly stated by Sally Singer for Vouge: “Women whose professional lives were once defined by supersonic itinerancy….” Indeed, it was a Supersonic embarkment upon fashion that carried them through that decade.
The Iconic photographic images of that time will always live on as iconic moments of a time in fashion. Why so impactful to me? I was their age at the time when they entered the world of fashion and hit Superstardom. I grew with them. And I viewed their rise…and fall from the covers of fashion. It was a world before internet. And the magazines of fashion were my only connective to the world I coveted. The art of the model, fashion and the art of photography. Now in my 50’s, like them, my nod and homage to them, and to the world of fashion that catapulted them, and to the Era in fashion that they reigned over, I applaud them all. And Vouge. For uniting them together, once again, to grace a cover and impact us all. Once again. A return to fashion as fashion, indeed….
To pay tribute to these Supermodels, I cannot help but delve back to the time when they were replaced. In the late 90’s the world of American fashion switched gears to a new focus in print in hopes to sell more magazines: celebrities. Celebrities replaced not only the Supermodels from the covers but practically all models. Replaced by the world of Hollywood and the music industry (and eventually even the faces of politics). It was a shift. And in my opinion, a sell out. Compromising the integrity of fashion and the founding purpose of the fashion magazine. I remember it well. I was disheartened. I recall that each new month my hopes that a model would once again grace the cover of fashion’s glossies and fashion would return to fashion. Alas, the reign of the Supermodels, or models & fashion, for that matter, had ended. And I have always looked back at it fondly. For it was a time when fashion was about fashion. Fashion magazines were about the designer. The Clothes. The Models that wore the clothes and the photographer that captured them. It was a combined art form. And it suddenly became a mere celebrity obsession and the “Illusion of substance”. As a result, in the late 90’s I had let my magazine subscriptions expire and would merely walk past the magazine stands, wistfully, once I verified that the cover was yet another “celebrity”.
“Trading on Hollywood magic: Celebrities push models off women’s magazine covers”. – The New York Times, January 30, 1999
Interesting to add…in the words of Linda Evangelista, New York Times, January 30, 1999:
”The term ‘supermodel’ is a press-induced word,” she said through a spokeswoman. ”We have never called ourselves supermodels.” She added, ”I feel the readers are more intelligent and appreciate beauty no matter what the females’ traditional career may be.” She noted that if models are not appearing on American covers, they can still be found on the majority of European and Asian magazine covers”
And yes, I had found myself seeking and purchasing the European glossies…and in fact, they became and are undoubtedly my favorite covers. Framed. Many a cover, and photographic fashion spreads, of these Supermodels, I have saved from that Era in time. A few of fashion’s glossy pages and poignant covers that endure to inspire me. Time and place. There is a part of me that will always remain in the world of the nineties. When fashion was fashion. Again, the art of the designer. The art of the photographer. And the art of the model. Onward.
And of the legendary image that is said to have ushered in the era of the Supermodel? The iconic image, captured by photographer, Peter Lindberg, grouped Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turligton and Cindy Crawford together on the glossy cover of January 1990’s issue of Vouge. 1990 and 2023 covers. Now, 33 years later, the “Greatest of All Time” (although with the loss of Tatjana Patitz, who passed earlier this year) as in the 90’s, this 2023 September issue is indeed a homage to these icons that will withstand time. Is it 90’s nostalgia? I think not. Certainly, not for me. Rather, it is part of fashion’s legacy. Where it once was and where it will never return again. But, that said, there is still hope. A glimmer, perhaps, that the icons of today’s top models will find their way to the cover with more frequency. Onward in that!
Onward,
Kristin
PS: For the record…as the years and decades have past, I have gone in and out of subscriptions of fashion’s glossies. That said, upon learning the Supermodels would return to the cover of Vouge, I re-subscribed to American Vouge, once again. Perhaps it has always just been a love affair. Onward in the love of fashion!
House Appeal 