Like many other fashion lovers, the September issue of American Vogue has long been the magazine’s most highly anticipated issue of the year. When I was younger, my wonderful dad bought me a copy of Vogue every month and he was always especially excited to give me Vogue’s September issue because he knew how excited I’d be to get it, which of course I was. You know you’re a fruit when…
Back then, it was always the top models who covered the most important issue of the year. But since the early 2000s, Anna Wintour famously replaced using models on the cover in favour of celebrities. In fact, the last time a group of models covered the September issue was in 2004 – way too long.
So for this year’s September issue, it came as a surprise to many when the awesome cover image was released (shot by Mario Testino), featuring three of today’s top models, Joan Smalls, Cara Delevingne and Karlie Kloss, and folding out to include six more, including Arizona Muse, Edie Campbell, Imaan Hammam, Fei Fei Sun, Vanessa Axente, and Andreea Diaconu (below).
Rather than refer to the cover stars as “the new supermodels,” the magazine dubbed today’s top models “the Instagirls” referring to their millions of followers on the social media app. It’s largely due to their huge social medial followings that many of them have become celebrities in their own right – much like the original supermodels of the 90s.
It’s a refreshing and fun cover which has garnered a lot of excitement from the world’s fashion media. And one that’s reminiscent of Vogue’s famous and unbeatable 100th anniversary cover in April, 1992, when the top supermodels of the day appeared on the cover together (below). Many are hoping this year’s September cover represents a new era of fashion when models rightfully reclaim their place on the cover of the world’s top fashion magazines. Fingers crossed.
Vogue’s 100th anniversary cover in 1992 with the original supermodels
The last time models covered Vogue’s September issue in 2004
To see a slideshow of other September issue covers throughout the years, check out vogue.com.
Casey Wagar 