Harry Styles: First Solo Man on the Cover of Vogue

With his eccentric looks and charming demeanor, it is no surprise that Harry Styles is the first man to be featured solo on the cover of the December 2020 issue of Vogue. With influences from 60s and 70s rockstars such as Prince, Freddie Mercury and David Bowie, Styles shows off his style and embraces his femininity by playing with androgyny and self-expression.

Any fan of Harry Styles knows that he is not afraid to reject tradition and go out of his comfort zone, and this issue of Vogue shows this. The outfits in this photoshoot are simply immaculate. Styles takes the cover of Vogue rocking a fabulous Fall 2020 Gucci dress, a statement that shows how the lines of gender are starting to blur in mainstream media. And Harry is at the forefront of this revolution.

““You can never be overdressed. There’s no such thing. The people that I looked up to in music—Prince and David Bowie and Elvis and Freddie Mercury and Elton John—they’re such showmen.””

— Harry Styles

While Harry has been experimenting with his look through wacky and campy outfits that make him stand out and embrace his androgyny, he does not fail to give credit to his many inspirations, telling Vogue that “… You can never be overdressed. There’s no such thing. The people that I looked up to in music—Prince and David Bowie and Elvis and Freddie Mercury and Elton John—they’re such showmen.” This influence is highly clear in the pictures of Styles for his Vogue issue. Sporting different kinds of skirts, as well as a kilt in one of the photos, Harry draws inspiration from rock musicians who were not afraid to break down barriers regarding gender structures. “What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away ‘There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women,’ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play,” Harry states.

While Harry clearly has a lot of outside inspirations, it is no doubt that millions of people look up to Harry himself not only through the lens of music but also through fashion. In fact, the way that Styles expresses himself through fashion has certainly inspired me. To cite a previous MODA Article, I mentioned Harry Styles as my fashion inspiration in my 2019 Quad Style. And, since then, Harry has not failed to influence the way that I use fashion to express myself.

Not only has Styles’ solo career given him more influence over his music, as he has written all of his songs in his two solo albums, it has also allowed him greater creative expression, pertaining to his style and brand. Having been a Harry Styles stan since the early One Direction days, Harry’s transformation regarding his style as well as his liberty to find comfort within himself has been an important journey to witness.

Image via.

When talking about Harry’s style and his gender expression through fashion, however, it is important to acknowledge and appreciate all of the non-binary and gender nonconforming artists that are changing the game in terms of style and music. Artists such as Arca, Dorian Electra, Yves Tumor, and Grimes are helping redefine the idea of gender in media. Although Harry Styles has been a strong influence on many who are embracing their identities and sexualities by helping break down gender barriers in clothing, we must still realize why cisgender artists like Harry are getting so much appreciation by doing the same thing as other actual gender fluid artists have done before him, yet have been ridiculed for. On this account, it is fair to say that although Harry is taking a step in the right direction in breaking gender norms, it is still important to acknowledge others that are doing the same thing yet not getting as much credit as they deserve.

All in all, it is very exciting to see Harry Styles as the first solo man to grace the cover of Vogue. You can read his engaging interview and enjoy all of the looks Harry is serving over on Vogue.com!

All Images via

It's More Personal Than You Think

The other day I was getting ready to go to my grandma’s house, just down the block, for an impromptu Mother’s Day brunch. After two months of waving from the front door, we felt it was ok to finally reunite. Despite the fact that a bright blue mask would be covering my face for the majority of the afternoon, I took advantage of the first chance to get a little dressed up.

I threw on something more than the sweatpants I had been living in and headed to the bathroom mirror to start my makeup routine, if you can even call it one. I was almost nervous to open my hand-me-down pouch full of what was likely expired foundation. Months in quarantine made me too comfortable with a naked face, but once I dampened the beauty blender and drew NARS concealer on my face, I questioned why I ever stopped. Growing up, I never wore makeup. I mean never. In fact, it probably wasn’t until junior year of high school that I ever opened a bottle of foundation. Gone were the days of good ol’ BB Cream. The whole industry was daunting and I didn’t know where to start. Luckily, I was blessed with pretty clear skin, a product of my mom’s genes, which meant there wasn’t even the incentive to cover up the spots that did pop up here and there.

The first makeup advice I ever received was, naturally, from my mom. She told me, “You know you did it right if it looks like you aren’t wearing any.” Although this tip seemed sort of ironic coming from the woman who wears Bobbi Brown’s darkest shades of red lipstick, they hold some truth. Whenever I start to step too far out of my comfort zone, like standing in front of the mirror with a Champagne Pop Becca highlighter in one hand and a brush smothered with product in the other, I can’t help but hear her mantra in the back of my head. I live by these words now, but it took awhile for me to fully understand it. I’ve always been the most fascinated with makeup out of the three girls in my family—me, my mom, and my older sister. To this day, I like to think of it like face paint. The ability to completely transform and/or enhance your features amazed me. 

Personal archives.

It took awhile for my mom to fully support my makeup endeavors. My sister and I used to do competitive cheer and if it wasn’t crazy enough to ask a herd of uncoordinated five year-olds to set up a sturdy human pyramid in front of a panel of judges, we were also required to wear a disturbing amount of stage makeup. Nothing was too much for the cheer world—blue eyeshadow, red lips, silver glitter, and really anything you can think of. To keep everyone away from my face, my mom told me and everyone else that I was “allergic” to all brands of makeup. All except hers. 

Looking back at it now, I realize this may sound ridiculous. How could I be so gullible? But come on, I was practically a toddler. Besides, even if I had understood, it wouldn’t have changed a thing. My mom was never the type to cave. She took “no means no” to a whole other level. There was no swaying her, which is why I had to take my makeup education into my own hands. My timeline begins with British YouTuber Zoe Sugg, formerly known as Zoella. Zoe was kind, sweet, and everything you’d want to grow up to be. Little did I know she’d take the platform to the next level in the near future. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon Jenn Im, Sophia Chang, and Weylie Hoang, none of whom have the same following as Sugg, that I recognized the issue of representation in beauty.

Even with three beauty gurus, who looked more like me than anyone else on the internet (at least that I knew of at the time), I couldn’t see myself in any of them. It was comforting to know they came from similar backgrounds, but I couldn’t pull off winged eyeliner like Sophia or be bold with an eyeshadow palette like Jenn. I quickly learned to take what I liked from each of them. They were all creative and all had something to offer.

I can’t speak for everyone when I say this, but to me, representation extends far beyond the color of your skin. We’re all on the lookout for something special. 

In the past few years, brands have released more shades of foundation than any other point in history. Commercials and ad campaigns are featuring a wider variety of people, but it’s still pretty impossible to find someone just like you. Maybe we have to stop placing all the responsibility on the industry and start asking ourselves what we’re doing to move things forward. A large part of the problem stems from consumers’ constant attempts to fit into a certain mold. Makeup and skincare are much too personal to be categorized into a “trend.” From all my years of trying to navigate the makeup world, I learned there are no rules when it comes to beauty. 

It is for this reason why I fell in love with Vogue’s Beauty Secrets series so quickly. The magazine’s collection of the best kept beauty secrets of models (old and new), artists, actors, and other influencers is one of the few YouTube series I still take the time to watch. If I’m going to be honest, more than half of the people they ask to participate are unfamiliar to me, but that’s precisely why it’s such a genius idea. Beyond the odd thrill that comes from getting a peak at Cindy Crawford’s marble covered bathroom, there is something comforting about learning from people whose tips, just like everyone else’s, have been passed down from friends and family. For me, the OG Beauty Secrets started in the bathroom of one of my oldest friends, Delila Brown, my earliest friend from school and practically my second sister. 

Personal archives.

Delila, Dede, doesn’t look anything like me. With wavy blond hair and fair skin, she’s quite the opposite. Even so, she taught me everything I know about makeup. She was more successful in training me than any YouTuber because she knows me better than anyone else. She knows I’m a minimalist, who won’t go near glitter or a bright orange eye. She also knows I would rather have a rogue blemish show through my light coverage foundation than feel like I have a second layer of skin to breathe through. And while I still don’t remember all the steps to contouring, one lesson I’ll never forget learning from her is that makeup should enhance your features just as much as they should strengthen your self-confidence. 

I know not everyone has access to a “personal makeup artist” like Dede, but for the sake of all the little kids aching to take a stab at their own makeup look, take the time to experiment. It’s so easy to forget that makeup has no limits. You don’t need to look a certain way, you just need to be comfortable with yourself. Afterall, finding what works best for you, although difficult at times, can feel more rewarding than getting your eyeliner right for the first time (a challenge we’re all too familiar with).

Gallery images via

"In This Together" : Vogue Announces Entirely Self-Photographed June/July Issue

It’s almost noon, and I’m finishing my black eyeliner - having only just woken up. And I realize that this might be a little silly. I’m getting ready for an online Russian grammar test. And I have no plans to interact with anyone other than my parents and little brother today. I’m still social-distancing, after all.

However, despite my realization that this might be a little silly, I still finish my makeup. And everyday since I began my quarantine, I have done so. I find it calming. The routine makes me feel productive. Even though I’m only preparing to sit in front of my laptop at my bedroom desk, I still want to feel prepared. I want to exercise some control over my life - no matter how small. And this helps me with that.

A few hours later, I read Anna Wintour’s April 23rd announcement, and I find myself equally calm. In her article, Anna shares the early launch of Vogue’s June/July Special Issue. (The official release is still scheduled for next month.) And even in a climate of utter uncertainty, it seems that Vogue has found a way to highlight what matters: community. As Anna writes herself, “we are all in this together.”

Anna begins her article by sending well wishes to her readers, before expressing her deep gratitude to the many first responders, who continue to bravely protect our communities. And she shares photographs from Ethan Green’s recent series, in which he provides an homage to these first-responders. Green’s photographs feature just a handful of health-care professionals, many of whom came from across the country, in order to help NY’s overwhelmed local healthcare system. The photographs were taken near the Javits Center’s temporary field hospital.

Jennifer Ratcliff, Air Force colonel and Orthopedic Surgeon from FL

Photographed by Ethan Green

Cindy Dagsaan, Nurse Practitioner and Navy Reservist from CA

Photographed by Ethan Green

Furthermore, Anna also announces that Vogue’s June/July Issue will be special, in that it’ll be entirely self-photographed. And a portfolio of such self-photographs has already been released online. This is new territory for Vogue. Everything in the issue will be commissioned, designed, and produced remotely. And Anna hopes that the issue will serve as a historic and “poignant reminder of how we are all acutely missing the miracles of everyday life and the joy that they can bring.”

The cover of Vogue’s Special Issue features Irvine Penn’s formerly unpublished photograph, Rose ‘Colour Wonder’ (1970). It’s Vogue’s very first still-life cover in over 50 years.

And as I flip through Vogue’s portfolio of self-portraits, I immediately connect with the words of Daniel Arnold, a nomadic photographer from NY: “I feel like I’ve been on an airplane for six weeks. I cry without being sad or moved, all of my emotions are mutedly haywire; I snack psychotically and I stare out a window, unable to digest how high up I am, or how dangerous it would be to go outside.” While Arnold’s quotation is dramatic, he has a point. I do feel a little bit like I’ve been on an airplane for weeks.

However, the more I study Vogue’s portfolio, the more I realize that Anna might have overlooked something. After all, while I do acutely miss my life “pre-coronavirus,” I also know that the joys of everyday life do not end under quarantine. These are tough times. They are bleak. But they do not have to be wholly hopeless - and there are many ways in which we can still notice, and enjoy, the many small moments that compose our lives.

This is exemplified by Vogue’s own work. In Vogue’s portfolio of self-photography, Sienna Miller discusses baking, swinging, and doing makeup with her little girl. British photojournalist, David Hurd, discusses his morning coffee - and how much he enjoys watching the birds outside his cottage window. Florence Pugh discusses gardening and cooking. And Steven Klein shares an awesome photo of his four-year-old son, surrounded by his stuffed animals.

Steven Klein’s contribution to Vogue’s Issue features his son, Ace, as he plays with his toys in Long Island, NY.

For the first time in my life, my dad is home when I go to the kitchen for lunch. He helps me understand my biology homework. My mom brings me iced tea in the mornings, and we often sit on the patio together. She reads drafts of my writings - and we talk about them in person, rather than over the phone. In the evenings, I make salads while she cooks. And my parents have even started a garden - and my mom was excited this week, when the first plants began to sprout. Meanwhile, I converse with my brother between classes. And I realize just how much less time I’ve spent with them since I began college - and just how much time I suddenly have, to try to make up for what I’ve lost.

Barney the raccoon. We fear he might eat all of our produce plants, once they're moved outside.

The first tomato plants sprout in my mom's garden.

As Anna concludes her article, she writes that “[i]t’s a brave act to optimistically consider the future.” And she’s right. But, even more than that, it’s a brave act to optimistically consider the present. And if doing my makeup in the mornings (or afternoons) helps me do so, then so be it. In his contribution to Vogue’s Issue, Marc Jacobs may say it best:

“I never thought a dress was a solution to a problem, but I do believe that as long as people are human, they’ll want to dance and they’ll want to get dressed and they’ll want to eat good food and they’ll want to engage in things that give them pleasure. I guess we just have to find a balance, or maybe rethink what all those things mean. But we all should be thinking about how we can change—or what we learned from this experience.”

— Marc Jacobs

Click here, for thumbnail image source; Ethan Green’s photograph features Tanzania Johnson, a Navy hospital corpsman and respiratory-therapy technician, who actively works to address the coronavirus.

Camp: The 2018 Met Gala Highlights Fashion’s Sense of Humor

The Met Gala was established in 1948 to raise money for the Costume Institute at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and  to celebrate the opening of its annual fashion exhibition. The Gala brings together the most acclaimed figures in fashion, art, television and more, presenting themes such as Heavenly Bodies, Manus x Machina, Punk, and China: Through the Looking Glass. Despite the intensive publicity surrounding the Gala, all the events of the night following the red carpet are not publicized. Guests are not permitted to post on social media, nor is there any coverage of the actual event.

Kendall Jenner snuck in a personal camera during last year’s ball. Photo via

This year’s Gala will take place on the Monday, May 6th and will be presented by Andrew Bolton, who has chosen “Camp: Notes on Fashion” as the official theme.

The exhibition will feature 200 fine art and fashion objects, ranging from artifacts from the court of Versailles all the way to ready-to-wear and couture pieces of the present day. This year’s chairs will be Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, Anna Wintour and Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele. Undoubtedly, we can expect a lot of the red carpet and exhibition to feature some of Michele’s collections over the years.

Franco Moschino shirt. Spring 1991. Image via

Michele has publicly expressed his enthusiasm for the event, claiming “Camp is a beautiful word and a crucial element in the expression of human nature.”

Susan Sontag’s Notes on Camp, the inspiration for the exhibit’s title and theme, approaches the word “camp” in terms of sensibility. She describes it as love of the unnatural, a form of performance, rebellion from aesthetic restriction and a comic vision for the world, among 54 other definitions in her essay.

Clearly, “camp” is a pretty broad theme, and one that is hard to pinpoint theoretically, let alone imagine on the red carpet for one of the biggest fashion events of the year. Bolton is keen to focus on what gives a subject its personality, with an emphasis on elements such as exaggeration, theatricality and artifice. In many ways, the ambiguity–or perhaps even the mystery of camp–allows attendees to really define for themselves what the term means.

For more information and media about this year’s Met Gala, or on Camp: Notes on Fashion, be sure to check out the Met’s event page.

Video and featured gif via.

Generation Unstoppable with Elaine Welteroth

Join MODA in Cox Lounge on Monday, May 14 for an exclusive broadcast party hosted by the New York Times featuring Elaine Welteroth! 

***THE EVENT IS FREE BUT PLEASE PRE-REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/2KtW6vI ***

Join award-winning journalist, media personality and the former editor in chief of Teen Vogue Elaine Welteroth, in conversation with New York Times gender editor Jessica Bennett. It’s the latest edition of Get With The Times, NYT's spirited live conversation series for college students.

Elaine brought social consciousness to the pages of Teen Vogue, and broke new ground as youngest person and the second African-American ever to hold the editor in chief title in Condé Nast’s 107-year history. She’s now a leading expert, advocate and voice for the next generation of change makers.

Hosted at Hofstra University, this event will be filmed live and broadcast to watch parties at college campuses across the country. Join us, and make your voice heard.

Dinner will be served at this event!

For more information, view the Facebook event here.

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Feature image via NYT.

Trend Forecasting at NYFW F/W 2018

While millennial pink and power-suits reimagined for the modern day working woman continue to dominate catwalks and all the latest collections, a handful of emerging trends are really starting to take hold as NYFW draws to a close. As we look to Paris, London and Milan Fashion Weeks to either affirm the creative messages of their American counterparts or introduce an entirely new palette of colors, patterns and silhouettes to consider for the fall/winter season, take a moment to soak in the surprisingly cohesive aesthetic vision of this season's NYFW. 

Whether it emerged in the form of a silken blouse or a head-to-toe wool business suit, mustard yellow dominated this season's color palette and vision for the fall/winter 2018 season. Many designers chose to downplay the color's shock value, often presenting the hue in the form of sophisticated silhouettes fit for the office place, cocktail hour or even a more formal event.

Bottega Veneta; image via

Derek Lam; image via

Prabal Gurung; image via

Matching sets appeared everywhere this season, from brands as disparate in vibe and vision as Sies Marjan (laid-back, ethereal, color packed) to Victoria Beckham (sophisticated, mature, impeccably tailored). From DVF's 70s, pajama inspired looks, to knit sets perfect for the office and even a handful of skirt based looks fit for a night out, designers seemed intent on sending out complete, cohesive looks. 

Sies Marjan; image via

Diane von Furstenberg; image via

Victoria Beckham; image via

Our obsession with the 90s continues with the endless array of slip dresses spotted on the runway this season. From more experimental takes on the classic silhouette that grappled with deconstructed fabrics and pattern-mixing, to sleek and timeless takes, as seen at Brandon Maxwell and Jason Wu, it appears as if slip dresses have fully integrated themselves into our wardrobes for everyday wear.

Jason Wu; image via

Brandon Maxwell; image via

Prabal Gurung; image via

A quick cheat that makes you automatically look more fashionable? Dress all in one color. Monochrome ensembles were spotted in almost every collection this season, regardless of the designer's color of choice or inspiration source–a testament to the sheer versatility (and ease) of this approach to dress.

Sies Marjan; image via

Tibi; image via

Jason Wu; image via

Everyone was seeing red this season, perhaps in response to the overwhelming amount of playful pastel pinks we've been forced to look at in recent months. When you think of it, it comes as little surprise that designers would look within the same color range for something new, yet not entirely unfamiliar to base their latest collections around. Bright, boisterous reds played out as more mature, sensual and confident statements on the runway alongside their millennial pink counterparts.

Prabal Gurung; image via

Brandon Maxwell; image via

Tibi; image via

Colder weather doesn't necessarily call for covering up according to some designers. From the classical elegance of Cushnie et Ochs to Alexander Wang's bossy bad asses, mini skirts seem no longer the sole domain of Hedi Slimane. Whether you pair it with sheer tights or sky-high pumps, expect to see shorter hemlines come fall.

Cushnie et Ochs; image via

Dion Lee; image via

Alexander Wang; image via

Ever since Brock Collection won the CFDA Fashion Fund two years ago and received Anna Wintour's stamp of approval, the brand has been successfully spreading its vision of bucolic beauty–and it seems like many brands are taking note. Everyone from the experimental Gypsy Sport to mainstays like Ralph Lauren took cues from Brock Collection's affinity for all things off-the-shoulder, ruffled, ruched, breezy and maidenly.

Gypsy Sport; image via

Ralph Lauren; image via

Jonathan Simkhai; image via

Feature Image via Vogue Runway

Telfar Wins CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund

This year, CVFF awarded Telfar Clemens of the brand Telfar with the competition's highly coveted first place prize. In an interview with Vogue, Clemens describes his brands' identity as “horizontal, democratic, universal"–all of which are underscored in his androgynous and versatile designs and his decidedly diverse casting choices for runway shows and campaigns. On Telfar's About page, the brand is pitched as a "unisex line Est in 2005 in NYC by Telfar Clemens and sold internationally. It's not for you — it's for everyone."

This year's Fashion Fund finalists featured a slew of talented designers, from more familiar fixtures in the industry and repeat contestants like Chromat, to fashion houses just beginning to hit their full stride, like Mateo and Jordan Askill.

Creativity, ingenuity and fluidity aside, Telfar undoubtedly distinguished itself amongst its steep competition with the sheer amount of personality imbued into all aspects of the brand. A quick scroll through Telfar's website alone reveals Clemens' expansive artistic vision and sense of humor through a series of gifs, supercuts of backstage and each season's beautifully staged and shot collection.

Apart from the $400,000 first place cash prize and business mentoring from industry professionals, winning the Fashion Fund is often a pivotal moment in a designer's career trajectory. Past winners include current industry heavyweights like Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, Altuzarra (who served as one of the judges for this year's panel), Public School, Derek Lam, Thom Browne, Rodarte and Tabitha Simmons.

All images via

From Disney Starlet to Hollywood's Newest Triple Threat

At just the tender age of 20, Zendaya has already managed to snag a handful of life and career defining milestones. From establishing herself as a powerful voice for the millennial generation on everything from feminist issues to prejudice and the realities of race in America, to launching her own highly coveted fashion line, and securing her status as a beauty icon that defies traditional norms and expectations, the starlet's continued success is well earned, to say the least.

The list of Zendaya's countless accolades and accomplishments goes on, but she also has her own Barbie doll, modeled after her iconic Oscars look, and stars in the Disney Channel hit K.C. Undercover, one of the few programs the network has ever run that stars a biracial lead actress and features a black family.

Zendaya's latest claim to fame? Fronting the cover of American Vogue to discuss everything from her humble childhood, her meteoric rise to fame, her first love, her latest movie (Spider-Man: Homecoming), and her strategic next moves as a burgeoning music artist and Hollywood star making her first forays into the film industry. Click here to read Zendaya's introspective cover feature and check out the gallery below for some of the stunning stills from her Vogue photoshoot. 

images via here, here and here

Feature image via

Feeds to Follow: @joja

You don't always need to be in a gym to get those tricep dips in!! Go for a morning hike, find a bench or a sturdy rock and go for it🌟I aim for 3 sets of 15.. you can bend your legs to make it a little easier if needed ;) #jojalife

11.6k Likes, 67 Comments - @joja on Instagram: "You don't always need to be in a gym to get those tricep dips in!! Go for a morning hike, find a..."

Victoria's Secret Angels Josephine Skriver and Jasmine Tookes are not just professional partners in the modeling world, but also among the tightest of personal friends. Though their individual accounts (@josephineskriver and @jastookes) have a total of 5.2 million followers, as workout partners they decided to collaborate on a joint account featuring their favorite workout tips and routines: @joja. Their joint Instagram account proves that happiness, fitness, and strength really do go hand in hand!

Often, their workout moves, props, and tips are casually incorporated into their poses:

We both love traveling with resistance bands! This is a great move to do either alone or with a buddy to help sculpt and shape your bum and hips! #JojaLife #TrainLikeAnAngel @dogpound @victoriasport

7,240 Likes, 218 Comments - @joja on Instagram: "We both love traveling with resistance bands! This is a great move to do either alone or with a..."

They also share professional shots and candids from various Victoria Sport shoots:

Vacation is over! Let's do this 💪🏾 #jojalife

11.1k Likes, 93 Comments - @joja on Instagram: "Vacation is over! Let's do this 💪🏾 #jojalife"

The occasional personality pic adds a touch of playfulness:

happy birthday to @jastookes !! Everyone dance the night off in celebration of this babe!! 💃🏾

14.9k Likes, 56 Comments - @joja on Instagram: "happy birthday to @jastookes !! Everyone dance the night off in celebration of this babe!! 💃🏾"

But at the core of the shared account, Josephine and Jasmine focus on the workouts they perform, which they hope will inspire others to pursue equally active lifestyles:

ROPES

10.8k Likes, 290 Comments - @joja on Instagram: "ROPES"

They hope to some day push out a new line of custom designed @joja products, which is definitely something to look out for!

Do check out their account for a dose of positivity, energy, and inspiration! And read more about how these two supermodels have made friendship and fitness one in the same here and here.  

All photos via; feature image via

Making Fashion History: the Debut of Vogue Arabia

Vogue Arabia released its debut issue across digital platforms earlier this March, much to the surprise and excitement of the fashion world. Featuring model Gigi Hadid (who is half-Palestinian) as the issues's first-ever covergirl, Editor-in-Chief Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz explains “in one poised photograph, she communicates a thousand words to a region that’s been waiting far too long for its [own] Vogue voice to speak" (Vogue Arabia). 

According to an article published by Vogue UK, the late architect Zaha Hadid was initially intended to share the cover with Gigi, with the ultimate intention of featuring "two women aware and proud of their Arabic identity coming together to celebrate the diversity of Arab women."

Hadid's second of two Vogue Arabia covers; image via

The arrival of Vogue Arabia holds precedence on multiple fronts. According to the publication's official site: "it is the first Vogue to break onto the market in digital prior to print, it is the Middle East’s first premium fashion publication in two languages, and the first Vogue to represent an entire region. The March issue, entitled 'Reorienting Perceptions,' features established and up-and-coming designers, high fashion styled with modest flair, and luxury lifestyle insights from across the Middle East with a unique Arabic twist on global high-fashion reportage" (Vogue Arabia).

Vogue Arabia will function as a much needed mouthpiece for the creative insight and contributions of a region and people that have long been overlooked in the world of fashion, culture and the arts. The issue will seek to represent an aesthetic vision that encompasses an array of countries and nationalities in the Middle East, while remaining conscious of the cultural expectations and traditions of the region. 

Feature image via

Vogue Celebrates 125 Years

What better way is there to ring in 125 years of Vogue US than an issue celebrating body positivity and beauty diversity? Fronted by familiar faces Ashley Graham, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Liu Wen, who are joined by a handful of rising stars in the modeling industry, the fashion bible's March issue is a love letter to visionary women around the world.

Vogue's March issue cover; image via

Graham, Jenner and Hadid–all veterans of the fashion industry at this point–lead the magazine's latest foray into the hottest topics du jour: women in politics, evolving beauty standards and high fashion's shift towards mass appeal. Accompanied by a series of stunning photographs that highlight the Spring/Summer 17 season's best and brightest looks and a series of Vogue through-the-years flashback videos on YouTube, expect the magazine to pull out all the stops in celebration of it's 125 years at the forefront of fashion journalism. 

The cover girls frolicking on a beach in Malibu; image via

Feature image via

Artist to Watch: Chloe Wise

Canadian born, New York City based multimedia artist Chloe Wise is a hard act to follow. From her famous Bread 'It'-Bags, to other food-inspired installations and oil paintings that explore female sexuality, Wise has consistently made a name for herself in the worlds of art and fashion alike.

All images via Chloe Wise

Whether she's scoring features in Vogue Paris and Interview or stints at Art Basel and landing on the The New York Times 30 Under 30 list, Wise's portrayal of sexuality, consumerism and social media appear to have hit full stride. 

All images via Chloe Wise

Featured image via

Artist to Watch: Petra Collins

If you've ever taken a moment to flip through a fashion magazine, chances are you've come across a campaign or spread photographed by Petra Collins. 

At just the age of 24, Collins has racked up an impressive portfolio of work with the likes of Vogue, Elle, i-D, Wonderland and CR Fashion Book, and collaborated with everyone from Tavi Gevinson to Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele. 

Her work is atmospheric, intimate and grounded by perspective, exploring youth, style and sexuality through her editorial work and personal series such as 24hr Psycho or Teenage Gaze.  

All images via, featured image via

And the Met Gala 2017 Theme Is...

Next spring's Met Exhibit will explore Rei Kawakubo's unparalleled career at the helm of Comme des Garçons, the museum's "first monograph show... to focus on a living designer since its Yves Saint Laurent exhibit in 1983" (Vogue.com).

The exhibition will showcase over 100 Comme des Garçons designs from various points in Kawakubo's career, and will hone in on concepts and motifs she has explored since her inception of the prolific Japanese fashion house. "The pieces will be arranged by contrasting themes (East/West, male/female, past/present), which touch upon Kawakubo’s fascination with “in-betweenness.” The mannequins featuring Kawakubo’s designs will also be more accessible than ever, as they will be placed at eye-level without any glass or other physical barriers between them and the viewer" (Vogue.com).

If the Costume Institute's previous track record of shows is any indication of Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons projected success, fashion lovers and curious observers alike are in for a memorable and immersive introduction into Kawakubo's creative universe.

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Videos to Watch: October 2016

If you've been reading the exact same sentence in your Adam Smith for the past twenty minutes, it is probably a good time to take a break. Put down your book, plug in your headphones and check out our favorite videos on Internet right now. We will be sharing the funniest, coolest, weirdest videos we find online with you every month in our new series: Videos to Watch. 

Enjoy!

1. Eric André and Hannibal Buress Hijack Each Other's Tinder Accounts | Vanity Fair

After watching this, you'll definitely want to give it a try with your friends' Tinder accounts (and maybe have them sabotage your love life as well)!

2. Amy Schumer and Anna Wintour Swap Lives | Vogue

If you still haven't watched this video, do it now. Rare moments of Anna Wintour smiling and making jokes is not your run-of-the-mill YouTube clip. Better yet, Amy imbues the video with her honest, cringe worthy sense of humor that we've all come to know and love. 

3. Victoria Beckham: In the Bag | Episode 4 | British Vogue

Perfect wife, perfect mom, perfect career, perfect life... Need we say more? 

4. Vlog 1 is this really my first vlog? | Negin Mirsalehi

One of our favorite, most influential bloggers just started a vlog channel. Her videos track the various aspects of her hectic, blogger life and are guaranteed to give you serious FOMO. 

5. Freedom! | '90 x Vogue

Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Taylor Hill and more models of the moment share the latest looks from the Spring 2017 runways–all to the soundtrack of our favorite disco, dance-pop recording artist, George Michael!

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