Friday, March 17, 2006Why is Vogue Italia so good?
The mix, the mix, the mix!
I just picked up the March issue and I can’t get over the quality and diversity of the photography and styling. In a very natural and organic way there is something for everyone, it doesn’t feel like any story is forced or done to appease a certain advertiser or audience segment.
Steven Meisel, Bruce Weber, Paolo Roversi, Glen Luchford (just to name a few) -each has a highly evolved style and a certain style of fashion that is best captured by that style -when you mix their work with the incredible archival and vintage photographs used to evoke a mood or source of inspiration, Vogue Italia has become the only magazine I can never bring myself to throw out.
So many “advanced” fashion magazine shoot almost exclusively in a hard-edged, aggressive manner and the mainstream magazines are often so sappy. Vogue Italia ,and for that matter L’Uomo Vogue, have struck a perfect balance of artistry and true fashion direction and inspiration. As a result, Franca Sozzani has built a level of respect for Vogue Italia ,within the industry, that I haven’t seen since Harpers Bazaar of the mid 90′s.
So who gives Vogue Italia the biggest challenge?
Paris Vogue? W? Self Service? i-D? 10? V?
filip
March 17, 2006 at 9:20 pm
CR is pretty sharp, no?
Although, I am not always crazy about her excessive use of Mario in Paris Vogue…but sometimes he’s good, sometimes not..
Pop, Stefano’s T, Self Service are up there also in my opinion.
But yes, sadly Harper’s gone.. I greatly miss the early to mid 90′s Harper’s..
kokuou
March 17, 2006 at 10:49 pm
i say paris vogue
hr
March 17, 2006 at 11:22 pm
has anyone ever seen ‘fantastic man’ ?
i’ve been having trouble finding it here (vancouver,canada).
thom browne is in the first issue. (:
http://www.fantasticmanmagazine.com
Anonymous
March 18, 2006 at 9:30 am
I just have to ask, what would one do to improve American Vogue? Is it me, or is it a bit out of touch with what is going on in fashion today?
F.A.
March 18, 2006 at 10:56 am
I love 10 and W. But Italian Vogue’s the best.
whatwouldjanicedickinsondo
March 18, 2006 at 7:35 pm
in terms of the editorials, Vogue Italia is head and shoulders above the rest. Its covers have more style than the other magazines’ entire contents.
a favourite from recent years was the plastic surgery portfolio from approx. a year ago (and this coming from someone who doesn’t usually care for meisel)
Haas Fidanken
March 20, 2006 at 9:58 am
I agree with your comments about fashion mags, with the US editions being particularly condescending.
Have you ever read A Passion For Fashion? It is the Financial Times’ quarterly weekend supplement exclusively dedicated to fashion (although the FT has fashion pages in its monthly How To Spend It supplement).
Unfortunately it is only available to subscribers in the US.
alexandre
March 20, 2006 at 11:23 am
Italy is where Men’s fashion incubates and US publishers don’t think the American Male is sophisticated enough or would enjoy them taking editorial risks like L’Uomo does.
On the women’s side, from a strictly photographical standpoint..I like Zink magazine..it gives photographers a much freer reign.
Anonymous
March 20, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Self service and V are better now than they have ever been. Really reaching their pinnacle. W and French Vogue are also great standbys. 10 and Zink are a joke.
jim jam
February 10, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Paris Vogue before the latest picture editor
L’uomo Vogue
Sometimes ID, Dazed and Arena Hommes Plus
Sadly rarely British Vogue – dowdy dowdy dowdy
Anonymous
June 4, 2009 at 1:21 am
I think Vogue Italia is way ahead in stle and editorial quality. I like it that it doesn't talk about fashion in every aspect of the magazine, like Vogue America (not that I have anything against it).
Franca Sozzani and Luca Stoppini have taken Vogue and L'Uomo to another level with all its creativity and graphics management. As a student of editorial design, I take Vogue Italia almost as a bible in this career.