Spotted: Three copies of "Black Issue" Italian Vogue!

Get them at the Great Canadian News Company at Yonge. and St. Clair, Toronto. Two covers of Liya Kebede and one Naomi.
I can't find the number for it but if you call the BCE Place location they can give you the number. Their number is: 416-363-2242
They are going for $33 plus tax.

Good luck!

I broke down and bought Italian Vogue on EBay

After being on the waiting list for two weeks at two magazine stores, I've decided to just give up and buy the "Black Issue" of Italian Vogue off EBay for $50. I think that's pretty good considering it includes shipping and I would have paid $45 plus tax at the store.
I was debating on which cover to get- Jourdann Dunn or Naomi (Jourdan's cover was $10 cheaper!) but I decided to go with Naomi because, well, she's Naomi.

When I get the issue I will review it on here in all its glory.

August Italian Vogue...so where are the black models?

The fashion world went crazy last month with the arrival of Italian Vogue's "Black issue" which featured solely black models in the editorials. Alas, it seems that this is only a fad, as the August issue doesn't feature a single black model in the photos!

The theme of the issue is a tribute to the late Yves Saint Laurent, and the models are supposed to be at his funeral. Although the photos are beautiful (shot in black and white by Steven Meisel) it would have been fitting to feature black models since Mon. Laurent was one of the first designers who used many black models in his shows.

So was the July issue made just to cause controversy and therefore make a lot of money from the hype? I hope not. And I hope that Italian Vogue continues to use Black models in its issues and encourage other mags to do so.

(Photos: The Fashion Spot)

Ack! Italian Vogue sold out!

This morning I checked in at my local newstand (it's the only one that I know of that imports Italian Vogue) and the sales clerk informed me that they had sold out! Apparently they got the issues last night and were sold out before the store closed. Last night?! That's not fair! I'm at home during the night! I'm not trolling for magazines at 11 p.m. Sigh. I just might have to resort to Ebay.

Win a copy of the "Black" Italian Vogue!

Haute Concept is having a contest where it is giving away four copies of the sold-out everywhere magazine.
All you have to do is enter here.

Good luck everyone!

Questing for a little magazine known as Italian Vogue

The magazine store clerk on Yonge and St. Clair knows my name. For the past two weeks I drop by the store during my lunch to check to see if the fabled "Black Issue" has hit the stands. Alas, no such luck.
I've only ever bought one issue of Italian Vogue because I find that $45 is a wee bit too much to pay for a magazine but this July issue is not just your typical fashion mag. This is the collector's issue of all collector's issues. Reports say that in New York, the issue sold out across the city on the first day it hit the stands.
The clerk told me that he gets at least a dozen people a day asking him if the mag has come in yet. He gives me a little annoyed look whenever I walk into the store and says "Not yet, not yet."
When I ask him if he knows when the issue will be in, he sighs, shrugs and mumbles "I don't know. This week. Sometime."
So today when I get my lunch, I'm going to stop by the magazine store and take a quick peak to see if it's there.

Update: No luck today either. Sigh.

The scans are in...

Kyle at Fashionista took the time to scan all of the editorials for the anticipated "all Black" issue of Italian Vogue (hats off to you Kyle!) Since I am too lazy to save and upload all these photos to this blog, I will just post a few and link off to the rest. I'm tired from a hectic day of tense meetings and stress-relieving shopping (Pics of my purchases to be uploaded soon! There are major bargains ahead!)
I have to say that I have never been this excited about a magazine. The editorials are gorgeous; they are inspiring and thought-provoking- just the way fashion should be. I really hope that other fashion mags will follow suit and feature more Black and ethnic models in their pages and I hope that Italian Vogue doesn't stop their contribution with this issue. It's very refreshing to see the new models as opposed to old favorites like Trentini, Stam, Daria, etc.
Click for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5


Jourdan Dunn (not Arlenis, as the jpg file says. My bad.)




Yes, that is Toccara from America's Next Top Model

Arlenis in Italian Vogue

Photos of the "All Black" issue of Italian Vogue keep trickling in thanks to Fashionista. I cannot wait for the issue to hit the stands here although that means I will probably have to wait another month.

Let them eat Naomi

A few of the photos from the July "all black" issue of Italian Vogue are out and they are amazing. Check out the one and only Naomi, shot by Steven Meisel.

Could Vogue India be better than (gasp!) American Vogue?

I've only been a subscriber of American Vogue for one year now, but I have been tired of the photography for months. They use the same boring, blond, robot models who use the same poses (Stop jumping Trentini!), in front of the same backgrounds (grey equals boring) posing for the same photographers (Demarchelier, Meisel, Testino, Leibovitz.) Ok well sometomes US Vogue knocks one one of the park, but most of the time the editorials are just dull and bland and the same every month. And along comes Vogue India like a breath of fresh fashion-y air.
See this model? She is fucking GORGEOUS. She does not look like she was plucked from the market stalls in Eastern Europe which is very refreshing. She looks healthy, not waif-like. Basically, she makes me want to buy everything she wears. She could say the war in Iraq is a super idea and I would nod my head and say "Go Iraq war!"
Her name is Lakshmi Menon and you may recognize her from the new Hermes campaign which has an Indian theme. She also opened the Givenchy Fall 2008 Couture collection. I hope that she becomes a regular in the other Vogue mags and makes a showing at Paris Fashion Week in the Fall.
Also, the photography is stunning. The colours are so bright and warm. They really standout from the lackluster pages going on in other Vogues.

But don't take my word for it. Take a look at this deliciousness.

First look at all-black Vogue Italia

Cathy Horyn got a preview of July Vogue Italia that features only black models, a first for a mainstream fashion magazine. The July cover stars four models- Jourdan, Liya, Sessilee Lopez and Naomi, and other models in the issue include Iman, Alek Wek, Pat Cleveland, Chanel Iman, Veronica Webb, Tyra Banks, and Karen Alexander.
Cathy also interviewed some of the people who helped put together the issue.
Will this make bookers cast more ethnic people for shows and shoots? I doubt it (thanks Miuccia) but maybe this will show them the range of beautiful and talented black models that are out there. I have a feeling that this will be seen as a fad that will garner media attention for maybe a month but will be forgotten by the next issue or the next controversy. It's a shame.


(Photos: Vogue/New York Times)