AFRICA, ACCORDING TO L’UOMO VOGUE

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Joonji

L'umo Vogue Rebranding Africa issue

I don’t quite understand why UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is fronting the Africa issue of L’Uomo Vogue – I thought he was Asian. The magazine’s May issue is dedicated to Africa to present a positive portrait of the continent. Inside it features artists, actors, models and musicians, including South Africa’s Lira (see below). The notion of outsiders “rebranding Africa” makes me edgy, and there are so many blogs, sites that are doing just this, with just less reach. But I suppose every little counts. So here’s to Africa.

Lira in L'Uomo Vogue May 2012

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING PLUS-SIZE MODEL

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Joonji

The latest issue of Schön! Magazine.

Karl Lagerfeld, outspoken defender of the size-zero model, said people prefer to look at skinny people. Crystal Renn – once the fashion world’s best know and most successful plus-size model – must have believed him, if the cover of this London-based magazine, Schön!, is anything to go by. She herself suffered from anorexia after entering the modelling world, but returned triumphant as a fuller, and it seemed happier, plus-size model. But in a matter of a few years she has transformed herself back to the industry norm, a skinny model. And the transformation seems complete on this cover. See her buxom before below.

Crystal Renn as her former plumper self.

BARACK OBAMA IS THE KATE MOSS OF NEWS MAGAZINES

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Joonji

The New Republic's April 2012 Barack Obama cover takes a new approach.

The elections are hotting up, so you know what else is rising? The number of Barack Obama covers. Back when he was running for office himself he was so popular it felt like you had not lived until you had seen an Obama cover. He’s fronted many news and political titles, of course, but also Men’s Vogue, Esquire, Ebony, People, you name it. He became to these magazines what Kate Moss is to fashion titles – a sure bet. (I have not done an official count, but Time and Essence are repeat offenders.) And they always seemed to circle just a few variations: The messianic Obama, where he is looking off into the distance in contemplation, as you imagine Jesus would have on that mountain. The so close you can see the mole on the top of his nostril close-up. Or the one where he is blinding you with his smile you can’t help but love him. The New Republic’s April 2012 Obama cover breaks away from tradition, acknowledging that, a few years on, Barack Obama is no longer the man he was at the beginning of his presidency. It’s a new angle. And below, some refreshing Obama takes from the past.

Barack Obama on the cover of Time magazine

Time magazine loves them some Barack Obama. I wonder whether the art team groans or rejoices when told the president will be gracing their magazine yet again. For their December 2008 Person of The Year issue they took a colourful approach.

The cover that got people talking and confirmed what we'd suspected: That the new president of America is a hottie, with and without his clothes. This cover also heated up debate on whether it was appropriate to show him shirtless.

After the fist-bump debacle, I suppose that The New Yorker felt it had to make good, and cast the president-elect in their January 2009 cover as George Washington.