As the media landscape shifts, so does the way a magazine cover looks. Here's how that can translate into inclusivity and visibility.
Author:Taylor BryantPublish date:Dec 20, 2019Usually, every year, we take a look at the year's newsstands to chart how well the leading U.S. fashion magazines fared in the diversity and inclusion department. This time we thought we'd do things a little differently considering, well, magazines and the general landscape of media is a little different — okay, a lot different.
But today, there are more variables to consider than there were in the past. For instance, this year saw a record number of covers produced: 163 compared to 2018's 128 and 2017's 153. There were four months in which Elle released multiple covers; there were three for Marie Claire. W released seven different covers for its Hollywood issue and Glamour released eight for its Women of the Year edition.
Even though this year saw a number of familiar celebrities getting repeat covers — Lady Gaga on Allure and Elle, Taylor Swift on Vogue and Elle, Angelina Jolie on Elle and Harper's Bazaar, Serena Williams on Allure, Teen Vogue and Harper's Bazaar — there were some welcome newcomers getting the coveted spot. Naomi Osaka covered Allure, Normani Cosmopolitan, and Lil Nas X Teen Vogue.
"It is still a question of relevance — who is driving conversation and who are we excited about — but also one of values: What does this person stand for? Subjects who have real stories to tell, who are taking chances, or putting themselves on the line in some way are ideal subjects for a cover," Wintour says. "Inclusivity is critical to this effort. We want to reflect the culture — all of it.
Of course, you can't always judge a magazine's overall diversity solely by its cover. There are other factors that require analyzing, too. As Allure's Michelle Lee notes: "Diversity and representation is core to everything we do at Allure, which includes covers but has to extend to every decision we make whether we're choosing models for an eyeliner shoot or choosing a universal shade of lipstick that looks good on any skin tone or talking about hair texture.
Of course, there are a lot of things to consider when selecting who's going to write cover stories. Wagner says that who's chosen often has a lot to do with the talent. "I think it depends on who they're comfortable with, someone we think aligns with the brand and will speak to our reader in a way that isn't too highbrow," she explains.
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