Vogue Italia - April 2020

A magazine cover for the history books. The first ever plain Vogue magazine cover, symbolising a mark of respect to the mourning people of Italy, in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Although it is indeed a plain white page, when I first set eyes on this cover, I was very much in awe...

You know those moments in which you realise you've witnessed / been emerged in a historical situation (I love how I've just stated that as if it's a common occurrence) ??? Well, this was of course, one of those.

Vogue Italia want to face the harsh and visually-empty reality in which the country is in. It is certainly very authentic and evoked much emotion even in me, someone who hasn't experienced the horrors in which their readers have.

“To speak of anything else — while people are dying, doctors and nurses are risking their lives and the world is changing forever — is not the DNA of Vogue Italia,” - editor-in-chief, Emanuele Farneti

I believe that their approach here has been beautiful. To some it may bear depressing or bleak, but I think it is an ultimate form of respect. Additionally, I believe it is another signifier of how the fashion landscape is going to have to develop and change. It is undoubtably going to be an iconic statement forevermore.

Farneti also said, “White is, first and foremost, respect. White is rebirth, light after the darkness, the sum of all the colors. White is the uniforms of those who have saved lives while risking their own. It’s time and space for thinking. And for staying silent too. White is for people who are filling this time and space with ideas, thoughts, stories, verses, music and kindness to others,”, and I think that this again, is a very beautiful quote - it in fact made me feel rather emotional and reflective on the current horror-show we have been witnessing.

Mia

xo