After going overboard with the Photoshop for two months in a row, you might expect Vogue Australia to have gone into safety mode. But it’s taken more than a few risks with its March 2014 cover, which stars Australian actress Mia Wasikowska shot by Emma Summerton.
For starters, there’s simply a lot going on here. That Prada dress has already scored a few covers, and is normally left to do all the talking (it’s undoubtedly loud). But Vogue Australia has thrown in an equally sparkly background, some blown-up, surrealist flora, and makeup that wouldn’t look out of place at a child beauty pageant. It’s Summerton’s fairytale kitsch to a T.
The forums are divided on whether the risks paid off. GlamorousBoy says, “I think it is too much… the dress, the background, the makeup, the flowers, it is just too much.” GIVENCHYlover doesn’t like the background, and Nepenthes, while a fan of Mia and the styling (by Jillian Davidson), agrees it’s “just overkill.”
But others love the cover’s surrealist magic. AL92 voices our thoughts exactly: “I think this is a phenomenal cover. The composition, the styling and art direction makes the image so arresting – it’ll definitely stand out at the newsstands.” Vogue28 agrees that Vogue Australia is really nailing the concept of fashion as art: “Art issues are often pretentious and defeat the purpose of the magazine but this one looks brilliant and the focus is still on the fashion.”
Of course it helps that Mia photographs like a model, and manages not to disappear into the background without looking like she’s trying not to disappear into the background. Well played, Vogue Australia – we’ll definitely be picking this up at the newsstand.
