The September issues are continuing to roll out and Vogue Russia is celebrating a milestone this month, rounding off a monumental 20 years of publication. The magazine brought out the big guns to celebrate, enlisting a trio of Russian supermodels to front the issue: Natasha Poly, Natalia Vodianova and Irina Shayk, photographed by Giampaolo Sgura. The girls strut their stuff outside The Ritz hotel in Paris wearing Saint Laurent and walking barefoot, holding their heels as if leaving a fashionable soiree from the night before.
For a 20th-anniversary issue, our forum members felt a little…disappointed. “Crikey, can’t believe something associated with those names can turn out so bad. Also don’t know what is worse, the styling (with sunglasses, why??), or the ridiculous art direction. Looks worse than a preview cover!” said Benn98 the moment the cover dropped.
“What the actual F is this? The glamorous, hedonistic take on Stepford Wives during the morning after? What’s the point of making them look identical?” asked Ken Doll Jenner.
“This is good enough for a supplement,” complained KissMiss.
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Ed wasn’t impressed either. “It looks like one of the ads they put in Charles de Gaulle airport, welcoming tourists to the fashion city of Paris. As soon as I saw the name Giampaolo Sgura, I have 90% predicted it’s gonna be a flop,” he stated.
“Yikes. 99% of Sgura’s work is bad and this is no exception. That’s not a cover shot!” apple said.
“I don’t know… kinda like it, actually. At least it’s something different,” reasoned forum member happycanadian.
MyNameIs shared the same sentiments: “I absolutely love this. So light, fun and breezy. Very fresh take on the whole anniversary issue. Instead of the usual stuffy covers trying to be oh-so-special, this one is a welcomed change in how carefree this one feels!”
The models also posed for solo covers. See the accompanying cover shoot and join the conversation here.