It goes without saying that 2019 has been a remarkable year for Edward Enninful and in his continuing effort to propel British Vogue in a new direction (or in this case, a whole new decade), Enninful just dropped the magazine’s very first offering for 2020 starring Taylor Swift. The American singer/songwriter returns to the cover exactly two years after her last appearance morphing into Brigitte Bardot with a little help from beauty dream team Pat McGrath and Guido Palau. Enninful outfitted Swift in vintage Chanel for the cover image shot by photographer Craig McDean.
According to our forum members, the cover is a huge setback. “This is bad. I really like Taylor’s music and don’t have an issue with her on magazines generally, but this is AWFUL. The Photoshop makes her look like a different person. Never thought I’d say this, but this makes her U.S. Vogue September 2019 cover look like a masterpiece,” commented KINGofVERSAILLES.
“The amount of Photoshop and the wig-like hair makes it unlikable,” Srdjan chimed in.
“‘New decade, new style’ starts with Taylor and a Chanel suit? OK, I must be missing something. New style and a new decade should have started with a hot star, model or something less conventional than a successful white girl…” disapproved KissMiss.
[ Not a tFS forum member yet? Click here to join! ]
LastNight wasn’t impressed, either. “The cover is horrible and so disappointing. I have to say I haven’t been a fan of McDean’s work for years and this is a real mess. Interesting that it’s a very similar color palette to Dua Lipa’s January 2019 cover: beige and red. I like Taylor, but nothing about this works for me.”
But not everyone hated the outcome. “So sick of her, but my god, this is easily the best cover she has done! The Bardot makeup actually works on her, especially with this styling,” raved Miss Dalloway.
“I like when Taylor goes Bardot — it’s perfect,” approved ghostwriter10549.
“Love it! I don’t think they Photoshopped Taylor, it’s the Bardot-esque styling and makeup. Way better than U.S. Vogue,” applauded Urban Stylin.
Check out some previews of Swift’s cover feature and join the ongoing debate here.