So a Vogue cover seems like the natural progression for Hart—and here she is on the January 2014 issue of the magazine’s Australian edition, shot by Sydney-born photographer Will Davidson. She last covered the glossy over five years ago, in March 2008, where she was branded ‘one to watch.’ She also showed off eveningwear for an editorial in the magazine’s December 2013 issue.
Vogue’s decision to this time strip Jess of her signature spray tan is making an impact in the forums. “Such a gorgeous cover! Really refreshing to see Jessica presented in this way,” says user AL92. Birdyandme adds, “Really beautiful. I love the cool blue tones, and it’s quite nice to see Jess Hart styled this way. She always does the beachy bronzed beauty and this is such a fun twist on that with the pearls and sleek hair.”
The styling is impeccable, the joint work of newly-minted Glamour fashion director Jillian Davison and Vogue Australia senior fashion editor Christine Centenera. Commenter Jelavender agrees Davison will be greatly missed, though thinks the sublime Chanel styling is ruined by there being something “a bit off” about Hart’s face. She isn’t alone with that sentiment – GarageGlamorous thinks her face looks “very weird” and franki loves everything from the neck down:
“Under-eye concealer way too light, contour is muddy, lips look like ‘concealer lips’. Face looks tired (though I’ve always thought she looks older than her age).”
We don’t mind the ‘concealer lips’ so much as the unfortunate shadowing making her gappy-but-straight teeth look weird and crooked. In this case, a little corrective Photoshop might not have gone amiss.
Opinions are also divided over the ‘model mogul’ headline. It’s interesting that so many attempts are currently being made to compare Hart with Miranda Kerr, who’s becoming more a celebrity than a supermodel. Both got their start through winning Dolly magazine’s modeling competition, both achieved international fame after being signed to Victoria’s Secret, and both have their own organic skincare lines. Though as far as we’re aware, Jess is yet to administer any B12 injections to Terry Richardson’s butt. And where potentially misleading headlines are concerned, Miranda’s new Harper’s Bazaar cover definitely takes the cake.
