In Vogue-Ten of the Most Influential Vogue Covers That Impacted Women's Roles in Society

1892

The word Vogue is synonymous with modern fashion, which is why the very first editor of American Vogue, Josephine Redding, selected the term as the main title for the publication. During the founding of the magazine, Redding flipped through pages of The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia searching for a definition that conveyed the idea of mode or fashion symbolizing current society, and she found the word “vogue” as the best match. Redding carried the publication through its infancy stages as editor, but it was first founded in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure, a former attorney and publisher, whose goal was to create a weekly magazine geared towards men and women of high society. In the first published issue, which was released on December 17, 1892, he wrote that his objective was “…the establishment of a dignified, authentic journal of society, fashion, and the ceremonial side of life.” The original content of Vogue included reviews on plays, books, music, fashion, and most importantly, articles on traditions and social etiquette, especially for those of the upper class in New York society. This purpose was evident on the cover, which featured the caption “Vogue-A Debutante” underneath a drawing of a woman in a traditional 1800’s modest gown with long sleeves. Debutantes are young women from aristocratic or upper class families and for a long time, privileged women and men were Vogue’s primary audience during its first few years.

1928

The 1920’s was a significant period during which many important events occurred including the Great Depression, the prohibition era, and the Women’s Suffrage Movement. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was passed under the United States Constitution, which stated that the right to vote may not be denied or abridged due to gender. The May 1, 1928 issue of Vogue reflects the progressive role women began to obtain in society. On the cover, a woman wearing a drop-waist suit, a popular ensemble at that time, is seen looking into a compact mirror with the backdrop of New York City behind her. The background demonstrates women’s ability to now partake in activities and movements that affected the city, such as voting, employment, and overall equality – meanwhile, the compact mirror and outfit indicates women were still able to maintain their femininity while embracing the oncoming liberties they had fought so long for.

1943

The 1940’s was a time of change in the country and consequently, in fashion as well. With European countries such as Italy and Germany declaring war against the United States, access to foreign fabrics became scarce. There was less material for designers to work with, so the clothes became more tailored and close-fitting, deviating from the looser fitting flapper style dresses of the 1920’s. Materials such as rubber and silk were now prohibited from being used, as well as certain dyes, causing many of the suits and dresses for women to be made in darker, muted colors. These restrictions were publicized, with a headline in the September 1, 1943 issue of Vogue reading: “New collections narrow the line, widen the use.” Secondly, much of the clothing was being inspired by the war itself. “American designers unhesitatingly took inspiration from the styles of military uniforms,” said author Daniel Delis Hill in the book As Seen in Vogue: A Century of American Fashion in Advertising. Finally, just like in World War I, many women had to go and work to support their families while their husbands were away in battle, so pants had become the most convenient and easiest choice of wear for women. Hill writes: “They cut their hair and stepped into trousers to work in factories, operate machinery, and manage service tasks more safely… the convenience, comfort, and variety of slacks increasingly appealed to a broader spectrum for women, and the look became widely acceptable for day and evening wear.” Here, this cover conveys the expanding role of women and their larger entry into the labor force and beginning of a career life while their husbands were away at battle. Being pushed to “take a job” to allow their men to fight, women were now not only being supported, but, urged to work to support themselves and their families.

1967

The summer of love was a social event that occurred in 1967 in San Francisco, where thousands of people gathered to fight for gender equality, demonstrate anti-war movements, and advocate for an alternative way of living that represented “free love” and the “hippie counterculture movement.” The August 1, 1967 issue of Vogue reflected this, and featured Twiggy, arguably the most iconic model of the 1960’s, known for her extremely thin frame, bold pixie haircut, and ultra dark eyelashes - a style which became the go-to-look of the decade. The cover was actually from the UK version of Vogue, and the article inside featuring Twiggy stated: “Everybody knows her name … this modest, narrow sparrow of a girl with the big baby-grey heartbreak eyes… the master pattern for a million teenagers over the world.” These teenagers followed Twiggy’s suit in England, while Edie Sedgwick and similar figures popularized the look in New York and the rest of America. The country went through a radical change during this time, embracing a freer attitude towards culture and sexuality, leaving behind the captivity of the traditional norms of the 1950’s. The magazine reflected this progression as well, with then editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland shifting the target of the magazine to the younger generation who were the core of the counterculture movement. The magazine also began writing more extensive articles on sexuality, featuring downtown personalities and even East Village boutiques, and hiring younger, fresh photographers. A magazine that had been solely catered to women’s fashion now began to expand to include lifestyle features of The Beatles and reviews of albums by bands such as The Doors. The definition of Vogue includes the prevailing fashion or style at a particular time, and the magazine reported on just that during this revolutionary decade, by expanding their demographic to the young and passionate individuals across the country.

1974

The August 1974 issue of Vogue, which featured model Beverly Johnson, not only made an impact on Johnson’s career, but marked a breakthrough moment for the magazine as well. It was the first time an African-American woman was featured on the cover, and opened the barriers for other women such as Oprah, Halle Berry, and Michelle Obama to grace the cover themselves. Johnson acknowledges the pivotal moment the cover played in her career. In 2009, she said: “I was lucky to have been part of something that gave generations of African-American women a sense of belonging that we did not have until then.”

1988

This cover was the very first mark Anna Wintour, as newly appointed editor-in-chief, made that cemented her status as the innovator of the magazine’s new cutting-edge direction. Grace Mirabella had been the editor-in-chief of Vogue for over a decade, during what is called the “beige years” – this is often used as a literal term due to Mirabella painting over former editor Vreeland’s red office walls with a duller, taupe color. During Mirabella’s reign, many critics lamented that the magazine had become boring and the same slew of cover close-up shots of blonde models such as Patti Hansen and Cheryl Tiegs became borderline repetitive. For Wintour’s first issue, she featured Israeli model Michaela Bercu on the November 1988 cover. Rather than a formulaic headshot that had been the recipe for Vogue in years prior, Wintour chose a picture by photographer Peter Lindbergh from a non-cover shoot featuring Bercu wearing a $10,000 Christian Lacroix jewel encrusted sweatshirt and Guess jeans that were estimated at $50. The heading next to Bercu stated: “the real cost of looking good.” This showed Vogue’s new and more modern way of featuring fashion, which conveyed the actuality that real women do not always wear couture from head to toe, that real women cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on clothes, and, that real women mix and match their outfits with designer brands and bargain finds. The cover was so unexpected that the printers called Wintour’s office before the issue was supposed to go to press and asked if there had been a mistake – there was no error, Wintour insisted. Bercu was not posed, was in mid-laugh, shot from further back, was wearing an eclectic mix of clothes, but she was entirely real. The new Vogue was born, and there were no mistakes about it.

1993

There were many prominent figures in the 1990’s, but no group made quite an impact on the decade like the supreme supermodels of that time. The April 1993 cover, which featured some of the top models during the time such as Christy Turlington and Claudia Schiffer, reflected just how big the “supermodel” craze was. In the 1980’s, the models had started to become nearly replaceable, with young women being exchanged for newer faces season after season. The supermodels of the 90’s were not only working as human mannequins, but had larger-than-life personalities that enabled them to star in ad campaigns (such as Kate Moss in the Calvin Klein commercials), host television shows (à la Cindy Crawford who was the host of MTV’s House of Style), and make the jump into the music industry as well (George Michael’s “Freedom! '90” featured the top models during that time.) They became known for their outlandish behavior and provocative interviews in the media, particularly when Linda Evangelista told eminent Vogue writer Jonathan Van Meter in 1990 that she and her colleagues “don’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day.” This period was the first time in which fashion models began to cultivate careers for themselves outside of the fashion industry and take on businesses that would allow them to thrive later on. It also inspired women such as Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum, who even after they hung up their haute hats, hosted and produced successful shows such as “America’s Next Top Model” and “Project Runway.”

1998

Hillary Clinton has paved the way for women around the world. Not only was she the First Lady, but she was also the first First Lady to have a law degree, entered into politics on her own terms, and even served as United States Secretary of State. One of her earlier, less focused accomplishments was being the first First Lady featured on the cover of Vogue. At the time, Hillary was supporting her husband Bill Clinton who was in his role as President, and was hesitant about how she would be perceived if she was featured on a mainstream fashion magazine. Designer Oscar de la Renta managed to convince Clinton to appear on the December 1998 issue, and it marked the beginning of future first ladies doing likewise, such as Michelle Obama. This was an important moment for the magazine, because it was able to incorporate both politics and its female audience in a significant way for the first time.

2008

The December 2008 cover of Vogue was another example of how the magazine and the guiding forces behind it incorporate fashion with what goes on in the real world. The economic decline, which began in September 2008, caused significant loss in jobs and affected millions of people around the world. Rather than ignore the crisis, Vogue continued its dedication to covering fashion and spearheading the new trends, but maintained the firm idea that women can have access to fashion while still saving money. The cover of this issue featured the headline: “reality chic, exceptional gifts from $5 to $500”, ending the chaotic year of 2008 by giving millions of American women escapism from their tough realities in its glossy pages and brilliantly photographed ads, but also urging them that they could still be stylish on a budget.

2013

The September 2013 issue of Vogue, which featured prominent film star Jennifer Lawrence, was noted for having the highest amount of advertisement pages in any of its issues since the recession. This issue had a total of 902 pages, 665 pages of which were ads. The only prior cover that came close and that holds the record for the largest issue of Vogue is the September 2007 one, which contained 727 ad pages. The high amount of ad content and overall size of the issue in general signaled a positive shift from the recession years, during which the September 2009 issue was released in the midst of the economic downturn and had just 447 ad pages. The magazine had recovered steadily since and bounced back in a bold way in September 2013, an issue which at some bookstores cost a staggering $12, a far cry from the days of the 1940’s when the price of Vogue was a mere 35 cents, or during the sixties when it cost 75 cents, or even the first 1988 issue Wintour worked on, which was $3. However, with its heavier cost came a thick issue full of not only new styles, but new promise for the years to come.

Vogue not only serves as a report of the latest creations in the fashion industry, but it is also a leading force for the business itself. The designers, clothing, ideas, photo shoots, articles, models, photographers, and other entertainers featured in the magazine every month set the trend for what is new and innovative in fashion and also for women in general. Since the late 1800’s, Vogue has demonstrated its commitment to covering and introducing new trends and style, and also incorporating women and their progression in the world at the same time. It has managed to do that for over a hundred years and there is no near end in sight to its significant, fun, and dedicated reign over both the fashion industry and the publication world at large.