Feb. 21, Rhonda Garelick, distinguished professor of English and journalism at SMU Dallas, for a commentary on the occasion when fashion icon Miuccia Prada was the Vogue Magazine cover subject, striking a unique, timeless pose — straight ahead instead of facing the camera. Published in Garelick’s New York Times ‘Face Forward’ column under the heading At 74, Miuccia Prada Makes an Unexpected Vogue Cover Model: https://tinyurl.com/3tkyf5fs
Throughout Vogue’s history, its typical cover stars have included a parade of youthful beauties: models, actresses, celebrities, the occasional stunning athlete and, once in a while, a politician or first lady — all glammed to the max.
Cover models serve as portals into a world of ideas about how women should look and dress, what Vogue represents and the magazine’s concept of the modern woman. Almost always, the models look at the camera, making contact with us, inviting us in. They are posed, buffed, polished and embellished to a level of poreless perfection well beyond the realm of regular mortals. The cover model embodies a glossy, aspirational and commercial glamour — the “lifestyle” that is Vogue’s stock in trade. However talented or interesting she may be, she is also, always, a commodity.
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