Behold, American Vogue’s December 2024 digital cover. This became controversial as soon as it was released. First, some backstory on the cover. It features seven actual models (only one of whom is a nepo-baby): Angelina Kendall, Anok Yai, Vittoria Ceretti, Amelia Gray, Lulu Tenney, Loli Bahia and Devyn Garcia. A real who’s-who of the under-30 models and I think all of them qualify as Gen Z?

Vogue’s cover story is called “How Fashion Is Coming Down To Earth.” The cover models are all wearing various mass-market brands on the cover, brands like Gap, Toteme, Dôen, Levi’s and Polo Ralph Lauren. The thesis is that fashion is headed to mass-market brands, because people – especially young people – do not want to wear couture or excessively priced fashion in this new era. There’s also a focus on how many major designers are moving into established mass-market brands, like Claire Waight Keller moving from Givenchy to Uniqlo. Zac Posen is also creating a Gap line, and that’s especially highlighted in the Vogue piece. I enjoy these kinds of “trendspotting/where is fashion going” pieces but I think Vogue is missing some components of what awaits the fashion industry in the coming years.

Anyway, the controversy! Basically, Vogue could have highlighted the the style diversity within affordable, mass-market brands and really showcased the affordable looks in the best possible way. Instead, Vogue made the choice to make everyone looked washed out and same-y. All the models in jeans and white tops, placed in a grey box with a grey letterhead. This is the future of fashion? Dull, sexless models in a grey box, all wearing the same thing?? I can handle a lack of glamour if the magazine is giving us a striking or striped-down cover image. But this just looks like some AI sh-t.

Cover courtesy of Vogue.