In the 126 years that Vogue magazine has been in print, not once has a black photographer been hired to shoot one of the hundreds of covers. Vogue editor Anna Wintour gave megastar Beyonce unprecedented control over her cover shoot. Beyonce decided to hire 23-year-old photographer Tyler Mitchell and made history.
This selection is so important because Wintour standardly chooses traditional fashion photographers. Mitchell does not fit this mold. Although he has worked with brands like Marc Jacobs and Givenchy, his style is less straightforward and more “honest”.
A source from the Huffington Post stated that, “The reason a 23-year-old black photographer is photographing Beyoncé for the cover of Vogue is because Beyonce used her power and influence to get him that assignment.” The issue will be a show of the influence that Beyonce has and the strides that the fashion world has made to make inclusivity the norm.
Beyonce isn’t the only woman making history in the Vogue world, across the pond, Rihanna is set to become the first black woman ever to be on the cover of British Vogue. The magazine tweeted out a quote from editor Edward Enninful about their historical September edition, “ I always knew it had to be @rihanna. When it comes to that potent mix of fashion and celebrity, nobody does it quite like her.”
Both of these covers will be released in print in September, opening the door for a more diverse future for both magazines. At milk* we’re excited to see the power they have over this industry.