IslandMix

The little fashion issue that could

Vogue Italia takes a chance on black images and proves a point
by kenya hunt / metro new york

JUL 22, 2008
Who says black models can't sell magazines? Hours after hitting newsstands, the current edition of Vogue Italia, which nearly entirely features African-American models and subject matter addressing the black community, sold out. The reprints, which are $25 ($9 more than the original price tag), are now nearly gone as well. It has been called the iPhone of magazines.



“It has done extraordinarily well. [Vogue Italia editor-in-chief] Franca Sozzani told me they’re doing reprints,” says the former model agent and activist Bethann Hardison, who is featured in the magazine. Back in September, she held the first of three town hall meetings (one of which was sponsored by Metro), devoted to discussing the dearth of black models in fashion. It sparked an international dialogue about the issue in the fashion community.


“People are seeing that it isn’t so bad to look at the black image. The Vogue Italia issue has been great for raising awareness of the problem, and it’s great for the industry,” she adds.


Indeed, the much-talked-about edition has become an anomaly of sorts in magazine land. Vogue Italia’s American audience usually consists of an insidery-mix of fashion editors, models, casting agents, design students and die-hard style whores. But the July issue has penetrated the mainstream complete with coverage on CNN, “Today” and a Facebook community called “Italian Vogue All Black Issue — Let’s Make This the Biggest Selling Issue,” that is ####12,782 members strong.


The edition’s newsstand performance is a pretty impressive feat in a climate where glossy magazines struggle to compete with the Internet for dwindling advertising dollars. “We received a huge order of the July issue, 450 copies last Friday, and we have about 100 left. And that was my second order,” laughs Sherif Khebr, manager of Universal News at Union Square in Manhattan, who is keeping the remaining editions in a back room.


Readers began showing up to the storefront newsstand, Lafayette Smoke Shop, in late June to ask about the July edition. “A lot of people had been asking about it in the last month, wanting to know when it would come out. We’re sold out, but getting a new shipment on Saturday, which should sell out too,” says Ray Roy, who works the counter.


It’s definitely a great moment for fashion. But the trick is to sustain it, says Hardison. “Vogue Italia has produced this issue and raised the bar. But we can’t say they’ve come to the rescue and that things are all better,” she says. Hardison adds, “Let’s use this as a point of celebration and then integrate the idea into fashion going forward.”

Where can I find a copy in NYC????? I hear they keeping this issue in print until after the election