It’s no secret that tFSers can get a bit obsessive over their favorite models, and one of the most popular complaints stated by tFS forum members concerns the frustration over fashion magazine not using enough models for their covers. Needless to say, Interview Magazine’s September issue got us all very excited. Seven covers, more than 70 models featured inside – this issue is every tFS member’s dream. Photographers Mert & Marcus shot original supermodels Amber Valletta, Christy Turlington, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour and, somewhat surprisingly, Daria Werbowy for the seven individual covers; Mikael Jansson, Craig McDean, Fabien Baron, Patrick Demarchelier and Peter Lindbergh have editorials inside, according to tFSer kevinnn’s review of the complete issue.
“This is what I call FASHION ORGASM, omg,” rejoiced an enthusiastic LucaNatashaFan upon seeing the covers.
“Absolutely breathtaking… each and every one of them! Would love to have the same caliber of models dominating the industry now! I want to experience myself the Supermodel era!!!! I love the simplicity of the covers and my favorite would have to be either Daria’s or Christy’s!” gushed ToniOrtega.
And UpperEchelon agreed saying, “I think we can all agree that these are the best September covers we’ve seen this year and I just can’t wait to have a M&M orgasmic overdose when I see the rest of the photos.”
“Awesome. Mert & Marcus really shine when they keep it simple and shoot the models straightup looking drop-dead-Fred gorgeous with no gimmicks. All the women look beyond beautiful. All of them. And leave it to Fabien [Baron] to actually put models on a September issue for a fashion magazine— imagine that… This visionary man brings out the best in everyone that works with him and leaves the rest of the magazines in the dust,” remarked Phuel.
But not everyone was overwhelmed by the images themselves. A nostalgic tigerrouge mused, “I must be living in a different decade, because for me, so much of this current supermodel imagery really falls short of the standard of what came around when these girls were dominating the industry. It’s not age, it’s that somewhere along the way, the people who produce these images learned how to suck the life out of them through artless digital manipulation, and now we’re left to rave over processed scraps of famous names, with their blank faces pieced together on a page by Photoshop.”
This is a fair point made by tigerrouge considering the heavy retouching on these images and the fact that someone unaware of the fact that the featured models once rose to superstardom because of their flawless skin and bodies and their otherworldly beauty before Photoshop took over would hardly believe the featured cover models were in a complete different league as the current crop of top models. Yet I do think it’s undeniable that the original supers still evoke some excitement in most of us just because we remember them for their remarkable work back in the day, regardless of how excessively Photoshopped they are in more recent images. And either way, this issue deserves some praise just for its concept and the fact that it provides us with some serious pre-Fashion Week model excitement!