COMPLICATED TIMES: With the war in Ukraine in its fifth month, Vogue’s decision to feature First Lady Olena Zelenska in a digital cover and multi-page article with President Volodymyr Zelensky has sparked a storm of controversy.
Another point of contention for some social media critics was the role of celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.
The cover image shows a serious-looking Zelenska sitting on a step inside the presidential compound with her hands clasped and wearing an ivory blouse with the sleeves rolled up, pants and black flats. The top line reads “Portrait of Bravery: Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska,” with the letters for “Ukraine” in bold in the same shade of blue used on the country’s flag. A post of the cover image on Leibovitz’s Instagram had 47,813 likes and 1,523 comments that were largely complimentary.
However, as of Thursday at 5 pm EST, a post of the first couple sitting holding hands had 89,952 likes and 3,445 comments on Leibovitz’s Instagram. A quick scroll of the comments showed that many were largely derogatory. Some social media critics posted comments like “What kind of propaganda is this?”, “Oscar invites, Vogue shoots, war… Crazy times we live in!” “While their people are dying… they pose for a photo shoot…” “Incredibly tacky” and “Yeah cool war, let’s do a photo shoot yeah.” Others posted more favorably, including “Thank you for supporting Ukraine. You are a genius in the world of photography”, and “Talented and powerful”.
While media and social media pundits seized on the story Thursday, Leibovitz and Condé Nast remained silent when asked about the WWD photo shoot. Controversy has skyrocketed long before the October issue’s release date of September 20.
Leibovitz was on assignment Thursday and was unavailable for comment, according to Karen Mulligan, his longtime studio manager.
Condé Nast executives declined to comment on Thursday.
At 4,700 words, Rachel Donadio’s lengthy article questions the ongoing war and highlights Zelenska’s role in rallying support for her country. Just last week, she visited the US Capitol to address members of Congress and called on the US and NATO to provide Ukraine with air defense systems for its efforts to counter the Russian invasion. After allegedly going into hiding with her children during the first two months of the Russian invasion, Zelenska has taken on a more public role in recent weeks. Her trip to the US included a face-to-face meeting with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Samantha Power of the US Agency for International Development.
Until Sunday, the armed attack of the Russian Federation against Ukraine had caused 12,272 civilian casualties: 5,237 dead and 7,035 wounded.
While it was said that the profile of the first couple was intended to remind people of the stakes in the war, many would argue that much of the Western world is aware of the onslaught that is taking place in Ukraine. More than 12 million people have fled the country since Russian soldiers invaded in late February.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Donadio said he traveled to Kyiv this month for the profile, describing it as “one of the most moving and memorable assignments of my career.”
As frivolous, tone-deaf or unnecessary as some may view Vogue’s assessment of Ukraine’s turmoil, the concept of women’s magazines, including fashion magazines, covering wars and times of conflict is well entrenched. Zelenska’s Vogue representation is miles away from a typical fashion photo shoot.
In 1916, when World War I made delivery of Vogue in the Old World impossible, printing of the magazine began in England. That decision proved successful, and in 1920, the first issue of French Vogue was released.
During World War I and World War II, women’s magazines featured women contributing through first aid and other relief efforts. The magazines also highlighted wartime shortages such as clothing rationing. Esteemed fashion photographers like Horst P. Horst captured those images. In March 1943, a then-unknown Lauren Bacall appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in front of a glass door printed “American Red Cross Blood Donation Services” with what appears to be a nurse behind her.
Model-turned-photographer Lee Miller worked for British Vogue during World War II. When war broke out, her initial offer to shoot for the magazine was turned down and Miller was hired as a studio assistant. When Vogue’s male photographers left for war service, she took on much of the publication’s fashion and lifestyle coverage. Following the women’s draft in December 1941, Miller’s photography included series on women who were contributing to the war effort in various ways.
But in these times of media and social media overload, millions are already well aware of the destruction and suffering that is engulfing Ukraine. Trinity College professor and visual artist Pablo Delano declined to comment on Vogue, explaining that it would be a “lose-lose proposition.” He said he learned that lesson after commenting on “beautifully designed beautiful ballet dancers striking dramatic poses amidst the destruction” caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The images were supposed to represent the resilience of the Puerto Rican people, but some felt they were distasteful and tone deaf, Delano said Thursday.
Source: wwd.com