Meghan Markle has guest edited the September issue of British Vogue, widely considered the fashion magazine’s most important edition as fashionistas turn focus to their autumn/winter wardrobes.
The Duchess of Sussex, who married Prince Harry last year, is not on the cover (pictured below) herself, instead pictured are 15 “female changemakers” – inspirational women from activism, the arts and sport.
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern are among them.
A 16th picture is of a mirror because “the Duchess believes British Vogue’s readers are part of this moment too” and the mirror is “to include the reader and encourage them to use their own platforms to effect change”.
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The issue, which will appear on newsstands later this week, will also feature a “candid” interview with former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Markle is the first person to guest edit the September issue of British Vogue.
She said: “These last seven months have been a rewarding process, curating and collaborating with Edward Enninful, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief, to take the year’s most read fashion issue and steer its focus to the values, causes and people making impact in the world today.
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“Through this lens I hope you’ll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover as well as the team of support I called upon within the issue to help bring this to light.
“I hope readers feel as inspired as I do, by the ‘Forces for Change’ they’ll find within these pages.”
Enninful added: “To have the country’s most influential beacon of change guest edit British Vogue at this time has been an honour, a pleasure and a wonderful surprise.
“As you will see from her selections throughout this magazine, she is also willing to wade into more complex and nuanced areas, whether they concern female empowerment, mental health, race or privilege.
Enniful said he and Markle had discussed whether she would appear on the cover. “In the end, she felt that it would be in some ways a ‘boastful’ thing to do for this particular project,” he said. “She wanted, instead, to focus on the women she admires.”
The making of the September 2007 edition of US Vogue was the subject of 2009 documentary following the magazine’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
Picture: Peter Lindbergh
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