Vogue HOPE : India Issue
Established in October of 2007, Vogue India became the 17th international edition of Vogue; the first to be published in South Asia. With a print readership of over 108K a month, this impression of the beloved fashion authority has quickly gained an impressive foothold in India. In the magazine’s ninth year it gathered acclaim for its October anniversary cover that celebrated the beauty of diversity. The cover image displayed an array of models originating from Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, and India. The issue garnered praise for its decidedly positive stance in the then brewing, now boiling over, conversation of inclusivity.
Singer-songwriter Norah Jones graces the magazine’s September 2020 issue; possessively immediate with her hauntingly reflective gaze out a blue-tinged, semi-obscured window. For a cover shot, the choice is a definite allegiance to artistry, embracing the conversation of exclusion by fully employing the breadth of the visual medium. Photographer Kat Irlin utilizes the shot to emulate Jones’ receded lifestyle, allowing her to retreat from the camera lens to mimic her retreat from the encroachment of fame into her personal life.
The Editor’s Letter briefly demarcates the pages to follow and it illuminates Norah Jones as a bridge between east and west “through her lyrics and lineage” (pg. 22.) The issue’s first half articulates the adjustments that have been made this year; new ways to shop, new ways to dress and new ways to support those who have watched the beauty industry significantly shift throughout their established lifetimes. The Wellness feature on page 86 appropriately follows this documentation of change, spotlighting wise words positive intention from Andy Puddicombe, founder of Headspace. He discusses his own intimate pain and the way it set him towards his life’s purpose of sharing meditation with the Western world. His musings remind us that from the unthinkable depths, the brightest blooms can arise.
“My advice is to let go of expectations and see meditation not as a chore but as the time you keep aside for yourself in the day.”
— ANDY PUDDICOMBE TO SANJANA SALUNKHE OF VOGUE INDIA
“A Paradigm Shift” on page 122 introduces a contemplative look into the fashion industry from the mouths of 15 leading experts. The following pages take a measured evaluation of the field as it stands; discussing everything from ethical obligations, sustainability imperatives, wedding dress versatility, and the role of technology in the fabric of fashion shows moving forward. It is a sober approach to a cacophony of concerns being stirred into view by the recent pandemic. Each issue is addressed with a carefully optimistic outlook towards the significant and substantive changes that are critical if the industry is to continue its widespread influence moving forward.
Interlaced with the serious discussion and dialogue of the section is stunning collage and full page photography of alternatingly contemporary and accessible models in gorgeously saturated clothing-- ranging from the traditional to the buoyantly expressive, bordering avant-garde. Intimate photography of the garment making process showcases the dedication and craftsmanship that culminates in the poignant beauty of each finished, and relinquished, piece. The ten consecutive pages of homage collages and portrait photography create a stunning portfolio of creative vision for a future that champions those at every level of creation, all the way down the production chain.
The issue’s Culture section opens with an Empower feature introducing “The New Order” of women in STEM that are on the frontlines against COVID-19 in India. The featurette opens with Dr. Pooja Rao who co-founded Qure.ai to employ algorithms to “analyse and diagnose medical images like X-rays, MRI scans and CT scans” (pg. 147). Among the other incredible seven to be featured is valourous Dr. Priya Abraham who has spent this year working 11 hours a day, almost 7 days a week at Pune’s Institute of Virology after taking over as director last November. Living away from her family and facing the most monumental summit of her career, Abraham remains dedicated and mission-oriented.
“At a difficult time like this, the institute has to keep going on, no matter what the circumstances are.”
— DR. PRIYA ABRAHAM, PG. 151
The following page is a Viewpoint from author Shubhangi Swarup who provides a close, personal account of her relationship with motherhood and postpartum depression, “After Birth” (pg. 155). Her exploration of motherhood as “a relationship that we grow into, together” rather than “a destination” or “a checklist” feels like a refreshingly modern structurization of the matronly role. In alignment with many recent revelations of the importance of self care, Swarup comes to a similar conclusion of nurturing herself for, rather than in spite of, her daughter. The honest introspection provides an empathetic voice to anyone who has gone through the birthing process or rather experienced similar feelings of misplaced, indeterminable grief.
“Here and Now” materializes underneath the Art categorization, highlighting four artists who were called upon by Vogue India to create artworks that provided a conscious assessment of the present time. My personal favorite was the two piece collection by Sumakshi Singh entitled “Space Between” (pg. 158). The installation, composed of Prayer and Touch, features respective casts of the space between hands clasped in prayer and hands holding each other.
Succinctly following is “Kitchen Confidential,” a ten recipe tribute to the restaurants who have graciously adapted under the constraints of this year, championing their service to the community; the altered, the abbreviated and the extended. The multi-regional dishes are accompanied by illustrious illustrations, seducing the reader into cooking it for themselves-- a reflection of the newly invigorated DIY attitude of 2020.
One one of the rearmost pages of the issue is “Make a Wish,” a charming mini-capsule of post- quarantine wishes by seven creatives ranging from Dhruv Kapoor, fashion designer, to Kalyani Saha Chawla, Proprietor of Rezon Luxury Silverware (pg. 176). The sentimental quotes of longing paired with the picturesque photos create an important snapshot of this time of collective consciousness, a reflection of our shared shift in reality.
The final page, typically reserved for the Archives, is left with an empty text box in the center, hanging below the heading “I hope for...” (pg. 182). Below the box is a statement dedicating this page of creation to each individual reader and some encouragement to fill the page with your own hopes for the future and then share it on social media with the hashtag #voguehope to add each unique page to the growing circulation.
Vogue India’s contribution to the expansive Hope theme provides an intentional departure from the expansion of Western practices of fashion. The issue peers behind the historically held curtains to reveal the reverse, often erased, side of garment production. Textiles are discussed as being India’s legacy and luxury resource; emphasizing the need for an appreciative, equitable, and sustainable business model moving forward to protect India’s jewel of production against further exploitation. Cultural pride is resonant throughout this entire issue but it would take a purposeful error to mistake this admiration as temerity; far to the contrary, each page echos a sincere hope for collaboration moving forward, a desire to reform, to re-strategize and to re-prioritize; with all people securely arranged at the top.
