Is there something going on over at Vogue Japan HQ that we’re unaware of? The staff suddenly seems to have a fascination with…celebrities. Recent cover stars include Elle Fanning back in November and Tilda Swinton just last month and now, the magazine gives us Nicki Minaj for February 2019. Photographed by Mariano Vivanco, the cover marks her second Vogue cover appearance overall (Vogue Arabia gave Nicki her first back in September). The Trinidadian-American rapper sports auburn hair and a head-to-toe look from Riccardo Tisci’s debut Burberry collection, styled by Anna Trevelyan.
The cover certainly took our forum members by surprise. “All I see is Lil’ Kim,” pointed out liv4beauty the moment the cover came to light.
“Is this a Lil’ Kim tribute?” asked TaylorBinque, also noticing some similarities.
“This looks very brazen and gaudy which in theory should be perfect for VJ, but normally reserve that sort of thing for their inside content and keep the covers simple. There’s something off here though. I think the stylist tried too hard to edge up Burberry,” said Benn98.
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“Tilda Swinton by Lindbergh one month, Nicki Minaj by Vivanco the next… who exactly is their target audience? For me the cover looks like something Terry Richardson would have done. It all just looks a bit tacky,” disapproved 333101.
Lola701 couldn’t believe her eyes either, pointing out: “That wig is horrible! A mess, a real mess.”
“Why didn’t they just get Lil Kim for the cover? Everything here is a big miss,” echoed mepps.
Also unimpressed was forum member burbuja8910: “The cover looks very cheap and tacky, I mean these photoshoots are appropriate for men’s magazines like Maxim or even GQ, but not Vogue!”
“I don’t mind this Nicki Minaj as Lil’ Kim bit at all. I’m sure it’s done on purpose and it’s kind of hilarious, although I find the cover too cluttered,” commented dodencebt.
Dear Vogue Japan, please give us our model fix next month along with photographers Luigi & Iango. Check out the contents and share your thoughts on Nicki’s new Vogue cover here.
