I’m always especially excited when a piece lands on my desk that really encapsulates everything we stand for here at Vogue. This month, that honour goes to a young model with enormous charisma called Selena Forrest. I’ve known Selena since she exploded onto the fashion scene three years ago, with her distinctive walk and unusual charm.
Read more: Victoria Beckham On Going Back To Her Roots
Earlier this year, I included her in a group of nine new models reshaping the fashion industry for the cover of our May issue. But as the turbulent times we live in continue to prove, a beautiful face and striking sense of cool are only the beginning of the story. When I asked if Selena would write about her sexuality – like many of her generation, she isn’t keen on precise labels, but is an out-and-proud presence in the industry – I was fascinated to discover that she is the third generation of women in her family whose relationships haven’t all been straight. What I love about her piece, "Owning It", is that while her outlook feels very much of today, with all the benefits of this decade’s new language and acceptance of love, in talking about her mother and grandmother’s experiences she shows that sexuality has always been fluid. There is such relevance in her story for women of all ages.
Read more: Dear Victoria: Mrs Beckham Pens A Letter To Her 18-Year-Old Self
Selena is just one arresting personality in this issue. Eighteen-year-old actress, activist and Harvard student Yara Shahidi takes Vogue to her neighbourhood haunts in Los Angeles to share her world view. Oprah Winfrey tells me she is sure that one day Yara will be President of the United States (who am I to argue with Oprah?). Meanwhile, a host of voices take on the subjects of the moment: Sarah Mower writes a state-of-the-nation report on minimalism, Isabelle Huppert gives her take on the art of ageing and French chic, and Adwoa Aboah discusses her career as a model in the wake of the #metoo movement. I’m also thrilled that this month Kate Moss makes her modelling debut for me as editor-in-chief, in photographer Nick Knight’s fabulous riff on Saturday night (and Sunday morning). Kate also oversaw the styling, bringing her inimitable eye to bear on the best of the season’s evening looks that dazzle at both 6pm and 6am. A true icon at work.
Read more: Victoria Beckham: Style File
Then, of course, we come to the Beckhams. I am so grateful to Victoria, David and the children for agreeing to allow Vogue to capture the first set of magazine photographs of them together as a family for our very special cover story. As Victoria’s eponymous brand arrives at London Fashion Week for the first time, after a decade showing in New York, we celebrate all that makes Britain’s “second royal family” remarkable. What has been obvious to me in getting to know them over the years is that beyond the paparazzi flashbulbs, masterful personal branding, social-media savvy, and fashion and sporting prowess, lies the day-to-day business of family life. I am so fond of them and, like many in this country, will be looking forward to following their story for years to come.
Read more: Style File - David Beckham
