Eileen Lincoln
For the first time in the history of Vogue, Anna Wintour has temporarily surrendered her position as editor to American designer Marc Jacobs, permitting him creative reign over the December issue. Admittedly burdened by the tumultuous political climate—the magazine set to release less than a month following the results of the presidential election—Wintour derived clarity through the artistic lens of Jacobs. Jacobs, reflecting on the limitations of his editorial experience, suggested that he initially viewed the magazine “the way he sees a fashion show.”
Jacobs was invited to serve as guest editor over a plate of chicken breasts at Balthazar, where he and Wintour regularly have lunch together. In the midst of their conversation—encompassing their latest contemplations of the arts, cinema, music, and theatre—she handed him an envelope containing potential mock-ups for the December issue, encouraging him to undertake the role of editor. Other editions of Vogue have featured guest editors in the past, including British Vogue and Vogue France. Wintour has previously praised the editorial work of David Hockney, who, in 1985, attempted to challenge Western conventions of perspective through a 41-page essay in Vogue Paris. Considering her indomitable status in the industry, however, it was unexpected that Wintour would so willingly reassign her duties to Jacobs. “There was never anyone else in my mind,” stated Wintour in an interview with The New York Times. “If he had said no, I would have gone a different route, not to another person.”​
Jacobs describes the issue as centered around themes of dance, discipline, and creative expression, responding to a wide range of his cultural endeavors. He notably integrated the works of numerous figures that have never previously been promoted in the magazine: Jacobs featured playwright Jeremy O. Harris’ short story on the uncomfortability of wearing a corset, while artist Gregory Crewdson cinematically photographed Jacobs in his restored Floyd Llloyd Wright home. The two covers exhibit model Kaia Gerber in distinct variations, instilled as a portrait by artist Anna Weyant and photographed by Steven Meisel in various pieces designed by Jacobs. Jacobs originally proposed that Wintour serve as the cover of the magazine, a suggestion that she immediately declined.
Conversely, Wintour insisted that Jacobs to highlight his own identity as a designer within the issue, incorporating an extended portfolio of Gerber wearing his 2024 collection. This collection engages with the re-delineation of silhouettes, exaggerating clothing as an extension of bodily form. Although the pieces themselves are playful and exuberant—tingeing on absurdity—the accompanying photographs are highly-stylized and sophisticated renderings of fashion portraiture. Other models are captured wearing excessively long nails and false eyelashes, speaking to the surpassing of aesthetic desire over convenience, in which forms restrict rather than enhance function.
Jacobs intended to convey the everlasting spirit of creativity in periods of political uncertainty, showcasing the permanence of acts of cultural expression. He embedded the raw gestures involved with dance and movement into a series of spreads, which impress the issue with a distinct vivacity. Jacobs’ tonality embraces the avant-garde and veers towards the grotesque, serving as a point of contention between him and Wintour. Among their disagreements, Wintour emphasized the scope of the audience that would be consuming Vogue compared to that of Jacobs’ ordinary collections which are predominantly composed of devoted fashion lovers.
Since the beginning of her reign as editor-in-Chief, the world has speculated about Wintour’s future editorial direction of Vogue, frequently critiqued for her traditional, restrictive envisionings of the fashion industry. For many, this monumental decision to include Jacobs as a guest editor marks a shift in the trajectory of the magazine, where Wintour is attempting to re-introduce a vitality lacking in previous issues; numerous fashion writers have proclaimed this issue as undoubtedly the best Vogue of the year. Wintour denies that she has any plans of relinquishing her position, however: “I love my job. I love all aspects of it and hope to do it for a long time to come.”