I loved my VOGUE, loved it indeed, no please do not think that I am not “objective” just because I have waited VOGUE for years, or count the days since heard the news!! This VOGUE I am holding for days is sincerely a loaded, uncopied, surpriseful, reminding the olds and informing the latest, different, special and original, a one of a kind. When one just grab one of these magazines, the first thing we do is generally take a look at the photos and pictures; we need a lazy moment, a resting period in the sports club, may be a vacation or some time on the beach to read every corner and every inch. This VOGUE is not so, when you open up to gaze at the pictures, you find yourself hung on a headline, or excited by a single word there at the bottom, you come upon a name triggering your memories and just begin to read, not when you find time to read, but you create time for it.
For many people the cover is not found to be adequate as for a debut issue, yes it is so plain and modest, yet very classy and elegant, seems to me the model says “open up and discover!” To me it is very beautiful with its pastel palette and the mischievous look of Jessica Stam, her amazing skin and hair color which brightened the background and a little bit of color of happiness. And of course it came out of the hands of a master: Patrick Demarchelier.
First of all a 96 pages of nonstop advertorials begins, really big support; the magazine will sure not to have any problems about ads, it is said that it maintained the 50% ad ratio of all successful VOGUEs in its very first issue. I quickly pass to editor’s note, it is different than many others, I can not see a photo of Seda Domaniç, instead there are books and pencils on a desk which tells about her. I like her note, because it is sincere, she answers to the questions and discussions about herself which were being asked and rumoured since the day she was chosen as the queen. Liked it because she is excited and admitting that she is learning. She tells abou the efficiency and impact of VOGUE from a whole different perspective which I liked the most.
As I am very much into both fashion and history, I love “Clothing Revolution” by Zeki Müren article, and the episode called “Time Machine” in which the old sketches and works of immortal masters of Turkish fashion design are reinterpreted by our young designers. And of course the archive pages where we see the VOGUE editorials photographed in Turkey through years; 60’s fashion embraced by Agememnon’s gods in Nemrut, flowing dresses among whirling dervishes, Linda Evangelista wrapped by Ottoman palace carpets. It is very exciting to read about the designer of Zeki Muren’s gorgeous costumes, his story, how Müren gave names to his outfits; it’s magical to learn how he prepared costumes inspired by a blossom, a lyric, a single drop of water and especially on his last day, that is many many years ago, how Zeki Muren named one of his costumes as “Millenium” ! I got up and play “Simdi Uzaklardasin...” song from fizzy. I like Simay Bulbul version most amongst reinterpretations of Fevziye Kamer, Vural Gökçaylı, Yıldırım Mayruk sketches.
One of my favorite editorials is “Let The Game Begins”....Styling is pretty and all created with very affordable pieces, inspiring photos. Other favorite is the couture editorial which are photographed in unique places of Istanbul such as Ciragan Palace, Sirkeci Train Station, Rahmi Koc Museum etc. The ones with colorful balloons and shoes spread all over the floor are adorable!
Diğer favorim Mardin’de geçen “Batılı Göçmen”, yabancı sanat yönetmenleri Türkiyeliliği nasıl yakalayacak, buradaki kaosu, karmaşayı, etnik sentezi nasıl süzecek endişelerine gülüyorum, benim için Mardin’de bir evin bir göz odasında üstündeki dantelli, nakışlı örtüyle masada duran telefon yeterli, yanıbaşında GIVENCHY içinde bir model. Tüm beğenilerim Emre Doğru ve Mary Fellowes’a çıkıyor.
The next one is of course “Western Fugitive” the one in Mardin which is an epic, magical city. I laugh at all those worries about how foreign art directors and fashion editors will manage to understand to be authentically Turkish, how they will filter the ethnicity, the chaos and complexity of this land. To me it is enough to see that phone on the table with an embroiderd lace cover on it at a home with a single room in Mardin, and next to it a model in GIVENCHY.
Fashion world celebrates old supermodels coming to top again, and VOGUE creates a “Time of the Gypsies” aura for our ex-supermodels. Shootings are misty and except Begum Ozbek, all look alike eachother, integrated and entered to a new world of being wives and mummies. And of course the ones I admire; Ferzan Özpetek from Yıldırım Türker’s telling hitched with a note from Sezen, and Ricardo Tisci with his baby doll Mariacarla. All my likings ended up with Emre Doğru and Mary Fellowes.
And as a bloger myself I am excited to see Garance Dore under BLOG heading, VOGUE sees and hears us too, how nice.
[Images: Vogue Turkiye Mart 2010]
