Fashion cover BATTLES November 2023

Here are some of the best covers from November 2023, featuring cover stars like Carey Mulligan, Rosalia, Raquel Zimmermann, Devon Aoki, Hunter Schafer Victoria Beckham and more.

0:00 INTRO
0:07 VOGUE US by Jack Davison
1:17 VOGUE FRANCE by Lachland Bailey
1:37 BRITISH VOGUE by Sean Thomas
2:39 W MAGAZINE CHINA by Sean + Seng
3:30 M MAGAZINE by David Sims
3:58 VOGUE GREECE by Ellen von Unwerth
5:00 NUMÉRO by Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello, Txema Yeste, and Szilvester Mako
5:29 VOGUE MEXICO by Emmanuel ‘Chivo’ Lubezki and Graciela Iturbide
6:41 VOGUE PORTUGAL by Branislav Šimončík, Elio Nogueira, and Alessandro Esposito
7:49 VOGUE ESPAÑA by Katie Burnett
8:00 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE by Deo Suveera, Robin Galiegue, Olivier Kevern
8:17 D REPUBBLICA by Robin Galiegue
8:43 VOGUE JAPAN by Xiangyu Liu
9:01 I-D by Willy Vanderperre, Frank Lebon, Mario Sorrenti, Tyler Mitchell, Alasdair McLellan and Renell Medrano
10:13 ANOTHER MAGAZINE by Willy Vanderperre, Craig McDean, Joshua Woods, Jordan Hemingway, Drew Vickers, Gabriel Moses, Viviane Sassen, and Collier Schorr
10:57 L’OFFICIEL HOMMES KOREA by Pakbae
11:12 CITIZEN K HOMME by Aytekin Yalçın
11:33 DAPPER DAN by Hordur Ingason
11:46 WONDERLAND by Morgan Roberts
12:14 NUMÉRO HOMME by Alice Moitié

January 2023: https://youtu.be/lyCz2UyM57w
February 2023: https://youtu.be/xOcjM-AaQeE
March 2023: https://youtu.be/ODfPaz9_zjk
April 2023: https://youtu.be/0gs4zLTYKss
May 2023: https://youtu.be/rm5WqkvGivo
June 2023: https://youtu.be/3FTo07zJ4PM
July 2023: https://youtu.be/gbQ8MoqQf1M
August 2023: https://youtu.be/ocVFMKLPMho
September 2023: https://youtu.be/HDjlJtJm97U
October 2023: https://youtu.be/m22zbAvNA6o

Annie Leibovitz: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXz92QgvMMqfB-FpaJmx8AfEwsrt_bm7b
Richard Avedon: https://youtu.be/CkusFZBFuNo

More videos on Photography:

Amazon Affiliate Links: this means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

VOGUE US November 2023
https://amzn.to/3uthe0F

BRITISH VOGUE November 2023
https://amzn.to/40WWOsV

VOGUE FRANCE November 2023
https://amzn.to/40WWOsV

Richard Avedon:
https://amzn.to/40WWOsV

Annie Leibovitz:
https://amzn.to/3QTupPX

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Hi my name is Marko and Welcome to The Model Gene. Today I’m going to be discussing some of the best and the worst covers from November 2023. Carey Mulligan covers Vogue US shot by Jack Davison, and although there is a lot to like, I think some adjustments would have helped strengthen the cover.

The best part of the cover is the overall movement and energy, where you really feel an exuberant moment is being captured. We are discovering Carey in the middle of a gesture rather than her being posed that way and her face is matching the fun in the image.

The first thing I would change is her straightened, blunt bob, which would have looked much better if it was also full of movement. I think it would have looked amazing if it was styled more like these photos of Nadja Auermann by Richard Avedon, which also would have better suited this dramatic dress.

I don’t love how the joint in the concrete background is bisecting the image, but also just slightly off horizontal. If the angle was more dramatic, it would feel intentional, but this angle feels too small to be deliberate. My final qualm is the confetti.

In the foreground, we have these giant eight note rests that are way too prominent, and only one other eight note near her raised hand. This cover and fashion story are promoting Carey’s role in the film Maestro about Leonard Bernstein so they should have left out the chunky dark confetti

And replace it with different musical symbols rather than these three that are in frame. This is definitely more interesting than the standard boring celebrity cover, but a few adjustments would have made it better. Speaking of standard boring celebrity covers, here we have Victoria Beckham by Lachlan Bailey for Vogue France.

If I had to say one nice thing about the cover, it would be that I like her messy hair and paired back makeup, but I very much dislike this cover. This downward angle is super unflattering for someone with migrated lip filler and her arms look tiny and retracted in this coat.

British Vogue is moving to a new location after 65 years, and apparently that is something they thought was extremely important to share with its readers over 3 covers and a main fashion story. Starting with the casting for the covers, I think Irina, Adut, Mona, and Emily had no business being there,

It should have been all British models across the many decades of the magazine. Inside the issue, we have Cara Delevingne, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Penelope Tree, Jean Campbell, Jourdan Dunn and Alexa Chung, all making perfect sense to feature on this type of nostalgic cover.

Besides the casting issues, the cover of Karen and Mona is the strongest of the 3, although I do hate this idea that having the image taken with the camera askew means that the image is modern and interesting.

I find this group shot in front of the building much more interesting for a cover than the 3 that they selected, because they are so many different stories being shown in one picture, which I think better captures the history of the magazine over the years.

From the editorial, I would have picked this image for the cover which unfortunately has nothing to do with Vogue House, but is a better representation of the rich history of British Fashion by evoking Carnaby street in the 1960s.

Anna Ewers and a dirty cigarette bin are on the cover of Vogue Italia this November, an image that looks like it was taken before the actual shoot was going to start. Photographer Bruno Staub is doing Jurgen Teller without a flash for a cover with no fashion, no fantasy,

Nothing to inspire a new generation of creatives. As much as I love the model and her natural beauty, I want more from what was once the go-to magazine for exceptional fashion imagery. Anna is also on the three covers of W Magazine China, shot by Sean and Seng.

This cover of her biking has the rawness of realism that Vogue Italia was going for, but at least here we have more fun and narrative with her in this pink Chanel look. This cover is my least favorite of the three, it feels the most like a generic fashion editorial.

Her glowing beauty really shines in this third cover, my favorite of the three and the one where the text and the image feel the most successfully integrated. It is not an earth shattering beauty image, but still a nice photograph. M Le Magazine du Monde has two black and white covers by David Sims.

I don’t enjoy this cover of Mathilda, it is the worst photo I’ve seen of her and her face is super sleepy. The missing catch light in her left eye makes it seem like we are seeing her right as she is blinking. I do, however, love the other cover of Awar,

Definitely very classic by all means, but she is glowing from within. I would appreciate something more interesting in the styling, because an oversized men’s blazer starts feeling like a test shoot, but even a statement earring could have made the image more engaging.

Vogue Greece’s November covers of Eva Green by Ellen von Untwerth range from average to terrible. The least offensive is this cover with a fluffy gentleman, but it looks like she is holding a phantom cigarette. Not a memorable cover, but it’s moderately fine.

I don’t hate this cover that much, even if the bodysuit is blending in with the background a lot, but her face is way too bright for how dark her hair is, definitely this has been achieved in photoshop.

This third cover with looks like a bad holiday jewelry ad and too much of her face is covered. The skin that is showing is looking very rubbery and fake. Now, to the 4th and worst of the bunch, congratulations to Vogue Greece on the worst cover of the month.

I struggle calling this a photograph, digital painting or melted wax figure from Madame Tussaud would be more accurate, but I think the most appropriate term would be to call it a retouching abomination. Thankfully, Vogue Greece published the full credits in the instagram captions,

So we can see that this was the work of Venus Retouch. What shocks me most, and speaks to the echo chamber of sycophants in the fashion industry, is that this cover passed through many hands before getting printed, and yet no one stopped this from happening.

Numéro magazine has three very graphic and strong covers for this issue. My least favorite would be this one with the model’s face covered, otherwise I like everything else about the image. The other red cover is also very bold and intriguing, the dress almost looks electric against the dark and mysterious background.

Last but not least is this black and white cover by Szilvester Mako, I would not change a single thing about it. This coat is extraordinary to photograph, and as simple as the set design, hair and makeup are, they are the perfect balance to the wild proportions of the coat.

Vogue Mexico has three covers shot in Mexico City for their November issue, and two of them are pretty good. My favorite is this cover shot in the home of artist Pedro Reyes, but I think this image could have been so much more exciting if they were rushing down the stairs.

This isn’t bad, Its just that small bit of flowing fabric is giving a whisper of motion and I would have loved a tornado. The Black and White Dior cover is nice as well, but there are a few tweaks I would have made. The model front and center with the bird,

I am buying into her story, but the lack of visual hierarchy is pulling my focus away from her and to the model behind her, especially since there are three models on the right side and only one with her back turned on the left. I would have retracted the other models slightly back

And created more of an interaction between these two models to echo what the others were doing. The worst of the covers is the rooftop shot with the Church of San Felipe Neri in the background. The church is overwhelming the subjects,

And these ugly dresses from Louis Vuitton are not enough to keep my attention on the models. Also, the models just standing there, no energy, nothing interesting in their body. Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki photographed this cover, as well as the one in the home of Pedro Reyes,

But his strength in cinema has not translated to fashion photography and I’m surprised that these photos were so absent of narrative. Vogue Portugal is taking big swings this November with their issue dedicated to the arts, and I love 3 of the 4 covers.

Let’s get this cover of Marina Abramović out of the way. I find it boring that in a world full of artists, she is the only one people are putting on fashion covers and her fame seems to have overtaken her work. I will not be remembering this cover 6 months from now.

Branislav Šimončik also photographed this cover of Brazilian singer and actress Giulia, which unlike the cover of Marina Abramovic, I think this cover is really compelling. Immediately, you are being pulling into the image, trying to figure out what she is lying on to look like she is floating,

But the mystery of the image is balanced by the crisp lines of the dress and staying constrained within the black white and yellow color scheme. There is enough to keep you curious, but it is not overwhelming to look at. My only complaint with this 3rd cover is that

I don’t think the statue in the background is contributing anything positive to the image. This dress, the model’s pose, her sculpted hair, everything is so exquisite, I don’t need anything in the background to distract from this visual feast. The fourth and final cover is a 1930s, Marlene Dietrich inspired beauty image.

I really love this cover as well, it is clean and strong on concept, proving that you don’t need pounds of makeup for a successful beauty shot. We have a similar beauty direction on Rosalia for Vogue España’s November cover. The lighting is very dramatic and high contrast,

Not to mention that this is a giant leap forward from last month’s cover of Amber Valletta. From the 5 covers offered up by Holiday Magazine, I want to focus on this one with dutch model Lieve. Despite being a staged fashion shot, it really feels like a candid shot from a music festival

And is my favorite of the covers for this issue. This Gucci top it being photographed a lot, but this is the coolest it has ever looked. Raquel Zimmerman’s cover by Robin Galiegue for D Repubblica is my favorite cover of the month.

This hair is brilliant, the way it gradiates from the dark root to the white frothy tips. Her pose is dynamic and she is practicing what I always tell my models, if you have two of something, try and do something different with them. This shoulder is higher than the other,

This hand is on the hip is making space to show more of a silhouette, everything is twisting and making interesting shapes. Raquel is a pro, and I’m happy to be seeing more of her lately. Devon Aoiki and her daughter Eleanor are on the cover of Vogue Japan in a really sweet cover.

Devon is giving the fashion we need from a Vogue cover, but I really appreciate how they didn’t try to dress her 8 year old like a model or have her pose like one. Especially with the chalk drawings in he background,

This feels like a beautiful moment between mother and daughter rather than anything too adult. Unlike the charming and innocent cover of Vogue Japan, I-D magazine has a cover by Willy Vanderperre with Kim and Kanye’s 10 year old, and unlike her parents who are only concerned with exploiting her for profit,

I’m going to blur out her face. The tone of this cover and story are so gross, interviewing this child as if she is an adult, posing in a fashion story like an adult, and already priming her to be their next money making product.

I think there is a big distinction between having a model with their child on a cover, as opposed to having a child alone on the cover of an adult fashion magazine. This other i-D cover by Frank Lebon illustrates that contrast perfectly.

Sampha is looking lovingly at his daughter’s face while she plays with this hair and holds his face, a really beautiful photograph of paternal love. Of the remaining covers, the worst is this one of Sasha Colby, the worst photo I’ve ever seen of her.

The covers by Mario Sorrenti are nice, I especially like the light in this one, although I would have liked a creative way to have the eye covered. Playing with the constraint of the covered eye for an i-D cover can be a fun challenge, so I would have liked to see that here.

I dont understand the makeup on only one of the twins on the Tyler Mitchell cover, and I think it would have made more sense if it was on the covered eye rather than the opened one. Alasdair McLellan’s cover is the most forgettable of the bunch, the cover of Rema also isn’t standing out.

Willy Vanderperre has another cover I hate for the Autumn/Winter issues, this time of Mica for Another magazine. His work always has a cold and lifeless quality to it, but I guess now we are just removing things off the face in photoshop. This is so bizarre to me,

I really don’t understand the thought process here, especially since her eyebrows are in the other photos in the editorial. Thankfully, the other covers were not photographed by him. My favorite is this image of Kristen McMenamy, super weird and contorted, which is exactly how I like to see her.

I think this cover is too dark, a bit more of a pop on the coat and the model’s face would have been nice, but I do think it is a beautiful image. Hunter Schafer and Rowoon’s pixelated y2k covers are annoying and trendy,

But I think we will be seeing more of this in the next few years unfortunately. L’Officiel Homme Korea’s covers are much stronger than most of the menswear magazines this autumn- winter season they did a great job with the styling and posing the model.

The covers are both full of angles that allow the eye to travel, so two thumbs up for these two images. Citizen K Homme’s covers are a disappointment, and proof that a great model can’t overcome bad styling and retouching.

The four watches is just straight up stupid and whatever garment he is wearing looks lumpy and bizarre. The other cover swapped a few of the watches for leather gloves, and they also retouched Yeray’s face more aggressively, changing his facial structure to where he looks more like Danish model Malthe Lund Madsen.

Dapper Dan’s Autumn Winter cover is very simple, but this little peekaboo of the loafer is a brilliant little twist to spice up the image. I would have preferred to see less texture from the paper seamless background, so I would have attacked this photo with a shallower depth of field.

Wonderland has a bunch of covers, but I want to focus on this one of Noah Luis Brown. I think Noah is one of the best male models on the scene in the past several decades and this cover could have been really nice.

Similar to the Dapper Dan cover, the background is pulling focus, but it is much worse in this case. I can tell immediately that this shadow was added in photoshop and with a very sloppy execution. His pose is dynamic,

The dsquared2 look is fine, but they simply shot themselves in the foot with the background retouching. Numero Homme’s cover of the rapper Orelsan is really terrible, a studio recreation of stage diving without any grit or authenticity. If you want to see how to successfully photograph the electric energy of a musician,

Check out this video I made about Annie Leibovitz on tour with The Rolling Stones and her years at Rolling Stone Magazine. Be sure to subscribe to find out who comes out on top next month in the battle of the covers