In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine [Hardcover]

Alberto Oliva (Author), Norberto Angeletti (Author), Anna Wintour (Contributor), Steven Klein (Contributor), Grace Coddington (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 22, 2006

In Vogue is a fascinating look at the history of the world's most influential magazine. The complete compendium is illustrated with hundreds of covers and archival interiors of past Vogue editions, featuring the work of some of the twentieth century's most respected artists, cover illustrators, and photographers—from Edward Steichen, Toni Frissell, and Erwin Blumenfeld to Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, Mario Testino, Steven Klein, Bruce Webber, and Herb Ritts. In 1909, an entrepreneurial New Yorker named Condé Nast took charge of a struggling society journal and transformed it into the most glamorous fashion magazine of the twentieth century. In Vogue traces the history, development and influence of this media colossus—from its beginning as a social gazette in the late nineteenth century, to the exploration of modern fashion photography and new visuals in the mid-twentieth century, to its status as the top style magazine today. The book explains the makings of the magazine—from runways, to editorial meetings, to the pages of Vogue.The thoroughly researched story incorporates first-person accounts, interviews with editors and photographers, and excerpts from stories written in the magazine by many world-renowned writers, including Truman Capote, Aldous Huxley, Richard Burton, Federico Fellini, and Marcello Mastroianni. Unparalleled in its scope and exceptionally illustrated, In Vogue is sure to be among the most important publications on the subjects of culture, art, fashion, photography, and media.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From the illustrated covers of Vogue's founding in 1892 to the advent of color photography in the 1930s and today's postmodern world, this thick volume is as elegant and engrossing as the magazine. An essay by Susan Sontag on the social implications of fashion photography enhances profiles of Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibowitz and other image-makers, along with the models, athletes and powerful women who have graced the magazine's pages. Behind-the- scenes anecdotes and proofs that did—and didn't— make the cut offer an intimate look at how the magazine assembles its public face. (Sept. 22)
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Review

"...is indispensable reading. As substantive as it is sumptuous, the incisively written, meticulously researched and gorgeously illustrated.... -- NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, Dec. 2006

"...it's hard to believe that after 115 years, a comprehensive book about Vogue hasn't been published, but authors Alberto Oliva and Norberto Angeletti are about to change that." -- WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY Aug. 2007

"...this thick volume is as elegant and engrossing as the magazine." -- PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, November 27, 2006

"...worth adding to your library." "This beautifully illustrrated coffe-table staple is a must-read for anyone interested in journalism, advertising, marketing, design, photography and even history." -- COX NEWS SERVICE 01/05/2007

"Gorgeously designed, handsomely bound, and abundantly illustrated with some of the best photography of the last century......" -- ATLANTIC MONTHLY, March, 2007

"This is the first book ever to present an in-depth, 100 year history [of VOGUE]." -- PAPERCITY DALLAS, September, 2006

-- "Gorgeously designed, handsomely bound, and abundantly illustrated with some of the best photography of the last century, this swank volume - with its 410 pages of sumptuously thick matte stock - has the look and impossible-to-read-in-bed heft of the highest-end coffee-table book." -- ATLANTIC MONTHLY March 2007

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli; 1St Edition edition (September 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847828646
• ISBN-13: 978-0847828647
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 1.7 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Fashion
  • #33 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
  • #33 in Books > Arts & Photography > Fashion

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Taste of Owners' Plans, Editorial Direction, Style, Fashion, Great Photography, and Memorable Models, July 16, 2007

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine (Hardcover)

What attracts you to Vogue? Chances are that element is represented someplace within the pages of In Vogue.

To me, the photographs are the main appeal of Vogue. Since its founding on December 17, 1892, Vogue has attempted to capture current and future fashion through its images. The magazine has been blessed by talented work done by most of the world's best fashion photographers since then who brought us the most interesting society women, celebrities, cultural icons, and, of course, fashion models. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book contained at least a few works by each of the greatest photographers to appear in Vogue. Most of the images were known to me, but a number were new. My main disappointment was that the photographers I like the most didn't have more photographs in the book. But the book is very bulky and heavy as it is.

To my interest in the photographs came many essays about why the photographers were selected and what the editors asked them to accomplish. The interaction of the art directors and the photographers was particularly noteworthy in regard to covers.

I have also spent many years as a management consultant in the magazine industry. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there's a pretty complete overview of the management thinking and decisions that led to Vogue becoming so successful.

But the most interesting surprise came in the extended views into the editorial philosophies and working styles of the magazine's editors. Creating a fashion magazine is very demanding, and Vogue has been fortunate in its editors both for their energy and their vision for the reader.

If neither business nor editing interest you, you'll still find lots of marvelous images to help you trace the development of fashion and style in the United States over the last 100 plus years.

Here are a few of my favorite photographs in the book:

Helen Lee Worthing by Baron Adolphe de Meyer, September 1, 1920 (p. 61)

White by Edward Steichen, January 1, 1936 (p. 67)

Mademoiselle Koopman by George Hoyningen-Huene, September 15, 1933 (p. 69)

Mary Taylor by Cecil Beaton, May 15, 1935 (p. 73)

Lisa Fonssagrives by Horst P. Horst, August 1, 1938 (p. 76)

Decor by Horst P. Horst, March 15, 1938 (p. 77)

Corset by Horst P. Horst, September 15, 1939 (p. 78)

Coco Chanel by Horst P. Horst, February 15, 1954 (p. 79)

Cover by Horst P. Horst, September 15, 1940 (p. 89)

Loretta Young by John Rawlings (p. 111)

Twelve Beauties by Irving Penn, 1947 (pp. 116-117)

Cover by Horst P. Horst, May 15, 1941 (p. 131)

Cafe Society by Cecil Beaton, 1948 (pp. 136-137)

Concentration Camp by Lee Miller, June 1945 (p. 143)

Jean Pachett by Irving Penn, February 15, 1949 (p. 144)

Atelier of Pablo Picasso, November 1, 1956 (pp. 156-157)

Twiggy by Richard Avedon, July 1967 cover (p. 172)

Marisa Berenson by Berry Berenson, 1969 (p. 179)

Marisa Berenson by Irving Penn, April 1970 (pp. 186-187)

Lauren Hutton by Richard Avedon, January 1, 1969 (pp. 198-199)

Celebrity covers, 1965-1971 (p. 202)

Cheryl Tiegs and Rene Russo by Helmut Newton, 1974 (p. 215)

Cybill Shepherd by Helmut Newton, 1973 cover, (p. 216)

Kim Basinger by Irving Penn, September 1978 (p. 217)

Beverly Johnson by Albert Watson, October 1977 (pp. 218-219)

Charlotte Rampling by Helmut Newton, 1974 (p. 221)

Eveningwear by Arthur Elgort, 1978 (p. 222-223)

Lisa Taylor by Arthur Elgort, October 1976 (pp. 228-229)

The Right Moment by Arthur Elgort (p. 230)

Lisa Taylor by Helmut Newton, May 1975 (p. 233)

Winnie by Helmut Newton, 1976 (p. 234)

Daryl Hannah by Helmut Newton, 1984 (p. 235)

Bathhouse by Deborah Turbeville, May 1975 (pp. 236-237)

Satin and Leather by Peter Lindbergh, September 1991 (pp. 252-253)

Color and Opulence by Peter Lindbergh, October 1997 (pp. 254-255)

Tribute by Annie Leibovitz, November 1999 Cover (pp. 272-273)

Linda Evangelista by Steven Meisel, September 2001 (p. 274)

Shape by Annie Leibovitz and Patrick Demarchelier, April 2002 (p. 278)

Lisa Cant by Irving Penn, September 2005 (p. 283)

Cindy Crawford by Helmut Newton, December 1991 (p. 287)

Haute Couture by Irving Penn, December 1995 (p. 292-293)

Epic Proportions by Irving Penn, April 2004 (p. 297)

Swimsuits by Mario Testino, May 2000 (pp. 298-299)

Portrait of a Lady by Steven Meisel, March 1995 (p. 307)

Mad About You by Steven Meisel, October 2003 (p. 313)

Naomi Campbell by Herb Ritts, May 1996 (pp. 314-315)

Barbarian Chic by Arthur Elgort (p. 325)

Near Bora Bora by Patrick Demarchelier, December 2004 (p. 330)

Golden Girl by Annie Leibovitz, April 2006 (pp. 345-346)

Condoleeza Rice by Annie Leibovitz, December 2001 (pp. 358-359)

Kate Moss by Irving Penn, September 1996 (pp. 368-369)

Hillary Clinton by Annie Leibovitz, December 1998 (p. 372)

Nicole Kidman by various photographers, September 2003 (pp. 378-379)

Models and Supermodels by Steven Meisel, September 2004 (pp. 380-381)

Ben Stiller and Stella Tennant by Annie Leibovitz, October 2001 (pp. 388-389)

Mario Testino, April 2006 (pp. 392-393)

Take a close look!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Vogue: The illustrated history, March 21, 2007

By 

Vojtech Licko - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine (Hardcover)

This wonderful history of pages of the fashion magazine provides a document of the tastes, styles and socio-political conditions of over a century. The first class photographs from the lenses of prime photographers, palettes and studios of some of the most famous artists of the period, supplemented with informative text, reflect times of elegance and decadence.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificient overview of an iconic magazine, June 21, 2007

By 

Joseph A. Admire (Manassas, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine (Hardcover)

Ten gets you one that when you ask someone to name a fashion magazine, the first answer you get will be, "Vogue". That's how much of an institution the magazine has become. While "Elle" and "Women's Wear Daily" might dispute the contention, "Vogue" seems to have become the periodical of record for worldwide haute couture. As such, as the authors note in their introduction, a basic history is past due. With a great deal of help from the Vogue staff itself - Anna Wintour, the magazine's longtime editor (and so prominent a figure in her own right that Meryl Streep's spoof of her in last year's movie "The Devil Wears Prada" was instantly recognizable), is prominent in the list of contributors - Angeletti and Oliva, magazine historians both, have assembled an informative text and a gorgeous array of imagery which effectively covers the century-plus history of Vogue, from the cover of the very first magazine to the latest photos of Nicole Kidman. The book is certainly a highly display-worthy item, as another reviewer has suggested, but more than that, it's meant to be leafed through and read. You can find it brand-new at a wide variety of prices, but even if all the Amazon Marketplace sellers were somehow sold out of their copies, it'd still be worth the list price!