Paris based makeup artist and photographer Mario Epanya conceived of several breathtaking covers for what apparently would represent a future Vogue Africa. As you may be aware, there is currently no actual edition of African Vogue. Yes, there’s a Vogue Nippon, Vogue India, and even a Vogue Australia–but no Vogue for an entire continent rich in culture, diversity, and, of course, lots of fashion.
I think an African Vogue would be positively refreshing and potentially quite well received. I’ve heard South African fashion week is bubbling over with talent–why not have a Vogue Africa?
What do you think?
Check out this 2008 post from the blog Racialicious called, “Will There Ever Be an African Vogue?” for more on the topic. Also, if you’re so inclined, join the Vogue Africa facebook group.
Source: High Snobette
April 21, 2010 2:06 pm
its just a matter of time if they don’t do it some one else will
April 21, 2010 2:22 pm
very chic! hopefully this will give them the incentive to have a Vogue Africa.
April 21, 2010 2:36 pm
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!!
April 21, 2010 2:38 pm
Magazines go where the money and advertisers are. I don’t live in Africa, but I’m not too sure there are as many Louis Vuitton stores as there are in Nippon.
April 21, 2010 2:53 pm
Unless it’s usurped by South Africans, who will definitely put only whites on the cover, then it could work. African women love magazines, and fashion, but I’m not sure a Vogue Africa would work as there are too many ‘Africas’. India, Japan and Australia are not continents, so not sure how Vogue would do it in Africa. Would there be two issues every month, in both French and English? How would they do it, I’d like to know.
April 21, 2010 3:11 pm
gorgeous Black woman….
April 21, 2010 3:18 pm
Absolutely Stunning!
- savvy
http://savvybrown.com
April 21, 2010 3:27 pm
These photos are exquisite.
April 21, 2010 5:01 pm
If there was a Vogue Africa they should feature such contemporary ethnic wear like seen on http://www.parfait4u.tumblr.com!!!!
IT WILL BE A GREAT IDEA..I HOPE THEY GET THE HINT!!
April 21, 2010 5:10 pm
I understand the comment made about advertisers but local stores are not as necessary since people can shop online and those who can afford to travel to shop. re: the diversity of africa as opposed to other locales, that is more challenging but there is more than 1 vogue now, correct? granted, there are way too many indigenous languages to cover but if there’s french and an italian vogue in europe, why couldn’t there be a french vogue africa and another common language vogue africa? lastly, australia is a continent.
April 21, 2010 5:26 pm
I am uncocerned with whether or not this would be successful mag and more concerned with these fabulous photos! Racism is the saddest thing in the world, if it weren’t for Vogue’s reluctance to feature women of color they could have these types of models on their covers. Instead, they choose the same chick over and over again. Their last few covers have been beyond unimpressive and unmemorable.
April 21, 2010 6:13 pm
chic and stunning black women
♥♥♥ http://trendygourmandise.blogspot.com/ ♥♥♥
April 21, 2010 6:42 pm
Wow I so wish this was real!!!!!!!!!!!!! absolutely stunning, amazing, breath-taking!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ONe day…. One day!!!!
April 21, 2010 8:59 pm
I ♥ the 5th cover but they’re all totally rad.
April 21, 2010 10:14 pm
Wow! I’m speecchless at how amazing the covers are, absolutely stunning.
April 21, 2010 10:48 pm
I’d like to see a Vogue Africa but do worry about whether it would really feature Black people.
and uh Luso…. actually, the cool thing about Australia is that it’s both a country AND a continent.
April 21, 2010 11:12 pm
That would be GREAT if they did have a Vogue Africa. Africa has such a great sense of culture. Also … Africa is expanding!! : )
April 22, 2010 9:00 am
My jaw just hit the floor! A successful Vogue Africa would singlehandedly present condé nast with its biggest achievement to date, particularly in an environment where luxury and elite products/services are having to cater to a wider, more globally aware and dynamic market. The continent, precisely because of its diversity, constitutes an artistic (not just limited to fashion or models either) spectrum like no other. I just hope this isn’t just a tease…
April 22, 2010 9:27 am
I’m currently a student in communication and journalism in France, and this is my final goal: launch an African edition of Vogue! And seeing this makes me soooo happy! I’d totally love to participate in such a “revolution”…
April 22, 2010 12:57 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by thefashionbomb: @epanya on The Fashion Bomb http://fashionbombdaily.com/?p=29536…
April 22, 2010 2:21 pm
Gorgeous, I love the second cover. It’s unbelievable and typical at the same time that there is no Vogue Africa. It’s 2010 though, and things are changing quickly, so I do see it in the future. Just wonder why we have to be last with everything.
April 22, 2010 4:57 pm
Interesting. Like Vogue, Elle has magazines in many countries, including (South) Africa, so perhaps Vogue may have one as well. But why just one? Africa is a continent, and I could see there being many Vogue/Elle magazines, starting with countries that have significant fashion presence (fashion industries, fashion weeks, etc). If this magazine and others can make a go of it, http://www.africanwomanmagazine.net/about.htm, then why not?
April 22, 2010 6:22 pm
Love these covers. LOVE (fanning myself)
April 23, 2010 7:05 am
[...] FashionBombDaily] Related [...]
April 23, 2010 10:36 am
All I can say is WOW!!!! Absolutely beautiful photos full of color and mystery.
April 23, 2010 1:41 pm
BEAU.TIF.UL!!
April 23, 2010 5:57 pm
Though I do wish there was a Vogue Africa, can we just mention that Vogue India, Nippon, etc. mostly feature the same white models too?
They might as well send over the French and American Vogues if they’re not going to do anything different. Also, India and Japan are very rich countries with the people who will fly out to all the fashion shows and spend the money on the couture and RTW that the designers sell.
I don’t think Vogue would be the right fit, pimping $1K shoes when much of Africa as a whole would do better with $1K in shelter, food, medicine and education.
http://www.speakfemme.blogspot.com
April 24, 2010 2:04 pm
absolutely yes!!!!
April 25, 2010 10:45 am
hello claire
Thank you so much for your article ,i just notice lately so much people asking to be part of the Vogue africa group ..so i google my name and i found this article …fantastic ,i created the Vogue africa group in 2009 (august )to discuss and have different points of view about a Black Vogue and im really happy to see that since then ,there’s a lot of changes …French Vogue cover with rose ..a Black Vogue in vogue.it …it’s a great beginning and just keep on doing such a great job and i read your article on Vogue.it
wish you well and besos from paris
mario epanya
April 28, 2010 5:32 pm
[...] at: Fashion Bomb Daily Tagged with: Africa, Mario Epanya, Photography, [...]
May 3, 2010 8:55 pm
[...] She’s referring to images by Paris-based Cameroonian photographer Mario Epanya, which illustrate what Vogue Africa could look like. Good idea? Yes and [...]
May 13, 2010 7:42 am
Oh yes Brandi I do see the mistake I made – Australia IS both a country AND a continent. Dont doubt for a minute that I know my geography or political history. But when you come from a continent that is mistaken for a country, you forget sometimes that such a thing exists. Australia isnt many Australias, like Africa is many Africas – and that’s the point I was trying to make. Outside of Africa people love to paint us as ‘tribal’ when in fact we are much more than that. All I’m saying is that if people really knew about Africa, understood it more than this single entity, which is a position which hurts us, then things would change.
Good for Mario to think about a Vogue Africa, but I really also think that some of us are at a point where we dont need to be followers. I dont speak of myself, really, but of the many artisans and creatives currently coming out of Africa. The mistake that many of us have been making is in thinking that America and Europe are the standard-bearers. I like to think of us as trend-setters, not followers. So the idea of perhaps a ‘Fashion Bomb Africa Magazine’ (or something to that effect) excites me more than a Vogue Africa.
May 16, 2010 5:32 pm
[...] So a few weeks ago we published covers of a fictional Vogue Africa created by photographer and makeup artist Mario Epanya. His work has sparked tons of discussion, so [...]
May 16, 2010 6:21 pm
[...] So a few weeks ago we published covers of a fictional Vogue Africa created by photographer and makeup artist Mario Epanya. His work has sparked tons of discussion, so [...]
May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
[...] Paris-based Cameroonian photographer, Mauro Epanya, created a layout of what a possible African version of the trend-setting fashion glossy, Vogue Magazine would/could [...]
May 24, 2010 1:26 pm
[...] and fashion is absolutely necessary at this time? Both for Africa and the rest of the world. The Vogue Africa covers conceived by Cameroonian photographer Mario Epanya are nothing short of stunning. So, why [...]
July 19, 2010 7:49 am
[...] this year, photographer and makeup artist Mario Epanya imagined several covers for what would be a future African edition of Vogue. Though there’s a Vogue Nippon, Vogue India, [...]
July 19, 2010 10:55 am
[...] Conde Nast Reject Vogue Africa? Earlier this year, photographer and makeup artist Mario Epanya imagined several covers for what would be a future African edition of Vogue. Though there’s a Vogue Nippon, Vogue India, [...]
July 19, 2011 10:44 am
[...] the beauty and magazine world. In April 2010, he published his vision of covers for an imagined Vogue Africa magazine. The magazine inspired debate and comments from fans and critics around the world. Some were of [...]
November 3, 2011 12:55 pm
8…
i have realized that i missing many things.thanks for your sharing. jessonlin/comment/2011nov…
November 7, 2011 11:18 am
[...] official yet so I can’t confirm anything.” So, now that The Netherlands has one, can Vogue Africa please be next? [...]
February 17, 2012 6:54 pm
I’m not positive where you are getting your info, but fantastic topic. I needs to spend some time learning a lot much more or understanding more. Thanks for great details I was looking for this info for my mission.
May 7, 2012 10:02 am
[...] colors and patterns. Check out a few styles, photographed by Mario Epanya (mastermind behind the Vogue Africa movement) and modeled by Miss Black France contestants: [...]
January 7, 2013 1:39 pm
Yay! love, love, love it. Progress unlimited. Do it now.