Vogue has unleashed their September cover, featuring beautiful Halle Berry. She made history as the first black woman to receive an Oscar for Best Actress, and she’s making history again as the first black woman to cover Vogue’s legendary September issue since Naomi Campbell in 1989.
About her feature, she said, “What that means for a woman of color and what that means in the fashion world, what that means to pop culture, there was no way I could say, ‘No I’m not going to be on the biggest issue of the year.’”
Mario Testino shot Halle wearing 6 velvet dresses by Escada, Giorgio Armani, Marc Jacobs, and Vera Wang. Check out the photos and read the rest of the interview here.
What do you think?
*PS While some are simply happy with Halle’s Vogue coup, a few bloggers are upset it took 20 years for a black woman to score a September cover. One particularly outspoken scribe said, “Y’know what… pisses us off? The fact that in order to be both black and on the cover of Vogue, you have to pretty much be legendary. A nobody like Sienna Miller farts and she gets the cover, but if you’re dark-skinned, you need to have a trailblazing, legendary, award-winning, first-name-only recognition kind of career in order to get there. It’s really gross how racist the American fashion industry can be even now.” I don’t really see it that way. I prefer to keep it positive and look at this as progress. What say you?
Photo credit: Mario Testino/ Vogue
August 12, 2010 12:18 pm
Beautiful! Congrats, Halle!
August 12, 2010 12:38 pm
So lovely..!!
August 12, 2010 1:09 pm
ms halle can do no wrong…love the hair – hope it’s a wig and she still super short under there.
August 12, 2010 1:11 pm
Oooh I love that little 40s bob! Very Fall 2010, Ms. Berry!
I havent gotten my Sept. Vogue yet though. Cant wait!
August 12, 2010 1:14 pm
love it!
August 12, 2010 1:22 pm
actually the hair kind of makes her look a little older . . but shes still fab!
August 12, 2010 2:33 pm
Congrats to Halle. September Issue, I see you girl. Well deserved.
She is freaking GORGEOUS, with some amazing skin.
I like the hair and, with the overall vibe of the spread it works.
August 12, 2010 2:51 pm
i don’t like the hair, but i love the photos.
and i agree with tom and lorenzo. i mean look at president obama. george bush was practically braindead and got elected, but president obama was so exceptional, accomplished and eloquent his opponents tried to take him down by painting him as an elitist. we all know that black people are always held to a higher standard then white people. when we can be as mediocre as a lot of white people are and still get as far as many of them do, THEN we’ll know we’ve achieved some kind of racial equality.
August 12, 2010 3:04 pm
Since 1989? Wow that’s kinda a shame. Halle looks incredible though.
August 12, 2010 3:10 pm
Love Halle, but what’s up with that Anna Wintour-wig?? :-/
August 12, 2010 3:48 pm
I’m not feeling that wig on Halle but she’s still a beautiful Black woman… and I’m proud that she’s gracing the cover of this mag!!!!!!!! I usually don’t get this magazine but I will be picking this one up!!!!!!!!!!!
August 12, 2010 4:10 pm
LOL, Anna definitely picked that wig. Not sure if I’m feeling all the velvet, but she’s gorgeous nonetheless.
August 12, 2010 4:46 pm
she is a gorrgeous gal..
wish shed let us in on her fountain of youth!
August 12, 2010 4:53 pm
I do love her look, the dresses are e bit severe though…
And about the discussion, I understand what people are saying and to be quite honest I don’t understand why there aren’t anymore september covers with balck women on them. In the USA, I think women of colour do think they have to work harder (which may or may not be true in real life, I don’t know I do not live there), but I also think they actually do accomplish more. And I mean in all areas, political, educational and yes even in the fashion industry.
I am not saying that they should be rewarded by being on the cover of a (probably white dominated) magazine, but I do think a little appreciation would be nice. Also, I might be time for an all black high end magazine to rise and make those covers ourselves. Wouldn’t that be nice and then there would be white people fighting to be on thát cover :-)
disclaimer (of sorts): I use the words black and white because I can say brown, but what would I say for the people of European descent (not the long word I just used in any case)? Please, don)t hold that against me.
August 12, 2010 5:01 pm
Halle Berry looks amazing. It’s sad that it has taken 20 years for another black female to be on the coveted september cover. But we must celebrate the fact that Halle is on it. I hope it doesn’t take this long again.
August 12, 2010 5:59 pm
Halle looks amazing as usual! I kinda dig the wig. But honestly it is sad that it’s been 20 yrs since a woman of color has been on the cover of Vogue’s September issue.
August 12, 2010 7:46 pm
Please. . .”google” the following African American women ;
Hattie mc Daniel
Beverly Johnson
Ms. McDaniel won as oscar in the 1930′s for Gone With The Wind
Ms. Johnson was “the” first African American to be on the cover of Vogue.
Don’t forget the First Lady, Mrs. Obama and Ms. Winfrey.
August 12, 2010 8:55 pm
Love Halle Berry, and love Vogue. And although I understand and respect the opinion of that person you quoted, I totally agree with you, and I too prefer to see this as a progress.
Hugs from Brazil
P.S.: Let’s be honest, Sienna Miller really did not deserve a september issue cover, c’mon.
August 12, 2010 9:47 pm
Halle Berry looks amazing.
As for the blatant racism in the fashion industry I don’t support magazines that don’t support black woman. If there isn’t a black woman on the cover I DON’T buy it.
Why support a publication that hates on my own people? NEVER THAT!
August 12, 2010 11:10 pm
@ Genie. Halle Berry is not the first black woman to win an Oscar or to be on the cover of Vogue. I didn’t say that, you have to read carefully.
I said she’s the first black women to win an Oscar for *Best Actress* (not best supporting actress) and the second black woman to cover the *September issue* of Vogue, not the second black woman to cover Vogue ever. We’ve covered all the black women who’ve been on Vogue, there have been several, but the September issue is iconic…they even made a documentary about it…!
http://fashionbombdaily.com/2010/06/11/fashion-news-halle-berry-will-cover-vogues-september-issue/
August 12, 2010 11:22 pm
Wasn’t oprah the first since ms campbell?
August 12, 2010 11:28 pm
According to People.com, Oprah was on Vogue’s cover in October 1998.
http://www.people.com/people/oprah_winfrey
August 13, 2010 12:01 am
I’ve always admired Ms Berry and will pick up this issue.
Women of color have always had to accomplish so much just to get
the same opportunities that white women take for granted.
August 13, 2010 8:28 am
you aint c nothing yet ;) BLACK is going places :)) :-* to Berry. but d hair, i doubt if am feeling dat hair bt i hope she still got dat gorgeous Harry under dat hair—-
August 13, 2010 10:03 am
Confession: I have a girl crush on Halle Berry! Cannot wait to buy this year’s September issue!
August 13, 2010 10:25 am
LOL! Claire, I stand “corrected”! Have a good weekend!
August 13, 2010 2:18 pm
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August 13, 2010 3:00 pm
Why the 40′s wig??? i really wish they would of let her rock own hair for the cover. her short hair cut is so timeless and stunning.