Vogue October 2021
Vogue October 2021
By: Grace Logan
Lorde shines on the front of Vogue's October Issue as this month’s cover star. With a provocative yet graceful photo of Lorde with gold flowers blooming around her body, the cover photoshoot is a reference to her third album, Solar Power. She says the album gives off the energy of “flower power” and “hippie-cult leader.” The cover story dives into her past work, her time as a writer, and how she feels about the pop culture world.
The cover shoot itself has several elements featuring Lorde in nature. Photographer Théo De Gueltzl photographed Lorde in water and sunsets, correlating This correlates directly to her album that was released in August 2021 In the article, Solar Power is described as “sultry, summery” which is evident in the photos in the October issue. De Gueltzl, a regular photographer for Vogue, connected the beauty of the environment to the singer gracefully.
As for her outfits, stylist Camilla Nickerson perfectly coordinated the outfits with the shoot. From the Schiaparelli top on the front cover to the Balenciaga gown, the outfits encapsulated what her album, the article, and the photos represent. The outfits were crucial to capturing what Lorde aimed to embody the spirit of the album and the connection with nature that she speaks on in the article. The incorporation of the Celine Heidi Slimane skirt into the field of wildflowers is one of the most graceful photos featured. The Alexander McQueen dress worn in the ocean looks as though Ariel just emerged from the water.
Featuring Lorde on the cover for the October Issue is a graceful transition into the fall. With the conclusion of summer, the elements from the shoot and iconic outfits embody the seasons changing. Not only does the cover symbolize the transitional colors from summer to fall visually, but the article also discusses change and growth and a new season for the singer.
The article, written by Rob Haskell, gives an in-depth look at where Lorde has been and how she has grown from her first hit single, “Royals.” Lorde has been in the music industry since her teenage years but provides a small concession in the article. She says, “all the music you loved at 16, you’ll grow out of,” making her comeback to the music industry with Solar Power'' a great representation of the transition to a new season.
With the lack of social media and the new appreciation for nature, the Solar Power Lorde is a new Lorde. Vogue’s October Issue is the perfect transitional piece, embracing the changes of a new season in life while also embracing the changes of a new season in nature is what this issue shows.
