Lockdown has changed and shaped us all in many ways, whilst having its very clear disadvantages, nothing comes without a silver lining. One of the ways I have spent the past 100 or so days is by acquiring a new hobby – collecting vintage Vogues. Now I am already on my third annual subscription, so the stack of fashion bibles on my dressing table hasn’t been small in a fairly long time. I was scrolling through Depop and came across a listing for a 1991 Diana cover of Vogue, my curiosity took me further and I discovered that the market is full of vintage editions. And I’ve been hooked from that moment. The amount of fashion inspiration on those pages is astronomical, and something that cannot be fully experienced online.
I currently have four vintage editions sourced from three different places – Depop, Etsy and Ebay. My first purchases were on Depop from @editarmiore. I am a very big fan of the Princess of Wales; she remains not only one of the most iconic fashion legends but also a true queen of hearts. The cover of the December 1991 issue is truly stunning. The second issue I purchased here was the June 1995 magazine with Helena Christensen on the cover.
I was extremely impressed with how well these two were packaged, inside two enveloped, tissue paper and cardboard cut outs to protect the corners.
To celebrate my Imieniny, my mum surprised me with my birthday edition of Vogue – the February 2001 edition with Naomi Campbell on the main page. This was ordered from Still in Vogue on Ebay. The wonderful thing about this particular shop is that the magazine came gift wrapped in coloured tissue paper and a silver ribbon tied in a bow. This is a truly wonderful gift idea, to source a magazine form the month and year someone was born. One of the main reasons why I adore magazines so much is because flicking through the pages makes you feel as though you’re in another world, back in the time to when those models were photographed, and those words written. It shows you how much has changed since then, what happened to be important in those days and how people would dress.
Now for my most precious piece – the October 1974 edition. I managed to find this absolute Gem on Etsy; a shop named Vintage Mag Archive. You can tell how different the world was back then just by looking at the price, a Vogue in the 1970s only cost 40p. I adore the 70s. Anyone that spends remotely even a few hours with me knows I have memorised most lines in That 70s show and that my heart goes out for the stereotypical fashion from that decade. To say this magazine’s condition is pristine would be an understatement, it is 46 years old and the pages are intact. I believe the beautiful lady on the cover is Denise Hopkins. It’s fascinating to have an insight into what the fashion world looked like in 1974, in a way that differs to an electronic screen. And if you're more of a Hapers Bazaar spirit at heart, The Vintage Mag Archive also have a selection of old editions of your favourite.
Which year's edition would you like to get your hands on?
K x