As the holiday season fast approaches, festive glamour is all we crave – even more so from the covers of our fave fashion glossies. British Harper’s Bazaar receives the memo loud and clear with its final offering of 2023, gifting us their annual awards issue for December 2023/January 2024. Across five celebratory covers star Emilia Clarke, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Emerald Fennell, Janelle Monáe and Jenna Ortega.
Decked out in sequined Giorgio Armani, Emilia Clarke reclines on a plush sofa via the lens of Betina du Toit on cover one. In cover two, Gugu Mbatha-Raw sits pretty for model-turned-photographer Helena Christensen and dons an embellished Alexander McQueen number. Kitted out in Ralph Lauren, Emerald Fennell is captured by Josh Shinner for cover three while Shaniqwa Jarvis shoots a Richard Quinn-clad Janelle Monáe for cover four. For the fifth and final cover, Bazaar editor Lydia Slater called upon Agata Pospieszynska to photograph Jenna Ortega, who wears Christian Dior.
Unfortunately, for the most part, members of our forums weren’t entirely smitten with the end results. “They’ve made Emilia Clarke look SO Old,” critiqued Kite.
“Emilia Clarke’s one of those people whose presence is never captured that well in print, she’s lovely-looking on screen but somehow ‘fades’ in most of the fashion magazine shoots I’ve ever seen,” added tigerrouge.
“Emilia’s cover could have been beautiful if it was a different angle of face but it’s what we want and need to see for a December issue! Very joyful and celebratory!” Lola701 reasoned.
Vogue28 felt the same way, raving: “Thank GOD for British Harper’s Bazaar and their unwillingness to boycott glamour when we need it most. Absolutely love the sense of festive glamour I’m getting from Emilia Clarke’s cover, love how Betina du Toit captured Emilia there, the beauty styling and that oh so heavenly red Giorgio Armani dress!”
“Janelle Monáe’s cover looks lovely. The rest look bored,” commented MON.
“Emerald deserved better. This looks like the cover of an autobiography,” shared FAdS.
Which covers manages to impress you the most? Have your say and see more from the December 2023/January 2024 edition of British Harper’s Bazaar, here.
