Vogue Italia dedicates its January 2021 issue to animals

For the first time in its history, Vogue Italia dedicates an entire issue and seven collectible covers to animals.

The January 2021 issue welcomes animals into its physical and digital spaces as an invitation to refocus on the natural world after months spent at home.

It aims to draw our attention back to the environmental emergency that has been made no less urgent by the tragedy of the pandemic and to highlight an important lesson, that quite simply, the world does not revolve around humans.

Starting with a rich set of covers, Vogue Italia chose not to offer a consoling and domestic image of natural life. Instead, its portrayal is as multifaceted as possible, and at times it is disquieting, sometimes even threatening. The images of lambs, wolves, panthers, and mice aim to challenge the illusion of an anthropocentric world.

Last year, Vogue Italia dedicated its January 2020 issue to the environment with a symbolic message by producing an entire issue without fashion photography. This coincided with the publication of Vogue Values, signed by the editors-in-chief of Vogue from around the world.

“Twelve months ago, we launched a small symbolic message by producing an entire issue without fashion photography. In doing so we reduced our carbon footprint, at least for one month, and offered a reminder that we can’t expect others to change their ways unless each of us is prepared to demonstrate our own commitment first,” says Emanuele Farneti, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia.

“This time we wanted to let animals take over...animals do not exist for our purpose, nor as a function of what we would like them to be. It is almost too simple to stress how much we’ve been reminded of this by the effects of the Coronavirus, by the way it came into existence and how it has impacted our lives, freeing up spaces that wildlife has at least temporarily reclaimed for itself. And it seems almost too obvious that the fashion industry, like any other economic activity, must ask itself where the limits lie in the exploitation of natural resources.”

Read more about Vogue Italia’s January 2021 issue here.