It is the most controversial cover in the history of the publication; when Anna Wintour chose Kanye West and Kim Kardashian to be shot by Annie Leibovitz for the cover of American Vogue (with an accompanying hashtag #themosttalkedaboutcoupleever.)
In celebration of this brave and unexpected choice, we have compiled together some of our favourite tweets, features and videos in honour of ‘Kimye,’ who will wed on May 29th this year.
Even though he is the rap-star with a God-complex and she is a reality TV sex-tape star, there are some positives from this cover, put well by our friends over at The Cut:
1. There’s an interracial couple on the cover of Vogue.
This shouldn’t be such a big deal, but the last time Vogue put a black man on the cover, it was in direct reference to King Kong.
2. It’s a triumph for popular culture.
Kardashian is the first woman that the masses willed onto the cover of Vogue simply by refusing to shut up about her. (“#themosttalkedaboutcoupleever,” the cover relents). It makes us wonder: Whom will we put on the cover next? Lupita Nyong’o? Julie Delpy? Laverne Cox?
3. It will sell.
Vogue can’t keep producing the tasteful portraits of elegant white actresses the Kimye-haters love so much if they don’t move newsstand copies. We look forward to the week at the grocery-store checkout when Vogue Kardashian will look down benevolently upon Us Kardashian, InTouch Kardashian, and National Enquirer Kardashian.
4. Kanye’s in the background for once.
Enough of the Pygmalion narrative wherein Kanye has made Kardashian over in his monochromatic likeness. In a leaked portion of Anna Wintour’s editor’s note (unconfirmed, but convincing) she denies that West begged her to put Kardashian on the cover. “Kim, through her strength of character, has created a place for herself in the glare of the world’s spotlight,” she writes, “and it takes real guts to do that.” Also: See how nice their heads look, nestled in those wedding-band-shaped letters?
5. It’s a new American dream.
Kardashian’s ascension from Ray J sex tape to the cover of Vogue shows perseverance in the face of slut-shaming and revenge porn that is inspirational. Especially to those of us with regrettable exes who have hard proof.