VALLEY OF THE DOLLS

For many years now, I've collected high fashion magazines that have built into an enviable collection. Since I was a young child I've always been drawn to the beautiful covers and magical world of Vogue. I remember, distinctly, asking my mum for an issue of Vogue when I was just four-years-old because I liked the look of the cover. Of course, she refused to purchase it for me, and you can imagine the painful emotion I received when this happened. It was such a loss to me.

I love fashion magazines. Not only are they beautifully presented and informative, they happen to smell nice, too, since some perfume campaigns feature samples of their products.

Now day's, I look upon high fashion magazines as an essential sourcebook. A place to obtain the greatest of ideas and exciting inspirations to create beautiful artwork. Naturally, being a girl, I do use Vogue like a personal bible: an aid to inspire me how to look and dress. My finger is permanently on the pulse of fashion.

One thing about your monthly fashion magazine, is anticipating the arrival of the new cover. Will it feature a model or celebrity? Or, possibly royalty? What will she be wearing? Who's taken the cover photo? More importantly, will you like it?

The cover is the most important aspect of a fashion magazine. It's the first thing a person sees on a newsstand and is the communication point to entice a potential buyer. The cover has to make a person stop dead in his/her tracks and desire to pick it up and then buy it.

For the first time in American Vogue's 110 year history, back in 1998, Anna Wimtour caused a storm by putting a non-model on the cover of its all-important Fall Fashion issue, Renee Zellweger took this honour and was described by Anna Wintour as "beautiful" but "not all eyelashes". She believed Zellweger represented a new era in which "it is often young actresses, not necessary supermodels, who are setting trends and helping to move the merechandise". So, it appeared the big-name models found themselves in the unfamiliar position of being wallflowers, rather like the silent movie stars in the age of the talkies. The fat contracts that fell once in their lap were going elsewhere.

But, I always cling to the fact that the supermodels day is yet to come. It hangs between passé and retro chic.

This year Vogue and its rival Harper's Bazaar have had plenty to celebrate about. American Vogue had Jennifer Lawerence grace its 125th anniversary collector's edition cover; British Vogue celebrated fashion's past, present and future, which tied in the five models on the front cover, and Harper's Bazaar celebrated 150 years.

But, it was British Vogue's 100th anniversary June 2016 edition that swept the board. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge graced the cover for the first time and it was a sensation. Mario Testino took the cover photo and overnight it became a landmark cover in Vogue history.

To browse through an issue of Vogue or Harper's Bazaar (new or old) is the greatest form of relaxation there is. It's nice now and then to just settle down and exercise the imagination as you slide down the rabbit hole into a world of exquisite clothes, Tiffany diamonds, Chanel no.5, Haute Couture, beautiful make up, perfect heels and the people that are making it happen. The choices are infinite.

Fashion magazines have more meaning to me rather than a simple guide of what's in, what's out, and what to wear. Each issue is a sign of the times and indicator of who we are and what we desperately want out of life. Vogue is selling us a dream that we all want to buy into.