The special issue takes a deep-dive into the experiences of legendary figures across the worlds of cinema, art and music and everyday older generations, to reflect on Europe’s cultural legacy and set the course for its bold future, say the publishers.
The multiplatform storytelling initiative will be made up of special print, digital and social content with a second part to follow in early 2022 dedicated to the pioneers who are writing the future of Europe. The ‘Memory’ issue is made up of three print covers featuring actress Isabelle Adjani in France, Angela Molina in Spain and musician Ornella Vanoni in Italy, who each embody the rich memory of Europe across the 20th century. For each cover, say the publishers, an original portrait of each woman has been created by Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli, with handmade embroidery symbolic of their own memories on the covers.
“We thought of this issue of Vanity Fair, produced together with the editorial teams of France and Spain, as a tribute to memory. The cover features three great icons of European culture. Each of them has been portrayed as an artwork by Francesco Vezzoli. Francesco has embroidered gold, silver and copper tears on their faces, sewing their lives together with their history. Lights and shadows. Lovers and ‘unlovers’. Successes and mistakes. Greatness and misery. Tales that we would like to be a symbol and a drop in the great sea of European memory,” said Simone Marchetti, Vanity Fair’s European Editorial Director.
Vanity Fair Italia, France and Spain will also run a series of short films on social media featuring older generations telling real life stories of their lives, from war to love, failure, success and hope. The initiative will encourage audiences to post videos of their grandparents or parents memories with the hashtag #wearememories #noisiamomemoria #noussommesmemoire #somosmemoria.
Vanity Fair Italia’s ‘Memory’ issue is on newsstands on 17 November. Vanity Fair Spain will be on-sale on 19 November, followed by Vanity France on 1 December.
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