At left, the cover of the november issue of Vogue UK as sold in Paris (or in NYC, or in Rome, or anywhere overseas). It's a glamorous pic of Carolyn Murphy. At right, the very same issue of Vogue UK as sold in the UK, with shitty local TV "stars".

A loyal reader of this humble weblog had faxed a letter to the UK Vogue editor, Alexandra Shulman, complaining about the utterly awful cover she got in the UK. Two days later, she received a letter from her personally responding to her comments.

Shulman says in her letter that the UK cover was not the original choice, but the other options under consideration didn't work out, so she decided to run with the picture of the four TV stars, which is lifted from the portfolio inside the issue.

She said that while she appreciated that the November cover was "not a classic Vogue image", she chose to run it because she was keen to dedicate an issue of the magazine to TV, which "like it or not, is one of
the most powerful cultural influences around".

Let me say here immediately that my (mixed) appreciation of Shulman as editor has surged when I heard this story, because editors rarely reply to letters, it's generally their assistant/circulation editor/managing editor and the likes who reply in general terms. Here, the SALTYT reader received a prompt reply from the editor herself, addressing the issue precisely and without empty words.

Having said that, I don't like much that "like it or not" answer. It sounds arrogant. It's also besides the point: the reader hasn't complain about British television, but about the decision to give the cover to a non-fashion (anti fashion?) subject.

The good news are Shulman promised in the end of her letter that the December issue will have a great cover.