September issues have been filling newsstands in recent weeks and, ironically, even more so Instagram feeds and social media, where they are generating a flood of tags, debates for and against and behind-the-scenes videos.
Print products in fashion publishing have faded in recent years as the industry shifted toward digital. But now, precisely when the printed magazine can no longer be taken for granted, there are signs that it is becoming desirable again. Not necessarily on the scale of past issues that stretched to as many as 916 pages, as with Lady Gaga's 2012 cover, but in terms of status.
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Four covers and a fashion spread; Celine Dion in Harper's Bazaar's September issue
(Photo: Robin Galiegue)
Rihanna, Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Cate Blanchett and even designer Marc Jacobs himself appear on September covers this year in productions that look more elaborate than those of recent years. One example is the four covers and striking accompanying shoot featuring Celine Dion in Harper's Bazaar ahead of her major run of shows in Paris.
Although the magazines have not grown thicker this year — averaging around 250 to 300 pages, most of them advertisements — the casting of major stars and original stories, such as a joint interview with Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere for American Vogue, seem to be generating renewed interest even among those born into the digital age who have never licked a finger to turn the page of a magazine.
This renaissance stems partly from the renewed status of print, but not only that. Independent magazines such as System, 032c, Self Service, Purple, Re-Edition and AnOther have shown that print still has an audience, and often a young one. A 2024 report by the International News Media Association identified renewed interest in print among Gen Z, driven in part by a desire for a nondigital experience and concerns about trust in online content.
In an era when nearly every piece of content is instantly available on a cellphone screen, the exclusivity offered by magazines with limited print runs, the breadth of long-form articles and photo shoots and the inability to simply scroll on all contribute to the product's desirability. And fashion has always been a realm of exclusivity. The phenomenon is also evident in Israel with magazines such as Nivdal, OFF/NA and ARE, which extends the digital platform on which it is based.
These are this year's standout September covers.
American Vogue: Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere
Vogue's new U.S. editor, Chloe Malle, who took up the role last September, is launching the first September issue under her direction. Anyone expecting a radical shift in Malle's artistic choices will be disappointed: the result is more of the same. The September issue shows that Vogue is not trying to reinvent itself, but rather to recycle the legendary moments that helped establish its status.
Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere on the cover of American Vogue's September issue
(Photo: Steven Meisel)
The September cover features Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere, the daughter of Cindy Crawford and the son of Richard Gere, respectively. Their parents were once a glamorous couple in fashion and entertainment circles, and the choice of their children is no coincidence — it is designed to strike precisely at the chords of nostalgia. In 1992, their parents appeared together on the magazine's cover. Now Vogue returns to the same reference point with the next generation, who are appearing together in Ryan Murphy's television adaptation of "Shards."
British Vogue: Nicole Kidman
Actress Nicole Kidman has a history with magazine covers on which she looks almost otherworldly. That is, not quite like herself. Or, put another way, subjected to aggressive retouching that makes her appear increasingly removed from her biological age: 59.
This month, she stars on the September cover of British Vogue, where she is once again almost unrecognizable, wearing Stella McCartney clothing, Hermès and Chloé accessories and Yvonne Léon jewelry. Her hair was styled, as usual, by Israeli hairstylist Adir Abergel, son of Reuven Abergel, forever associated with Israel's Black Panthers movement.
Nicole Kidman on the cover of British Vogue's September issue
(Photo: Venetia Scott)
The interview comes against the backdrop of her split from Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage, and Kidman speaks about the need to move forward without giving up on the possibility of love.
"I’ve always wanted to live a well-examined life, so what does that entail? Trying things," she says. Rather than portray the breakup as the end of an era, Kidman seeks to frame it as the beginning of a new chapter.
"I can just go forward with an enormous amount of hope," she said.
Vogue Spain: Penélope Cruz
Another standout cover this month features Penélope Cruz, the star of Vogue Spain's September issue ahead of the release of "The Black Ball," the much-discussed film by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, in which she plays a singer from the 1930s. The film also won the directing prize at the latest Cannes Film Festival and was co-produced by Pedro Almodóvar's El Deseo.
Penélope Cruz on the cover of Vogue Spain's September issue
(Photo: Sean+Seng)
Although her role is relatively small, at about 15 minutes of screen time, Cruz told the magazine she does not measure the significance of a role by its length. Preparing for the part also forced her to confront one of her greatest fears.
"Singing is one of the things that scares me most," she admitted, "so we worked on it a lot."
Vanity Fair: Marc Jacobs
Fashion designer Marc Jacobs lands an unusual cover of the American edition of Vanity Fair with a painted portrait by artist Anna Weyant, depicting him in a Chanel tweed suit, floral earrings and silver hair clips.
Marc Jacobs on the cover of Vanity Fair's September issue
(Illustration: Anna Weyant)
In the accompanying article, he discusses the deal he recently made after French luxury giant LVMH agreed to sell the fashion brand bearing his name in a transaction valued at about $850 million to a joint venture between brand management company WHP Global and G-III Apparel Group.
Jacobs, who remains creative director, also reflects on his place in the fashion world.
"All I've ever been is a fashion victim. I don’t think of that as a bad thing," he said.
On the future of the brand, he added: "There’s no yes or no. It could be this, it could be that. Where am I now? Where are we now? What do we mean to this generation of people? That generation of people? There’s so many questions."
Elle: Rihanna
Rihanna stars on the September cover of Elle in a photograph by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, wearing a feathered headpiece emblazoned with the Dior name. It is difficult to imagine a more blatant advertisement, and unlike Rihanna's usually groundbreaking style, the final result lacks character and creativity.
Rihanna on the cover of Elle's September issue
(Photo: Inez & Vinoodh)
Unlike other September issues, there is no traditional interview. Author Roxane Gay — and anyone who has not read her 2017 book "Hunger" should seek it out — wrote a personal essay about meeting Rihanna and the singer's status as one of the most influential figures in popular culture.
Gay discusses the way Rihanna changed the conversation around beauty, makeup and the body through Fenty Beauty.
In the essay, which is available in full online, Gay also addresses the 38-year-old singer's presence.
"More than her music and her business endeavors, how Rihanna moves through the world intrigues me most. She seems to live in her body unapologetically, and she does so with confidence and verve," Gay writes. "It’s no easy feat given that women are, generally, punished for aging visibly and having any kind of curves. But instead of making herself smaller or living in her body according to the whims of a fickle and ever-changing audience, she lives in her body on her own terms."
Harper's Bazaar U.S.: Celine Dion
Celine Dion returns with four different Harper's Bazaar covers ahead of her return to the stage in Paris in September for a five-week run, following a six-year hiatus amid her battle with stiff-person syndrome, which she has discussed openly.
Celine Dion on the cover of Harper's Bazaar's September issue
(Photo: Robin Galiegue)
The interview addresses not only her illness and rehabilitation, but also her decision to perform again despite the physical and emotional toll.
Her hair was styled by successful Israeli hairstylist Shay Ashual.
Celine Dion on the cover of Harper's Bazaar's September issue
(Photo: Robin Galiegue)
W Magazine: Harry Styles
Musician Harry Styles takes over the cover of W Magazine's fashion issue in a striking Miu Miu jacket that reveals his tattoos, paired with Calvin Klein underwear bearing the word "Disco" on the waistband. The underwear was designed especially for him as a nod to his fourth album, "Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally."
In the shoot, photographed in London by David Sims, Styles switches among designs by Chanel, Miu Miu, Burberry and Dior — when he is not displaying his bare torso and showing off his physique.
Harry Styles on the cover of W Magazine's September issue
(Photo: David Sims)
In the accompanying interview, Styles continues the personal exposure while keeping his much-discussed relationship with Zoë Kravitz to himself.
"One of the best things anyone has told me is that comments, the bad and good, neither of them are true," he says. "Some people will tell you you’re the best thing in the world, and that’s not true. Some people will tell you you’re terrible, and that’s also not true. When you’re younger, there’s this want to be great, and it’s harder to negate the positive stuff. When people say, 'Oh, this is great!' you want to be like, 'Really? You think I’m great?'"
Dazed: North West
The most surprising and refreshing thing about North West's new cover for British magazine Dazed is the identity of the photographer: acclaimed filmmaker Gus Van Sant, the man behind masterpieces including "My Own Private Idaho" and "Good Will Hunting."
Sixty-one years separate Van Sant, 74, and West, 13, the eldest daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. She looks older than her age, due in no small part to her facial piercings, ever-changing hair colors and provocative wardrobe. Never mind that she still wears braces like other girls her age.
North West on the cover of Dazed's September issue
(Photo: Gus Van Sant)
The cover has not gone over smoothly with social media users, drawing a barrage of reactions since it was published this week. Many questioned its relevance to the magazine's readership, largely adults 30 and older who grew up with the edgy publication of the 1990s.
"There is no way anything a 13-year-old says should be of interest to adults. Why the hell isn't this in Teen Vogue?" read one of the most prominent Instagram comments, echoed in various forms by other users.
At the same time, many pointed to the nepo-baby phenomenon that helped land North West on the cover. After all, her contribution to the world so far is being "the daughter of."
"It seems that these days, when it comes to talent, simply being the child of someone famous is enough to make you an idol," one commenter wrote. "It has nothing to do with reality, and these kids have nothing to offer. The whole thing is one huge publicity stunt and a slap in the face to artists who actually have something to say about the reality in which we, as human beings, live."
V Magazine: Slayyyter
Only recently, we wrote here about Slayyyter, one of the most prominent electronic pop stars of the moment, and now she appears on the cover of V Magazine's Winter 2026 issue under the playful headline "Sooner Or Slayyyter."
Slayyyter on the cover of V Magazine's September issue
(Photo: Inez & Vinoodh)
The cover caps a year in which her career underwent a significant shift, in part following her performance at Coachella, which she described as a turning point.
"I feel very blessed that any of these opportunities are even coming at all," she told the magazine. "But I’m so not a celebrity-type person; I feel like there are people who do the celebrity song and dance very well. But even if things get bigger and bigger and bigger, I don’t ever feel like a famous person."
Vogue Germany: Karen Mulder
Supermodel Karen Mulder returns to the cover of Vogue Germany after more than three decades. Mulder, one of the most prominent runway models of the 1990s, speaks candidly in the interview about the years she spent away from the fashion industry and the difficult experiences she endured within it, including a suicide attempt.
Now she is reconsidering the possibility of returning to the runway.
Karen Mulder on the cover of Vogue Germany's September issue
(Photo: Sean+Seng)
Harper's Bazaar UK: Cate Blanchett
What a beautiful cover. Actress Cate Blanchett stars on the September issue of British Harper's Bazaar in a dramatic black Louis Vuitton look. Blanchett is promoting her return to the stage in the National Theatre's production of "Electra/Persona" in London.
Cate Blanchett on the cover of British Harper's Bazaar's September issue
(Photo: Emma Summerton)
All tickets through the beginning of October have already sold out, underscoring the confidence audiences continue to place in her.
Much like her versatile, intelligent wardrobe on the red carpet and beyond, the cover shoot highlights Blanchett's artistic side.