English Version | The [Un]Popular Issue: Backstage

What happens behind the scenes at Vogue, doesn't stay behind the scenes at Vogue. Here's your all access pass to The [Un]Popular Issue.

The unpopular way

It will not be our preferred modus operandi - that will always be the face-to-face option - but, in this issue, for logistical reasons, one of the fashion productions was carried out with an ocean in between. For Forever Alone, on page 42, our Fashion editor, Gloria Alafarga, followed a livestream from Lisbon of the shooting taking place in Florida, led by photographer Élio Nogueira. It won't be the formula that became popular among our teams - nor the one we want to become popular -, but the end result of this inhospitable and peculiar making of was as popular as possible. 

Popular (po·pu·lar), two-gender adjective

1. Of or pertaining to the people.2. Which is used or common among the people.3. That is to the liking of the people or a wide range of people.4. Vulgar, notorious.5. Democratic.6. Transmitted informally or based on oral tradition, as opposed to erudite (eg popular music; words formed by popular means).

male name

7. Person belonging to the people.

Says Priberam of the Portuguese Language. But Vogue deepens the concept (also) in the light of social networks, in Back to the Future on page 192. 

Música (Un)PopThere is talk about themes and songs that didn’t become the Billboard hits that one would expect (or, on the contrary, we all guessed they wouldn’t be), but perhaps have become the guilty pleasures of some. A sweet secret so juicy that we don't address the topic just once, but twice: on page 80, the reflection on a discography that made the delights on our younger years; on page 288, the gateway to the confession from LightHouse's staff about the playlist they hide from their Spotify ranking.

Women's LibFeminine expression without borders, the destruction of conservative social roles and the manifesto of a hedonism with a capital W - W for Women. Because it could only be a woman behind the lens of "Party Like It's...", on page 212. One who enjoys the independence and power to assert the pleasure of a party where fun is the keyword, where taboo has no place and where freedom of expression has the leading role. As far as Women's Liberation is concerned, 2023 still has a lot to fight for. But not if Jamie Nelson has anything to say about it.

Nhom, nhom… não.

It's easy to place foods like pizza, hamburgers and ramen on the podium of popularity, but what if we're talking about the most unpopular ones? Opinions vary on the top spot, but there are foods that are recurrent on this list, not because they are exactly awful, but because those who dislike it, dislike it a lot: Brussels sprouts, beets, olives, anchovies, liver are some of the items that are repeated in the lists of different foodie platforms. Then there are, of course, the quarrels that divide opinions, not because of the food itself, but because of the combination. For example, what is your position on pineapples on pizza? We talk about unlikely gastronomic pairings on page 106.

Translated from the original on The [Un]Popular Issue, published July 2023.Full stories and credits on the print issue.