The September Issue in Fashion: Why It Matters

It belongs to late August tradition that with the first blush of autumn arrives the long-awaited, textbook-sized glossy, the September issue. Like a back-to-school for the fashion world, the ever-growing mag—2013 marks W Magazine’s largest September in five years—has at times been rumored so gargantuan, it skips the mail slot to sit at the post office, awaiting pickup like a package (but to those waiting, it’s the ultimate gift).

W magazine is branded as the Who, What, Where, When, and Why in the world of style, and each September, their bar is set for the fall in fashion and arguably, the year to follow. From the face on the cover (’90s W covers include classics like Helena Christensen, Claudia Schiffer, and Kate Moss) to the photographers behind the lens (more recent covers include photos by duos Inez & Vinoodh in ’10 and Mert and Marcus in ’12), the industry’s biggest players find their place among the must-have colors, textures, and trends for Fall. This year, the name to know is Boo George, the 32-year-old Irish photographer granted a major feature in W’s September issue [view the story here] after winning their photography contest to discover the next big star. Find his photographs among the predictive September pages in a ten-page page spread, and collect your favorites in limited-edition prints, available exclusively on Artsy.

At right, view three of W’s most iconic covers, followed by their current September issue: Kate Moss: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott exclusively for W; Jessica Chastain: Photo by Max Vadukul, design by George Condo; Kim Kardashian: Photo by Mark Seliger design by Barbara Kruger.

Browse the first-ever collection of limited-edition prints by Boo George: Visit sale.

A special offer for Artsy’s community: Subscribe to W