Michael Jackson’s Vanity Fair Cover voted the Best in magazines 100 yr History

: Clapping:: Clapping:: Clapping:: Clapping:: Clap:: Clap:: Clap:: Coeur: MICHAEL Coeur:

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Lori Goldstein, stylist for the 1989 Vanity Fair shoot, excerpt from her book “Style is Instinct”

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One day my agent called and told me that I was going to be styling Michael Jackson on a shoot with Annie Leibovitz.

I was beside myself - and that was an understatement. Michael was, and will probably always be, the biggest pop star in the history of music. Just his image alone has been ingrained in the minds of people all over the globe.

Because Michael was a bigger than life talent, Annie and I thought it would be interesting to go the other way - to dress him down, to show him unadorned. Annie had seen images of him onstage in a white t shirt layered with a white shirt on top = the look was clean and simple - and we took our inspiration from that.

When he arrived on the set in LA, I was completely starstruck. He came with his own crew and brought his own wardrobe. It took some time before he was able to let his guard down, particularly about wearing the clothes I had chosen for him. In the end, though, he trusted Annie, and Annie trusted me.

At one point while we were shooting, the idea to open up his t shirt came up. I remember taking a pair of scissors and cutting the t shirt directly on him, right on his chest. And it was that picture that became the magazine cover.

He sang for us that afternoon on a closed set for more than forty five minutes. It was one of the most memorable shoots of my life. I will never forget it, because Michael was everything.

@wendijane @Hiker @MacMandy90 @staywild23

The Vanity Fair photos are not for me but I think you all like them. Here is a short account from the stylist on the shoot. Doesn't add a great deal of info to the story but it's a nice little anecdote.

Update - should have said, wendijane, you probably have seen this already. I know you've been on the board for a while.
 
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@wendijane @Hiker @MacMandy90 @staywild23

The Vanity Fair photos are not for me but I think you all like them. Here is a short account from the stylist on the shoot. Doesn't add a great deal of info to the story but it's a nice little anecdote.
OMG! where do all these lucky people come from! This photoshoot is amazing, and now all I can think about is taking a pair of scissors and cutting the shirt directly on him :love: 🎇, I bet she was way more than starstruck 🤩
 
OMG! where do all these lucky people come from! This photoshoot is amazing, and now all I can think about is taking a pair of scissors and cutting the shirt directly on him :love: 🎇, I bet she was way more than starstruck 🤩
Yeah, I thought that bit would get you going. :D

I know what you mean, though. 'Oh, my agent called me up ...' Like it's a normal everyday thing. Maybe it was, for her, lol.
 
@wendijane @Hiker @MacMandy90 @staywild23

The Vanity Fair photos are not for me but I think you all like them. Here is a short account from the stylist on the shoot. Doesn't add a great deal of info to the story but it's a nice little anecdote.

Update - should have said, wendijane, you probably have seen this already. I know you've been on the board for a while.
@zinniabooklover you know, I wasn't initially as crazy about this photoshoot when I first got into Michael. I am not sure why, now, but back then I just felt it seemed a little uncomfortable. What's interesting is I don't feel that way at all now. In fact, now I really love it. I think he looks gorgeous and classy and sexy as always! I also love every story/quote I've read about it.

The story you shared thrilled me beyond any human reason lol. The same part @Hiker died for with cutting his shirt, I died for too. But more than that, I fall absolutely apart imagining hearing him sing during a photo shoot like that. If I survived up until that moment, I don't even know what I would do once that started happening. Start seizing right on the floor? Crying? Fall to my knees and start wailing my gratitude to God? It's impossible to say. But my reaction would have been unhinged.

One of my favorite moments of human recorded history is when he starts singing "what the world needs now, is love sweet love..." during the Making of Black or White when he's holding the little girl. I also saw some video the other day, I don't remember where, of him walking down a street or something and casually singing "Smile." And I'll tell you what, his casual singing as he exists in the world is just too much for me to bear.

I'm going to go crawl in a cave now.
 
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