Jamaican-Nigerian, Nadine Ijewere makes History as 1st Black Woman to Shoot an American Vogue Cover!
And the wins keep rolling in for women everywhere! Congratulations are in order for Jamaican-Nigerian Photographer, Nadine Ijewere as she becomes the 1st Black Woman to shoot an American Vogue cover!
This news broke as Vogue’s April 2021 cover featuring Selena Gomez hit the news. Nadine, who currently resides in London, shared her excitement on her Instagram page saying;
“As a young Black woman, I didn’t imagine that I would one day have the opportunity to shoot a cover for American Vogue. I’m so honoured to have been able to work with my fellow sister @gabriellak_j. I hope this encourages black women that there is space for us to take in this industry. Thanks to the team for working hard during these difficult times.”
View this post on Instagram
This, however, is not Nadine’s first time making history with Vogue. In 2018, she became the first woman of colour to shoot any Vogue cover in the magazine’s 125-year history worldwide.
Speaking to Vogue on her career and how she grew up, Nadine revealed a lot about her background and what made her fall in love with photography.
On her background & falling in love with photography
As a teenager, I actually thought I was going to study medicine. I was born and raised in southeast London by a Nigerian father and a Jamaican mother, and there was definitely a sense that I should be following a traditional academic path. My main A levels were physics, chemistry, biology, and maths, but I decided to take photography as well as a respite from my more “serious” subjects. I completely fell in love with it. I discovered the many ways that I could tell stories with my images – especially when I incorporated fashion as well. In the end, I changed my A levels and decided to study photography at the London College of Fashion.
On being the first woman of colour to shoot a Vogue cover
Honestly, it’s insane! I still find it hard to believe. Even a couple of months ago, I was saying that I hoped to work for Vogue someday, but I thought that dream was years and years away from becoming a reality. Beyond what the shoot has done for my career, it means a lot to me on a personal level. When I was studying, there were virtually no female photographers of colour in this industry. I feel like in doing this I’m proving to younger girls from a similar background that it’s achievable. It also feels like part of a broader shift within our culture to include far more diversity, both behind the camera and in front of it.
Read the full interview on Vogue.co.uk
As with a lot of industries in the world, the fashion industry is still male-dominated. News like this shows that progress is being made, but at this pace, how long will it take for tangible change.
We hope to see more news like this & higher!
Photo Credit: Vogue.co.uk
