Art Director and Executive producer, Christopher Sollinger, cast various industry icons, veterans, and new faces for the historic cover series of the next edition of “Harper’s Bazaar India.” Nine versions of the magazine will be available, each featuring a different woman of color on the cover including Tyra Banks as well as Tracey Africa and Geena Rocero, who become the first transgender women to appear on the cover of the iconic Harper’s Bazaar. Sollinger produced the shoot over the course of a week in New York.
'The Nine Wonders of the World’ cover series is a twist on the unofficial title sometimes given to those new buildings, structures, projects or even designs that are deemed to be comparable. The series interprets and showcases this "new" as diversity. The new being that diversity is acceptable and celebrated today.
“Diversity has always been the DNA of Harper’s Bazaar. The Indian edition is delighted to follow in such illustrious steps”, said Harper’s Bazaar India Editor Nonita Kalra.
“Showcasing white woman after white woman on covers does not work anymore, we need to show the women of the world that is of now,” said Sollinger. “The world is changing and with this story we want to be apart of that global revolution.”
“This cover means the world to me and for me to represent my community, it is such a humbling experience for me, I can't thank Christopher and Harper's Bazaar for allowing me to be on the cover,” said Tracey Norman.
“It is an honor to be on this historic cover series with the women that I’ve looked up to. Growing up in the Philippines I used to dream of being on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar”, said Rocero.
The Models:
· Tyra Banks is a veteran and icon to the runway and various leading advertising campaigns.
· Tracey Africa is the first trans model to have multiple beauty campaigns in the 1970s. Tracey was also shot by Irving Penn for Vogue Italia.
· Geena Rocero is a Filipino American model, producer, founder of Gender Proud and gave a viral Ted Talk with 3 million views. She was honored this year with a GLAAD Media Award for the Logo digital series ‘Beautiful As I Want To Be,’ which she executive produced and appeared in.
· Hannelore Knuts is a veteran Belgian model and known to be the only model in history to have three consecutive Vogue Italia covers.
· Cora Emmanuel is a Caribbean beauty and has been the face of Chanel.
· Emanuela de Paula was born to a white Brazilian mother and an Afro Brazilian father, She has been the face of retailer NEXT and L'Oreal.
· Pyper & Daisy America showcase Millennials in our new modern age, unorthodox beauties who have gained notoriety through social media and shear personality. It is the first time the sisters of Lucky Blue were shot together for a cover.
· Hind Sahli is one of the few Muslim models to break out of Morocco. Hind was voted by Vogue Italia as "the top middle eastern model of our generation."
· Soo Joo Park is the leading Korean Model and an inspiration to all designers. Soo Joo has been the face of countless magazine covers and beauty brands.