chioma nnadi

Fun fact: I first met Michaela in the carpark of a sporting goods shop in Accra, Ghana. Long story short, I was there to interview her for American Vogue hot on the heels of her multi-award-winning series I Must Destroy You and she suggested we go rollerblading in lieu of the traditional sit-down interview—because absolutely nothing she does is conventional or expected—and sadly I did not come prepared. As @renieddolodge points out in her terrific profile of the writer, actor and director, the world has been suffering from a distinct Michaela-shaped hole of late and so her return to the spotlight couldn’t be more triumphant. As well as starring roles in Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers and David Lowery’s Mother Mary, she’s developing a highly anticipated ten-part series that she will write, executive produce and star in. Emotionally porous, with boundless vision and a sense of humanity in equal measure, she is a genuine fire-starter for our times; a truly rare star. I am so thrilled to have her on the September shot by the brilliant @harleyweir and styled by my talented friend @nellkalonji . Hair by @CyndiaHarvey , make-up by @AnaTakahashiii , nails by @AngelsNailz , set design by @Tilly_Power33 and production by @FaragoProjects . Global entertainment director @sergiokletnoy

This month, Gisèle Pelicot publishes her memoir, Hymn To Life: Shame Has To Change Sides, which details her incredible, history-making journey to justice. Her bravery is breathtaking, but what has really stayed with me – and as you will see in anne marieke van drimmelen portraits – is her own capacity for joy. As she tells @gabywoodbooks , she has given herself “permission to be happy”. I urge you to read Gaby’s terrific digital cover story if you haven’t already. It moved me so much. Gisèle Pelicot photographed by @AnnemariekeVanDrimmelen and styled by @KPhelan123 , with hair by @DiegoDaSilva_ , make-up by @SandrineCanoBock , set design by @NatTurnball and production by @360_PM .

There are few things we love more in this industry than a good model origin story. I grew up in the era of the supers, whose tales of serendipitous scoutings have long been fashion lore. There was a teenage Kate Moss, famously spotted at JFK in New York; Naomi Campbell, discovered out shopping in London; Christy Turlington, horseback riding in Florida. Of course, in the age of social media, would-be models are more likely to be found on the Explore page of Instagram than they are on the high street. Now, the algorithm decides who gets spotted. It’s still largely a game of luck and timing – will your image appear as an agent swipes and scrolls? – but one that lacks the magic of universes colliding IRL. So the arrival of the Hyderabad-raised model – and our glorious March issue cover star – Bhavitha Mandava, whose fashion career began in 2024 when she was spotted on the New York City subway, feels like a fashion fairy tale straight out of the ’90s. These days I rarely get to interview people who are on the cusp of fame like Bhavitha. She was an absolute joy to talk to—smart, curious, funny, and incredibly grounded. And that smile! Just magical. Huge thanks to Oli who shot the cover story and Julia who styled the story. It was a really special day. #BhavithaMandava photographed by @OliverHadleePearch and styled by @SarrJamois , with hair by @SamMcKnight1 , make-up by @MelArter , nails by @ManicuredBySimone , set design by @Tomotattle and production @partner.films .

I first heard about Steve O Smith’s gorgeous designs via my colleagues @sarahmower_ and @harry_lambert . I remember going to see one of his first collections in Paris and being totally charmed by the hand-drawn whimsy of his dresses. So when I heard about the dress code for this year’s Met, I instantly thought of him. Lucky for me, he so graciously agreed to make a dress especially for me. His signature brushstroke embellishments are exquisite and have a sculptural quality when you see them up close. I literally gasped when I first saw the dress in person. It was my first time rocking a train too, but Steve made it so easy and light. This dress felt as easy to wear as a t-shirt, I swear! I’m also now obsessed with black pearls thanks to @lucydelius . Big thanks to the lovely @char_rutter for styling, @charlottemensah for the 1930s waves, @chichisaito for the lovely makeup, and @libi_roos_skincare for convincing that next levels facials make all the difference. I promise, Libi, I will remember to wear SPF from now on too! To my London friends and fam: the exhibit is seriously fab, housed in the Met’s new Conde M Nast galleries, and definitely a good excuse to visit.

Charli XCX is force of nature, truly unstoppable, just totally rock and roll! She’s been making music since the age of 14–she literally lives and breaths the stuff. “For Charli, life is art,” writes Laura Snapes, who interviewed her for this issue, as she prepares to shift her zeitgeist-defining Brat aesthetic into an entirely new gear. The new rock album she has in the works – her first exploration of the genre – is a bold step forward. And I think this gorgeous cover really speaks to that new spirit, right down to the streak of glittering blue glam rock makeup across her eyes. Big thanks to Rafael Pavarotti who shot the story and Kate Phelan who styled it for capturing Charli in the fullness of her spellbinding power. Photographer: Rafael Pavarotti | @RafaelPavarotti Fashion Editor: Kate Phelan | @KPhelan123 Hair: Eugene Souleiman | @EugeneSouleiman Makeup: Ana Takahashi | @Anatakahashiii Manicurist: Lauren Michelle Pires | @LaurenMichellePires Tailor: Ian Hundley Produced by: North Six | @NorthSix

Olivia Rodrigo is such a dreamy California girl and this cover really gets me California dreaming every time I look at it—I can literally feel the sand beneath feet! Plus, there’s a nice bit of fab fashion courtesy of Sarah Burton for Givenchy thrown in for good measure. I love everything about it, especially the fact that Olivia is barefoot. She just looks totally free. @laurajanecoulson shot the cover and is an absolutely gorgeous surfer babe with curly Rapunzel hair, so the vibe of this shoot couldn’t be more her. There’s been a lot of discussion about the chair, an aspect of the cover that I personally love. I recently asked Laura about the chair, and she said she used it simply to catch the sunlight as it was fading. Somehow it all worked out really beautifully. It was great to work with my dear friend and colleague @jordenbickham who I’ve known for years. I especially loved that she included my personal vintage holy grail jacket in the story—a pleated pink and gold Junya piece I’ve been hunting down for ages. It’s just the right shade of pink, a bit like the sunset. @OliviaRodrigo  photographed by @LauraJaneCoulson and styled by @JordenBickham , with hair by @TamasTuzes , make-up by @EmiKaneko , nails by @Nails_By_Yoko , set design by @JeremyReimnitz and production by @CTDInc for the April 2026 issue of @BritishVogue .

Co-hosted the second annual @britishvogue x @britishgq fashion and film party on Sunday night and had an absolute ball!! It all went down at the newly opened Simpsons on the strand, which is freaking gorgeous. I got to wear my dress of dreams from John Galliano’s fall 2001 Dior collection thanks to Jefferson of the fantastic fashion archive @oneofakind.archive . He’s an absolute legend and has so much style ( see slide 2☺️) The party was a chance to give my co-host and dear colleague @adambaidawi an unofficial send off before he starts his big job at American GQ. Adam, we will miss you! Skye Newman performed and totally blew me away as did all my fab co-hosts, Michael B Jordan, Jessie Buckley, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Odessa A’Zion, Ethan Hawke, and Riz Ahmed. Thanks to the glam team of dreams🥰 @charlottemensah and @adamdecruz

I’ve long been a fan by Jessie Buckley, but watching her utterly stirring portrayal of Shakespeare’s wife Agnes in “Hamnet” was more moving than I could have ever imagined—it literally ripped my heart out! In fact I think everyone in the screening room was bawling their eyes out! Shot by photographer Jack Davison on the windswept coastline near her home in Norfolk, the images of Buckley in this issue are nothing short of cinematic and capture the epic mood of her unstoppable rise. As Vogue’s @hayleymaitland writes in her terrific profile of the unassuming star, “her journey from rural Ireland to this year’s Oscars could be a film in itself.” She really deserves all the awards and I couldn’t be prouder to have her on the cover. ❤️ #JessieBuckley photographed by @JackDavisonPhoto and styled by @RaphaelHirsch , with hair by @ShioriTakahashi , make-up by @NiamhQuin , set design by @AliceKpk and production by @MiniTitleLTD . With thanks to George Wilcox and Seb Cassibba.

Of course there was only ever one person we had in mind for our first best dressed British Vogue cover story: the inimitable @adwoaaboah 🌹🌹 Seriously she just gets cooler, smarter and more beautiful with every year. @alnewboldsmith captures it perfectly in her interview too. ❤️ AdwoaAboah photographed by @Studio_Jackson and styled by @TabithaSimmons , with hair by @CyndiaHarvey , make-up by @Petros_Petrohilos , nails by @AmaQuashie and production by @_Honor.Agency .

Between mercury retrograde and the super moon, there’s been all kinds of drama in the air this week! The divine Margot Robbie is giving just the kind of pure drama I love on this cover. She was an absolute joy to work with, game for anything—even the rain machine after dark! British Vogue’s brilliant film and culture editor @rad.seth spoke to Margot for the story to get the full scoop on Wuthering Heights which, like pretty much everyone else, I’m dying to see. Shot by @mikaeljansson and styled by @robbiespencer , the shoot evokes a kind of pulse-racing, breathless romantic mood that is pure fashion fantasy. 🥀 Hair by @BryceScarlett , make-up by @PatiDubroff , nails by @AmaQuashie , tailoring by @_DellaGeorge , set design by @MaxBellhouse and production by @HolmesProduction , with thanks to @FirlePlace , East Sussex.

Any excuse to wear this dream dress by my gorgeous and supremely talented friend @simonerocha_ , but the Fashion Awards is an especially good one. Had to crash @franragazzi ’s hotel room cos getting ready is the best part ☺️ Congrats to all night’s winner and go google @anokyai ’s speech when you get a chance ❤️

Can’t get enough of Millie in this gorgeous McQueen dress! We shot this on drizzly summer’s day just outside London. Usually shooting in the rain is a real downer, but something about the moody sky is kind of really right for now. And frankly Millie was just having too much fun with the sweet animals on the farm to be bothered by any of it. It blows my mind that she’s been famous since the age of 10. As her smash-hit TV series Stranger Things comes to a close this month, Brown is entering an exciting new chapter of her life, professionally and personally. Indeed this Christmas will mark her first as a new mum. “Perspective is a huge thing,” Brown tells @miss_zing , who traveled to Atalanta where the actor lives with her husband and newly adopted daughter. “The smaller things in life are so much more precious.” Special thanks to @SebastianFaena and my dear friend @Stella_Greenspan do making the magic happen for this cover story🩷 #MillieBobbyBrown photographed by @SebastianFaena and styled by @Stella_Greenspan , with hair by @ShonJu , make-up by @BeccaWordingham , nails by @RobbieTomkins , prop styling by @ThomasConantStudio and production by @Petty_Cash_Production .