Modern Romance.(Editorial)

Byline: Anna Wintour

In fashion, there is a persistent dichotomy between linear, architectonic design and design with a much stronger narrative element--romantic, say, or bohemian or Victorian. It's the difference between clothes that remind you of aesthetics and clothes that remind you of the world (of pirates or empires or summers of love). I'd say that the latter impulse is a perennial: Each season, there's always something for the woman who loves Dries Van Noten and Marni, and loves to have a year-round garden party in her closet. And it's with her in mind that this month, which is our most gloriously unapologetic fashion issue of the year, Craig McDean and Tabitha Simmons offer us an inspiring master class on how to wear florals in the fall ("On a Whim," page 710). David Sims and Grace Coddington, for their part, celebrate Alexander McQueen's celebration of a tree in East Essex. Anyone fascinated, as I am, by the magical roots of visual ideas must read Mark Holgate's interview with McQueen ("Noble Endeavor," page 720).

All that said, fashion's most powerful current right now takes us into the more self-referential and rigorously chic tradition. We're not talking about the hard minimalism of the nineties, which reduced many of us to shadows cocooned in black gabardine trouser suits. We're talking about a streamlined silhouette that's intriguing and tactile because of shine (sequins will do that for a woman), sumptuous fabrics, and a distinctly feminine cut. Go straight to Steven Klein and Tonne Goodman's mesmerizing portfolio, "Self-Reflection," page 696, for all that shimmers; and, for discreet urban drama, to Mario Testino and Coddington's adventure in Berlin with Keira Knightley ("Wanderlust," page 666).

In putting together these stories, we were always conscious that fashion may not be, in this period of economic and political uncertainty, at the forefront of our readers' minds. We've tried, therefore, to edit the collections with value for money in mind--clothes and accessories that are look-changing (see Horacio Salinas and Elissa Santisi's "Objets d'Art," page 772) and inspiring, and that speak to one's most long-term affiliations and inclinations. It's not the best time to buy for the season: far better to invest in your closet.

Thus, in the View section, we present a guide to designers who are specialists in key items and for that reason more relevant (not to mention more brilliant) than ever. It's by no means a definitive list, but it offers a strategy for wardrobe-building beyond trends.

Adam Green, our theater critic, always takes a long view when thinking about the stage and the talents who emerge from it. In this issue, he discusses two exciting coming-of-age debuts on Broadway: those of Daniel Radcliffe, who with Peter Shaffer's Equus graduates from Hogwarts to a thoroughly grown-up career as a major thespian, and the ...