And we do mean literally, not figuratively. Living up to her Italian namesake, fashion and celebrity photography duo Luigi and Iango honor the pop star’s 40 year career with a cover and series of symbolic photos for the ICON issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
Luigi and Iango Madonna photos
Having just announced her new world tour, Celebration, and an upcoming film about her life, Madonna is once again in the spotlight. And with the striking cover and accompanying interview photos of the living legend for the magazine in Italy, France and Spain, it’s assured she’ll remain trending for awhile.
It’s wild to see this 2023 editorial when compared with the last two times we featured Madonna in magazines: in this 2010 ad campaign for Dolce e Gabbana and then again in 2104 with these wild photos by Mert & Marcus for Interview magazine.
This time photographers Luigi and Iango went all out – with an enormous team of 80 people worldwide – to immortalize her further.
In an ambitious photographic series with fabulous sets and styling, she is The Virgin Mary, a female Christ at an all-women The Last Supper and other embodiments of spirituality and religion.
Madonna, who’s been criticized by the Catholic Church multiple times for her songs and music videos, was raised as a Catholic but tells Vanity Fair’s Simone Marchetti “I think it’s important to have a pattern of rituals and a spiritual life. But I also think that religion without understanding, without knowledge, without curiosity and inclusiveness cannot be considered religion. Religion is not joining an exclusive or extremist group. Religion is respecting other religions. Religion is encouraging people to understand what they believe and to study what they believe instead of adhering to a dogma which without study and understanding would be empty and sterile.” – Madonna, Vanity Fair
In the photographer’s own words via Instagram, “This ambitious project was born as a tribute for 40 years of unique career of the queen of pop culture. We wanted to create a symbolic shoot where the beauty of the images can be humbly told through strong themes that have marked the extraordinary committed, spiritual journey of a strong woman who is able to challenge herself. A woman who never ceases to inspire, to provoke, makes you think and move the world forward through tolerance, love light and commitment , ♥️ a Madonna of hearts ♥️ A poetic declaration of love to a very great artist and a wonderful friend, who gives us everything as usual. We feel very privileged to have her in our life.”
Capturing and depicting celebrities as Icons is certainly not a new concept. You may recall the wonderful painted photo series by Pierre et Gilles, Factory of Idols, we shared with you here
Follow Luigi&Iango on Instagram @luigiandiango
Read the full interview and see all the photos and credits here
Credits:
fashion director B. AKERLUND
fashion editor MICHAEL PHILOUZE \
producer MARCUS CHANG @ Batu Projects
casting ML MCCARTHY
set designer COOPER VASQUEZ
location THE 1896 STUDIOS & STAGES
lighting director DEAN DODOS
digital tech KEVIN LAVALLADE @ D Factory
make-up for Madonna Stephane Marais
hair for Madonna Andy LeCompte @ Andy LeCompte Salon
Madonna manicurist Naomi Yasuda @ Forward Artists
make-up
Liselotte Van Saarloos @ The Wall Group
Sil Bruinsma @ The Wall Group
Georgi Sandev @ Forward Artists using Chanel \
hair
Gonn Kinoshita @ The Wall Group using Oribe
Sasha Nesterchuk @ Artist Management Miami using Kerastase
and Bumble & Bumble haircare
special fx make-up
emily schubert
all photos courtesy of Vanity Fair Italy and LUIGI&IANGO