"Proud as a Peacock": An Historic and Semiotic Analysis of Illustrated "Vogue" Magazine Covers from 1909 and 1911

Readers should be able to tell the character of a fashion magazine before they open the issue by looking at the cover illustration. During the height of the golden era of illustration, magazine covers became important and popular and illustrators made them into works of fine art. In 1909 Conde Montrose Nast chose a peacock, along with several other symbols, to be placed on the cover of Vogue, and these symbols became synonymous with the magazine. From that point on the magazine distanced itself from the competition, as Vogue became the leader among fashion magazines. Historic and semiotic analysis of four illustrated Vogue covers revealed how the symbols on the covers represented the world of fashion and helped to create a successful magazine.