Lila ascends to British Vogue cover

That's Lila Moss, in case you didn't know. And yes, it matters. 

Lila Moss for British Vogue, Photographs by Steven Meisel

That's Lila Moss, in case you didn't know. And yes, it matters. 

This article is an not-so expert opinion provided by The Oz's Digital Producer Geordie Gray.

The fact that British Vogue's cover star is the offspring of Kate Moss is important for a few reasons.   

The shoot in Edward Enniful's brilliant Vogue is stunning and playful. There’s a delightfully weird resin top from Loewe (who are on a winning streak btw, see, Emma Corrin’s balloon-festooned dress worn to the Olivier Awards.) Lila is charming, polite, obviously bright, and attractively self-effacing.

Emma Corrin attends The Olivier Awards 2022. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images.

Something is stopping me from totally enjoying it. It was never a matter of if but when Lila would claim the most coveted cover in fashion right now. There's literally zero element of surprise. The shoot, the brilliant makeup and styling does the heavy lifting here. 

I can’t help but mourn the fateful, serendipitous stories of models plucked from obscurity. Teenagers who’s futures could have been dead end were they not spotted at a supermarket. These fairytales play into fashion mythology and there's a grittiness to the success - a messiness too - that made the 1990s supermodel era so wild.

Naomi Campbell was scouted by the legendary Beth Boldt of Synchro Model Agency whilst window-shopping in London’s Covent Garden. Kate Moss herself, the daughter of a barmaid and airline employee was recruited by Storm Management founder Sarah Doukas at JFK Airport.

The ‘It’ models of the moment: Kendall Jenner, the Hadids, Hailey Bieber, Lily Rose-Depp, Kaia Gerber, Iris Law, all had the luxury of being born into good connections.

These girls work hard (witness the sinister wrath of Yolanda Hadid on Real Housewives), and they are good at what they do, sometimes even great (Bella Hadid). But it’s hard to root for Lila Moss.

It’s not that people should have to experience a certain threshold of hardship to enjoy a life filled with good things. But please, are we expected to read this:

“I love baths,” she enthuses. “I used to have an amazing view from my bath in Highgate…” She trails off. Her eyes well up and tears begin spilling down her freckled, heart-shaped face. “Oh my god,” she squeals, hands fluttering as she accepts a napkin. “I was not expecting that!”

This moment feels like the culminations of our culture’s obsession with the 90s. Seeing the children of famous celebrities evokes a nostalgia. Lila's cover lacks the spark of Corrine Day’s revelatory The 3rd Summer of Love shoot for the The Face, starring a 16-year-old Kate Moss, freckled, in Birkenstocks and totally glorious - but it's very pretty all the same. 

The 3rd Summer of Love, Kate Moss shot by Corrine Day for The Face.