Fickleness of Fashion: Vogue China launches early

Vogue China has hit the newstands in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, two weeks in advance of its September launch date. In yet another volte-face from the international fashion bible, the much-speculated Gisele Bundchen cover was cancelled in favour of Western Australian gamine Gemma Ward, the 17-year-old veteran of 13 Vogue covers. Styled by French Vogue doyenne Carine Roitfeld and shot by renowned fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier in Shanghai, the gatefold cover features Ward in typical doe-eyed mode, flanked by five equally sultry Chinese models including Miss China 2003 Du Juan and Shanghainese beauty Wang Wenqin.

The debut issue features 430 glossy pages of both international and locally shot editorials, and confidently sponsored by fashion's power players Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada et al through generous advertising. To further entice China's style-conscious elite, the magazine comes with a Vogue tote bag and all-important A/W runway fashion supplement. According to industry authority Women's Wear Daily, Vogue China has already become the style bible for Chinese fashion designers and consumers alike, with many news agencies selling out of the first issue mere hours after its launch.

UPDATE: Shanghai Streets has several related images on Flickr: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Vogue China cover from Danwei.