Takashi Murakami's Smiling Mount Fuji Character Appears on Cover of 'Vogue Japan'
As part of a global ‘Vogue’ initiative centered around the theme of hope.
This year has been an unprecedented one — from the global COVID-19 pandemic to the Black Lives Matter protests combatting police brutality to the ever-growing urgency of climate change. As the world grapples with how to move forward, all 26 Vogue editions across the world are uniting in solidarity under the theme of hope for the first time in the magazine’s 128-year history. Published in 19 languages, all of the global editions of Vogue aim to unite millions of readers worldwide with a positive vision of the future. For the cover of Vogue Japan‘s hope-themed issue, Takashi Murakami has given an iconic Japanese landmark a playful spin.
Inspired by his new work titled Cherry Blossoms Fujiyama JAPAN, an image of Mount Fuji graces the cover of the magazine, complete with eyes and a bright smile. Cherry blossoms, rendered in Murakami’s distinct style, float in the air on a checkerboard background, while “VOGUE” stands out above the mountain. In front of Mount Fuji, Murakami’s well-know characters Kaikai and Kiki stand next to a Japanese temple — similar to the five-storied Chureito Pagoda located near the mountain — and a traditional red torii. Within each edition, a global Hope portfolio of imagery has been handpicked by each Vogue editor-in-chief. Vogue Japan also includes an exclusive interview with Murakami and specially-designed stickers.
“We all need hope in our lives, now more than ever,” says Anna Wintour, Vogue‘s Editor-in-Chief. “So at this tumultuous time, Vogue decided to bring all the global editions together around this optimistic, humane, forward-looking theme. Hope may be hard to find at a moment of crisis, but it also feels more essential than ever. It’s part of our shared humanity, a source of delight and inspiration, and keeps us focused on a brighter future.”
Check out Murakami’s cover for Vogue Japan above and expect the other editions to continue to launch throughout the rest of September.
In case you missed it, check out the costumes Burberry designed for Marina Abramović’s new music-theater work called 7 Deaths of Maria Callas.
