British Vogue – January 2026

Summary

Margot Robbie, wearing Chanel silk satin, fronts British Vogue's January 2026 "Pure Drama" issue ahead of her role as Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights. Inside, 9 style icons in the making shot by Collier Schorr, Lena Dunham on face tape versus surgery, Paddington Bear's illustrious Savoy legacy, and painter Rose Wylie prepares for her biggest show yet.

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Chioma Nnadi's January issue leans into creative risk-taking. Radhika Seth meets Margot Robbie as the world awaits her take on Emily Bronte's heroine, photographed by Mikael Jansson in 24 pages of fashion storytelling. Collier Schorr photographs nine emerging style icons in "I'll Do It My Way." Lena Dunham investigates face tape as beauty's hottest anti-ageing hack—and whether it can compete with a facelift. Raven Smith writes about Paddington Bear's cultural ascent, culminating in a residency at The Savoy. Charlotte Jansen visits painter Rose Wylie in her Kent home studio ahead of a landmark exhibition. The tailoring feature "Sharp Relief" showcases brave new lines for 2026, shot by Dan Jackson. Beauty covers winter skin refresh, five lip hybrids, and the rise of AI therapy. Robin Muir traces how Elsa Schiaparelli turned fashion into art in the Now & Then column.

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Regulars include Editor's Eye by Olivia Marks, Vogue Scene (Artist & Muse: free-form fashion, It Takes Two: the creative duo behind August Barron), Vogue Loves (Open Goals: the bags carrying into spring/summer), Spotlight (One More Time: giving clothes a second chance), and Viewpoint (Joy Story: Tamar Adler on food, gratitude and me). Vogue Lifestyle profiles Ravinder Bhogal building her culinary empire. Beauty & Wellness runs Director's Cut (five lip hybrids), Tech Support (AI therapy), and Face Studies (winter skin refresh). Stockists and Vogue Asks with Amy Powney close the issue. Practical take: the lip-hybrid guide in Director's Cut names five products that double as treatment and colour—skip the single-use lip mask.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Fashion & Features

p.76 · In The Heights
Radhika Seth meets Margot Robbie as the world awaits Wuthering Heights. Photographed by Mikael Jansson and styled by Robbie Spencer, Robbie wears Chanel and speaks about bringing Catherine Earnshaw to the screen. The 24-page feature is both a career profile and a fashion narrative. Use it as a case study in how an actor and a magazine can co-create a cover story that serves both the film's release and the brand partnerships.

p.100 · I'll Do It My Way
Collier Schorr photographs nine need-to-know style icons in the making, styled by Yohana Lebasi. The spread introduces emerging personalities who are defining their own visual language rather following trends. Scouting takeaway: the styling mix of vintage and emerging-designer pieces signals where fashion hiring is headed.

p.110 · Mad About The Bear
Raven Smith on how Paddington Bear cements his illustrious legacy at The Savoy in London. The feature traces the character's journey from children's literature to luxury hotel residency. A masterclass in how intellectual property can cross into hospitality without losing its soul.

p.112 · La View Rose
Charlotte Jansen visits painter Rose Wylie in her Kent home studio as she prepares for her biggest show yet. Photographs by Maureen Martinez-Evans capture Wylie's working process in her 80s. Takeaway: a disciplined daily studio practice matters more than gallery calendar pressure.

p.118 · The Final Stretch
Lena Dunham investigates face tape as beauty's hottest anti-ageing hack and asks whether it can compete with surgery. The essay balances personal experimentation with expert interviews. Bottom line: temporary lifting works for one evening, but don't expect structural change from a strip of adhesive.

p.122 · Sharp Relief
Dan Jackson photographs the tailoring story of the season: smart design and brave new lines for 2026, styled by Tabitha Simmons. The spread focuses on architectural shoulders, precise waist suppression and fluid trousers. Use the silhouettes as a tailoring checklist for your next suit purchase.

▸ Beauty & Wellness

p.66 · Face Studies
Morgan Fargo delivers your winter skin refresh: a cold-weather routine built around barrier repair and humidity compensation. The feature names specific ingredient categories (ceramides, glycerin, urea) rather than single brands. Apply the principle: switch to a cream cleanser and add one occlusive layer before bed.

p.70 · Director's Cut
Jessica Diner on five lip hybrids that go above and beyond—products that combine colour, treatment and SPF in one bullet. The category is growing as consumers demand multitasking. Smart buy: one hybrid stick replaces three separate products in a evening bag.

p.72 · Tech Support
Kathleen Baird-Murray on the rise of AI therapy: chatbot mental-health platforms, their efficacy data and ethical questions. The piece does not endorse any single app but maps the landscape. Balanced take: AI therapy works for triage and journaling prompts; it does not replace a human clinician for trauma work.

▸ Arts & Culture / Viewpoint

p.60 · Joy Story
Tamar Adler on food, gratitude and me. The Viewpoint essay uses specific meals and kitchen rituals to explore how cooking builds emotional resilience. Real-world use: Adler's method of naming three ingredients you are grateful for before a meal can reframe a stressful day.

p.65 · Haute Topic
Robin Muir traces how Elsa Schiaparelli turned fashion into art in the Now & Then column, linking the surrealist designer's 1930s collaborations with contemporary commercial crossovers. Historical anchor: Schiaparelli's partnership with Salvador Dali set the template for every designer-artist collaboration that followed.

▸ Spotlight / In Vogue

p.53 · Hold The Line
Olivia Marks interviews director Kaouther Ben Hania about her deeply moving, must-watch film. The discussion covers the director's narrative approach and the political urgency behind the story. Filmmaking takeaway: Ben Hania's method of blending documentary and fiction creates emotional access that pure reporting cannot reach.

p.57 · Action Man
Shaad D'Souza profiles Guillaume Marbeck as he arrives on the international stage. The In Vogue piece introduces a figure poised for wider recognition. Use it to spot an emerging talent before the mainstream market catches up.

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Editor's Take

The January "Pure Drama" issue is British Vogue firing on all cylinders: a genuine A-list cover star (Margot Robbie, pre-Wuthering Heights hype), two ambitious photo essays (Collier Schorr's style-icons portfolio, Mikael Jansson's Robbie shoot), and Lena Dunham's face-tape essay that earns its 6 pages with real reporting. The strongest editorial bet is the 9-page "I'll Do It My Way" spread—fresh faces, no obvious hired-guns, styled with actual risk. The weakest section is the beauty edit: Face Studies and Director's Cut together run only 5 pages, and Tech Support on AI therapy sits oddly in a beauty section. The travel and lifestyle content is minimal (one Ravinder Bhogal restaurant profile, no dedicated travel section). For a January issue—historically a low-advertising month—this one delivers strong value. The ad pages that are present (Dior cosmetics, Chanel fragrance) integrate cleanly into the fashion story rather than interrupting it.

Strengths
• Margot Robbie cover story is 24 pages of cinema-fashion hybrid storytelling
• Collier Schorr's 9-icon spread introduces genuinely new faces
• Lena Dunham's face-tape investigation balances scepticism with curiosity

Weaknesses
• Beauty section underpowered at 5 editorial pages
• No dedicated travel or lifestyle feature to balance the fashion weight

Verdict: Essential — A January issue that refuses to coast; the strongest pure-fashion edit of British Vogue's 2026 cycle so far.