British Vogue – September 2026

Summary

Nicole Kidman, newly single and "going forward with an enormous sense of hope," fronts British Vogue's September 2026 Big Fashion Issue wearing Stella McCartney and Hermes. Inside, 18 pages of Brit young things redefine modelling, Demna reveals his Fomo vision for Gucci, Charlotte Mensah returns to Accra with Zadie Smith, and coats, couture and cult designers dominate 248 pages of fashion, beauty and culture.

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Chioma Nnadi's second September issue as editor opens with her own hair story—a mortifying school trip Afro and a Battersea stylist who gave up mid-blow-dry—before she introduces a lineup heavy on British talent and personal reinvention. Giles Hattersley profiles Nicole Kidman at a turning point; eight new model faces, shot by Rafael Pavarotti in Buffalo-style swagger, span ages 19 to 27. Nathan Heller sits down with Demna six months into his Gucci tenure as the Georgian designer talks Italian-ness, punk confidence and creating Fomo. Zadie Smith joins Charlotte Mensah in Ghana ahead of her 40-year-career Community Matters exhibition at Ladbroke Hall. Dylan Law, Hackney's 20-year-old Green deputy mayor, is profiled as "an antidote to the GB News-ification of public discourse." Gaby Wood reports on how Marta Ortega Pérez is taking Zara higher.

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Regular columns include Vogue Scene (A Stitch in Time: an Irish craft goes couture), Vogue Lifestyle (Open All Hours: inside The Pembroke), Viewpoint (Rachael Stirling on how Diana Rigg broke the habit of a lifetime), Vogue Values (Gillian Anderson on finding confidence in fashion) and Beauty & Wellness (Director's Cut on nostalgia-inspired make-up, a nutrition reset by Rose Ferguson, and Black hair in choreography). Stockists and the Vogue Asks Q&A with Sarah Jessica Parker round out the issue. Reader takeaway: this issue delivers both escapist fashion spectacle and a grounded editorial voice that knows its readers' real lives.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Fashion & Features

p.130 · Practically Magic
Giles Hattersley visits Nicole Kidman as she navigates life after marriage, embracing mistakes and keeping her heart open. Photographed by Venetia Scott in looks from Stella McCartney and Dolce & Gabbana, the 22-page feature includes make-up by Clé de Peau Beauté (£131 Radiant Fluid Foundation, £59 Triumphant Tawny lipstick) and hair by Adir Abergel using Virtue Labs. Close with the takeaway: pair a red lip with an Hermes leather tote for Kidman's off-duty polish.

p.142 · Brit Young Things
Olivia Singer profiles eight faces redefining modelling: Jacqui Hooper, 22; Bebe Parnell, 21; Charlie Jones, 19; Ella Dalton, 20; Charlotte Boggia, 19; Monet-Lauren Gordon, 27; Cathy Simmons, 22; Layla Etengan, 20. Rafael Pavarotti shoots them in throwback Buffalo-style swagger styled by Kate Phelan. Use the spread as a scouting reference for casting directors seeking authentic, unpolished young energy.

p.178 · Demna Dares
Nathan Heller interviews Gucci's creative director six months into his Milan debut. Demna describes his vision as "creating this Fomo—the chic, the elegance, the Italian-ness of it," adding "it's quite punk, in a way—like, 'I like myself and I don't care what other people think.'" Portrait by Rineke Dijkstra. Apply his confidence-first mindset to your own wardrobe: wear one polarising piece as the anchor.

p.190 · Home Team
Zadie Smith travels to Accra with award-winning hairstylist Charlotte Mensah, whose Portobello Road salon Hair Lounge has built a decade-long client relationship with the novelist. The trip precedes Mensah's 40-year-career exhibition Community Matters at Ladbroke Hall in September, photographed by Manny Jefferson. Read it to understand how a loyal client-provider bond can become a creative collaboration.

p.196 · Amily Affair
Gaby Wood reports on how Marta Ortega Pérez is taking Zara to new heights, photographed by Annie Leibovitz and styled by Karl Templer. The feature examines the Inditex heiress's quiet but decisive influence on the fast-fashion giant's design direction. Walk away knowing that Ortega Perez prioritises quality fabric and architectural silhouettes over trend-chasing.

p.186 · Law Studies
Nosheen Iqbal introduces Dylan Law, Hackney's 20-year-old Green deputy mayor elected in May, photographed by Campbell Addy. Iqbal calls Law "an antidote to the GB News-ification of public discourse" and "a breath of fresh air." His story proves young local politicians can cut through noise with authenticity rather than outrage.

▸ Beauty & Wellness

p.118 · Director's Cut
Funmi Fetto explores nostalgia-inspired make-up, with techniques that reference 1990s and early-2000s film and runway looks. The feature links emotional memory to colour and texture choices. Practical tip: layer a sheer gloss over a matte lip to recreate the decade's signature contrast without full-coverage weight.

p.123 · Food for Thought
Rose Ferguson delivers a nutrition reset built around whole foods, gut health and sustainable energy. The plan avoids extreme restriction and focuses on consistent meal timing. Use her framework to build a weekly eating rhythm that supports both skin clarity and mental focus.

▸ Arts & Culture / Viewpoint

p.108 · Master Strokes
Alice Newell-Hanson covers artist Salman Toor's exhibition at London's Courtauld Gallery. Toor's figurative paintings blend queer intimacy with art-historical references, bringing a fresh perspective to the museum's collection. Let his work remind you that personal narrative can sit comfortably within classical tradition.

p.104 · Smoking Age
Rachael Stirling writes about how her mother, Dame Diana Rigg, broke the habit of a lifetime. The personal essay uses smoking as a lens onto Rigg's character, discipline and post-war British womanhood. It models how a single, everyday behaviour can anchor a multi-layered family profile.

▸ Vogue Values / Regulars

p.112 · Show & Tell
Gillian Anderson writes about finding confidence through fashion, exploring how clothes became armour and expression during her career. The piece traces specific outfits that marked turning points. Use her method: identify one garment that makes you feel powerful and wear it on days you need a psychological lift.

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Editor's Take

The September Big Fashion Issue is British Vogue's heaviest hitter of the year, and Chioma Nnadi delivers a confident, personality-driven edit that balances commerce with genuine editorial voice. The Nicole Kidman cover delivers the expected star wattage, but the real strength lies in the supporting cast: a 20-year-old Green deputy mayor, eight unknown models shot with real attitude, and Zadie Smith's intimate Ghana travelogue. The weakest stretch is the beauty section, which at 12 pages feels thin compared to the 70+ pages of fashion and features—two of the three beauty pieces are single-page spreads that don't dig deep enough. The issue is also light on practical shopping content; readers looking for high-street buys or wearable price points will find little below three figures. That said, for readers who want cultural heft, genuine novelty (a Gucci creative director who still surprises, a Paddington Bear fashion tribute at The Savoy), and an editor who writes about her own hair disasters with disarming honesty, this is the strongest British Vogue September issue in years.

Strengths
• Chioma Nnadi's deeply personal Editor's Letter sets a new tone
• 8-model Brit Young Things spread is genuinely fresh casting
• Demna interview lands exclusive access six months into Gucci tenure

Weaknesses
• Beauty section under-invested at 12 pages with thin edit
• Near-zero high-street or sub-£100 product recommendations

Verdict: Essential — British Vogue's most culturally relevant September issue in years, anchored by an editor who trusts her own voice.