To wrap a bow around our year of covers, V brings you a stunning new star ⭐️ on the rise: Milena Smit, the Spanish-born girl-with-the-Libra-tattoo who’s become director Pedro Almodóvar’s new muse, seen this year in his Parallel Mothers film opposite Penélope Cruz.

Shot for us just two weeks ago in Madrid by photographer Alvaro Beamud Cortés, Milena was interviewed by V’s Digital Director Mathias Rosenzweig about how she was discovered, what it was like working with industry icons, and her hopes for the future. For her digital covers, Milena’s otherworldly beauty is amplified in looks from Chanel Resort ‘22 and Loewe SS22.

V are proud of the milestones we’ve reached this year, while remaining incredibly grateful to the contributors, subscribers, creatives, and supporters of all kinds who’ve made these wins possible. 

In 2021 V kicked off the year with a cover starring Andra Day channeling her character from The United States vs. Billie Holiday, a role for which she nabbed an Oscar nomination. 

V shot the world’s top supermodels, including Precious Lee, Imaan Hammam, Naomi Campbell, Hailey Bieber, and Bella Hadid, for our 2021 calendar with Emporio Armani.

V joined with Chanel and global talents like Margot Robbie, Lily-Rose Depp, Selma Blair, Chloë Sevigny, and JENNIE of Blackpink, in presenting ‘The Chanel Book’, a hardbound portfolio and interview series by image creators Inez & Vinoodh, highlighting the French fashion house’s blueprint for modern femininity.

V successfully launched LOIS Jeans + V DENIM over the summer, a capsule collection in collaboration with the Spanish denim company.

VMAN gave rising music superstar Lil Nas X his first high fashion, glossy magazine cover story in our 47th print issue.

V broke 2.3 million followers on V Magazine’s Instagram account, as well as 228+ thousand followers on VMAN’s Instagram account. 

V’s final issue of the year, #133, featured a four-part print cover series and photographic portfolio with Madonna, interviewed by playwright Jeremy O. Harris and captured by photographer Steven Klein. This issue broke previous V sales records, surpassing 20+ years of business operations and bringing a new swathe of readers to our pages. 

In all, V launched 6 V Magazine print covers, 2 VMAN Magazine print covers, 17 digital V covers, and 20 digital VMAN covers—THAT’S 45 COVER LAUNCHES IN ONE YEAR. So if you’ve been wondering if the magazine business is alive and well, V are here to tell you: IT IS!

And what does 2022 hold for us? Our first print cover of the new year will launch on January 4, so just wait and see!

V want to wish you a happy holiday and a joyous new year, and we’d like to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for the love and support you gave throughout 2021. V truly could not do what it does without you, and we hope this very personal note finds you in good health and good spirits.

    — Stephen Gan and the editors of V + VMAN

VMAGAZINE and VMAN 2021 Covers