Vogue playing catch-up after WSJ and Elle run nearly identical covers

See more of our coverage in your search results. In fashion, there’s no greater sin than being behind the trend. And unfortunately for Vogue, that’s exactly where they are with the cover of its November issue. The magazine unveiled a cover starring Jenna Ortega Thursday, featuring the “Wednesday” star photographed by Szilveszter Makó in his signature painterly, box-like setup. The problem? The Wall Street Journal Magazine used the same photographer and concept for a cover starring Gigi Hadid earlier this week, and Elle used Makó and his same schtick for a Hunter Schafer cover that hit three days ago. Vogue unveiled its Jenna Ortega cover, featuring the “Wednesday” star photographed by Szilveszter Makó in his signature painterly, box-like setup. Szilveszter Makó Elle released a cover featuring Hunter Schafer snapped by the very same photographer in a very similar style just days before Vogue’s November edition was revealed. Szilveszter Makó/Elle And that’s not all. Makó used a similar aesthetic for Interview’s September issue with Sandra Bullock, while British Vogue, Vogue Albania and Vogue Philippines have also featured his work this summer. “This is a giant screw-up,” a fashion media source told Page Six. “Vogue is the leader. It’s bad and unheard of. We don’t know the timing of the shoots, but it’s irresponsible from the photographer’s side not to let the magazines know they’re doing the same concept.” The source added: “The fact that Vogue is the last — and I love [editor] Chloe Malle and the covers — it’s so unlike Vogue.” “I have never, ever, ever seen anything like this before,” the insider said. A week before Vogue’s Jenna Ortega cover, WSJ Magazine released its cover, featuring Gigi Hadid, also shot by the same photographer in his iconic art-like set up. WSJ Magazine The photographer responsible for all these shoots is Szilveszter Makó, who is famous for his signature painterly, box-like setup. He snapped this picture of Jenna Ortega. Szilveszter Makó There’s another eyebrow-raiser: Ortega’s Vogue cover and Hadid’s WSJ spread feature the same Balenciaga Couture feather dress in their inside pages. “How did Balenciaga lend this dress to everyone?” the source wondered. The insider praised Hadid’s shoot as the strongest of the bunch, calling it “superior” and singling out its sophisticated styling. The situation also raises questions about an old fashion-magazine tradition: photographer exclusivity. Vogue once kept major names such as Steven Meisel close to the Condé Nast fold, but tighter budgets have made such arrangements harder to maintain, the source said. There’s another eyebrow-raiser: Ortega’s Vogue cover and Hadid’s WSJ spread feature the same Balenciaga Couture feather dress (pictured) in their inside pages. Szilveszter Makó Fashion insiders are calling the magazines’ overlap “a giant screw-up.” Szilveszter Makó/Elle Still, the insider stressed that Makó is talented and deserves a long career — he just needs to learn the etiquette of a business built on exclusivity. A source close to the matter said Hadid’s cover was conceptualized in March and shot in July as a photo-driven, digital-only couture feature. “Any visual similarities across Szilveszter’s work are a reflection of his well-known signature aesthetic,” they told us. Another source told us, “There is a lack of creativity with all these magazines. It seems like a big coincidence or a big joke. I don’t hate the photos, but it’s bad timing for them.” Page Six has reached out to Szilveszter Makó and reps for Vogue, Elle and WSJ Magazine. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!