Iconic photographer Peter Lindbergh photographs the cover of British Vogue’s September 2019 issue, guest edited by Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex guest edits British Vogue’s September 2019 issue, considered the most important issue of the year. Editor-in-chief-Edward Enninful invited Meghan to appear on the cover, but she declined, saying it would be considered “boastful”. With minions clamoring to criticize the Duchess at every turn in the road, declining was absolutely the correct decision.

Instead, the September 2019 British Vogue cover features 15 women who are “trailblazing changemakers, united by their fearlessness in breaking barriers”, according to a statement issued by Buckingham Palace.

The female ensemble of “trailblazing changemakers” includes activist actor Jane Fonda, climate change advocate, 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and supermodel now maternal health advocate Christy Turlington Burns.

Markle has worked on the project for seven months, connecting with Michelle Obama and persuading her husband Prince Harry to join the dialogue with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall.

Rounding out the list are Adwoa Aboah, mental health campaigner and model; Adut Akech, Model and former refugee (although she says she will always be a refugee); Ramla Ali, boxer; Sinead Burke, diversity advocate and lecturer; Gemma Chan, campaigner and actor; Laverne Cox, LGBTQIA+ advocate and actor; Salma Hayek Pinault, actor, producer and women’s rights advocate; Francesca Hayward, royal ballet principal dancer; Jameela Jamil, body positivity advocate and actor; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author and feminist; and Yara Shahidi, founder of Eighteen x 18 and actor (and adored by Michelle Obama).

Meghan said: “These last seven months have been a rewarding process, curating and collaborating with Edward Enninful, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief, to take the year’s most-read fashion issue and steer its focus to the values, causes and people making impact in the world today.

“Through this lens I hope you’ll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover as well as the team of support I called upon within the issue to help bring this to light.

“I hope readers feel as inspired as I do by the forces for change they’ll find within these pages.”

"To have the country's most influential beacon of change guest edit British Vogue at this time has been an honour, a pleasure and a wonderful surprise," said Enninful. The September 2019 issue hits newsstands on Friday, August 2.

The cover is photographed by Peter Lindbergh — his first British Vogue cover since September 1992. Many of the women were photographed via video links.

The 16th spot on the cover will appear in print as a silver reflective mirror, to show how you, the reader, are part of this extraordinary moment in time – and to encourage you to use your own platform to bring change.

The Duchess will introduce Forces for Change in her own words in her guest editor’s letter, in addition to her interview with America’s former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Meghan turned down the offer to feature on the issue cover, preferring to focus on the women she admires, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful, said. Photograph by Peter Lindbergh.

Stella McCartney at her fall 2019 women’s show in Paris.CreditStephane Mahe/Reuters

Stella McCartney is making front page news with the announcement that the designer, who abandoned her relationship with Kerring in 2018, has now joined forces with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s largest luxury group.

McCartney will remain in her role as her brand’s creative director and also as majority stockholder in the Stella McCartney business. Her additional responsibilities include becoming a special adviser to Bernard Arnault, LVMH’s chairman, and also to the LVMH board, on the topic of sustainability.

The fashion industry has an enormously negative and earth-harming footprint on the environment, and no one in fashion world is better prepared to fill this role of LVMH adviser on sustainability than Stella McCartney.

The addition of Stella McCartney’s voice and brand to the LVMH creative and leadership stable underscores the company’s commitment to gender equity. Since 2017, LVMH has named Maria Grazia Chiuri to head Dior and Claire Waight Keller to lead Givenchy. Arnaut has taken a minority position in the also sustainability-focused Gabriela Hearst, while creating a blockbuster disruption of the entire luxury industry with the creation of a new fashion house Fenty, created with Rihanna.

In talking about her new partnership, Stella McCartney said that since ending her partnership with LVMH rival Kerring, she had been pursued by many potential partners and investors wanting to help expand her business.

In the end, McCartney made a seemingly wise decision, one that gives her an opportunity to have heavy influence on issues that matter to her a great deal, while tapping into funding and a professional contacts base that will give her enormous flexibility. The importance of Stella’s access to Arnault and the LVMH board of directors can’t be understated.

“The chance to realize and accelerate the full potential of the brand alongside Mr. Arnault and as part of the LVMH family, while still holding the majority ownership in the business, was an opportunity that hugely excited me,” she said.