Youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman, 23, is the first poet in Vogue Magazine’s history to grace the cover, CNN reported.
Gorman announced the honor on her Twitter account Wednesday. “This is called the Rise of Amanda Gorman, but it’s truly for all of you both named & unseen, who lift me up,” she wrote.
Honored to be the first poet EVER on the cover of @voguemagazine , & what a joy to do so while wearing a Black designer, @virgilabloh . This is called the Rise of Amanda Gorman, but it’s truly for all of you, both named & unseen, who lift me up 🕊🦋
Love,
Amanda https://t.co/PFkEzv1kta— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) April 7, 2021
Styled by Louis Vuitton’s first Black artistic director, Virgil Abloh, Gorman rocked a Vuitton African-inspired printed blanket Abloh transformed into a dress. He cinched the waist with a belt bearing a wide gold buckle, and a dress was born. Annie Leibovitz shot the photographs for the cover and the accompanying article.
The Harvard graduate caught national attention when she read her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at the January 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden. Following that appearance, Gorman was signed to IMG Models and soon appeared on the cover of TIME being interviewed by former First Lady, Michelle Obama.
In the Vogue article, Gorman talked about being a twin and her love of being a Pisces, “because it’s the two fish.”
She shared a meal and talked about the oratory skills Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy had.
“The way they let their words roll and gain momentum is its own type of sound tradition.”
The wordsmithing boss also discussed some of her close relationships with Democrats she knew before her life-changing poem was delivered. She speaks of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton whom she said was “such a grandma.” Gorman gushes over Michelle Obama, whom she said was an auntie, and the former President, Barack Obama, was like a father figure.
Gorman also revealed that as a result of her newly found fame, she has been offered a number of multi-million dollar deals that aren’t in sync with her goals.
“I didn’t really look at the details,” she told Vogue about the $17 million she has declined, “because if you see something and it says a million dollars, you’re going to rationalize why that makes sense. I have to be conscious of taking commissions that speak to me.”
There will be two Amanda Gorman books released this fall, “The Hill We Climb and Other Poems” and a children’s book “Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem”. Both have topped the Amazon bestsellers list.
