The 1993 Vanity Fair cover, featuring k.d. lang and Cindy Crawford, is an iconic moment in pop culture and queer history. The provocative image, shot by Herb Ritts, captures lang in a dapper suit being playfully shaved by a lingerie-clad Crawford. It cleverly subverts traditional gender roles and challenges societal norms, blending sensuality with humor and style.
For lang, a trailblazing lesbian artist in the music industry, the cover was a bold declaration of identity, while Cindy Crawford’s participation added a layer of mainstream allure and intrigue. The image remains a powerful statement about gender fluidity and the breaking of boundaries in fashion and media.
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lang, who is known for performing and making public appearances barefoot (and even has a song called “Barefoot”), reflected on the moment during an interview with Canadian station ETalk.
Asked whether she expected the cover to attract as much attention as it did, lang, sans shoes and socks, replied, “It was a really big moment…and I think when you’re in the moment of creativity, you have a sense that it’s gonna have an impact. But I think the only way I could ever understand its impact is through time and through retrospection. And I am so utterly, profoundly proud of that moment. It’s playful, it’s artistic, it’s ballsy, and it’s beautiful.”
Succinctly put in one of the comments to the below clip, “On TV with no shoes. That’s legend status right there.”
Watch:
@etalkctv k.d. lang looks back at her iconic Vanity Fair cover with Cindy Crawford. 📸 Watch the full interview on our YT. #kdlang #interview #CindyCrawford #photoshoot #VanityFair #cover #LGBTQ #queertiktok ♬ original sound – etalk
