Kim Kardashian’s GQ cover, a mockery to successful men?
Kim Kardashian has just shaken up the realm of pop culture, yet again, by gracing GQ’s ‘Man of The Year’ 2023 issue. Every year, Gentleman’s Quarterly releases a special MOTY edition, honouring the men who have a common thread of majorly contributing and impacting this year’s pop culture community, each achieving success on their own. Among them is Travis Scott, selected for his triumphant return to music with the release of Utopia; Jacob Elordi, who has become a defining heartthrob of the 2020’s, starring in many of this year’s most anticipated cinema projects, like Priscilla and Saltburn; Andre 3000, who has resurfaced after 17 years of silence, unveiling new musical projects; and lastly, Tom Ford, who recently sold his company after years of dominating the fashion world.
To all the men out there who subscribe to this magazine exclusively for its interest in men, do not worry! GQ is not excluding you from the conversation. They are simply showcasing a modern perspective on the influence of men through a women’s lens. This is the first time in GQ history that a woman, Kim Kardashian, was chosen as one of the stars of the special edition. Interestingly, instead of framing the article about Kim Kardashian’s achievements, it focused on an important male figure in her life. She paid tribute to her late father, Robert Kardashian, detailing how he shaped her into becoming the savvy, business-oriented woman that she is today. This is made irrevocably clear by her popular reality show ‘The Kardashians’ and her brands Skims and KKW beauty.
Image borrowed from GQ Magazine: What Kim Kardashian Learned from Her Father / photographer: Jack Bridgland / Shirt and pants by Martine Rose. Tie by Wembley from Palace Costume. Earrings by XIV Karats. Ring by Chrome Hearts.
GQ, having been around for more than 90 years, is continually exploring new ideas to maintain and increase engagement, much like every other magazine out there. Innovation is key, and though this spread may be controversial, Kim’s powerful influence in this digital age has undisputedly drawn in a lot of publicity for GQ. Moreover, as contentious as it may seem, it has sparked online debate, bringing a lot of attention to the company. This idea was first viewed in the western magazine community with Vogue’s December 2020 issue, where Harry Styles, the cover star, caused quite a kerfuffle online, as the first man to grace a Vogue cover while wearing a dress.
On the other hand, do companies need to diversify every aspect of traditional media to attract viewership and follow modern trends? This magazine is solely for men, with 54% of their audience being male. Frustrations are perfectly legitimate, especially if the magazine is, at its core, targeted at men. There is a plethora of talented and influential men who could’ve joined the current list. The recurring issue, of wanting more diversity in an ever-growing modern world, is one which will certainly be a polarizing topic of conversation for a long time. This is especially true with the newer generations, who are more vocal than ever in their want for change and diversity.
An interesting modification to revamp GQ’s MOTY would be not to focus solely on influential pop culture icons but to also include men who have positively impacted or addressed social justice issues. Although this could prove to be even more controversial, it might explain why they have chosen to concentrate specifically within the pop culture realm.
Kim Kardashian on the cover of GQ Magazine / Photo credits to photographer: Jack Bridgland
