Greens ‘thrilled’ with Vanity Fair-style photoshoot
A Vanity Fair- esque photoshoot featuring Green Party candidates wasn’t the party’s idea but it is surprised and thrilled with the results, co-leader Metiria Turei says.
“It’s an Annie Leibovitz-style photo and we are really excited by it, it’s great to be on the cover,” Turei told the Herald.
The photo used on the cover of the current North & South features Turei with new candidates Golriz Ghahraman, Chloe Swarbrick and Hayley Holt, in evening wear and sitting in front of co-leader James Shaw and candidate John Hart, both in suits and ties.
Titled “The New Greens”, and subtitled, “Is the once ‘loony left’ ready to rule (and should we be afraid)?” the feature article notes that despite the Greens having been in Parliament for 20 years they still face the same “tired old jabs” about “being wacky, smoking dope, hugging trees and eating lentils”.
The cover is getting attention, much positive and some humorous. Herald columnist Toby Manhire retweeted the cover photo with the suggested title, “Vanity Farmers’ Market”, setting off a chain of other suggestions including “Hempers Bazaar” and “Voguels”.
But others have questioned why the women are sitting while Shaw and Hart stand, and criticised the party for stooping to “US-style marketing”.
Ghahraman, an Auckland barrister 15th on the party list and whose family fled Iran in 1990 when she was 9 and were granted political asylum in New Zealand, wrote on Facebook that people had raised valid questions after seeing the cover.
“I’m no pushover. I’m not oppressed. And I have been a true Green for years now. I’m also wearing a sparkly green dress and sitting on the floor for Vanity Fair- style magazine cover. I feel lucky that I live in a land where I can wear what I like, be a powerhouse and play dress up when I like.”