NEW HORIZONS
It feels like a peculiarly ironic twist of fate that I am writing this introduction to an issue focused on wellbeing while lying in bed recovering from Covid-19. But then, of course, nothing brings the importance of health – both mental and physical – into sharper relief than a period of illness. In a similar vein, it’s no wonder that the stresses and anxieties of the past months have brought about a long-overdue change in the way we view our bodies and ourselves, turning society from unrealistic perfectionism and self-punishment to a more accepting view of what really matters.
From our gloriously sunny cover, featuring the curve models Seynabou Cissé and Molly Constable, and Anna Murphy’s brilliant accompanying essay on the new intertwining of feminism, femininity and flesh, to the thoughtful perspectives on their own bodies from women such as Tanni Grey-Thompson, Mariella Frostrup and the poet Fleur Adcock, not forgetting the great Isabella Rossellini, who muses on beauty and affairs of the heart at 69 – this is an issue that I hope will make us all, myself included, feel better.
PS: We’ve made it even easier to get Harper’s Bazaar delivered to your door – to order single copies, simply visit www.magsdirect.co.uk/harpersbazaar (postage and packaging are free), or for details of how to subscribe, turn to page 37. Plus, you can download digital issues via Readly or Apple News+.