Hot Issue

While tech heads on Friday lined up at the Apple store to buy the latest iPhone, fashionistas evidently hurried to newsstands across New York City to get their hands on the July Italian Vogue featuring all black models. By 10 a.m., Universal News on 58th Street and Eighth Avenue, near the Hearst Tower, had already sold 50 copies, with 50 more left in stock. Hudson News in Grand Central Station sold 20 copies by 11 a.m., with another 30 left to sell. By noon, Universal News on 56th Street and Lexington Avenue had sold its last issue, and the one on 14th Street near Sixth Avenue had sold over 100 copies, with a few more left to move.

Condé Nast prepped accordingly for the increased consumer curiosity surrounding the themed issue, where Steven Meisel shot the likes of Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek, Jourdan Dunn, Liya Kebede, Veronica Webb and upcoming names like Sessilee Lopez and Toccara Jones. A spokeswoman for Condé said the company increased newsstand distribution of the special issue by 40 percent in the U.S., and will reallocate Italian copies earmarked for returns to the U.S. The company will also print another 10,000 copies to meet the demand for the issue. "Franca Sozzani is a brilliant editor whose courage and originality never cease to astonish. Working in collaboration with Steven Meisel she has produced a groundbreaking issue, which in a small way, changes the world. I am very proud of it," said Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast International. Ironically, Vogue Italia wasn't available at the two places most likely to carry the issue — the Hudson News at Condé Nast's headquarters at 4 Times Square and the newsstand at Condé's satellite offices at 750 Third Avenue did not carry the issue on Friday. Store clerks at both locations expected to have copies by Monday.