Michaela Bercu 1988 cover of American "Vogue" wearing a bejeweled Christian Lacroix T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans; the shot was done outdoors in natural light. It was Anna Wintour's first cover since taking over as the magazine's editor-in-chief, and was seen as signaling a break from the more formal and posed cover images favored by her predecessor, Grace Mirabella. It was also the first time a model on the cover of "Vogue" was shown wearing jeans. Bercu was also the first Israeli woman to be featured on the cover of American "Vogue". She would later appear on the covers of
Vogue (magazine) in the 1980s, Mirabella was brutally fired. Her take on it: "For a magazine devoted to style, this was not a very stylish way of telling me." In July 1988, after "Vogue" had begun to lose ground to three-year-old upstart "Elle", Anna Wintour was named editor-in-chief. Noted for her trademark bob cut and sunglasses, Wintour sought to revitalize the brand by making it younger and more approachable; she directed the focus towards new and accessible concepts of "fashion" for a wider audience. Wintour's influence allowed the magazine to maintain its high circulation, while staff discovered new trends that a broader