At Vogue, we are in the business of defining change. We are sensitive to and knowledgeable about the constant flux in which, as cultural and social beings, we (and especially women) find ourselves. It's what we do. But when, on a mild evening in November 2008, Senator Barack Obama took the stage in Chicago with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, it was a moment of such electricity and emotion that none of us at the magazine could remember the likes of it—not even those of us who voted for John F. Kennedy.
This month, President Obama embarks on as tough a term of office as possibly any president before him, save perhaps FDR and Abraham Lincoln. As the president-elect noted in his victory speech, "The challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime—two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century."
But we at Vogue, like President Obama, have always believed in and celebrated the American genius for adaptation and self-renewal. In particular, we have always valued those who share our view of change: It is a matter not of enforcing one's will on others but of inspiring others to follow. Change is about making choices, but choosing change for the good is an expression of our humanity. We recognize in our new president an actual rather than a notional compassion, an impressive and unapologetic intelligence, and the self-assurance of a natural leader. We will, of course, duly discover his limitations, and in the years to come we will no doubt argue with his judgment. But we are all entitled to beginnings and their excitements; and at this hard beginning America may, and indeed must, look to its new leader with a smile.
In the world of style, there is obviously unprecedented interest in our new First Family, who presented such an extraordinary spectacle in Grant Park, not least when joined by the family of Vice President Joseph Biden. To have two dynamic and modern families in and around the White House is itself a source of invigoration. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has shown herself to be an ardent supporter of emerging American designers. Over the course of the campaign, we saw her looking beautiful and comfortable in Isabel Toledo, Thakoon, Narciso Rodriguez, Peter Soronen, Tracy Feith, Jason Wu, and others. Rarely has a public figure understood the codes of fashion so intuitively—big costume jewels (Tom Binns!) with something simple; how to personalize with a brooch. And she's also proved that an inexpensive dress purchased at the mall can look fabulous. Above all, she knows the thrill of taking a little risk with style. We can't wait to see how she will extend this aesthetic into her new realm: how she will entertain, decorate, raise her children, pursue her passions.
The obvious comparison here is to Camelot. But that would be a mistake. In the matter of iconicity and cultural authority, the Obamas have no need to look backward. On the contrary. Nevertheless, this tribute to the new president and his family—with portraits shot by Annie Leibovitz—echoes a tribute to President Kennedy published in Vogue on January 1, 1961. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 50 years since the country felt so inspired, so happy to look ahead.
Onward and upward.
"Barack Obama: 44th President" has been edited for Style.com; the complete story appears in the January 2009 issue of Vogue.