Interview, July 1990
In the first of a new series by Ian Birch, we take a look at this cover starring Denzel Washington photographed by Herb Ritts, and interviewed by model-actor-writer Veronica Webb.
His new movie ‘Mo’ Better Blues’, written and directed by Spike Lee, was out in August. A musical drama, Washington played fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam. Webb asked Washington if he ‘considered himself an obsessive?’ He replied:’ Obsessive? Positive, maybe. I mean, it’s just acting. All you’re doing is showing off. It’s not brain surgery... Fear of failure doesn’t concern me.’
Formidable writer and art critic Ingrid Sischy had recently become editor-in-chief of Interview, and Fabien Baron who had been in Milan a lot working as creative director at Italian Vogue returned to New York in 1990 on a full-time basis to set up his own company Baron & Baron and help re-launch the magazine. A golden period followed. This is still a near perfect cover.
Ian Birch is the former editorial director of Hearst magazines. Follow him on Instagram for more cover stories, and look out for his new book ‘Uncovered—Revolutionary Magazine Covers’ (ISBN-13: 9781844039043) which will be published 4 October.