Contributors

Lachlan BAILEY

"WILD AT HEART," P. 40

"Gisele really has no equal," says photographer Bailey. The Melbourne, Australia, native, who shot the supermodel seaside in Florida on a sun-drenched day this winter, says, "She knows photography and light better than most. This is a rare treat these days."

Delia CAI

"IT'S A BARBIE WORLD," P. 36

"There is something so deliciously postmodern about the world's most popular doll appropriating Instagram mannerisms and content creatorspeak," says VF staff writer Cai. "Let's be real: Trends come and go, but Barbie's influence very well might be forever."

Michelle RUIZ

"WILD AT HEART," P. 40

One commercial flight, one puddle jumper, and a car ride later, Ruiz—a journalist working on a novel inspired by the royal family saga—met Gisele Bundchen at her home in Costa Rica. On horseback and accompanied by Bundchen's daughter, Vivi, the two caught the last glimmers of sunset.

Kathleen HALE

"ECHOES IN THE DARK," P. 72

"Profiling Brian Entin was meta," says Hale, the author of Slenderman. "I was a crime reporter following a crime reporter in a context where true-crime obsession played a huge role. Many gravitate toward crime stories—what separates us are the lengths we'll go to become involved."

Maggie BULLOCK

"THE KINGDOM OF PREP," P. 86

Bullock's book The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (Near) Fall ofJ.Crew "all started with a 2019 VF feature," says the editor and cofounder of the newsletter the Spread. "That early reporting opened my eyes to a richer story about a brand that occupies a very specific place in the American psyche."

Charlotte KLEIN

"CHAT PERSON," P. 80

Staff writer Klein has spent the past two years covering the intersection of media, politics, and tech. "Kara Swisher is in many ways where all of these beats converge," she says. "At 60, she continues to forge her own path, and the energy of this piece gives a sense of what it was like reporting it."