CONTRIBUTORS

DARA ALLEN

"TEYANA TAYLOR HAS ARRIVED," P. 66

Allen, the fashion director of Interview magazine and a model, styled Teyana Taylor for the cover. "It's incredible when shoots can respond to the moment, offering sensitivity or perspective," says Allen, who is no stranger to styling fashionable risk-takers like Addison Rae and Hunter Schafer. "The most beautiful way to depict hope is to acknowledge what it takes to hold onto it during hardship. Teyana embodied that delicate tension with conviction and grace."

LILI ANOLIK

"ANGEL WAS A CENTERFOLD," P. 80

"Apart from Dorothy herself—a lovely and virtuous heroine—this story is sleaze on top of sleaze," says VFcontributing editor Anolik, who reported on Dorothy Stratten's fairy tale turned tragedy. "You've got the late-'70s Playboy Mansion, gutter showbiz, suitcase-pimp husbands, post-Cybill Shepherd Peter Bogdanovich, post-A// That Jazz Bob Fosse, and the beautiful young women sacrificed to the Hollywood machine."

LINDSEY UNDERWOOD

"TEYANA TAYLOR HAS ARRIVED," P. 66

It didn't take long for senior editor Underwood to get comfortable with cover subject Teyana Taylor. But first she had to maneuver her way onto a sunken leather daybed at the Hollywood Roosevelt. "Do I remove my shoes? Did I get a pedicure recently?" she asked herself. "I picked the opposite corner from her, which was awkwardly far away, but she encouraged me to move closer, and soon we were gabbing cross-legged like it was a slumber party."

JULIA BLACK

"O TECH BROS, WHERE ART THOU?," P. 34

VFcorrespondent Black's introduction to the Technology Brothers began when they dedicated an entire segment of their daily podcast to mocking one of her stories. The fact that she kept watching is a testament to just how entertaining—and informative—they can be. For this story, she spent two days with the Silicon Valley insiders to find out how they're blending expert analysis, prop comedy, and secrets from the billionaire group chat to remake tech media.

CHRIS WHIPPLE

"EYE OF THE HURRICANE," P. 44

"It's one of the most important stories I'll ever tell," says Whipple, who profiled White House chief of staff Susie Wiles over the course of a year. Whipple, also the author of Uncharted, about the 2024 election, had published The Gatekeepers, a history of chiefs of staff, in 2017. Wiles, the first woman to hold the job, came along after that bestseller but was "refreshingly unguarded," he says. "I was given a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the White House as Trump 2.0 unfolded."

CHRISTOPHERANDERSON

"EYE OF THE HURRICANE," P. 44

Anderson, an award-winning photographer and filmmaker recognized for his work in conflict zones, says he felt a tremendous responsibility in documenting the president's inner circle. "When Stephen Miller asked me if he should smile, I responded by asking him if he thought he should smile," Anderson recalls. "As he was leaving, Miller said, 'You know, you have a tremendous power of discretion in how kind you are to the subjects you photograph.' I responded, 'So do you.' "