R. Kikuo Johnson’s “Genuine Style”

The artist depicts all the luxuries the city has to offer.
A woman carrying a bag eyes a similar counterfeit bag for sale on a city street.

New York City’s sidewalks are often plein-air pageants, with a myriad of colorful ensembles on display for anyone out to see or to be seen. For the cover of the May 27, 2024, issue, the cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson lines up all the elements of a brief encounter between a poised passerby and the street venders who hawk imitations of the most coveted brands’ wares. “New Yorkers’ fashion choices tell as much about who they are as who they dream of being,” Johnson said.

For more covers about style in the city, see below:

Find R. Kikuo Johnson’s covers, cartoons, and more at the Condé Nast Store.