Is Tyler Mitchell set to become the first black photographer to shoot a Vogue cover?

The forthcoming September 2018 issue of Vogue is rumoured to feature a historic first for the long-running fashion bible: a front cover shot by a black photographer.

The Huffington Post cites a source that claims the cover will be shot by Tyler Mitchell at the behest of the issue’s star, Beyonce. They claim that the magazine’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has ceded an unprecedented level of control to the Lemonade singer.

23-year-old filmmaker and photographer Tyler has previously worked on features for Teen Vogue as well as on commercial campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, and Ray-Ban. The Post quotes its source as saying, “The reason a 23-year-old black photographer is photographing Beyoncé for the cover of Vogue is because Beyoncé used her power and influence to get him that assignment.”

Beyonce’s previous September issue cover – with said issue being the magazine’s traditional annual highlight – emerged in 2015 and was shot by Mario Testino. This year’s hits newsstands on the 14 August.