High Fashion Adopts Justin Bieber

It was bad enough when Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone put Justin Bieber on their covers. But at least they’re mainstream, commercial magazines, and the Bieb is kind of popular.

But now, LOVE and V have followed suit. And these aren’t mainstream in the slightest. They’re meant to be the snootiest, edgiest, in-the-clubbiest fashion bibles designed strictly for the elite—the most cutting edge, up themselves designers and models and posers. Their readers expect a naked Lara Stone , not an anti-choice, Jesus-tatted Canadian.

Why are they trying to promote Bieber? Do they think that hipsters in Portland and Brooklyn are staring longingly at covers of Teen Beat, but are too ashamed to buy them? Perhaps it’s just irony. Oh let’s get Terry Richardson to photograph him… hilarious! But then, on this hipster tumblr—Lesbians Who Look Like Justin Bieber—the Bieb love straddles earnest and ironic so elegantly, it’s hard to tell which is which.

The truth is, highbrow types have always loved to pretend that lowbrow trash is fascinating and meaningful. So the real question is, who’s next? How about internet sensation and Twilight star Boo Boo Stewart for the cover of Dazed & Confused? Go on—he’s called Boo Boo!