In this defining edition, The Power Issue explores the evolving architecture of power through the lens of aesthetics — in fashion, technology, and media. Influence today is not merely about authority or visibility; it is deeply tied to the aesthetics of how power is presented, perceived, and consumed.
From luxury fashion houses transforming visual codes into status symbols, to tech companies engineering design that subtly directs behavior, to media platforms curating narratives that dictate cultural taste — aesthetics are at the heart of modern authority. Beauty, form, and presentation are no longer superficial elements; they are instruments of influence and persuasion.
We unpack how cultural gatekeepers and algorithms shape aesthetic norms, how digital platforms translate visuals into capital, and how the aesthetics of identity, branding, and lifestyle define who holds power in the global conversation.
The Power Issue is not only an observation, but a dossier on authority — showing how influence is constructed through aesthetics, and why style, image, and design remain central to the mechanics of control in our age. Power today is aesthetic — those who master its form, master its reach. Learn More
