Popular fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue handed over full control, for the first time ever, to their cover model Beyoncé Knowles for their September issue, which is their biggest fashion issue all year. Knowles immediately made history at Vogue by hiring her own staff and photographer. Knowles handpicked 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell, the first black photographer for a Vogue cover ever.

As the saying goes, “nothing changes if nothing changes,” and if you know anything about Knowles, she doesn’t do anything small. Her fans didn’t give her the name “Queen Bey” for no reason. Choosing Mitchell changes the perspective of what the fashion industry has grown accustomed to seeing, whether they were ready for it or not.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been vocal in the past about the lack of black photographers in the industry. In an article by CNN, Campbell mentioned in her 32 years of modeling, she’d only been photographed by one black photographer.

Some would ask what has taken so long, and why now? Only time will tell if this history-making mark will continue to make waves throughout the fashion industry. Giving a newcomer an opportunity wasn’t the only way Knowles made history for Vogue’s September issue.

Knowles is known to go all out with her hair and outfits while on stage performing. However, she took a much different approach for the cover shoot by choosing to go all natural. She touches on her post-baby body in the issue, and stresses how she’s in no rush to getting back to how the industry expects her to look.

Using her superstardom platform and Vogue to show women all over the world to not give in to what society expects — as well as opening the door to those who may not have otherwise been hired– was a noble move that will hopefully encourage positive changes in the fashion industry and media..