The Best Magazine Covers of 2011

 Vogue Italia September 2011

Photographer: Steven Meisel
Stylist: Karl Templer
Model: Stella Tennant
Why we love it: Templer, Tennant, and Meisel nail the grotesque burlesque theme so perfectly that it caused a bit of a controversy. That’s the best kind of art.

 Vogue Paris August 2011

Photographer: Inez & Vinoodh
Stylist: Melanie Ward
Model: Lara Stone
Why we love it: Princess Leia buns, sheer stay-ups, a 1960s car and an airplane are only a few of the reasons we love this Vogue Paris cover. It combines new ideas in a fun way – and it’s a pretty reminder that Vogue Paris is capable of life after Carine.

  i-D Summer 2011

Photographer: Matt Jones
Make-up: Colleen Creighton
Model: Behati Prinsloo
Why we love it: While Behati might be best known for her sugary sweet Victoria’s Secret PINK persona, this i-D cover shows proves that she’s a rocker deep down, and it’s nothing short of badass.

 T Summer Travel Issue

Photographer: Cass Bird
Stylist: Sara Moonves
Model: Daria Werbowy
Why we love it: Daria goes on sailing expeditions for weeks at a time when she has breaks in her modeling schedule, and this is what she looks like after a trans-Atlantic adventure. Life isn’t fair

 i-D Fall 2011

Photographer: Richard Bush
Stylist: Sarah Richardson
Model: Abbey Lee
Why we love it: With a bleach blonde crop and some killer false eyelashes, Abbey Lee’s portrayal of Twiggy on the cover of i-D is the best throwback to the ’60s we saw this year—and there were a lot of them. 

 Vogue China February 2011

Photographer: Patrick Demarchelier
Stylist: Nicoletta Santoro
Model: Gisele Bündchen
Why we love it: With playful Prada stripes, hair pinned back with a barrette, and tomboyish posture, this cover portrays Gisele as the anti-sex symbol—we wouldn’t mind seeing this side of her more often.

 Vogue December 2011

Photographer: Annie Leibovitz
Stylist: Tonne Goodman
Model: Meryl Streep
Why we love it: Listen, if you are a human being, you love Meryl Streep. These are the rules of humanity. So clearly nothing made us happier than seeing our lady Meryl on the cover of the fashion bible that is Vogue. 

 Self Service No. 34

Photographer: Alasdair McLellan
Stylist: Jane How
Model: Lara Stone
Why we love it: Self Service always feels like a cherished magazine that was sent from a foreign, more perfect place, and with Lara Stone and her flippant stare on the cover, we want to go to there.

 LOVE Fall 2011

Photographer: Mert & Marcus
Stylist: Arianne Phillips
Model: Elle Fanning
Why we love it: Do we really need to say anything about this one? Elle Fanning is everything.

 LOVE Fall 2011

Photographer: Mert & Marcus
Stylist: Katie Grand
Model: Chloë Moretz
Why we love it: Sinister stare and devil horns are just two elements that make this cover feel like a still from a horror movie that I think I’d be too scared to watch.

 Dazed & Confused July 2011

Photographer: Sharif Hamza
Stylist: Karen Langley
Model: Beyoncé
Why we love it: The eye-popping colors of the Givenchy, the neon green nail art, the clichéd melty ice cream cone—there is a whole lot to love about Queen Bey’s Dazed cover. 

 The Last Magazine F/W 2011

Photographer: Karim Sadli
Stylist: Alastair McKimm
Model: Joan Smalls
Why we love it: Sometimes all it takes is a beautiful model, beautiful photography, and beautiful clothes. It’s a no-frills approach to covers, and we love it.

 LOVE Fall 2011

Photographer: Mert & Marcus
Stylist: Katie Grand
Model: Lara Stone
Why we love it: You’ve probably figured out that we’ve got a weak spot for Lara Stone, but even with our bias it’s safe to say that out of LOVE’s model covers this one is the best. Sure, we love Mariacarla’s crown or Nyasha’s jaguar hat, but it’s Lara’s demure innocence that is truly captivating. Plus, after I saw this I spent three days trying to perfect the two-tiny-braids hairstyle. 

 Russh #39

Photographer: Will Davidson
Stylist: Stevie Dance
Model: Jessica Stam
Why we love it: The kaleidoscope of pastel colors, Stevie Dance’s expert styling, and Stam’s ice blue eyes all come together to make this RUSSH cover a true work of art.

 AnOther F/W 2011

Photographer: Craig McDean
Stylist: Olivier Rizzo
Model:Rachel Weisz
Why we love it: Who knew that combining a beautiful Hollywood actress, a bright, borderline tacky beauty look and a baby goat would be a recipe for success?

 Purple Fashion Spring 2011

Photographer: Terry Richardson
Stylist: Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele
Model: Laetitia Casta
Why we love it: You never quite know what will happen when Olivier Zahm and Terry Richardson get together, but this cover featuring one of the world’s best-known supermodels has the signature Purple sex appeal without being salacious. Well done, boys! 

Vogue Italia May 2011

Photographer: Steven Meisel
Stylist: Karl Templer
Model: Kristen McMenamy
Why we love it: Two reasons: 1. We can never get enough of Kristen McMenamy’s insane bod and gorgeous hair. 2. Meisel and Templer found a way to do swimwear that doesn’t involve smoldering blondes on St. Barths. Congrats on that, boys. 

T Magazine Fall Travel Issue

Photographer: Angelo Penetta
Stylist: Sara Moonves
Model: Lara Stone
Why we love it: Nothing could make Amsterdam look more appealing. Forget brownies. Give us Lara.

 Vogue Germany August 2011

Photographer: Miles Aldridge
Stylist: Christiane Arp
Model: Claudia Schiffer
Why we love it: It’s a little dominatrix and a lot elegant – a great recipe for a cover that makes you want to flip through the rest of the mag.

 

Vogue Italia March 2011

Photographer: Steven Meisel
Stylist: Panos Yiapanis
Model: Saskia de Brauw
Why we love it: We’re suckers for Saskia’s androgynous stare and the mix of strange, glitzy, and tacky.

 Dansk #26

Photographer: Aitken Jolly
Stylist: Anders Sølvsten Thomsen
Model: Magdalena Frackowiak
Why we love it: The whole religious/nun-chic motif is nothing new in fashion, but this cover featuring Magdalena is one of the most intriguing and evocative versions of it that we’ve ever seen. Plus, that Louis Vuitton look is flawless. 

 Acne Paper Spring 2011

Photographer: Daniel Jackson
Stylist: Mattias Karlsson
Model: Anaïs Pouliot
Why we love it: This arresting photo stopped me in my tracks at the magazine stand. Amidst all the flashy colors and toothy celebrity smiles, Anaïs’ beautiful stare captured by Daniel Jackson is really something else.

  W Korea December 2011

Photographer: Catherine Servel
Stylist: Catherine Newell-Hanson
Model: Hailey Clauson
Why we love it: Hailey’s “too cool to care” pout paired with some over-the-top styling and an icy color palette makes this W cover one for the inspiration board. 

 i-D Pre-Fall 2011

Photographer: Terry Richardson
Stylist: Mel Ottenberg
Model: Lindsey Wixson
Why we love it: Terry Richardson and Lindsey Wixson turned out to be quite the dynamic duo in 2011. Out of all of their collaborations, this i-D cover is one of our favorites—the 17-year-old model actually got to act her age!

 Wall Street Journal Magazine April 2011

Photographer: Mario Testino
Model: Anna Wintour
Why we love it: That bob has never looked better! This is the perfect portrait of the most powerful woman in fashion, showing Wintour’s strength, elegance, and perfect Prada dress.

via fashionista