Models on the cover of the Winter 2011/2012 issue of "V" magazine.
Photo: Terry Richardson/"V" magazine
If the 1990s is the age of the supermodel and the naughties were all about celebs on magazine covers, then what are the 20-teens? (The 2010s? We still have no idea what to call this decade.) Well, if it's up to stylist and former Paris Vogue editrix Carine Roitfeld, we are entering the age of the MODEL again. Not super, mind you, just MODEL, which is much more cool and minimal. In fact, Madam R has spearheaded the entire models-on-covers movement by placing not one, not two, but SIX models on FOUR different covers for the upcoming issue of V magazine, which marks the first time a model has been on the cover in the last two years. Shot by Terry Richardson (of course...gorge models...DUH) in vivid hyper-color, each duo wears designer ready-to-wear along with Hawaiian leis (because it's winter, obvs) while striking totally relaxed, smize-perfect poses that are innate to their kind (and have been meticulously attempted by celebutantes the world over for the past decade). On the yellow cover, Candice Swanepoel and Joan Smalls wear Balenciaga and VISORS while on the pink cover, Sui He and Hanaa Ben Abdesslem wear Celine while staring into your soul. It's as if they're all saying, "This is our territory, beeches, and we're TAKING IT BAAAACK," while sending out smoldering laser gazes from behind not only a giant V but a misleading cover line that says, "let's go Cruising!" It's all very intense and begs the question: Are celeb covers OUT and model covers back IN?
