Before Anna Wintour started adorning its covers with actors and started the trend all over, Vogue covers were artistic, minimalistic and made a statement. While we do appreciate a good cover with a dolled up movie star on it, it’s kinda getting old now, making us wish that Vogue brought back the supermodels on its covers.
It was exactly this kind of wishful thinking that got SC to round up the 20 best Vogue covers of all times, steering us into full on throwback mode. It took a lot of time as Vogue has been around since 1892 and that meant a huge amount of covers to sort through. We might have missed out on a few really good ones, but it was an herculean task to pick just 20.
Back when Vogue was published fortnightly, the covers were hand illustrated and Georges Lepape’s February 2nd cover for the year 1929 really called to us. It perfectly depicts the era that was Art Nouveau, and the typography is all kinds of stylish.
This light-hearted and patriotic cover was photographed by Horst P. Horst for the July 1, 1939, issue of Vogue magazine. It features the fashion model Muriel Maxwell, dressed in a white blouse, matching sunglasses, and applying red lipstick using the inside mirror of her red-and-white striped purse. So classy!
The cover for the June 1st, 1940 issue seems like a lot of thought went into it! German-born photographer Horst P. Horst enlisted model Lisa Fonssagrives to crouch, conform and contort her body into letters that spelled out the word “Vogue”.
Proving the creative genius of legendary art director Alex Liberman, fashion photographer Horst P. Horst was asked to shoot a model lying on her back with her feet in the air, giving the illusion of balancing a large red ball with her feet for the May 15 issue of Vogue in the year 1941.
John Rawlings captured the whole summer feel with ease on the cover of the June 1st 1947 issue of Vogue. So minimalistic, so captivating!
Erwin Blumenfeld’s genius shot of Jean Patchett, a brilliant close-up of her eye and mouth, was the cover of the mid-century (January 1950) issue of Vogue.
This black and white cover of the April 1950 US Vogue by Irving Penn perfectly depicts the chic post-war fashion!
Model Debbie Dixon graced the cover of the July 1961 Vogue in a colorful shift dress. So very 60s!
Wilhelmina Cooper was the cover star for the February 1964 Vogue Americana. She looked the epitome of chic in a large (and flowery!) Dior hat and a coat with flared turtleneck collar.
Cindy Crawford looked quintessentially 80s’, all wind-blown hair and pretty blushes, as she adorned the very pink cover of the August 1986 US Vogue.
For the April 1992 Vogue issue, the 100th anniversary special, the cover featured the top supermodels of that era, all in white shirts and jeans from the Gap, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier.
Models Clockwise From Top: Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Karen Mulder, Elaine Irwin, Niki Taylor, Yasmeen Ghauri, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell & center, Tatjana Patitz.
The Vogue Italia cover for the issue of May 1993 had Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell (among others) engaging in a (fun-looking) pillow-fight! The shot was clicked by legendary photographer Steven Meisel.
Another one of Steven Meisel’s clicks for Vogue as cover, for the September 1995 issue. Models Shalom Harlow and Amber Valletta look utterly charming in the puffy evening dresses!
Irving Penn shot Nicole Kidman for this ethereal, “dripping with old Hollywood glamour” cover for the May 2004 issue of Vogue. We especially love the de-cluttered, clean look of the page.
The May 2007 cover by Steven Meisel featured all the up and coming models of that time.
Naomi Campbell (and her bare backside!) along with her contemporaries, appeared in a beautiful shot, gracing the cover for the Vogue British in July 2009. The feature was rightfully named “The Original Supermodels”.
Lady Gaga appeared on her first Vogue cover in March 2011, when Vogue surprised the world with entirely stripping down Gaga’s exaggerated eccentric look.
Natasha Poly heated things up on the cover of Vogue Paris, the June/July 2014 issue. The half in water shot of her left us speechless!
Lena Dunham, the “Queen of Comedy” was the cover star for the February 2014 of Vogue.
The July 2014 cover of Vogue had Lupita Nyong’o appear on her first cover for the magazine. Photographed by Mikael Jansson, Lupita looked utterly beautiful!
