In the days before Hollywood’s reign over America’s glossies, the magazine cover was the hallmark of any model’s career. As evidence of the industry’s stamp of approval, gracing these covers skyrocketed them to an elite class of industry tastemakers. While the times may have changed a bit since Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista’s days of covering Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, a thing of the past in fashion can always be made new again.
Take runway mega-hits Joan Smalls and Karlie Kloss- W magazine’s latest cover girls, and fashion’s next generation of supermodels! In an extra special July issue, fashion director Edward Enninful took a break from the industry’s staple cover of the chart-topping diva, and tapped photographer Steven Meisel to lens the smoldering gazes of fashion’s newest all-stars for “Super Modern, Super Models.” The editorial casts both Joan and Karlie to pose center stage for the studio shots that prove these girls are officially a force to be reckoned with- rimmed eyes and all!
These cover girls were doing more than just sitting pretty though, as the two demonstrated some killer dance moves - Joan reportedly proved her Puerto Rican roots by busting out in some salsa moves to tracks by Puerto Rican singer Hector Lavoe- in between laughing along to some of their quirkier tracks.
When asked about her own mass appeal, Karlie replied, “I think it’s the fact that I’m eight inches above the average person walking down the street. I’m somewhat in my own cloud.”
In discussing her own feelings about coming up in the fashion industry, Joan spoke of her struggles at the beginning of her career before her emergence at the Givenchy Couture 2010 fall show.
“I know I’m representing a group-black, Latin, whatever you want to put me with- and I want to show that they are beautiful the way they are,” added Joan. “I think that’s really important for our youth to see. Fashion is part of our culture, and it’s about more than just a pretty dress.”
