It’s been almost 12 months since Anne-Marie Curtis gave British ELLE a brand new look, but after a number of bold and brazen covers featuring the likes of Cara Delevingne, Rihanna and Ashley Graham, the magazine began to revert to its former self. We witnessed Margot Robbie reprints, disappointing diversity covers and awkward Alicia Vikander offerings. This month, in an attempt to stimulate interest, UK ELLE features Lara Stone on the cover of the August 2018 issue. Photographed by Alexander Saladrigas and styled by Gillian Wilkins, the Dutch blonde tones down her usual bombshell appeal as she lounges on a bed wearing a quirky floral Richard Quinn number.
Does British ELLE have a hit on their hands this month? Our forum members had mixed feelings. “Love her. Always have, always will! And this cover, even though it’s pretty simple, works perfectly. It’s fresh,” admired forum member GinAndTonic the moment the cover struck.
“Lara looks cute and very fresh-faced! I’m liking this new direction which magazines are taking with her. The hypersexualised glamazon got old after a while,” stated Benn98.
“Somehow Lara manages to look always so different, but you can always tell it’s her, an icon,” applauded dontbeadrag.
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Also quick to show the cover some love was hikmatm. “It is clean and pure fashion – something fashion magazines are missing. British ELLE is bringing back that strong punch of fun light fashion that is thought-out and conceptual,” he said.
“British ELLE and American ELLE are doing it so good! Love their covers, nothing overproduced, effortless,” ivano added.
Yet everyone else wasn’t here for it. “I know she’s always been ambivalent about modeling, but as a whole, Lara seems to have lost whatever interest she really had, and along with that, her spark. As a result, my ability to be interested in her work has also gone. For me, this cover looks like a bored call girl dressed up for specialty tastes,” slammed tigerrouge.
“A missed opportunity to have Lara Stone on your cover, if you ask me. This looks more suited to a magazine like Dazed! I’m incredibly disappointed that Anne-Marie Curtis seems to have ditched the bold covers under her tenure. This is just a total eyesore,” vogue28 said.
Do you care for the cover? Check out Lara’s cover story and share your thoughts here.
