Flashback: Top 5 Most Festive Fashion Magazine Covers Ever

‘Tis the season and if there’s one thing we learned from our forum members with the December issues this year, it’s just how unfestive the covers actually were. Therefore, for this week’s Fashion Flashback series, we reflect back on the good old days when fashion magazines gifted us with fabulously festive covers.

5. Vogue Italia December 2004 with Karen Elson by Steven Meisel

While this cover may not exactly scream Christmas from the treetops, there’s no denying the cover shot oozes a certain holiday quality. Karen Elson posed for Steven Meisel and the duo achieved a romantically dark yet glamorous mood, as if Karen’s just returned home from a fabulous New Year’s party and now sits alone reflecting on the handsome stranger she met. Meisel shot the redheaded British beauty wearing a black velvet gown and Karen’s hair was fashioned into Old Hollywood style waves, adding drama and charm to Italian Vogue‘s 2004 December cover.

IMAGE: CELEBRITICITY.COM VIA TFS FORUMS

4. UK Vogue December 2007 with Sienna Miller by Nick Knight

Nick Knight has created some overwhelmingly gorgeous British Vogue covers with most already being considered iconic. The magazine’s December 2007 cover may not be deemed iconic as of yet, but we certainly remember this particular cover shining bright like a diamond on the newsstands during the festive period of 2007. Sienna Miller showcased a stunning metallic gown by Dolce & Gabbana, looking ready for the party season ahead, posing alongside a quirky prop. The silver metallic fonts added pizazz once viewed in real life — we’ll be hunting out our copies today!

IMAGE: VOGUE.CO.UK

3. Vogue Paris December 2001/January 2002 with Kate Moss by Mario Testino

This cover just screams Christmas from the onset. Kate Moss graced the last double-issue of 2001 for French Vogue with Mario Testino capturing everyone’s favorite British supermodel with a set of holiday fairy lights wrapped around her head with wonderful results! The cover, in theory, sounds rather cheesy (but aren’t holidays supposed to be cheesy?) yet Testino, Carine Roitfeld and Kate pulled the concept off perfectly. Testino and Hana Jirickova even recreated the image just recently for John Galliano’s introduction to Russian perfumery brand L’Etoile.

IMAGE: VOGUE.FR

2. Vogue Russia December 2008 with Naomi Campbell by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott

Yet another cover that screams of the holiday season, although the December 2008 cover of Vogue Russia took a more luxurious approach this time around. The magazine tapped Naomi Campbell as its cover subject and got Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott to photograph the sitting, opting to shoot Naomi draped in a luxurious white fur that cascaded around her structured face as she gazed down the lens. With a minimal amount of text and a subtle pink masthead, we’d say this cover is pretty much right on the money for December.

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1. Harper’s Bazaar December 1992 with Kate Moss by Patrick Demarchelier

A golden oldie, a forgotten favorite and a clear winner. Kate Moss wows us on the December 1992 issue of American Harper’s Bazaar. Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier, a then 18-year-old Kate posed wearing an extravagant red gown, hair and makeup done to the nines, while holding a Christmas snow globe. Simple, effective and completely understated, we ask the current team of Bazaar to please take note. This is how a festive fashion magazine cover is truly done!

IMAGE: HARPERSBAZAAR.COM