The November 2012 (35th Anniversary) issue of Fashion magazine is absolutley breathtaking. This is a cover sure to sell.

The cover features Linda Evangelista, the iconic Canadian supermodel. What a great way to celebrate a birthday! 

There are just so many ways this cover nails it. And when you get so many things right, it creates the feeling of a classic, timeless poster-worthy keeper.

• White background
• Clean and Uncluttered
• Gold Logo
• Big Bold Type
• Iconic Super Model
• Use of blessed words, Exclusive and Special
• Great Eye Contact
• Radical Clarity
• Love the “hand signed note” touch

Here’s what Editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra had to say about the cover process:

“This cover had to communicate a number of things – FASHION’s 35th anniversary, our stature as Canada’s #1 high fashion and beauty magazine, and our mandate of bringing the international world of fashion home. The first was easy: an oversized 35 years in the upper left sell position and very few other cover lines. For the second we knew we wanted a Canadian model, someone who would truly make this a collectible cover. Who better than fashion icon and St. Catharines native Linda Evangelista? She has a long history with our magazine and was thrilled to participate in this special issue. Linda’s global profile and her dress by Lanvin, one of the hottest collections in Paris, do an excellent job of bringing the international world of fashion home.

Finally, we needed something that would distinguish our anniversary issue from everything else on the newsstand. I remembered a signed T-shirt with her picture that Linda had given me years ago. So I asked her if she would autograph our cover. Luckily, she loved the idea and was happy to oblige.”

The issue goes on sale October 8th. Cover price $5.50.

From the Press Release:

A few quotes from our interview with Linda…

On maintaining her privacy:

“I really like just to do covers and do the beautiful editorials,” she says. “I like to pass on the interview part.” 

 On recognizing the downside of the digital age and its detrimental effect on fashion photography:

Instead of taking the trouble to get things right as a picture is being taken, often the effort is left to post-production. “I have pictures that I did with Steven Meisel that were not retouched…we held eight reflectors if we had to make the light perfect. They didn’t have to erase a shadow or bag or wrinkle or pimple.”

On her workout regimen:

“I have a trainer. I do spinning. I do cross-training. I do weightlifting. I do my Power Plate. I do my rebounder trampoline. I do my rowing machine. And I play sports.”

Atlantic magazine scored a big hit at newsstands with its March 2012 cover featuring President Obama.

According to my friends at MagNet, sales of this cover were 43,500… up 77% from the same issue in the prior year.

As for the Civil War SIP, (that had an “introduction by President Obama flagged in the skybar) it managed to sell 26,000 copies, slightly below their 12-month average for all other Atlantic Monthly SIPs (27,500). However, the SIP cover price was $10.99 U.S. and $12.99 in Canada, compared to $6.99 U.S. and $7.99 in Canada on regular issues of Atlantic.

That’s a 57% higher cover price in the U.S. for the SIP and 63% price hike in Canada (compared to regular editions). Hello newsstand revenue bonus!

The Obama edition was the Cover of the Week:  http://www.coverssell.com/?p=5191

The April 2012 issue of Zoomer featured Jann Arden as the cover girl.  As a huge fan of her music, the cover certainly caught my eye. I blogged about it back in March.

I loved the fact that Zoomer was taking a risk with this cover. Well, the results are in and…

The April 2012 issue out sold April 2011 by 40%, and it out sold April 2010 by 37%.

Congratulations to Zoomer for taking the risk! No risk, no reward!

The French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo has published quite a controversial cover, sure to stir the pot. According to a report by CNN, Parisian newsstand kiosks sold out of the magazine almost instantly. France has the largest Muslim population in the Euopean Union.

The French government announced it was shutting down embassies in 20 countries. Spokesman for the government of the United States questioned the judgement of the publisher, while softly supporting the principle of free speech. The Globe & Mail reported this morning that over 30 people have already been killed in violent outbursts to a Youtube video… the Innocence of Muslims.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault issued a statement expressing his “disapproval of all excesses,” in response to the Charle Hebdo cover.

[Translation from cover caption: "You mustn’t mock."]

The magazine’s editor, and a fomer cartoonist named Stephane Charbonnier, denied he was being deliberately provocative at a delicate time, according to a report by SkyNews.

“The freedom of the press, is that a provocation?” he said. “I’m not asking strict Muslims to read Charlie Hebdo, just like I wouldn’t go to a mosque to listen to speeches that go against everything I believe.”

The French satirical magazine’s offices were firebombed in the past (November 2011) when they published another controversial cover.   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15550350

According to the Huffington Post, Charlie Hebdo often publishes satirical cartoons mocking Christians. The Huffington Post is also running a Poll, which you can vote on, regarding Free Speech. Click below to go to the Huffington Post article and Poll.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/19/french-satirical-magazine-charlie-hebdo-cartoons-prophet_n_1896063.html

According to Wikipedia, the magazine has a “left-wing anarchistic” editorial slant.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hebdo

The National Post ran this editorial cartoon in today’s paper:

It seems that magazine covers are generating a lot of excitment these days…I guess the Prophet is good for profits. As for Royal Nipples, that is so yesterday. 

http://www.coverssell.com/?p=6301

Until recently, I had never heard of Closer magazine, or Chi magazine. But then, I am an American philistine. The bloggers and the main-stream media have forced me to pay attention. Apparently, there are Royal nipples to be seen. Well, if you are at all like me, you must be shocked, just shocked, to learn that Kate Middleton has nipples.

I had never heard of Coptic Christians, until recently either. Again, call me an American philistine. But, thanks to the media, I now know all about Nakoula Nakoula, an Eygptian-born Coptic Christian, who also happens to be a convicted felon (possession of chemicals to make methamphetamine, and identity theft and credit card fraud), whose 14-minute Youtube trailer entitled Innocence of Muslims has sparked deadly riots all over the planet. I’m still trying to figure out what a Coptic Christian is, and why anyone is taking this guy seriously.

But that is the power of magazine covers and Youtube to dominate the news these days.

Relegated to the fringes is the fact that the Arctic is melting, that youth unemployment in Europe is at crisis levels, and that Iran is on the verge of going nuke.

According to The Globe and Mail this morning, “Radical imam Ahmed Ashoush, a Cairo cleric, issued a fatwa–or religious edict–saying the 'blood should be shed' of everyone involved in the making of the film, and 'their killing is a duty of every capable Muslim.'” Ok then. Really?

As Margaret Wente points out in her column today, “In Western culture we insult religion all the time and think nothing of it. We fight for people’s right to put a crucifix in urine and put it on display and call it art.” 

I’ve resisted the temptation to go on Youtube to view the offending video. But I must admit, I couldn’t resist searching for the offending covers of Kate. 

I guess when given a choice between religious hatred and Royal nipples, when it comes to freedom to waste my time, I’d rather Google the magazines and oogle the covers. And may God bless the victims of hate and the nipples of Kate.

Oh, and can you pass me a martini with my life-preserver, apparently the world is on fire.