Ah, the great magazine cover debate. Back in the golden days of modeling, Vogue covers were reserved for the most super of them all. Now, it's rare and noteworthy when a model gets a cover; she has to seemingly wrest it away from an actress. What brought this about?

Well, I have the answer - or at least a pretty solid opinion. Back in the day, super models were more than a fresh, unseen face connected to an ultra thin body. Once upon a time, they were unique and vibrant women who were known for their looks as much as their personalities. They didn't appear in droves from Russia, and they didn't walk a few runways and then disappear. They had the experience and the confidence to emote.

No one wants a cover with a girl who can't command attention, and a 15 year old girl is rarely in a position to pull off the necessary confidence. Actresses, then, are a natural choice. They have a following, they have personality, and they can express through their appearance.

So in the celebrity vs. model debate, let's take a careful look at what each competitor brings to the table. I'd love to see the models win, but I don't see it happening soon.

s., i think you've hit the nail on the head, unlike many other fashion bloggers who blame it solely on the rise of celebrity culture. frankly, there are few if any models today that i would actually want to see on a magazine cover. i actually love seeing actresses - who are just a bit more like real people, not much i know but still - attempting to rock high fashion. it puts a different spin on it. allows me to see the clothes from a fresh perspective. (for example, to my surprise, i really enjoyed the kate hudson/balenciaga spread in vogue a couple of months back. i loved that collection, but in a very conceptual way. seeing it on her gave it a whole different spin.)

only irina, completely new to the scene, comes to mind as a model i'd want to see on a cover. and that's because she has a personality. she is something more than just beautiful. so many of the models today simply have one look - a vapid stare. which is kind of expected given that they have barely lived life yet.

a., I second the feeling that Irina might be the only current model who could do a successful cover.

And yes, I felt the same way about the Kate Hudson / Balenciaga spread! She made the collection look incredibly lively.

exactly right. models now are less 'super' and are merely coat-hangers devoid of opinion and life. and unfortuantley, the days of super models are over and models seem to come in only one model (probably not the right word)- freakishly thin, young and anonymous (with the exception of the gemma, lily and irina).