The 7 Most Shocking & Iconic Vogue Magazine Covers Of 2025: An Era-Defining Shift

The landscape of high fashion is undergoing a seismic shift, and nowhere is this more visible than on the hallowed covers of Vogue magazine. As of late 2025, the publication has entered a new, highly-debated era, marked by major editorial changes and a willingness to embrace—and sometimes stumble over—controversial new technologies like AI. This deep dive uncovers the most recent, must-know covers that have defined the year, from the powerful multi-cover Met Gala tribute to the September Issue that critics are calling "boring," all while tracking the monumental transition of power at the top of the Condé Nast empire.

The year 2025 will be remembered as a pivotal moment in Vogue’s 130+ year history, not just for the fashion trends it showcased, but for the fundamental questions it raised about the future of print media, celebrity culture, and the role of the editor-in-chief. We break down the seven most significant and talked-about covers that cemented Vogue's status as a cultural barometer this year, including the features that have sparked the most intense online debate.

The New Guard: Most Talked-About Vogue Covers of 2025

The selection of cover stars for 2025 reflects a deliberate strategy to blend established Hollywood royalty with the new wave of Gen Z icons, aiming to capture a diverse and global readership. However, this strategy has not been without its critics, especially concerning the magazine’s most important issue of the year.

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1. The Controversial AI Cover: Anne Hathaway (August 2025)

Perhaps the most contentious cover of the year was the August 2025 issue featuring actress Anne Hathaway. The issue sparked immediate and widespread online backlash after it was revealed that several models and background elements in the accompanying editorial spread were AI-generated.

• The Controversy: Readers and industry professionals accused Vogue and parent company Condé Nast of devaluing the work of human models, photographers, and stylists by utilizing artificial intelligence for a major fashion spread.
• The Intention: The magazine reportedly aimed to explore the intersection of fashion and emerging technology, but the execution led to readers canceling subscriptions, arguing the move was a sign of the magazine prioritizing cost-cutting over artistic integrity.
• The Aftermath: This cover became a flashpoint in the broader media debate about AI ethics, forcing a public conversation about the future of creative work in high-end publishing.

2. The Met Gala Multi-Cover Tribute (May 2025)

The May issue, traditionally dedicated to the Met Gala and The Met's Costume Institute exhibition, delivered a powerful statement by featuring four distinct covers, each showcasing a co-chair of the event.

• Featured Stars: Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky, and Colman Domingo were among the notable figures chosen, celebrating the theme of the 2025 exhibition.
• Artistic Direction: The Pharrell Williams cover, in particular, was celebrated for its artistic merit, featuring a portrait by the renowned contemporary artist Henry Taylor, further blurring the lines between high fashion and fine art.

3. The "Boring" September Issue: Emma Stone (September 2025)

The September Issue is universally recognized as the most significant and largest of the year, setting the tone for the entire fashion season. The 2025 American Vogue cover, starring Oscar-winner Emma Stone, was met with mixed reviews, with many fashion observers calling it disappointingly "boring."

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The cover, photographed by Jamie Hawkesworth and styled by the legendary Grace Coddington, was criticized for its muted aesthetic and perceived lack of "steam," leading to speculation that American Vogue is struggling to maintain its cultural dominance in the age of social media.

4. The Gen Z Goth Moment: Jenna Ortega (September 2025)

In a nod to the youth market, actress Jenna Ortega, known for her 'Wednesday' role, also graced a September 2025 cover, merging a sophisticated white corset top with a dark, loose silhouette, a look critics dubbed "cottagecore with goth."

5. The British Youth Power: Billie Eilish (May 2025)

British Vogue continued its legacy of powerful celebrity portraits by featuring pop superstar Billie Eilish on its May 2025 cover, captured by photographer Johnny Dufort.

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6. The British Christmas Star: Millie Bobby Brown (December 2025)

The December 2025 British Vogue issue featured actress Millie Bobby Brown, who spoke about her life at 21 and her marriage, showcasing the magazine's focus on intimate, personal narratives alongside high fashion.

7. The Pop Culture Icon: Sabrina Carpenter (March 2025)

Kicking off the year, the March 2025 American Vogue cover with Sabrina Carpenter highlighted the magazine’s intent to fully embrace current pop culture phenomena and emerging music stars.

The End of an Era: Anna Wintour's Monumental Shift

No discussion of Vogue covers in 2025 is complete without addressing the monumental shift in leadership. After 37 years as the formidable editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour has reportedly stepped away from the day-to-day editorial duties of the magazine.

Wintour, who has presided over more than 400 covers during her tenure, is not leaving Condé Nast entirely, but is shifting her focus to her global editorial roles, a move that fundamentally changes the creative direction of the American publication.

The Wintour Legacy on the Cover

Wintour’s influence is legendary, beginning with her first cover in 1988, which featured model Michaela Bercu in a Christian Lacroix jacket and faded jeans—a revolutionary mix of high and low fashion. Her tenure was defined by:

• The Rise of the Celebrity Cover: She largely replaced models with major celebrities, ensuring Vogue remained a powerful cultural force.
• The September Issue: She built the September issue into the massive, industry-setting publication it is today, a narrative famously documented in the film The September Issue.
• The Met Gala: Her stewardship of the Met Gala cemented the event as fashion’s most exclusive and globally recognized night.

The Lasting Impact of Edward Enninful at British Vogue

Adding to the editorial shake-up, 2024 saw the departure of Edward Enninful as Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue, whose legacy continues to resonate in 2025. Enninful's era was defined by a radical push for diversity and visibility that transformed the magazine's identity.

His farewell cover in March 2024, which featured 40 industry icons—including Miley Cyrus, Victoria Beckham, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss—was a powerful send-off that celebrated his six-year tenure focused on inclusivity.

Vogue’s Evolution: From Illustration to AI

To understand the significance of the 2025 covers, it helps to look at Vogue’s historical evolution:

• 1892: The very first Vogue cover was published, featuring an illustration, a style that dominated its early decades.
• 1932: The magazine published its first-ever photographic cover, shot by Edward Steichen, marking a major technical and artistic turning point.
• 1988: Anna Wintour's first cover signals the transition to celebrity-focused, modern fashion photography.
• 2025: The controversial use of AI models signals the magazine's latest, and most debated, attempt to adapt to the digital future.

The covers of 2025 prove that Vogue remains the ultimate cultural battleground. Whether it’s the shift away from a decades-long editor, the push for digital technology, or the debate over celebrity choices, each issue serves as a snapshot of the current state of fashion, culture, and power.