What is going on with all this dirty chic nonsense? Craig McDean shot a huge spread for the September 2009 issue of W magazine highlighting the stylish side of homelessness (yeah, wtf), and now legendary photographer Steven Meisel has carried the theme over to Italian Vogue. In fact, Meisel shot not one, not two, but three covers featuring Anna Jagodzinska, Will Lewis, Ash Stymest, Jamie Bochert and, of course, Sasha Pivovarova. (Pivovarova had a starring role as the Dior tissue paper-clad bag lady in McDean’s W shoot.)  On each cover, the models pose in pairs or trios clad in luxurious clothes that are made to look worn and makeup that makes them look like a troupe of dusty, thirsty vagabonds. Beyond being perhaps the dirtiest cover to date, this triple issue is also distinct for using male models on the front, a rare practice for Italian Vogue. [Design Scene]

So if that commercial for the Western Bacon Thickburger didn’t convince you, this advertisement surely will: Padma Lakshmi is really,really sexy. It’s for her jewelry line and was shot last spring by legendary fashion photographer, Steven Meisel. As is plenty obvious, Lakshmi is in the buff and “dressed” only in gold necklaces and gemstones from her collection. The ad will be featured in magazines this fall and will also be seen on her website, PadmaLakshmi.com. The jewels are sold online at Bergdorf Goodman stores nationwide. Nude model/designer not included. Do we like? [WWD]

Steven Meisel photographed 42-year-old former model Kristen McMenamy for the cover of Vogue Italia. Looks like the girl’s still got it. [via Fashion Copious]

Just like every other impressionable tween, I saw models in magazines and felt a little bad about myself because my body didn’t look like theirs. I’m a smart girl, but it didn’t really set in that these were not their bodies (or faces, even) until I worked at a magazine and saw how photos were tweaked—who wants to look at pages of ugly people? On Newsweek.com, a writer takes part in a photo shoot, then goes through the lengthy retouching process, demonstrating how much work it actually takes to make someone look “flawless”.