CR Fashion Book Gets A Surprising New Cover Girl

Kanye's bid for acceptance by the fashion community is already well-established, but Kim — aside from her appearance in New York Magazine last year — hasn't made a play to be considered a genuine fashion icon. Sure, she's rocked some crazy outfits from time to time, but mostly she's relying on the fact that her fame will continue based solely on pictures of her butt. It's worked. But, why not try for a bit more street cred?

Ms. Kardashian is the latest cover girl for fashion's most mysterious It magazine of the moment, CR Fashion Book. The images, shot during the final trimester of her pregnancy, bear the traditionally high-end edge that made Carine famous both as a street style star and as an editor. There are grills; there is mean mugging; there is random Western font. And yes, Kim K looks pretty, with a made-under face and a generally more interesting look than we're used to seeing from her. (If you thought Kanye would be happy to just rebrand himself and leave the rest of his family alone, well, think again.)

Shot by Karl Lagerfeld, the cover shot was apparently art director Ricardo Tisci's idea, a pretty natural choice considering he's a known friend of the family who's dressed Kim in the past. It's not off brand for the magazine as a whole, either: Roitfeld, the former French Vogue editor, started up the book last year and built a bit of a reputation for tapping massive celebrities for conceptual, fashion-forward shoots when she cast Kate Upton. It's an unlikely combination that most glossies wouldn't dare to try, but we'd argue that in large part, that cover was responsible for Upton's ascent from Sports Illustrated babe to a bona-fide fashion figure.

The issue's theme is "Hope," which Roitfeld told WWD is best exemplified by the promise of pregnancy and new life. But, make no mistake — this isn't your typical Kardashian fodder. Roitfeld insists that “this is not something for a gossip magazine that goes into the trash. This is a magazine that is a collector’s item.” Collectors aside, will this surprising move have the same benefit for Kim that it did for Upton? We're not sure, but one thing is certain: The sales on this issue are gonna be bonkers. (WWD)