The first man ever to appear on an ELLE cover was Michel de Windt, who grinned at us from the front of the November 1989 issue alongside American model Elaine Irwin. More recently, de Windt walked in Prada’s courtly AW12 menswear show (look two, in case you’re curious).
A four-year cover-man hiatus followed. Richard Avedon broke the drought in exuberant form when he photographed Stephanie Seymour riding—yes, riding—a nude Marcus Schenkenberg for the Aug. ’93 cover.
After that, Paul Weller and Kate Moss cosied up for the Feb. ’97 issue, and flamenco artist Joaquin Cortes danced his way into Naomi Campbell’s heart on the April ’97 cover. The two went on to date after meeting on the ELLE shoot.
A triple dose of ELLE men followed. For a special issue celebrating Britain’s sexiest film stars, Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Ewan McGregor shared the cover in Sept. ’98.
It would prove the first of three covers for McGregor—he reappeared alongside Moulin Rouge co-star Nicole Kidman in Aug. ’01, and with Renee Zellweger for Down With Love in Nov. 2003.
And what would this great British fashion magazine be without a bit of Oasis? A loved-up Liam Gallagher and Nicole Appleton shared the Jan. ’01 cover. Coverline: ‘We’ve never been so happy’.
Click through some of ELLE's manliest covers in the gallery above. Which is your favourite?
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