Maxim Returns to Putting Naked Women on Its Covers

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Maxim's post-feminist rebrand is going well, as evidenced by its December/January cover, which features a naked, wet Alessandra Ambrosio strategically holding a folded newspaper while a cover line crowns her the world's sexiest businesswoman. Inside the magazine, Gilles Bensimon photographed the supermodel in various mostly naked and naked poses while she holds a bottle of Coke, holds a glass of wine in bed, jumps off a boat, swims naked in the sea; just normal businesswoman activity. Gone are the close-up shots of faces that frequently made covers under Lanphear's watch, and the brief accompanying interview with Ambrosio doesn't delve far into any career advice.

It's yet another new look for a magazine that has been struggling ever since lad mags lost their popularity. Former T style director Kate Lanphear was brought on to usher Maxim into a more fashion-forward "lifestyle brand for men," but declining sales proved that that approach wasn't catching on. Lanphear was fired in October and Glenn O'Brian, GQ's former Style Guy, was put in charge of architecting another new direction for the magazine (although not as Maxim's editor-in-chief, but rather editor-at-large). Former Man of the World editors Guillaume Bruneau and Jacqueline Miró also recently joined Maxim as art and design director and story editor, respectively.