Maxim U.S. magazine is generally known to feature scantily clad hot babes on its cover, however, for the first time in the history of the sexy-glossy – a male has appeared solo on its cover…and it just happens to be a Brit!
That’s right folks…hunky British star Idris Elba is the first man to be featured on the cover of the magazine, for its upcoming September issue and not a bra or pair of knickers in sight!
Oo-errrrrr…
And, advertisers are responding too… According to Maxim, the September issue marks a 143% increase in ad pages from last year, featuring ads from the likes of Prada, Versace, Hugo Boss, Bally, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Calvin Klein.
In the past year, Maxim’s new editor-in-chief Kate Lanphear has already completely reinvented the magazine’s “lad mag” image, crowned Taylor Swift at the top of the reimagined “Hot List,” and now her September issue is making history for the publication.
“We’ve never in US Maxim history had a man on the cover solo,” Lanphear said, noting that there have been male stars on Maxim flip covers and men have been featured on the cover alongside women before.
“This is the very first time, and there was no one else in the world more badass than Idris,”she added, explaining that actor Elba was the perfect choice to cover the fashion-focused September issue.
Lanphear’s decision was guided by the fact that Elba was the perfect embodiment of the new “Maxim man.” She added that he was multi-dimensional, complex, sophisticated, but all the same down to earth.
Lanphear was puzzled when she was with Elba on set, and kept wondering “is there anything this guy can’t do?”
He is not only an award-winning actor, but also a DJ, owns a clothing line, and, a father to two beautiful children. Elba also recently broke the British land speed record, “which has not been touched since like 1928, and he is also a living, breathing superhero,” Lanphear said.
On top of all that, Elba himself, is a man not shy about expressing his flattery for all of the fans who have suggested he be the next actor to play James Bond. Though he says, choosing him at this point would ruin the surprise that comes with each new actor filling the role.
“If I were the Bond producers and everyone was pointing me toward one actor, what’s the surprise in that?” Elba told the magazine.
“Honestly, it’s one of those things that if it should happen, it would be a self-fulfilling prophecy; it would be the will of a nation.”
How will Maxim readers react? Lanphear thinks they’re ready for the change. “I think he’s grown up along with the magazine. I’m as focused as I can be on the reader,” she said.
“Even in the March issue, we had taken a heavier style approach, and what we heard from the reader was just shy of 70% preferred the new look.
“We felt we could dive even deeper into that and give them even more information for September.“
Well, I reckon she made a wise choice putting a British star on the cover first… I can’t wait to see who she has lined up in the future!
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