This year is W magazine's 40th anniversary.
The oversized format of the women's fashion magazine — measuring 10 inches by 13 inches — allows the publication more space for its boundary-pushing covers. Advertisers enjoyed the extra real estate, too.
The magazine often featured more outlandish covers than Vogue, even though with a circ of just half a million, far fewer people see it.
But W has gotten some huge stars to pose: everyone from Giselle Bündchen to Tom Cruise have graced the cover.
We've combed through W's issues from the past few years and picked out the most racy, interesting, and unique covers.
W made Scarlett Johansson look almost unrecognizable in this gothic-inspired November 2012 cover. For the 40th anniversary issue, the actress was embodying the fashion of the '90s.
Tom Cruise appeared on this June 2012 cover — tatted up and wearing eyeliner. The cover was meant to promote his movie "Rock of Ages"; ex-wife Katie Holmes is said to have disapproved of the shoot.
In this June 1999 cover, Cindy Crawford is imitating Demi Moore's iconic 1991 Vanity Fair cover.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Please follow Advertising on Twitter and Facebook.