why the April issue of Harper's Bazaar might be the greatest magazine of all time

There will be not one but two flawless photo shoots in the April 2012 issue of Harper's Bazaar that will make it worth checking out. Coincidentally (or rather consequently) they are both shot by Fashion/pop culture's photographer du jour Terry Richardson.

Exhibit A:
First there is a feel bad about your social life feel-good spread featuring a good old fashioned Italian feast hosted, obviously, by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The boys party it up with a few "it" girls like Eva Herzigova, Amber Le Bon, Pixie Geldof and Cara Delevigne all dressed in lavish looks from the past spring collection. I can't help but cringe at the thought of all of that tomato sauce and red wine flowing because I have a feeling that those crystal encrusted corsets and laser cut lace jackets aren't machine washable.
What makes this photo shoot great is that it is intended to appear "real" and yet it is so over the top that it mocks itself without the viewer's trying. The shoot becomes self-referential with all of the blatant Italian-ness, the spirit of Dolce & Gabbana. Throw in a few too-attractive-to-be-real-friends-so-they-must-be-male-models and boom! That's how photo shoots are conquered.

The next great Richardson shoot is a throwback to the 50s spread with the adorable Miss Miranda Kerr. Also, this particular photo might be my favorite in while:I know, I know...a fabulous girl in designer Fashion unrealistically chowing down on Italian comfort food. Where have I seen this before? But I guess if it's not broken don't fix it? The whole shoot has a very Italian vibe but it finds it's main muse in the model rather than the designer. Terry takes the Victoria Secret Angel/mom (WTF?!?!?) for a day out around town making her look classic as ever in everything from Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Dior to you guessed it Dolce and Gabbana.
I think that what I find most appealing about these photo spreads I that I desperately want to be in them. I mean who wouldn't want to be fed by D&G or be Miranda Kerr?