Fashion just like every artistic form of expression seems to be endlessly fascinated with tying young women to madonna/whore themes. In W magazine’s March issue we see photographers Mert & Marcus tossing their own hats in the ring, turning upside down the lady-like themes that have dominated recent runways and giving us their best Bettie Paige interpretaton. Are these themes oft repeated because they represent the utterly tantalizing yet unsolvable mystery or because it’s just that difficult to represent complexity in a compelling way? Via Fashiontography.

V Magazine offers up its oh-so-pretty version of a calendar for 2012, featuring the industry’s top girls, as styled by Carine Roitfeld and photographed by Willy Vanderpere. That’s Chanel Iman as Miss November, see the rest of the months on the next page. Via Fashionising.

Norwegian model Iselin Steiro who has walked for the best of them, as photographed by Hedi Slimane for the cover of Russian Vogue March 2012. Via Tfs.

From an editorial for Love magazine’s February issue, Lara Stone and Kate Moss as photographed by Mario Testino. On sale February 6th.

A chic and sporty editorial called “Little Woman,” featuring model Anja Konstantinova, as shot by Colin Leaman and styled by Katherine Anderson, under the umbrella of the Ones 2 Watch Collective. See more from the shoot here.

Cannot get a feel for this bish to save my life; meanwhile this cover shot by Glynis Selina Arban is 100 percent gorgeous. When it rains it pours. Indeed.

Photographed by Inez and Vinoodh, Daria Werbowy wearing a Prada bathing suit, grabs the February 2012 cover for Vogue Paris 2012. If there is another label grabbing more editorial shine than Prada this season I do not know it.

Vogue Russia February 2012 with Anaïs Pouliot, Ming Xi and Kate King on the cover, as photographed by Patrick Demarchelier. The folks at Thefashionspot almost uniformly dislike the image (and in general think Vogue Russia has declined since the departure of editor-in-chief Aliona Doletskaya) but we rather like it.

Today we honor the accomplishment of one Martin Luther King Jr. The above photo according to the blog Ashy2classy was taken in Chicago, in 1964, while King was in the midst of an anti-slum crusade on Chicago’s Southside. On the photo, the blog auther says:

“When you see the picture of King playing pool do not view the image just as a historical moment, but see yourself in the photo. See Dr. King as not just a leader, but as a man. King showing up in the pool halls, bars, and community centers was not just an attempt by him to see the people or connect with them; he was one of them—and by extension one of us.”

True words!

Ebony has gifted the world with an archive Tumblr, launched in late December. You know this is gonna be fun. Besides cover shots like the one above of the legendary Diana Ross (accompanied by the awesome “Why she left the Supremes” headline), it includes vintage editorial, ads and just tons of good stuff. Enjoy!