LOVE 6, the sixth issue of the Katie Grand-edited biannual spelled in all caps, has hit Manhattan newsstands like any 432 page magazine for $19.99 ($21.76 w/tax) would — with a resounding thud. When the resultant plume of dust settled around the stack of LOVEs (8 different covers, mind, collect them all!), therein contained was an editorial by photographer Sølve Sundsbø featuring Ford’s Hannah Noble and Anais Mali.  Following what well could be the fetishist (or was it innocence, romanticism, or Liza Minelli?) course obliquely charted by Grand’s opening letter, this story titled “Strangelove” visits the oft-frequented ports of bondage, uniforms, and, erm, balancing books on heads. If the premise is a bit contrived, then the Norwegian photographer’s ability to command the page with color, lighting, and staging is not. Sundsbø’s story in fact is but one of the many LOVE 6 editorials sure to be topic of conversation in the coming season. In Hannah’s first look, the model from Stratford-Upon-Avon wears a top and trousers, both by Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, riding boots by Bally, and a black lace vale by Jason Wu. Anais makes a cameo wearing a white shirt by Ralph Lauren, dress by Fendi, and fur hat by Prada. Strangelove though this story may seem, it is not immune to relying upon conventional displays of beauty such as Hannah’s final look, which is comprised of a Christian Dior resort collection dress, a silk scarf by Hermès held between latex gloves by House of Harlot, and an anchor necklace that is Hannah’s own. LOVE 6 thematically might be many things to many people, but with Hannah Noble and Anais Mali it can be any of those things brilliantly.

Credits include: Publication, LOVE 6 A/W 2011; Title, “Strangelove”; Photography, Sølve Sundsbø; Fashion editing, Katie Grand, Victoria Young; Hair, Samantha Hillerby; Makeup, Osvaldo Salvatierra; Manicure, Mike Pocock; Body makeup, Nichola Joss; Digital operation, Joe at Republik; Production, Paula Ekenger, Sally Dawson; Set design, David White; Photography assistance, Ashley Reynolds, Myro Wulff; Fashion assistance, Silvia Nicoletti, Alex Robertson-Dunlop, Nicholas Royal; Hair assistance, Kieron Roberts, Amber Rose, Ben Talbot; Makeup assistance, Harsha Chavda, Lucy Pook; Retouching, Digital Light Ltd; Thanks, www.retrouvious.com, www.howelondon.com.