Redesigns

The Glee cover of TV Guide magazine

"They brought more energy and enthusiasm than we ever could have imagined" is how TV Guide magazine director of photography Rose Fiorentino described their recent cover shoot with the cast of Glee. The latest issue, which also debuts the magazine's new redesign, features this brilliant cover image by photographer Art Streiber. Using an upcoming Glee episode (April 20) as inspiration, Fiorentino and her crew dressed the various stars of the show in iconic Madonna outfits.

I was part of the design team that helped revamp the look of TV Guide (that team also included James Reyman, and Katherine Dillon and Kate Thompson of DillonThompson). But we had nothing to do with this amazing cover and feature story, which was the creation of Fiorentino, Streiber, design director Gloria Pantell, and the editors and photo crew of the magazine.

This is just one of a series of remarkable photographic images that Fiorentino has directed for TV Guide magazine over the past year.

Cast of Glee, left to right: Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Dianna Agron, Jenna Ushkowitz, Amber Riley, and Jane Lynch.

Rose Fiorentino: "We decided to do a cover story on Glee, pegged to an episode that was a tribute to Madonna. Lisa Chambers, our managing editor, came up with the idea of dressing the stars like Madonna. We decided to recreate some of Madonna's most iconic looks, and match them to the female stars of the show. Photographer Art Streiber worked closely with us to come up with the final five looks. The challenge was to make each look instantly recognizable, without literally putting the stars in blonde wigs."

Lea Michele modeling Madonna's 1984 "Material Girl" video look.

(Left): Jenna Ushkowitz draws inspiration from Madonna's 1983 "Lucky Star" video. (Right): Dianna Agron models from the 1986 video "Papa Don't Preach."

Rose Fiorentino: "Since Dianna is pregnant on the show, it made perfect sense for her to be "Papa Don't Preach."

(Left): Jane Lynch wears the cone bras from the 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour. (Right): Amber Riley models Madonna's 1984 "Like a Virgin" look.

Rose Fiorentino: "When Jane Lynch entered the studio, she initially balked at the cone bra. But she agreed to try it and see how it looked. She put it on, looked in the mirror, took a long, long, long pause, then she said in her perfectly dry tone, 'Awesome!'"

Photo shoot credits: Contributing photo producer (Los Angeles): Geraldine Agoncillo; stylist: Sharon Williams; deputy photo editor: Alyssa Adams.