We hit on something that we thought made the title sound tongue-in-cheek which gave it more power and made it sound less silly. We decided to DO something risqué without actually SHOWING something risqué. We took something about women that is normally objectified and actually make it a true solid object. So we cobbled together a quick Photoshop version of our idea, which was to use four rocks to make two breasts (top left image). We thought: It’s smart and funny. It’s ballsy. It’s cheeky. It’s sexy without being dirty. People will talk about it. People will notice it. People will pick up the magazine because of it.

We sent it to Emily and she loved it. She showed it to her boss Gus Venditto and he said, “You’re kidding, right?” His concern was that the magazine is still trying to gain ground on the newsstand and a cover like this would either offend potential buyers, or worse yet, not even be placed on the newsstand by distributors (STEP is sold at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Office Depot, among others). Even though he didn’t find the cover personally offensive he couldn’t accept it. We understood his point, but pleaded that it wasn’t ACTUALLY offensive—after all it was just four rocks.

We went away and thought about it a little more and decided that maybe the “nipple” rocks put it over the top and if we just removed those, you would still get the joke and maybe the cover was actually better that way. So we re-presented the cover with just two rocks (top right image). But it was too late. The “Women Rock” cover was never going to see the light of day (until now).

We were crushed. Between a rock and a hard place. Our confidence was rocked. OK, we’ll stop with the rock metaphors.

Emily encouraged us to try again. So we went in the opposite direction.

KITTENS! We thought, “Who doesn’t like kittens?” People at Barnes & Noble like kittens! Hardened designers in gray cities like kittens! Designers in the expanses of the great Midwest like kittens! Everybody likes kittens! (except puppies.) Plus it’s an unexpected way to show women. (Unexpected because it, like the rock breasts is tongue in cheek). As is mentioned in Emily’s “Editor’s Desk” column, we felt that we have all seen enough pictures of women standing around proving how tough they are or how good they look in suits, and how well they can exist in a man’s world. Well, we decided to make it a kitten world because you know what? It’s not really a man’s world any more. We don’t have anything to prove. And we can laugh at ourselves too.

So we made the Kitten Kover. Don’t we all look kute?

And if you have any comments on the cover, don't be shy. Please send them to potts@dgusa.com. Your comments may appear in the next issue of STEP.