NewsOne is reporting that magazine Essence is set to formally hire Elliana Placas, a former staff member of O! Magazine and US Weekly.

Citing a Clutch Magazine interview with both a current writer and former employee, the article reveals that the company that owns Essence, Time Warner, is behind the move.

It is obviously too soon to know what backlash the magazine might suffer as a result of the decision, but it does raise some interesting issues.

Can a woman who is not black successfully coordinate the fashion orientation of an iconic magazine directed at black women?

Is it a slap in the face of the loyal readers of Essence to hire her?

What direction will the magazine take in the near or long term future?

You can read more of the except from NewsOne by clicking the link below.

Controversy Surrounds Essence Hiring White Fashion Director

Kimora and her brood are featured in the latest issue of Baby Couture magazine. In the issue, the former model talks about, what else, motherhood.

The photo shoot took place months ago, though. Watch the video below!

Sorry for the poor quality:

Kimora (And Her Photoshopped Self) Launch Junior Fragrance

TEASER: Kimora & Djimon’s “Life In The Fab Lane”

Kimora & Djimon Planning For Another Baby Boy

“I wanted Oprah’s look to radiate celebration,” says O creative director Adam Glassman, who collaborated with the designer on Oprah’s cover look.

Source

Oprah settles defamation suit

Oprah ordered to stand trial

Zoe Saldana is radiant in red on the cover of Siempre Mujer magazine’s April/May 2010 issue!

Here’s what the 31-year-old Avatar actress had to share…

On her roots:

“I’m just Zoe. Not a little bit Dominican, not a little bit Puerto Rican, none of that silliness…I am what you want me to be if that’s what it takes for you to overcome your insecurities. As a Latina, I think we should be very proud of our heritage. We tend to look for European roots and reject the indigenous and the African, and that is disgusting. Being Latin is a mix of everything. I want my people to not be as insecure, and to adore what we are because it’s beautiful.”

On her masculine side:

“I have too much of one! People have sometimes told my grandmother, ‘Your niece has a bit of lesbianism in her.’ It’s that my sisters and I spent all our time amongst men. We were very popular with them. Our way of thinking is very masculine.”

But what about her feminine side?:

“If you want to punish me, send me to get a manicure or pedicure, or dress me in a skirt or shorts, and I would die. But if you dress me in jeans and a button down blouse I feel very sexy, feminine and powerful. It has to do with my personality. That’s why I think I’m very attracted to men who are masculine but in tune with their feminine side. I’ve been with my partner for 10 years!”

Zoe Saldana: NYLON’s First Cover Girl Of Color In 7 Years!

Zoe Saldana Reacts To White-Washed Vanity Fair Cover

Zoe Saldana Covers Essence, Talks Sex, Lots Of It

Max Mara Names Zoe Saldana “Face Of The Future”

Her view on life:

“Life is much more and less than what we imagine. Life for me is very simple. When I wake up in my bed I always think, ‘If I’m fortunate enough to die in a bed, I’m not going to take with me material things, or money, or jewelry, or fame – nothing except the profound moments I experienced.”

Where her outlook on life comes from:

“At 31 years old, 100% of my 150% self esteem comes from my upbringing. The other 50% comes from my life experiences…The only thing I’ve asked of life is to be happy. I know that if I’m rich or poor, I’m going to be happy. Because I know what it’s like to be poor and happy when I had nothing, but I still felt like the richest woman in Babylon.”

On her definition of happiness:

“I like to work. I don’t have any preconceived notions on fame. Everything else is the price I pay for being happy with my work. Everything I’ve done has been for the love of art, and I try not to focus on the things that can distract me.”

Here are some pics from Usher’s cover shoot for Vegas Magazine, scheduled to hit the stands next week. Usher is the first male to grace the cover of the magazine. The singer talks about his new fragrance Usher VIP, recording in Vegas and his upcoming album and more.

Check out the pics and behind the scenes footage below:

Usher: “My Boys Bring Me Balance”

Vibe magazine, the urban-music magazine founded in 1993 by Quincy Jones, is closing it doors.  The magazine has fallen on hard times lately and in February, it reduced its circulation and publishing frequency, cut salaries and moved employees to a four-day workweek to save money.

Click here for more

We have to ask why aren’t there more black women on this list?

Check out the girls who made the list below:

Vogue rounds third month for black covers.

ANTM judge says Tyra is a tyrant.

Mrs. Will Smith is on the cover of Ebony again, and she looks great! In the June 2009 issue of the magazine, the actress/singer talks about her new TV show, her singing career, family matters, and how the rumors are silly, but keep her popular:

“You want people to talk about you,……because once they stop talking about you that’s when you’re really in trouble!” She continues, “I’m happy to have people talk about all the craziness they want to talk about, whether it’s things like every year we’re getting divorced or we’re an open family or Will’s gay, or I’m gay.”

Check the whole interview out in next month’s Ebony.

Rihanna held a private party at Giorgio’s restaurant in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 29th, and the “Umbrella” singer partied with girlfriends and folks from her record label.

The night was filled with toasts, including one to her breakup with Chris Brown. RadarOnline is reporting that the party also celebrated the recent news her hit single “Disturbia” has gone triple platinum.

Rihanna tell Chris to apologize on Oprah,

People close to Rihanna have drilled it into her head that if she stays with Chris her career will be over. The group also celebrated that the singer is about to land the cover of a major fashion magazine.

Rihanna gets protective tattoo.

Beyonce channels Angela Davis on the new cover of Ebony Magazine, and she’s looking good! Just a little fix for all you B fans.

To see more pictures from this shoot, click here.

And to check out pics from B’s most recent photo shoot with celeb photog Tony Duran, click here!

This might be our favorite Vanity Fair cover ever! Check out more pics from the feature here.

Though most know her as our new First Lady, it’s not just her social status that might make Michelle Obama Vogue‘s new cover girl – she’s also one of the most fashionable First Gals we’ve seen in years!

Says the Huffington Post,

Speaking of the new administration, it appears Vogue has finally landed First Lady Michelle Obama for a cover — and it could be out in the next few weeks. Thank Obama’s hairdresser for confirming the news: Frederic Fekkai stylist Johnny Wright this week inked a deal with television production company 44 Blue, which produces reality shows such as Style Network’s “Split Ends.” The news reports on the deal said Wright “has styled the First Lady’s coif for the Democratic National Convention, her upcoming appearance on the cover of Vogue magazine and other occasions.” Really? An e-mail to Wright’s publicist went unreturned. A Vogue spokesman stayed on script about whether Michelle Obama will make a cover appearance, saying simply, “We’re very interested in working with the First Lady.”

Do you think Michelle deserves a spot on the cover of the most popular high-fashion glossy in the world? Let us know! That would definitely be one Vogue issue we’re framing.

Rihanna looks just lovely on the cover of the new Hype Hair magazine!

The star’s changed her ‘do so many times this year, it’s about time she gets the cover of a hair mag.

What do you think?

Basketball superstar LeBron James is the cover boy for the new issue of GQ Magazine.

Some people think James is smokin’ hot, others think he’s overrated. So now we ask YOU:

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let us know!

Kanye tells Vibe that if he works out for two months, he’ll pose naked. I’m sorry, come again?

Says MTV.com,

Kanye West has become a worldwide music icon by always telling us the naked truth as he sees it. In the February issue of Vibe – the only cover story he’s done to promote 808s & Heartbreak – the Grammy winner contemplates baring even more than that.

“I made a decision. I wanna make popular music, but I want less fans,” he told writer Sean Fennessey when asked if was comfortable with fame. “I want the freedom of having less fans. It’s like the freedom of having less money. If you have less money, you have less responsibility. It’s like Björk. If she wanted to pose naked, you’d be like, ‘Oh, that’s Björk.’ But if I wanted to pose naked, people would draw all type of things into it. I definitely feel like, in the next however many years, if I work out for two months, that I’ll pose naked. I break every rule and mentality of hip-hop, of black culture, of American culture.”

“Ooooooh” or “eeeeeeew”? Tell us!

My big sister gave me a subscription to my favorite mag, Domino, for Mother’s Day (thanks, sis!). In anticipation of the magazine’s arrival, I went to Domino’s gallery and found this beautiful, serene room.

As you get to know me, you’ll find out that I’m a big fan of all things lime green. What got me excited when I saw this room, though, were the purple walls and the bedding…this room just comes together in a nice, simplistic way. And the lime green lamps aren’t too shabby, either.