Very Ugly Prada Dress Plagues Multiple September Issues

A dress from Prada’s Autumn/Winter 2015 runway show has made its way onto not one but two September covers this fall. It’s also snuck into a few other magazines in the past couple months, and its popularity has resulted in an embarrassing fallout: not only is the dress ugly, several publications seemingly anticipated having an exclusive on its ugliness.

The dress, pictured above on Rosie Huntington Whiteley in Harper’s Bazaar UK at left and Katy Perry in Vogue Japan at right, was also apparently intended to be seen on Gigi Hadid on the cover of the September issue of W (who was lucky enough to end up in a Dior fur coat instead). The New York Post reports:

A source tells us when W magazine discovered cover gal Gigi Hadid was in the same bow-adorned frock, they scrambled to pull the shot and replace it with a different photo. Insiders tell us editors are furious because September issues are the most important of the year, and each magazine expected to have the garment as an exclusive.

But hold up. The September issues are behind the times; Rita Ora already wore a version of this dress on the July issue of Marie Claire UK, and Lily Donaldson was seen in it on Elle UK’s August issue. It’s also reportedly made appearances in Marie Claire, InStyle, and Elle Russia. Additionally, Willow Hand—a model who walked the runway for Prada during this show and is in their Fall campaign (photographed by Steven Meisel) as well—can be seen sporting the looks in Teen Vogue’s September issue.

W, who managed to avoid featuring this potpourri of an article of clothing in their biggest issue of the year, is actually denying that they switched their cover. Editor Stefano Tonchi told the Post that, “I always choose the cover image that I think is the strongest, and it’s selected independently of what the subject is wearing.” No explanation was given from any other fashion editor—or from Prada itself, a company that has had some profit issues recently—about why a decidedly spring dress I would have loved at the age of 6 is being touted as a great look for (mostly) adults to wear in autumn.

That being said:

We hear the rep responsible for the same item being sent everywhere has left Prada and has a job at another fashion house.

Not fixed: the plague that is gross dresses.

Images via Harper’s Baazar UK, Vogue Japan, Marie Claire UK, Elle UK, Teen Vogue