George Lois on his favorite Esquire covers

Legendary art director George Lois shares his memories about his twelve favorite Esquire covers.

He tells how the job came about: “I was a well-known advertising agency guy, and the former editor of Esquire, Harold Hayes, he called me up. We met at The Four Seasons, and he said, ‘Could you help me try to do better covers?’ I got this Bronx accent, and he had this southern drawl, and it must have been a funny discussion. ‘You have to go outside and find a designer, a guy who’s talented at graphic design, but understands politics, culture, and movies,’ I told him, and he said, ‘Do me a favor, could you do me just one cover?’ I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do you one.’”

Here’s one I’d never seen before, featuring Chief John Big Tree, the supposed model for the Indian Head nickel.

• design
• Esquire
• George Lois
• magazines