Cleo has ditched its sex-laden cover for the first time in its 40 year history as part of a relaunch, marking another dramatic change to fashion and lifestyle publishing in Australia.
The move comes in the wake of several major changes to the publishing landscape, including the axing of Grazia, Madison and entire editorial staff overhauls at Vogue and Harper's Bazaar Australia.
Cleo is owned by Bauer Media, which axed Grazia and Madison this year and announced the launch of Elle Australia for September.
Its new issue features Miranda Kerr on the cover and features a report on why international retailers such as Zara charge local customers more.
A release announcing the relaunch said it was the first time since the title's inception in the '70s that there was no "big sex-sell" on the cover.
Despite moving away from such content on its cover, the title will honour its history, "returning to its provocative roots and tackling issues that matter to young girls," the release said.
It launched in 1972 under the guidance of now-publishing legend Ita Butrose, shooting to fame thanks to its mix of seemingly controversial content, including nude male centerfolds and detailed sex advice.
The decision to remove racy content from its cover was partly generated by findings from Bauer Media's 'Young Women's' study.
It found that 41 per cent of total 14-26 year-old respondents were still virgins, with only seven per cent having had a one-night stand in the past six months. Meanwhile, 69 per cent were still living at home with their parents, it said.
The shift comes just months after former TV journalist Sharri Markson took the reins, after previous editor Gemma Crisp moved to the UK.
Other women to edit the famous title include Mamamia's Mia Freedman and Nine's Today co-presenter Lisa Wilkinson.
This story first appeared on sister website adnews.com.au