Cosmopolitan's 59 Favorite Photos of 2025

In 2025, Cosmopolitan sharpened its focus. We got clearer about what we wanted to look like, sound like, and do across our platforms. We treated legacy as a foundation, rather than a constraint. Our 60th anniversary issue, featuring Margaret Qualley, gave us the opportunity to reflect on where Cosmopolitan has been and where it’s going. For that cover, we honored Helen Gurley Brown and Francesco Scavullo’s iconic monochromatic tradition, with photographer Alana O’Herlihy reinterpreting that lineage through a distinctly female gaze.

We doubled down on iconic franchises, and launched exciting new ones. The Cosmo Quiz, seen below with Cole Escola and Quen Blackwell, returned sharper than ever, while Cosmopolitan’s Centerfold allowed us to explore different expressions of sexy with Mark Eydelshteyn, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Manny Jacinto, and Conan Gray. We debuted Is It Just Us?, a fast favorite series exploring everything from bobs to engagement rings.

We took our readers far beyond the U.S., from Seoul, South Korea, with BABYMONSTER to Bocholt, Belgium, for Cosmo Sports, where Jessica Springsteen trains at Ashford Farm. Across every location, we had the same goal: meeting people where they are. We approached each shoot with the same intention, building the creative around what makes a subject feel the most like themselves.

It was also a year of firsts. Richard Kern shot Macaulay Caulkin and Brenda Song, making them the first-ever romantic relationship featured on the cover of Cosmo. The iconic hip-hop photographer Eric Johnson photographed Doechii’s first mainstream cover just seven days after her first Grammy win.

We worked with photographers at many different stages of their careers. Photography legend Lauren Greenfield, known for her explorations of youth culture, found energy in the depths of the Bowery Hotel and quiet moments on the streets of New York with Ariana Greenblatt. We also commissioned Ian O’Hara, a recent LaGuardia High School graduate and current Cooper Union student, for his first editorial assignment. His portraits of Sombr, also a LaGuardia alum, embodied our belief that the next generation of image-makers deserves meaningful, career-shaping opportunities.

Along the way, we left you some surprises too. Readers, see how many Easter eggs you can find, like photographer Mayan Toledano’s shadow appearing in a photo from her Madison Beer shoot, or photographer Soraya Zaman adding “Cosmo Air” to an airplane on the runway in the KJ Apa and Madelyn Cline story. There are more, if you look closely enough.

Below, our 59 favorite photographs from the year.

Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song Photographed by Richard Kern. Styled by Brandon Tan.

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Gracie Abrams Photographed and styled by Eli Russell Linnetz.

Gracie Abrams Photographed and styled by Eli Russell Linnetz.

Serena Page and Kordell Beckham Photographed by Ruben Chamorro. Styled by Marcus Allen.

Cole Escola Photographed by Bobby Doherty. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Emma Rogue Photographed by Ruben Chamorro.

Gabby Windey Gabby Windey photographed by Avery Norman, styled by Kaia Carioli. 

Gabby Windey Gabby Windey and Robby Hoffman photographed by Hunter Abrams.

Doechii Photographed by Eric Johnson. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Doechii Photographed by Eric Johnson. Styled by Brandon Tan. 

Madison Beer Photographed by Mayan Toledano. Styled by Harper Slate.

Madison Beer Photographed by Mayan Toledano. Styled by Harper Slate.

Las Flaquitas Jessica Gjoza photographed by Huy Luong, styled by Jessica Neises.

Clairo Photographed by Bella Newman. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Clairo Photographed by Bella Newman. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Centerfold Mark Eydelshteyn photographed by Ruben Chamorro, styled by Cassie Anderson. Nicholas Alexander Chavez photographed by Bobby Doherty, styled by Brandon Tan. Manny Jacinto photographed by Julius Frazer, styled by Brandon Tan. Conan Gray photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout.

Margaret Qualley Photographed by Alana O’Herlihy. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Ethel Cain Photographed by Justin Leveritt. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Suni Lee Photographed by Nero. Styled by Kaia Carioli.

KJ and Madelyn Photographed by Soraya Zaman. Styled by Brandon Tan.

In Love in Harlem Liisi and Karl photographed by Sabrina Santiago.

Renee Rapp Photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout. Styled by Jessica Neises.

Cosmo Sports A’ja Wilson photographed by Ashley Markle. Tara Davis-Woodhall photographed by Terra Fondriest. Aryna Sabalenka photographed by Jonas Unger. Jessica Springsteen photographed by Tim Buiting.

Ariana Greenblatt Photographed by Lauren Greenfield. Styled by Brandon Tan.

I Love LA Photographed by Grayson Vaughan. Styled by Angelina Vitto.

Quen Blackwell Photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout. Styled by Brandon Tan.

BABYMONSTER Photographed by Yoon Song Yi. Styled by Kim Beungkyu.

BABYMONSTER Photographed by Yoon Song Yi. Styled by Kim Beungkyu.

Madeline Argy Photographed by Anairam. Styled by Jessica Neises.

Sombr
Photographed by Ian O’Hara. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Sombr
Photographed by Ian O’Hara. Styled by Brandon Tan.

Is It Just Us Photographed by Rona Liana Ahdout.