We're hearing that there's drama once-glorious halls of Hearst's drifting fashion magazine, Harper's Bazaar. Spoiler alert: the ever-so-important March cover will feature the multi-talented Gwen Stefani, as shot by... Mario Testino s assistant. No, that s not a misprint. Famed photographer Testino is on contract with Cond Nast, but his assistant Alexi Lubromirski is free to roam, and is thus picking up some extra work outside of the House Of Nasty.

So how d Alexi score the cover? Reportedly, Bazaar couldn t secure a photographer to work with Stefani based on stylist issues (photographers wanted to use theirs, Stefani wanted to use hers). So, in times of crisis, why not let a photographer s assistant have a crack at a considerable cover? Suffice to say, Stephen Gan is not pleased with editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey s decision—the normally zen creative director has been rather livid.

Meanwhile, deputy editor Sarah Bailey—whose hiring, we hear, was ordered from the very, very top—waits in the wings, and Glenda s contract hasn t been renewed since last summer.