Margaret Qualley channels the Statue of Liberty herself (with a Gen Z twist) for her COSMOPOLITAN cover story, posing with a patriotic flourish on a boat in New York Harbor.
Is there anything more iconically American than the Statue of Liberty? For her COSMOPOLITAN August 2025 cover story, lensed by photographer Alana O’Herlihy, Margaret Qualley answers with a definitive “yes”—and that something is a fearless, playful reinvention of the monument herself. The shoot—a playful, high-energy affair set on a boat against the New York skyline—sees Qualley embracing a series of looks that riff on the theme of Americana.
In one shot, Qualley is the picture of sailor-girl whimsy, wearing a red velvet corset with delicate straps and a pleated, safety-pin-adorned fringe, topped with a crisp white sailor hat. It’s a bold look that feels both historic and thoroughly modern, as if a sailor from a forgotten war film has crash-landed in 2025 with an eye for punk detailing.
Another image finds Qualley striking a more serene pose, reclining elegantly in a metallic silver column dress, the fabric catching the late afternoon sun like liquid. The Statue of Liberty stands in the background, a silent, stoic witness to Qualley’s softer, more romantic interpretation of the city’s spirit.
The energy shifts again for a more intimate shot, where Qualley wears a delicate white bra and high-waisted shorts, complete with a spiky, teal-tipped crown reminiscent of Lady Liberty’s own. Here, Qualley’s expression is direct and intense, the quote “This thing we’ve been sold is love… that’s not love” floating beside her. It’s a juxtaposition of fragile femininity and fierce conviction, a quiet rebellion against the city’s romantic-comedy tropes. She pairs the look with a pair of glossy, knee-high black boots adorned with star cut-outs, a playful and unexpected detail that grounds the ethereal outfit with a touch of rock-and-roll attitude.
