Fake Kate Middleton appears on South African Marie Claire cover

GlobalPost

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is without a doubt the world's preeminent style icon. She has worn every top designer, single handedly brought back nude pantyhose, and has made everyone fall in love with fascinators. One thing Middleton has not done is grace the cover of any women's magazine ever. 

Until now. Sort of. 

The South African edition of Marie Claire has photoshopped an image of the princess on its August issue, something the magazine is calling "fan art."

Marie Claire South Africa editor, Aspasia Karras, told the Telegraph, "We were so inspired by her fairytale wedding and her life as a modern-day princess, which is why we elected Kate Middleton as our cover star for the August issue. The cover is actually a hyper-real illustration of Kate, meant to be a fan art tribute to fashion's new royal icon."

ABC News explained the image was produced by superimposing Middleton's face and hands on a model’s body wearing designs by South African designer Clive Rundle with the headline: “Fashion’s new royal icon wears SA’s best local designers*” and a disclaimer: “*Of course she doesn’t. But she should.”

Middleton has been the subject of poor photoshopping in the past. Following her wedding to Prince William, the UK gossip magazine Grazia nearly photoshopped Middleton's entire waist out of a photo, making her already slim figure nearly unrecognizable. 

Women's fashion magazines have been courting Middleton for a cover shoot ever since her engagement was announced, including Anna Wintor, the Editor of Vogue, who many believe will be the first to score the coveted first interview. 

More from GlobalPost: How Kate Middleton saved pantyhose with The Duchess Effect

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