It's Lara's first original Australian cover and even editorial as far as I know, so for the Australian market it is very 2013. She's such an unlikely model to be on a cover on this side of the world so that makes it very original and fresh. I agree it does look more ID and Dazed & Confused, and a little dated but in my opinion it looks more 2005 and therefore ironically sooo dated that it could be ahead of its time. It's also reminiscent of Vogue Australia in 1995 with the typeface and head shots so its not entirely not VA if you are familiar with their archives.
Also I'd say while "Return of the Curves" may also sound outdated to everyone else around the world, but here in Australia with its beach culture and body consciousness so high that most girls and guys have seem to have a form of body dysmorphia, that such a cover line is a bold and important statement in our local context. Perhaps a reason why it is a headshot too?
While VA does look amazing and have a more younger dynamic under McCann & Centenera et al, but I feel like now its new international and edgier feel has just made it like Vogue Japan or China and that its missing something uniquely Australian. I'm not talking about cliche caricature of Australiana but rather now they follow a generic albeit hip, cool global formula that makes it weirdly unoriginal.
Looking forward to what Elle Australia is going to bring to the local publishing landscape as 10 Australia (Women & Men) & GQ Style Australia are also very much echo their European counterparts.
... I just realised that Lara also covers one of Harpers Bazaar Australia's 15 covers for their anniversary issue, so it appears in the same month.
