Have a look at the amazing collection of vintage Vogue covers on thombeau59's Flickr photoset — there are so many stunning images that I had a lot of trouble just choosing a few to post here. Seeing these beautiful illustrations makes me (a) sad that illustration is so underused on the covers of mainstream magazines today, and (b) even more aware of how banal these covers have become (with the sterling exception of publications such as The New Yorker, who had a three cover issue this week!). Speaking of The New Yorker, there's a great short article in the April 21st edition's Talk of the Town section about legendary art director George Lois, who talks about his ground breaking cover designs for Esquire in the '60s, and his opinion of cover design today. Check it out. Vogue covers link discovered via Little Hokum Rag.
Update: Sadly the link to this Flickr photoset disappeared a while ago, but good news — you can purchase exquisite prints of vintage Vogue covers (and more) from the Condé Nast Store. Printed on archival-quality paper with UV-resistant inks, they're available in two sizes (15 x 18 or 17 x 22) and can be ordered with or without a frame.