In the cutthroat world of glossy fashion magazines, what goes on the cover is crucial to success.

Editors at the likes of Grazia and Vogue Magazines spend hours antagonising over who should adorn their covers, knowing full well the circulation will rise if they get the image right, or fall accordingly if the pick a dud.

It could be that the recently crowned ‘World’s Sexiest Woman’ Cheryl Crowe, with her inoffensive dress sense and hair and a strong but cheerful demeanour is worthy enough of shelling out a couple of pounds for. Perhaps the high-fashion Victoria Beckham with labels and bags and her Hollywood connections is more likely to run off the shelves.

British Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman says Kate Moss has always worked for them, her grungy chic look and sultry pout offset by human interest in the always interesting model.

To better determine what the market is looking for, or trying to avoid, fashion magazines hold regular meetings with focus groups and consult a variety of facts and data on sales, circulation and surveys. To add to the confusion however, magazines do not always try to appeal to their customers. Most dedicated readers will by their favourite magazine regardless of the cover, leaving the magazines to try and tempt floating readers. Here, the cover becomes the all important bait.

Shulman says some colours just don’t work, such as mustard yellow or pretty much any shade of green. Black is also to be avoided in favour of pretty, simple patterns and colours, with metallic pink a popular choice.

The England football team were today seen checking out their new off-the-pitch strip as the official World Cup suit was launched at Marks & Spencer. A far cry in price from the previous togs designed by Armani, the national side has opted for more modest attire for this summer’s trip to South Africa.

That said, our boys are still looking pretty sharp as the line up in the latest M&S ad campaign. Joining today’s team are 1966 heroes Roger Hunt, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters and Sir Geoff Hirst, who can all still certainly hold their own in front of the camera.

The grey three-piece, wool suit is designed by Savile Row’s Timothy Everest in collaboration with the high street brand. The team are pictured in jackets adorned with the England crest, although an in-store version without the crest will be available for purchase from today.

The M&S ad sees team members standing in groups of four above the tag-line ‘Four Lions, One Tailor’, while the suits of their older 1966 counterparts receive the branding ‘Four legends, One Label.’

England manager Fabio Capello also reportedly gave his specifications for the new tight-fitting players’ suit. In previous years, the England World Cup wears have been designed by British brands Paul Smith and Burton as well as Italian legend Giorgio Armani. The latter is close friends with former England Captain David Beckham and his label-loving wife Victoria.

Victoria Beckham showed off her 2010-11 autumn/winter collection (her fourth) at New York Fashion Week on Sunday, impressing critics. Fashion designers are constantly being scrutinized, but Beckham has proven that she is no joke and will be designing fashion for the long run.

This is Beckham’s fourth collection of dresses, which includes 26, and in just these four she is showing her signature look. Her designs are nothing short of sexy – with restraint – using elegant lines and great attention to details. She explained her collection to the audience, saying that it was exercise in control, and she wanted to push herself and work with drapery and structure.

Beckham said she was inspired by the colour palette from the cartoon Dick Tracy, as well as dance pioneer Martha Graham and 1940s Hollywood femme fatale. This color palette, for those who don’t know, includes emerald, blood red, graphite and sapphire. She even wore one of the dresses from the new collection – a grey wool sweater-like couture dress – that she explained could be just thrown on.

Before the show, Beckham is said to have told her sons that she was going to do a big test. Then after the show she talked about how she wants to open a shop for her collections by 2015. She also joked about Romeo, one of her sons, wanting to take over the business, which may be a successful inheritance some day.

Beckham’s line is priced pretty heftily, but it has sold out even during the recession. According to various reports, it’s estimated by insiders that the collection could be worth as much as £4.7 million or £5.4 million ($7.5 million $8.4 million) just this year.