Behind the Scenes of O's 10th Anniversary Cover

From the moment the O photo crew arrived at the Manhattan soundstage last January (with photographer Ruven Afanador leading the charge), it was clear that this was no ordinary cover shoot. For starters, the entire room smelled like sugar. The genius bakers who designed the ten spectacular cakes featured in this issue (see our slideshow) had donated an array of treats to keep everyone happy until wrap time (it worked). But something even sweeter was in the air: palpable excitement.

The inspiration for our back cover (far left): a detail of artist Lorna Simpson's Untitled (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner). For Ruven Afanador's photo, designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka reinterpreted a glimmering crimson gown from their spring collection, shown on the next slide.

O's 10th anniversary issue had been in the works for a year. After all that planning—including collaborations with designers Isaac Mizrahi and Badgley Mischka on Oprah's gowns—hopes for a dazzling cover were very high. "I wanted Oprah's look to radiate celebration," says O creative director Adam Glassman. "The gowns were exquisite—but until Oprah's in front of the camera and fully styled, you never quite know how a garment will work out." Once Oprah arrived in oversize sunglasses, and Lady Gaga began blasting through the speakers, the energy spiked with a flurry of quick touch-ups and tweaks.

Trays of vintage Fred Leighton jewelry sparkled nearby; clothing racks were wheeled this way and that. The atmosphere was festive, the vibe buzzy, the cakes delectable. And then Oprah took her place, wearing Mizrahi's luminescent lilac vision. As Afanador began snapping away, Glassman (and everyone else on the set) smiled, and exhaled. When it came time to wrap, Afanador's assistants wheeled out a cart stocked with glasses of Champagne, and Oprah led the toast: "Here's to the next ten years!"

Celebrating at day's end (from left): O creative director Adam Glassman, O editor in chief Susan Casey, makeup artist Reggie Wells, hairstylist Andre Walker, Oprah, O editor at large Gayle King, Hearst Magazines editorial director Ellen Levine, and O deputy editor Lucy Kaylin. Watch the video!

More from O's 10th anniversary celebration