I was a little late joining the I-Love-Scandal bandwagon & shame on me for not taking Olivia Pope‘s side, especially when I’ve been catching up on the series, which stars one of Hollywood’s hottest it-girls, Kerry Washington. Not only did she have a stellar 2012-2013 with the success of Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, & her latest comedy Peeples, but the New York native has hit A-list status with her consistently glamorous red carpet appearances, as well as her powerhouse character, Olivia, on the Shonda Rhimes-created television show.

Next month, the actress is featured as ELLE‘s cover girl for June 2013, & she’s never looked better. The shoot, which features amazing looks that mix both regal opulence with all-American elegance, was captured by Horst Diekgergdes & styled by Samira Nasr. Never has a pair of hot pants or the combination of denim & haute couture looked so refreshing & sophisticated.

Kerry is wearing some of the most sought after designers including Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Balmain, Christian Louboutin, Armani Exchange, Tom Ford, & Piaget! Also, in the video below, Kerry discusses the challenges she faced while taking on her slave character in Django Unchained, as well as her respect for the art of comic timing. In addition, ELLE quizzes the actress on various scenarios about what-would-Olivia-Pope-do?

I’m so happy to see Kerry take center stage, especially on the covers of my favorite fashion magazines. She’s a designer’s darling & I’m really excited to see what her next big screen, small screen, & cover girl moves are. What do you think of Kerry’s shoot for ELLE? Which look is your favorite? For more magazine posts, check out Kate Upton’s Marilyn Monroe-inspired Vogue shoot, Christina Hendricks for Lucky‘s June issue, & Scarlett Johansson’s sultry looks for Marie Claire! Happy Styling!