Although Andy Warhol had no involvement in the design of Sheila Take A Bow, the cover features one of the most memorable figures from his artistic circle: Candy Darling. A transgender actress, model and Warhol superstar, Darling became one of the defining personalities of The Factory during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The image used by The Smiths was taken from Women in Revolt, a film produced by Warhol. By selecting Candy Darling for the cover, Morrissey connected the band's world with Warhol's underground cinema and New York counterculture.

Darling died of lymphoma in 1974 at just twenty-nine years old. Her beauty, charisma and tragic story have since made her one of the most enduring icons of the Warhol era.