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Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pope Leo Both in Rome? Hold on. Fendi Is Ready for Takeoff
Vogue’s Luke Leitch is great therapy for me and today was no exception. His piece on today’s announcement that Maria Grazia Chiuri is now officially at Fendi is titled “Why We Should All Be Fendi-ists: Maria Grazia Chiuri Comes Home”.
Fendi’s new Chairman and CEO Ramon Ros concisely summarized the expanding role of the LVMH Creative Directors at select maisons:
I’m thrilled to welcome Maria Grazia into the team. The role of a creative director is no longer to simply design beautiful clothes but to curate a culture and hold a mirror to the world we live in. Her talent and vision will be instrumental in fortifying Fendi’s heritage, shaping the future talent in the house and deepening our commitment to Italian craftsmanship.”
The Chiuri appointment means more to many of us than LVMH understands. Losing her would have been a low blow, and I am grateful for their continued confidence in her talents as a perfect fit for Fendi.
LVMH Fashion and Leather Goods Group Ends 3rd Quarter with 2% Decline
Examining the 3rd quarter results, few media reports note that the 2025 comps are up against the Paris 2024 Olympics. The projected 4% decrease, not the 2% decrease reported today by LVMH, affirms the reality that flying into strong headwinds, the fashion and leather sector delivered news to applaud, not critique as an extension of a “long-running decline” now entering its 4th quarter.
The “Long-running Decline” Label Belongs to Gucci
For the full year 2024, Gucci revenue fell 23% on a comparable basis. In the first half of 2025, revenue was down 25% on a comparable basis.
There is great confidence in the business leadership and financial acumen being shown by new Kering CEO Luca de Meo leading the parent company Kering and the Gucci turnaround, in particular.
AOC’s issue all year is that the business reporting on LVMH has bordered on reckless and just plain wrong at times. As a result the LVMH stock price has taken needless hits in valuation that could put a smaller, less-well run business in deep financial distress.
H&M Spring-Summer 2026 Paris Fashion Week Top Models 'In Between' Campaign AOC Fashion
The world’s top models wearing H&M’s off-duty casual femininity from designer Eliana Masgalos between shows includes Alex Consani,Awar Odhiang, Diane Chu, Jacqui Hooper, Maty Fall, Mariacarla Boscono, Mona Tougaard, Paloma Elsesser, Sora Choi and Vittoria Ceretti. Some models had their dollie sidekicks riding shotgun.
This campaign is part of H&M’s larger strategy around their participation in global fashion events. The brand becomes a global fashion voice — not by competing with their own runway show — but by becoming part of everyone’s show in a very democratic way.
Frankly, this strategy appeals to the models, who continue to seek greater direct influence in fashion week action and events. Translated, they want to have roles beyond being a mannequin. The best example of this desire — and ability — was model Awar Odhiang’s spontaneous ‘hostess with the mostess’ takeover of the closing of Matthieu Blazy’s fabulous Chanel debut.
Matthieu Blazy Brought True Joy to Chanel and Awar Odhiang Closed Down the House
The woman of the hour the day after Matthieu Blazy blew the doors off the House of Chanel with his monumental October 6, 2025 Chanel Spring 2026 debut is Awar Odhiang.
Not only did Odhiang become the third Black model in history to close a Chanel show. Blazy’s goodwill closer circled the catwalk like she owned the place and wanted a uniquely-memorable sendoff for the top dog of Paris Fashion Week.
The ancestors were rockin’ and yes — Coco had Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel by her side and even Karl Lagerfeld had a front row seat in the divine universe and was god-blessing Blazy over and over and over again. Lagerfeld always championed exceptional talent.
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Models Caitlin Soetendal and Penelope Ternes are styled by Luca Galasso in ‘Mater(i)a Scultorea, sculptural fashion pieces from Chanel, Maison Alaia, Simone Rocha and more lensed by Andrew Jacobs [IG] for Vogue Italia [IG] September 2025./ Hair by Dre Demry Sanders; makeup by Michaela Bosch
The Greeks in Southern Italy
The fashion shoot takes place at Metaponto, located in the fertile region of Basilicata in southern Italy, an area that traces its origins to ancient Greek colonization during the 7th century BCE.
Metaponto As a Cultural Center
Metaponto quickly became part of the network of Greek polities in Magna Graecia, a term used to describe the cluster of wealthy and influential Greek colonies in southern Italy. The city became a cultural center, attracting philosophers and artists. Pythagoras himself is said to have spent time in Metaponto, further elevating its status. Over time, Metaponto developed into a significant and thriving city, integral to the overarching narrative of Greek colonization and cultural exchange in the Mediterranean region and across southern Italy.
Peng Chang in Vogue Spain September 2025: AOC Talks Her Model Strategy
At 5’7” Peng Chang doesn’t have a strong presence on the runways. But her editorial work is stellar, starting off with the most important article ever on AOC: Peng Chang in 'Heat Wave' by Zhong Lin for Vogue Taiwan January 2022
Peng Chang’s potential as a campaign muse is also strong, and she can capitalize on her art-house persona. This card — the art-house one — may be her strongest — especially when you have photographers Zhong Lin and Elizaveta Porodina on your resume.
Saint Laurent Winter 2025 Campaign at Villa Oasis in Marrakech
Models Ajus Samuel, Libby Taverner, Lota Blaskovic and Noor Khan are center stage in the large collection of visuals developed for the Saint Laurent Winter 2025 Campaign.
Drew Vickers [IG] acts as photographer and director for this artistic color explosion, styled by Paul Sinclaire and with the actual collages created by Arnaud Michaux [IG].
This is the first time the private residence for Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé — Villa Oasis — has been used for a commercial campaign.
Collage effects are unusually effective in the campaign, acting as a metaphor for the French-Moroccan cultural design fusion that has fueled French design for decades.
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Naomi Watts Talks 'All's Fair' Lady Lawyers Ballbreakers New Hulu Series
Actor and businesswoman Naomi Watts covers the October 2025 issue of Vogue Greece [IG] in advance of the premier of ‘All’s Fair’. The Hulu legal drama series has Watts playing Liberty Ronson, in the ensemble cast of an all-female law firm with a practice centered on high-stakes divorce cases.
Other members of this phenom ballbreakers cast include Glenn Close, Niecy Nash, Sarah Paulson, Teyana Taylor and — wait for it — Kim Kardashian. Good goddess; as if Kardashian doesn’t have enough to do.
No wonder Disney had to settle with Jimmy Kimmel, with Hulu subscriptions flying cancelled in their faces right before this debut.
Kris Jenner Covers Vogue Arabia September with Living Fabulously on Her Mind
Kris Jenner covers the September 2025 issue of Vogue Arabia, leaving social media in warp speed chatter about details of her facelift, while Jenner talks with Vogue Arabia writer about her first job at age 10 being responsible for the wrapping station at two candle stores owned her mother and grandmother.
AOC adds a broader commentary to Jenner’s interview with EIC Manuel Arnault. In July 2024, doctors found a ‘growing’ tumor and cyst on Kris Jenner’s ovary. She initially planned for an ovary removal but accepted the doctor's recommendation for a complete removal of her reproductive organs as a precaution against future cancer growth, especially the highly-deadly ovarian cancer.
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Ballbreakers and Billionaires
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Model Dorit Revelis covers the May 2025 issue of Vogue Netherlands [IG], dedicated to the global sisterhood.
I trust that Trump and Musk won’t ban this issue of Vogue Netherlands dedicated to sisterhood — but anything is possible in our current mess of a country.
Update on Trump, Musk and Kennedy Cancelling America’s largest and longest-running women’s healthcare research project on Wed. night: The American Women coalition beat back this billionaire boys club cancellation of our women’s health research in less than 24 hrs.
This is not a game for nice little women.
We Ballbreaker ladies are not to be messed with in trench warfare with Billionaires. And ESPECIALLY with Elon Musk, who can’t seem to run his own businesses effectively, let-alone buy the US federal government for a pittance.
Presumably, Musk expects American taxpayers to finance his alleged genius, as we already financed $38 billion of his pet projects.
In April 2022, Republican State Senator Lana Theis claimed in a campaign fundraising email that State Sen. Mallory McMorrow wanted to "groom and sexualize kindergartners." On April 19, 2022, McMorrow took to the senate floor to defend herself against Theis's accusations, stating:
"I am the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme.”
This week State Sen. McMorrow announced her run for the open Michigan US Senate Seat created by the unexpected retirement of Democrat Senator Gary Peters.
AOC can’t imagine a better Michigan Senate candidate than the forceful, inspiring white-lady ballbreaker Mallory McMorrow, emerging as a tour de force political candidate against MAGA and for Michiganders. McMorrow is a Michigan-based nutcracker in the tradition of ‘Big Gretch’, Michigan Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer.
