Recent Interviews and Analysis
/ Anne Enke
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Fresh off her runway walk at this week’s Victoria’s Secret fashion show, Adriana covers the November 2024 issue of Vogue Espana [IG], wearing Dior on both covers. Photographer Dan Jackson [IG] photographs Lima styled by Jorden Bickham. / Makeup by Frank B; hair by Tomo Jidai
Adriana has been devoted to boxing for years, with several of her fashion stories organized around the sport. AOC isn’t surprised by the health benefits of boxing, but they are actually extraordinary beyond our knowledge.
Read our recent deep dive into boxing in Body. Also in Body, this Adriana Lima 2019 Numéro Russia fashion story.
Adriana Lima Throws a Fashion Punch in Numero Russia 055 Women's Empowerment Issue AOC Body
It’s a truism about Anne of Carversville that it’s typically written ‘stream of consciousness’.
Whenever we’re in Vogue Greece [IG] — like now with the October 2024 beauty feature ‘Red Kisses’ — we just get Anne on speed dial.
Models Lucy Rosiek and Naomi Apajok are styled by Glen Mban in ‘Red Kisses’, lensed by Johan Sandberg [IG].
Red Lipstick In Ancient Mesopotamia
In the annals of ancient history, the use of red lipstick finds one of its earliest origins in Mesopotamia, a cradle of civilization that flourished in the regions of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The people of ancient Mesopotamia, notably the Sumerians and later the Assyrians and Babylonians, were among the first to transform the act of adorning one's lips into an art form.
Lip Color and the Divine Feminine
Beyond social stratification, lip color also conveyed aspects of femininity and allure, playing a role in rituals and rites associated with love and attraction. The divine feminine was celebrated in Babylonian mythology, where goddesses were revered for their beauty and grace; by adorning themselves with lip color, women could symbolically align themselves with these powerful deities.
AOC turns our attention to ‘Ring Parade’, and we’re not talking diamonds — although model Karlina Caune is sporting some serious watches in this fashion story for the September 2024 issue of Madame Figaro Paris [IG].
Stylist Sylvie Clemente is ringside, preparing Caune to fight, fight, fight — as women did in Sparta. Photographer Thiemo Sander [IG] photographs the fashion action for Madame Figaro; and AOC takes a seriously-informed deep dive into the health benefits of boxing. / Hair by Kazuko Kitaoka; makeup by Maria Olsson
Historical records and artwork from different civilizations reveal women engaging in activities like wrestling, running, and even boxing. Ancient Minoan artifacts, for example, depict women participating alongside men in athletic competitions, while the society of Sparta in ancient Greece famously encouraged women to train in physical exercises to strengthen them as future mothers of warriors — male and female.
All AOC can say is “Thank goddess for cave paintings.” Let’s go.
Beloved actor Lupita Nyong’o has not taken up painting. But today’s Harper’s Bazaar UK[IG] November 2024 cover story reminds us that not all fashion photography sets are created equal. Nyong’o covers Bazaar UK’s ‘The Art Issue: a celebration of colour, craftsmanship, pattern and print.’
Photographer Alexi Lubomirski [IG] hits all the high notes in a fashion story styled by Miranda Almond for Chanel’s newest global ambassador.Gorgeous and right on the money in terms of a huge trend emerging.
White Skin Does NOT Reflect God’s Will
Lupita again speaks of the issue of skin color — one we’ve written about many times, along with featuring her mind-changing interview with Alek Wek.
The actor has frequently told the stories of praying to God as a young woman, beseeching the divine to make her skin lighter.
Anne has done a lot of research on this topic and puts a new spin on this set of outrageous Christian beliefs about skin color.
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin joins the big league today, sharing news and photos of world-famous, 1990s supermodel Claudia Schiffer as the face of Rhode Skin’s new Barrier Butter product. Drew Vickers [IG] shot these wonderful images of Schiffer celebrating the new deep-hydration product arriving October 28 at 9am PT [noon of the East Coast].