American expatriate artist John Singer Sargent's officially titled "Portrait of Madame X," is one of the most renowned and scandalous artworks of the 19th century. Painted in 1884, it captures the striking visage of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, a Parisian socialite known for her unconventional beauty and daring fashion sense.
The minute AOC read the word ‘Creole’ to describe the ancestry of Sargent’s muse, Anne stopped to consider Madame Gautreau’s background within the context of new Pope Leo XIV’s own Creole family lineage.
In September 2025, Pharrell Williams co-hosted with Maestro Andrea Bocelli the ‘Grace for the World’ concert in St. Peter’s Square and —yes, the men were all dressed in Louis Vuitton Men black suits elegance.
Many of us were online together when John Legend sang ‘Glory’. It was a total catharsis in straightening our spines and marching forwards with Pope Leo as our wingman.
Top model Maty Fall [IG] celebrates the appreciation of life in her ‘Aphrodite Rising’ inspired cover fashion story for the January February 2026 issue of Vogue Germany [IG].
Photographer Felicity Ingram [IG] captures Maty wearing Dior, Dries Van Noten, Etro, Givenchy, Gucci, Hermes, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Saint Laurent and more, styled by Nathan Klein./ Hair by Kota Suizu; makeup by Niamh Quinn
Numėro 258 [IG], December 2025 shares L’Eclipse’, a sparkling jewelry statement story married to a sleek mondernism style. Model Melany Rivero Bonitto is styled by Samuel Francois in luxury images from KatjaMayer [IG]
Brands include Akris, Alaia, Duran Lantink, Givenchy by Sarah Burton, Gucci, Longchamp, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Prada, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Tod’s and more. / Hair by Pierpaolo Lai; makeup by Lloyd Simmonds
WSJ Magazine [IG] delivers ‘Mozambique’, an exquisite, year-end December 2025/January 2026 fashion story shot at Kisawa Sanctuary [IG] by Malick Bodian [IG] in the company of his brother Ib Kamara.
On the cover [above] is Alexandre Zivane from the Kisawa team. Other models include Achol Ayor, Inosse Julião Macie, and Micklate Macobola.
Zivane wears a Dries Van Noten coat and Celine shoes for the cover. Other luxury brands 3 Paradis, Ashish, Carolina Herrera, Cecile Bahnsen, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Setchu, Zimmermann. Read all the particulars with AOC’s WSJ gift link.
Actor Leighton Meester takes a digital cover of the December 2025 issue of Vogue Greece [IG], styled by Law Roach in a fashion story ‘Wonderland’. These spectacular mushrooms supporting were created by Mario De Armas [IG] and are photographed by Giel Domen & Kenneth Van de Velde [IG]. / Hair by Renato Campora; makeup by Cedric Jolivet
British designer Sarah Burton is totally honest, speaking with William Middleton for W Magazine [link] two days before her second showing as Givenchy’s creative director.
The interview is part of a Givenchy fashion story ‘Strength and Sensibility’ featuring Burton’s hand-picked, super-femme model and actor Kaia Gerber. Camilla Nickerson styles the fashion shoot lensed by Craig McDean [IG].
Kaia signed on in November to play her mother Cindy Crawford opposite Homer Gere, son of Richard Gere. The new TV show ‘The Shards’ arrives 30 years after Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere's divorce and will play on the FX platform.
“When we think of how to empower a woman, she’s often put in a suit or something constructed, something male,” Burton says. “Instead, I was looking at female iconography and how it can be used to make a woman feel incredibly powerful. I wanted to look at sexuality and sensuality, revealing bits of the body in certain ways.”
Nécessaire defines itself as a chic, gender-neutral skincare brand focused on body and hair — and now scent. The B-Corp brand was founded by Randi Christiansen [ex-Estée Lauder] and Nick Axelrod [Into The Gloss co-founder].
Nécessaire elevates everyday personal care with clean, effective ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and peptides. Considered a ‘cult brand’ since 2018, we’ve taken screenshots from the Nécessaire IG to give us a better intelligence on this entry into the marketplace. Nécessaire is sold at Sephora today.
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons extend their chill approach to the holidays, with this December 2025 drop lensed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG].
Models include Arvid Kaldo, Bakary Cisse, Ma Kaidong, Noor Khan, Pierrick Grégoire, Rejoice Chuol and Ruyu Chen with styling by Olivier Rizzo and creative direction by Ferdinando Verderi.
Model, activist, ambassador, mum Adwoa Aboah was honored as ‘Woman of the Year’ at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2025 in London on October 30, 2025.
Today we find her on British Vogue’s [IG] inaugural ‘Best Dressed List, celebrating the 50 models, actors, musicians and more who are shaping the fashion zeitgeist.
When it comes to Adwoa Aboah, the woman you might think you ‘know’ — and we use ‘know’ loosely — she has evolved in some spectacular ways.
Everywhere we look today, Chanel joy by Matthieu Blazy is rockin.
Not everyone could put a fresh spin on Matthieu Blazy’s first iteration of the classic Chanel suit – the same one Michelle Obama wore to launch her new book – but on Adwoa, with her trademark tattoos and constellation of freckles, a check wool trouser suit suddenly becomes the thing.
The uber super Gisele Bundchen covers the December 2025 issue of Vogue Brasil [IG], closing out the magazine’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Simultaneously, Gisele opens the 30th anniversary celebration of her elite status as a fashion model and — arguably — the most dominant supermodel ever.
The superfemme wears Dior [top of page] and Prada, plus a third beauty cover styled by Rita Lazzarotti. Lufré [IG] is behind the lens and Carla Madeira conducts the interview./ Hair and makeup by Henrique Martins
AOC is delighted to see these Gucci Cruise 2026 images, lensed by Dudi Hasson [IG]. Suzanne Koller styles Gucci Cruise 2026 models Anasofia Negrutsa, Ine Michelmann, Pati Bogusz, and Yoni Tijn.
Vogue Adria [IG] December 2025 issue explores the night as mysterious realm in which our truest selves emerge. Model Erin O’Connor wears an erotic Dilara Findikoglu [IG] corsetry-inspired ensemble on the cover, lensed by Douglas Irvine [IG].
The moment AOC heard the sad news of the passing of architect Frank Gehry, Anne went to LVMH website. As expected, a message from Bernard Arnault was waiting for us all.
In 2016, Frank Gehry’s accomplishments were honored by President Barack Obama with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The presidential awards citation, read in part, “never limited by conventional materials, styles, or processes, Frank Gehry’s bold and thoughtful structures demonstrate architecture’s power to induce wonder and revitalize communities.”
Vodianova poses as a friend of the maison, in this fashion story styled byNour Bou Ezz in images by Alvaro Gracia [IG].
The supermodel has been in Doha to judge the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards. She speaks warmly about all the changes in the Arab world — especially in arts and culture. That includes the new Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum in Abu Ghabi.
Appointed in 2021 as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Population Fund [UNFPA], Natalia Vodianova focuses on dismantling taboos around menstruation.
It’s really something in AOC’s playbook when Bernard Arnault’s daughter-in-law, Mrs. Antoine Arnault, steps up as a leading voice to stop the banishment of women to huts while they are menstruating. Or not having access to sanitary supplies.
Rising French model Loli Bahia takes the fifth cover of Dazed [IG] Magazine’s ‘Shadow’ Winter 2025 Issue. Styled by Imruh Asha in key pieces from Jonathan Anderson’s debut Spring 2026 Dior women’s collection, Bahia is lensed by Anthony Seklaoui [IG]./ Hair by Olivier Schawalder; makeup by Christine Corbel
Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio receives a Global Icon of the Year award from Harper’s Bazaar Arabia [IG] December 2025.
The former Victoria’s Secret Angel, who did walk the renewed VS Runway in October, is styled by Selin Bursalioglu in images by Stewart Shining [IG] shot at the Peninsula Hotel Instanbul. / Hair by Dominick Pucciarello; makeup by Georgi Sandev
Berlin-based 032c [shop] Issue #48, Winter 2025/26 magazine delivers this striking fashion story ‘Goldrum 1’ featuring Natasha Poly. It’s one of 5 covers in the issue, with this post featuring ‘Goldrum 1’ lensed by Hendrik Schneider [IG], with styling by Gadir Rajab, who also designs his own collections and has pieces sold by 032c.
Top model Amelia Gray is photographed at the Château Marmont in a Burberry fashion story ‘These Chequered Hills’ styled by Gabrielle Marceca. Photographer Quentin De Briey [IG] is behind the lens for the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of The Travel Almanac [IG]. / Hair by Rachel Lee; makeup by Homa Safar
Model Karlina Caune masters the art of holiday party season in ‘Age of Elegance’ for Harper’s Bazaar UK [IG] December 2025-January 2026. Photographer Boo George [IG] captures Caune in Chanel, David Koma, Dior, Erdem, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Givenchy by Sarah Burton, Sportmax, Valentino and more styled by Miranda Almond./ Hair by Declan Sheils; makeup by Ariel Yeh
Rising model Tara Falla is styled by Rebecca Bleynie in ‘Les Lumières de la Ville’, lensed by Julien Vallon [IG] for Numėro [IG] #258 December 2025/January 2026. / Makeup by Ismael Blanco; hair by Anne Sofie Begtrup
