In late May, 2026 LOEWE creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, founders of New York-based Proenza Schouler, shared one of their first major high-profile, non-runway cultural projects since stepping into the helm of the LVMH-owned Spanish luxury house after Jonathan Anderson’s move to the creative director’s position at Dior.
This is the first time in LOEWE’s 180-year history that the brand is serving as an official tailor for a national sports federation. The initial four-year agreement with the Royal Spanish Football Federation secures LOEWE’s spot as the official off-pitch and travel wardrobe partner through 2030.
AOC knows that it annoys the hell out of Jonathan Anderson that women like Anne keep reminding him about the facts of history in his House of Dior. He complains that we are “boxing him in”.
Not really, because it’s not about him. It’s about our erasure from Dior’s history and the expectation that we will just fall in line with his alleged, Sun King genius that calls for such erasure.
The real Cafe Society heroines were true-grit women, many of them wealthy women involved in espionage with the French resistance. Christian Dior’s sister Catherine was one of its leaders; and the designer offered her and her co-conspirators refuge in his prominently-situated apartment in Paris.
Taking a well-established historical term and innocently [or not] trading it for these lovelies enjoying giggles and milkshakes is exactly how erasure works.
Watching the campaign film, I did process it through the lens of current New York Knicks madness. In the new Nike film celebrating the New York win, it’s the gritty joy of everyday New Yorkers that is celebrated by that young man with his front teeth knocked out running into one giant block party across the city.
Without trying to make urban grit glamorous, and the challenges of New York prices for everyday New Yorkers a minor problem, it’s the comeback story that is one giant, symbolic fist pump that is inspiring many of us.
When it comes to sports marketing, capturing the crowd is as important as capturing the athletes. Even more so now when we see the near-impossible achieved before our very eyes. There are several important stories to tell coming out of the big Knicks victory.
Casablanca’s Charef Tajer has joined the global, good-vibes, marketing movement. Speaking of “a natural synergy” with the French patisserie Ladureé in light of “a shared attention to detail, a classic yet colorful palette . . . ” the founder closes in on what is hopefully a beyond-this-season moment with “ . . . and above all, an appreciation for beauty and joy.”
AOC is not moved at all by the new Dior. But if Dior looked like Casablanca, it would be more akin to Karl Lagerfeld’s vision of Chanel, but without the cynicism. Anderson’s sweet Dior young ladies would never take a full-frontal bite of the cotillion cake.
Ready to write “ . . . and neither would Blazy’s”, AOC is suddenly in a rare retreat.
Blazy and Nair have so blown out the rafters with fashion mantras of joy, positivity and confidence that Chanel women are proud of being so versatile. Even a little-bit of a renegade when it comes to eating cake.
The Louis Vuitton Resort 2026 Campaign follows an established tradition of its straight-forward, sophisticated, lighthearted and occasionally sensual embrace of summer. This year’s campaign photographer Cass Bird [IG] distills the vision across a range of compatible models including Brazilian beauty Ana Beatriz Cortes, who leaves scorched earth wherever she passes.
The rest of the cast pales by comparison [sorry, but we had to do it] and includes Noor Khan, Sara Caballero,Sascha Rajasalu and Xinye Wang. Marie-Amélie Sauvé styles the photoshoot, with Mitch Ryan as director.
LVMH brand Loro Piana [IG] taps New York/Amsterdan-based photographer Annemarieke Van Drimmelen [IG] for their Resort 2026 Campaign, shot in Palm Springs, California. Models Ida Heiner, Just Verhoeff and Selena Forrest are styled by Aleksandra Woroniecka, with creative direction by Thomas Persson. / Hair by Diego Da Silva; makeup by Fulvia Farolfi
In a moment where unique fabrics are key to VIC [Very Important Customer] demands in luxury market fashion, Loro Piana’s most recent innovation comprises both a yarn – a blend of silk and merino wool – and a fabric, which combines silk and cashmere, writes Wallpaper.
Liu Wen joins Prada ambassadors Bella Hadid, Damson Idris and Louis Partridge in fronting the growing trend of ‘urban beaches’ in global cities worldwide. David Sims [IG] photographs the campaign with creative direction by Ferdinando Verderi.
AOC doubts that Prada is prompting an intellectual discussion on ‘cool roofs’ as a highly-effective way to reduce summer heat and energy consumption. But if any luxury brand wants to advocate for that inquiry, Mrs. Prada and Prada co-creative director Raf Simons are at the head of the pack.
Miuccia Prada ‘Titan’
Miuccia Prada was first on the global TIME 100 list in 2005; she returned to the list in 2025, recognized as a ‘Titan’ for influencing fashion, identity and culture. Anne is optimistic that finally we have found a word — ‘titan’ — that fashion and culture writers are using sparingly and only for those who deserve the title by accomplishment and not hype. Fantastic!
Matthieu Blazy takesthe Chanel 25 [IG] handbag — okay every version of the Chanel 25 handbag — and puts them in the eager hands of house ambassador Margot Robbie. Michel Gondry’s 2002 music video for Kylie Minogue’s ‘Come Into My World’ adds the magic touch of more Blazy joy from Chanel to us.
It’s contagious as Robbie cruises through a Parisian neighborhood, multiplying into yet more Robbies with yet another version of the Chanel 25 handbag.
Models Ajok Daing, Neelam Gill, Sherry Shi and Zak showcase the Body by Victoria 2026 [IG] campaign. Photographer Dan Beleiu [IG] captures the sleeping beauties styled by Priscilla Polley./ Designer Adam Selman; hair by Sonny Molina; makeup by Jezz Hill
Supers Kate Moss and Emily Ratajkowski front a sexy, straight-forward but sophisticated Gucci Beauty and Bag 2026 Campaign [IG], lensed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott [IG], per Gucci and directed by Bardia Zeinali. Dogi Nesanir styles the duo who pose with key bag styles: Moss handles the Borsetto, while Ratajowski poses with the Giglio./Hair by Cyndia Harvey; makeup by Sam Visser
Celine’s [IG] creative director Michael Rider claimed his rightful place as a designer to be taken seriously, as the Fall-Winter 2026 shows came to an end in Paris this week. As Rider’s own branding vision takes shape, American film director Gus Van Sant [IG] turned his attention to Celine’s Fall 2026 cast.
Rider, an American with strong credentials at Phoebe Philo and Polo Ralph Lauren scored praise from AOC for his focus on the client and how she lives.
Finally, in an imaginary tale made up by Anne, we have a horse race in which Celine suddenly makes a breakout move and comes racing straight for Dior. A madcap scene follows with words of wisdom from Xi Jinping.
Victoria’s Secret [IG] rolls out its Very Sexy Spring 2026 campaign with models Abby Champion, Ajok Daing and Celina Ralph.
Victoria’s Secret is doing a slow burn these days. Not a bonfire, mind you, but under CEO Hillary Super, Victoria’s Secret retains the title of the world’s biggest lingerie brand, holding about 20% of the American market, down from 30% a decade ago.
The key word here, my friends, is stability, positivity based on solid reasoning, leadership and results AND Super’s grasp of the importance of a range of emotions in selling lingerie to HER!!
Creative director Sarah Burton has released her third Givenchy Portrait Series with Burton muse Kaia Gerber and globally-celebrated photographer Annie Leibovitz, joined by supermodel Liu Wen, model Selena Forrest and artist IsabelleAlbuquerque.
When Sarah Burton joined Givenchy[IG] as creative director late in 2024, she prioritized the faces that would define the house being as important as the clothes. The powerful formula behind the Givenchy Portrait Series is unmistakeable. Givenchy women are powerful, fearless, and often openly-sensual, wearing Burton’s dramatic but wearable cuts that are unapologetically modern.
The new collection’s chic, carefully-distilled severity is balanced with a joyful but and bold sensuality in the new Portraits. Shot by Collier Schorr [IG] with creative direction by Ferdinando Verderi and styling by Camilla Nickerson, the new Givenchy campaign reads strong design for strong women
Americans Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler fame took the helm of Loewe, when Jonathan Anderson was announced as the new creative director at Dior.
Loewe has been strong out of the gate under its new creative directors.
“They are serious and enthusiastic at the same time, exuberant and yet very focused,” said Loewe CEO Pascale Lepoivre of the creative pair. Sidney Toledano, then advisor to LVMH chair and CEO Bernard Arnault, agreed: “Their greatest strength is energy and joy — they are extremely positive and full of vitality.
In China, Loewe’s Spring 2026 campaign ads are praised for the collection’s vibrant aesthetic and wearability, expressed now in imagery that China’s younger people celebrate as confident, modern, playful and optimistic.
Founder Cecilie Bahnsen [IG] and CEO Mie MarieEjdrup have a clear vision of where the designer’s eponymous brand is going.
For this Pre-Fall 2026 collection of romantic femininity, Cecilie Bahnsen collaborated with photographer Nadine Ijewere [IG], creating a visual narrative focused on a romantic sisterhood and love of dressing up.
Under Creative Director Louise Trotter [IG], Bottega Veneta continues its ascent among Chinese luxury consumers. Bottega’s Spring/Summer 2026 campaign — covered with lavish praise in China — was shot in Venice by Juergen Teller. Models include Anine Van Velzen, Bai, Libby Bennett, Liya Kebede, Saul Symon, and Sihana Shalaj. / Hair by Kei Terada; makeup by Pat McGrath
Jing Daily calls the brand ‘Kering’s Crown’. Better yet and following high praise — China calls Bottega Veneta Kering’s ‘golden child’. Venice is a deeply symbolic city for Anne — the only city where she’s slept until noon.
Trotter’s October 2025 runway debut resonated deeply in the hearts and minds of Chinese consumers, drawing over 130 million Weibo views and widespread acclaim. “Quiet luxury can be expressive” was the prime sentiment that rippled across Chinese social media platforms, where fashion critics like @Pekaboom praised Trotter’s poetic modernity, writes JD.
The arrival of the Versace [IG] Spring Summer 2026 campaign should be viewed as a moment in time and not a reflection of Versace’s branding strategy under the talented Dario Vitale.
With the closing of Prada Group’s acquisition of Versace, the departure of Dario Vitale, and the expected arrival of former Aiaïa creative director Pieter Mulier to helm the creative vision of Versace, the new campaign should not analyzed to death.
We know that Prada intends to remold Versace in more rarified air with higher price points. Versace pricing took a major climb upwards with the delivery of this Spring 2026 collection. We have little more to add — except that ‘back in the day’, Versus was created for a reason.
As for all the creatives involved in this campaign, there are three photographers: Frank Lebon, Steven Meisel and Tania Franco Klein.
The primal forces of Fire and Earth fuel the Spring 2026 Brunello Cucinelli Collection campaign. In the words of the designer, “creative passion meets timeless authenticity, and nature becomes a living expression of style.”
Models Abeny Nhial, Louise Robert and Niyo Malik are styled by Michaela Buratti with Daniel Archer [IG] taking photography honors./ Hair by Werner Amort; makeup by Fabiana Clavario
Brunello Cucinelli 2025 Results
Brunello Cucinelli closed out 2025 as a banner year, with sales up 10.1 percent to more than 1.4 billion euros. Adjusted at constant exchange rates, sales rose 11.5 percent, beating the forecast of 10 percent, reported by AOC last year.
13.7 Percent Increase in Asia
Sales in Asia rose 13.7 percent to 392.6 million euros, accounting for 27.9 percent of total turnover.
“China confirms its excellent health for us, with significant double-digit growth continuing quarter after quarter and a relevant contribution to the overall result of the entire Asian continent,” Cucinelli continued.
British heritage brand Barbour [IG] is rapidly expanding in China, opening over 40 stores in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, targeting the "quiet luxury" market with its heritage waxed jackets. The brand is localizing by launching exclusive, tailored collections for Asian consumers and collaborating with Chinese designers and cultural figures.
Barbour x Feng Chen Wang
Just as Burberry is seeing positive revenue results in China, so is Barbour, who reported today a 9% increase for the year ended April 30, 2025, with a 14.1% operating profit increase.
Barbour partnered with Chinese designer brand Feng Chen Wang [IG] on this capsule collection, one imbued with cultural storytelling and timed with Chinese New Year 2026 or the broader Lunar New Year in Asia.
Models Diwen Wang and Shao Minghao front the campaign, styled by Anders Sølvsten Thomsen.
After further sleuthing, we learned that Alo has been in the market for capital with a $10 B valuation since 2023, which sounds way high. The concept is impressive and very sound before the arrival of Petruzzo, who will be a big help in raising capital and instituting sound financial management systems and international marketing rules.
As much as AOC LOVES this concept, there are flags on the field in China.
Jing Daily reports that Alo will probably face challenges in the China market, as it prepares to open stores in Shanghai and Beijing. JD writes that “years of rampant counterfeiting” have already shaped how Chinese customers view the brand. Those perceptions will impact what customers are willing to pay for product.
There are tariff-related risks, as well. With most of its manufacturing done in China, major risks introduced by President Trump’s deeply personal and punishing approach to tariffs adds extra volatility to Alo’s expansion plans.
