Bibi Breslin in Samarkand, A Critical Silk Road City for Holiday Magazine No.396
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Templo di Hera Metaponto by Andrew Jacobs for Vogue Italia September 2025
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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.
Read MoreBazaar Italia September 2025 Honors 'Mille Miglia' Reborn in 1977 by Craig McDean
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Model Jacqui Hooper fronts ‘Mille Miglia’ [a thousand miles], a timely auto-racing fashion story with a retro boho vibe styled by Sissy Vian. Photographer Craig McDean [IG] captures Hooper, with male model Aurélien Frank, for Vogue Italia [IG] September 2025./ Hair by Pier Paolo Lai; makeup by Fulvia Farolfi
The Original Mille Miglia [1927-1957]
The Race: This was a dangerous, high-speed endurance race held on public roads in Italy. The figure-eight shaped course ran from Brescia to Rome and back, covering about 1,000 miles. The race was banned in 1957 following a horrific crash that killed driver Alfonso de Portago, his navigator, and nine spectators.
Legacy: The original race was known for making famous marques like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Mercedes-Benz, with legendary drivers like Stirling Moss competing.
In 1977, the Modern 1000 Miglia was reborn. See the details in AOC Fashion.
Read MoreMaggie Maurer As Freyja in Vogue Czech September 2025 | Odinism and White Nationalism
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Maggie Maurer As Freyja in Vogue Czech September 2025 | Odinism and White Nationalism
Maggie Maurer is lensed by Hana Knizova for Vogue Czechoslovakia September 2025 issue dedicated to Fortune Telling.
Maurer wears Cartier High Jewelry on the cover with a Gucci dress and scarf. Vogue Czech fashion director Milena Zuravljova chooses Cartier jewelry throughout the story images, adding luxury fashion looks from Maison Alaia, Saint Laurent, Maison Valentino, Schiaparelli and more./ Hair by Malin Wallin; makeup by Johanna Nordlander
Vogue Czech Honors Freyja
The Nordic goddess Freyja was on my mind this spring, when I wrote about the ancient history of women in Scotland, connected to a post about the Dior Cruise 2025 collection ‘Highland Fling’ featuring Debra Shaw.
The Nordic mythology around Freyja is just one more example of belief systems in our pre-monotheism world. While we’re not ‘going there’ today, what is called Ancestral Odinism is being co-opted by right-wingers seeking an alternative to Christian nationalism.
Read MoreComparing the Cretan and Mediterranean Diets, Dorit Revelis Style in Harper’s Bazaar France June 2025
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Comparing the Cretan and Mediterranean Diets, Dorit Revelis Style in Harper’s Bazaar France June 2025
Israeli model Dorit Revelis is among the most naturally-sensual of our young models; and the beauty industry has embraced her sensual DNA as well. Authenticity is a buzzword of the decade, but Dorit projects a beauty that is both ancient and modern, traits that make it authentic and not contrived.
These images by her ‘love’ Dudi Hasson [IG] for Harper’s Bazaar France [IG] June 2025 issue belong to a beauty story called ‘Le Nouveau Régime Crétois’.
Crete and The Dawn of Minoan Civilization
The Minoan civilization represents the dawn of Crete's history, flourishing during the Bronze Age from approximately 2600 to 1100 BCE. This civilization, named after the legendary King Minos, is considered Europe's first advanced society, showcasing a high degree of sophistication and complexity.
Crete was largely conquered by the Myceneans around around 1450 BCE. And while their diets were compatible in many ways, one distinctive feature is that the Cretans ate fish and the Myceneans were heavy meat eaters.
Read More'Superfine' Met Exhibition Catalogue May 2025 Dandy Images by Tyler Mitchell
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'Superfine' Met Exhibition Catalogue May 2025 Dandy Images by Tyler Mitchell
‘Superfine’ is the official catalogue published in conjunction with the Met Gala Monday night, May 5 and the ‘Superfine’ exhibition running from May 10-October 26, 2025. Rising star photographer Tyler Mitchell [IG],now represented by Gagosian, shot the ‘Superfine’ catalogue and this series of images from it.
In this presentation of catalogue story images, Mitchell works with top stylist Carlos Nazario [IG] to capture dandy-worthy images of artist Ike Ude and models including Abdou Ndoye, Craig Shimirimana, Lamine Seck and Mou Lam./ Hair by Dre Demry Sanders; makeup by Keita Moore; set designer Julia Wagner
Read MoreCardinal Tolomeo Gallio's Spirit Surely Enjoyed the Chanel Show at His Villa d'Este
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Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio's Spirit Surely Enjoyed the Chanel Show at His Villa d'Este
The Cardinal who originally built Villa d’Este in 1568 with architect Pellegrino Tibaldi — home of Chanel’s recent Resort 2025/26 show was Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio. The Cardinal was a self-made man by all reports, a thinker deeply influenced by the movement AOC continually calls out, thanks to Brunello Cucinelli. The philosophy is called ‘humanism’ and even ‘Christian humanism’.
As AOC noted in Anne’s recent post examining the religious views of the controversial US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his embrace of Christian Nationalism and the Crusades, Arab world universities were instrumental in translating and preserving ancient Greek and Roman texts, which would later be transmitted to Europe and spur on the Renaissance.
Anne of Carversville works really hard to find new twists and turns in historical stories for which we believe we have the facts. The role of the Arab world in intellectual discussion and debate about Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and more in Europe’s most valued and prominent universities in the early Renaissance is one of those stories.
Read MoreA History of Courtesans Thru the Lens of Louboutin Beauty's 2025 Rouge Stiletto Vinyl Gloss Campaign
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A Global History of Courtesans Thru the Lens of Louboutin Beauty
Today we return to Mesopotamia, asking about the rise of courtesans. Was it a worldwide role for select women, a role crossing many different global cultures but with compatible definitions?
In Mesopotamia Temple priestesses, often referred to as "sacred prostitutes," were involved in religious rites, highlighting a blend of the sacred and the secular that involved sexual service as part of worship. . . These practices are mentioned in the Code of Hammurabi, which provides one of the earliest written references to women who engaged in such roles.
In Greece The concept of the courtesan emerged more distinctly in Greece. . . In India Ancient texts in India also offer early textual evidence of courtesans, with references in ancient texts such as the Arthashastra and the Kamasutra . . . In China The origins of courtesans can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty, which lasted from approximately 1046 to 256 BC . . . In Italy The origins of courtesanship can be traced back to a complex interplay of social, economic, and cultural factors that emerged during the Renaissance.
In America Yes, there is a record of courtesans in America. But AOC needs to catch up with the facts. After reading about white women courtesans in urban cities like New York and Chicago, we queried the story in New Orleans.
The findings were borderline extraordinary, and we will explain in our next deep dive into red lips women.
Read MoreLouis Vuitton MIRAGE Capsule Collection 2025 | Sara Caballero by Quentin Saunier
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Rising model Sara Caballero is styled by Florent Buonomano and Marie-Amélie Sauvé in Louis Vuitton’s [IG] MIRAGE Capsule Collection 2025, released in conjunction with Ramadan. Rising photographer Quentin Saunier [IG] has been shooting consistently in smaller LV campaigns for several years now.
Read MoreGustav Klimt Painting of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona Forces Reflection on Human Zoos
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Gustav Klimt Painting of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona and ‘Human Zoos’
A potentially lost forever, early artwork by renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, missing since the 1930s, is now being exhibited after its recent recovery. The painting portrays Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, a leader of the Ga people from what is now known as Ghana in West Africa. Created in 1897, the portrait shows the prince in profile set against an abstract floral backdrop. Measuring just over 2 feet in height, the compact artwork is being showcased by the Viennese gallery Wienerroither & Kohlbacher (W&K) at the TEFAF Maastricht art fair in the Netherlands, with an asking price of €15 million (approximately $16.3 million).
The Rise of Ethnographic Showcases or ‘Human Zoos’
According to W&K, the painting was created by the artist amid the 1897 Vienna Völkerschau. These Völkerschau exhibitions were ethnographic showcases — also called human zoos — from the colonial era. These widely-attended exhibitions across Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries were often businesses created for financial profit.
Read MoreGigi Hadid Covers Vogue April, Inspiring a Jazz Age Dive into the Harlem Renaissance
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Gigi Hadid Inspires a Jazz Age Dive into the Harlem Renaissance
Supermodel Gigi Hadid graces the cover of American Vogue’s April 2025 issue, styled by Alex Harrington in ‘Jazz Age’ inspired, fashion opulence. Annie Leibovitz [IG] captures the story in the buildup to the 2025 Met Gala’ on Monday, May 5.
A Fusion of Talent, Creativity and Extraordinary Financial Wealth
The Harlem Renaissance was a time of rich cultural exchange and collaboration between African American artists and intellectuals and their white counterparts. While it was fundamentally rooted in the celebration of African American culture, the period was also marked by significant interracial interactions, particularly in the realms of art, literature, and music.
Those white counterparts were other artists themselves. And white patrons also played a crucial role in the movement's development by providing financial support and exposure opportunities for Black artists, in particular.
Read MoreHotel Stories: The Ritz Paris Founders César and Marie-Louise Ritz Pt-1
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Hotel Stories: The Ritz Paris Founders César and Marie-Louise Ritz
From the outset, the Ritz Paris, one of the most iconic luxury hotels in the world, set new benchmarks for luxury and hospitality, drawing an elite clientele that included royalty, politicians, artists, and writers. The hotel's origins are deeply intertwined with the vision and standards of César Ritz, whose legacy continues to influence luxury hospitality today at Ritz-Carlton hotels worldwide.
AOC is exploring the history of Ritz Paris, the lives of people staying at the hotel and also its founders. I’m struck writing the first words with the idea of forming a timeline around great luxury brands.
We have Louis Vuitton arriving in Paris as a young man with little money in 1837 and César Ritz arriving 30 years later. The Ritz Paris opened in 1898, the year after Guccio Gucci arrived in London in 1897, finding work as a bellhop at the Savoy Hotel.
Read MoreTyler Mitchell's Three Beauties -- Anok, Awar, Mona on Jekyll Island, Ga -- in Vogue Magazine
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Tyler Mitchell's Three Beauties -- Anok, Awar, Mona on Jekyll Island, Ga -- in Vogue Magazine
Top models Anok Yai, Awar Odhiang and Mona Tougaard surely had a deeply emotional experience, working with stylist Camilla Nickerson in this ancient roots fashion story for Vogue, shot by Tyler Mitchell [IG] in Jekyll Island, Georgia.
Key Points About Jekyll Island
1] the human and ecological history of Jekyll Island, which now dates back to 2500 BC and the indigenous Native American tribes, predominantly the Guale people who lived there; 2] the arrival of the Europeans and slavery on the island; 3] the rise on Jekyll Island of an aristocratic cafe society getaway culture in the 1920s that parallels the same rise in Europe
Read MoreBlame WWD: If Daniel Lee Is Taking a Final Burberry Bow Monday, AOC Is All In for Kim Jones
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