Miu Miu Fleur de Lait Eau de Parfum, a Joys of Sisterhood Palate Cleanser
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Gigi Hadid Fronts New Miu Miu Matelassé Arcadie Bag Campaign
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Supermodel Gigi Hadid fronts a new campaign breaking Thursday for Miu Miu’s matelassé in two styles — the already-iconic Wander, and the newly-debuted Arcadie — lensed by Steven Meisel. [The photographer now has a very quiet Official IG page posting older images.]
For the first time — after taking a huge leap on Lyst’s hottest brands list in 2022, over their mini skirt — Miu Miu has the second place position. Mothership Prada has the top slot in first quarter 2023, after replacing Gucci in fourth quarter 2022.
The Wander [pouch] and the newly debuted Arcadie [rectangle] style in the signature matelassé series offer great promise to become new “pillars” of the Miu Miu bag category, following the iconic history of Miu Miu’s Pocket.
Read MoreDua Lipa and Donatella Versace Deliver May 2023 'La Vacanza' Magic in Cannes
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Beloved powerhouse designer with the jet set Donatella Versace chose a sprawling villa overlooking the French Riviera to showcase her ‘La Vacanza’ summer getaways and pre-fall 2023 collection. Château de la Croix des Gardes famously hosted the masquerade ball in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 thriller To Catch a Thief.
The debut was intense, given the influence of pop star Dua Lipa, who co-designed the collection laden with so many butterflies that the see-now-buy-now collaboration could have taken flight at a moment’s notice.
Butterflies Galore
All those polka dots are symbols of one of humans most beloved motifs. Butterflies have been a symbol of transformation, hope and faith for thousands of years. Add the models walking along an infinity pool and all say it was one of the most breathtaking fashion shows in many years.
Dua Lipa addressed the butterflies, specifically, saying they are a great symbol of freedom for her.
Frequent Versace photographer Carlijn Jacobs [IG] was on hand to capture the endless magic of a perfect May evening in Cannes, France, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Jacobs also shot the advertising photography with Dua Lipa featured here, with styling by Jacob K.
Read MoreWill Fla. Governor Ron DeSantis Ban a Woke Barbie in Florida Theaters? She's Headed His Way?
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Australian actor Margot Robbie doesn’t remember having a Barbie doll, as a young girl growing up in Australia. Her cousin had Barbies and perhaps they all joined Robbie in admiring a dandelion-decorated mudpie or two made for an afternoon tea in the Australian Gold Coast sandbox.
Fast-foward to now, and Barbie’s scheduled touchdown in American movie theaters remains July 21, 2023.
The Summer issue of American Vogue weighs into the frenzy, putting Margot Robbie as Barbie on the cover. Robbie is lensed by Middle America to East Coast photographer, Caledonia, Michigan’s own Ethan James Green [IG].
When pitching her company LuckyChap, the production outfit she runs with her friend Josey McNamara and her husband, Tom Ackerley, to Mattel’s new CEO of Mattel, Ynon Kreiz, at the Polo Lounge in 2018, Robbie was clear about the road ahead.
“We of course would want to honor the 60-year legacy that this brand has,” Robbie says. “But we have to acknowledge that there are a lot of people who aren’t fans of Barbie. And in fact, aren’t just indifferent to Barbie. They actively hate Barbie. And have a real issue with Barbie. We need to find a way to acknowledge that.”
Read MoreMarni x No Vacancy Inn Campaign Images Shot in Accra, Ghana by Derrick Ofosu Boateng
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Fresh off Marni Creative Director Francesco Risso’s collaboration with Erykah Badu and Vogue’s March 2023 deep dive into the twosome, AOC turns our focus to another Marni Jam series Marni x No Vacancy Inn.
Both collabs are on Marni’s Instagram now, but we will also pull them in their entirety onto AOC for archiving. Forgive me, but Virgil Abloh is on full blast today, and is probably just driving my brain and I’m along for the ride.
AOC may not be hip, but I am chill, so it all works out.
In the same spirit of low-tech, color-saturated Ghana-inspired images, Marni x No Vacancy Inn rolls in with campaign images shot in Accra, Ghana by Derrick Ofosu Boateng [IG], who calls himself “a Ghanaian photographic hueism artist and designer.’
Like Prince Gyasi, Boateng is shooting with an iPhone and then whipping up his techno-colored image souffle.
Read MoreBig Miss but Africa Archives Coming! Naomi Campbell's African Odyssey by Prince Gyasi
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In Spring 2021, AOC made a mistake, not posting this summarized archive Naomi Campbell by Prince Gyasi post that controls all the tags into our complex system of Models and Photographers Archives into their summary pages.
Bad Anne!!!!
Mistakes happen, but this was was a big miss, given AOC’s commitment to all matters related to Africa and Africa-connected creatives, history and also political issues.
Naomi’s Madame Figaro narrative references the ALÁRA Lagos Africa luxury concept store [IG], designed by the pre-eminent architect David Adjaye, who describes his vision for West Africa’s first signature and lifestyle store.
There is no debate that in 2023 Adjaye and associates is one of the most influential architectural firms across the world.
Naomi’s Madame Figaro photographer Prince Gyasi doesn’t have a strong presence in fashion photography but the artist’s Instagram is a big wow!
Gyasi shoots on his iPhone and is very color-driven — as is AOC.
Read MoreLVMH Concedes Likely Defeat in Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Vote to Override City Approval
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When we first wrote in 2020 about the LVMH plans for a Cheval Blanc Hotel in Beverly Hills, it seemed to be on cruise control, a fait accompli. Now the fight is all but over and LVMH conceded probable defeat on Friday.
Labor union Unite Here Local 11 and a local residents group garnered enough signatures to put two referenda on the ballot in Beverly Hills that would ask voters to overturn the City Council’s approval of the Cheval Blanc hotel and the development agreement for the project in September 2022. They got signatures from 10% of Beverly Hills voters which triggered a vote to override the City Council’s approval.
"Although some votes remain to be counted, it now appears that Measures B and C have fallen short by a narrow margin, overturning the results of a comprehensive, years-long review and approval process," said Jessica Miller, a LVMH spokesperson. "We are proud to have worked with so many residents, civic leaders and business owners who supported this once-in-a-generation investment that would have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in city funding and a beautiful gateway project for the Golden Triangle. If the final vote count confirms the voters' rejection of our project, we will respect the outcome, and will not bring the hotel project back in any form."
Read MorePaloma Elsesser Wages War on 'Fatphobia' in D Repubblica May 19 Cover Story
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Supermodel Paloma Elsesser covers the May 19, 2023 issue of D Repubblica, styled in a wide range of sensual, dark beauty looks by Laetitia Gimenez Adam.
Luxury labels including Blumarine, Dolce & Gabbana, Maison Alaia, Niccolò Pasqualetti, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and more join forces with Paloma in designs that do not contain the female body.
Photographer Pablo Di Prima [IG] is in the studio./ Hair by Matt Benns; makeup by Marcelo Gutierrez
Paloma Elsesser is waging a war against fatphobia, saying:
"It's absurd that such a large percentage of people are excluded. Who can think that fashion only interests thin people?". "I want to get the message across that even if you're imperfect, you can have the life you want," she explains. And here she talks about the days on set when you don't have "that" size, the hypocrisies of the system and that time at the age of 8 in Gap's dressing room ...
The Failure of BodEquality
Non-luxury retailing is having major struggles with keeping their businesses solvent. But in the case of BodEquality, a new challenge I’ve not read before, has entered the convo. Brands should invest years of losing money to earn the trust of potential plus-size customers. I will also add, even if you are trying to achieve new sustainability goals that require major financial investment.
Our dear Edward Enninful, EIC of British Vogue, has very strong opinions on this topic. Let him take his three new supers he has crowned and his very intelligent self and become a “flying squad of larger-bodies intelligence” that is deeply-embedded in three test case brands.
Don’t just demand representation. Do something constructive.
Read MoreSerena Williams 'Will Perform' Sports Wellness Brand Lands 3000 Walmart Stores
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Late in 2022, Serena Williams launched her wellness brand ‘Will Perform’, with an initial focus on recovery essentials for pain relief and sore muscles. The clean, cruelty-free, topical pain relief and daily muscle-care solutions are designed to reimagine recovery from demanding exercise routines.
Today Serena and her tribe are headed to 3000 individually-selected Walmart stores with an offering of three key products also available at Walmart’s online platform. These products include the “Will Relieve Lidocaine Pain Relief Roll-On“, and the “Will Relieve Lidocaine Pain Relief Spray“, both priced at $13, along with the “Will Rest Nightly Muscle Recovery Lotion“, which is also priced at $13.
“Recovery has played an integral role in my performance and professional success. It’s a practice that can benefit anyone with an active lifestyle. That belief is what inspired us to develop a line of products that targets your muscles and can be incorporated into your daily self-care routine,” Williams said in a written statement.
Read MoreChloé x ERES Summer 2023 Capsule Hugs ERES Castor Oil Based Peau Douce Fabric
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