Suzie Q’s use of the word ‘mess’ to describe Jonathan Anderson’s challenges at Dior, created by former creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, ran counter to everything I knew about her tenure at the #2 brand at LVMH.
AOC has been really confused by the persistent statements that it could take 4-5 years for Anderson’s Dior vision to codify — including by the designer himself.
Today, we stay focused on that topic. Also Anne clarifies what might be a misunderstanding of what these writers are actually saying, and what she is hearing.
We have our first Aisle 9 Cleanups in the queue [1] Hedi Slimane’s timeline creating success at Celine and [2] why it might take as long as five years to “get Dior back on track”.
AI never comes close to writing Anne’s posts. But I do run my core thinking through AI in case it responds “that’s bullpucky”.
I also stopped to read a third commentary on the topic of the Saks bankruptcy and whether an international VIP should step in to score big for his own stockholders.
Honestly, this Suzie Q needs to stay away from financial topics completely. She’s in way over her head.
And her assertion on the MGC mess she left at Dior not only got an AI bullpuckey. It came out in all caps. [Okay, I made up the part about the caps.] But it shredded Suzie Q’s assertion with a meat cleaver gone mad. You’ll see.
We realized today [finally] that these images are a direct volley to Miu Miu. But Miu Miu has Prada.
Jonathan Anderson believes he can successfully do Miu Miu and Prada together in one floor in the store. They are one Dior for the designer. And in many cases, he believes he can do Miu Miu and Prada AND Miu Miu for Men and Prada for Men in one giant statement because everyone is cross-dressing and he believes he is a visionary genius in understanding this reality.
The designer may be right — but it’s an incredible roll of the dice with no pre-testing. Meanwhile, many are citing pricing challenges on the line and steep reductions from the show prices. That jean jacket is an excellent example. It’s $5,000. Yikes.
Today, we stay positive. The only people in their right mind who would give Jonathan Anderson this range of self-expression is LVMH. Let’s hope it’s successful; and he should be humble about the opportunity afforded him by The Family. ~ Anne
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
Rising star actor and Dior ambassador Deva Cassel covers the November 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar España [IG] in a fashion story ‘La Buena Musa’ [‘The Good Muse’]. Alba Melendo styles Cassel in key pieces from Jonathan Anderson’s spring 2026 Dior collection, lensed by Pablo Saez [IG]./ Hair by John Nollet; makeup by Jolanta Cedro
Actor and Christian Dior ambassador Deva Cassel covers L’Officiel China October 2025 wearing Maria Grazia Chiuri’s final Resort 2026 collection for the house of Dior.
Deva was born in Rome to an Italian mother [Monica Bellucci] and French father [Vincent Cassel]. She lived in France and was schooled there, although Italian is one of the five languages she speaks fluently.
Anne of Carversville was focused on the growing influence of Italy before the world got its first American pope on May 8th. In writing about the Louis Vuitton resort 2026 show, Anne said that all roads lead to Italy. That statement is rock solid today, and we’re about to get a global history lesson in the coming years.
Fendi’s new Chairman and CEO Ramon Ros concisely summarized the expanding role of the LVMH Creative Directors at select maisons:
I’m thrilled to welcome Maria Grazia into the team. The role of a creative director is no longer to simply design beautiful clothes but to curate a culture and hold a mirror to the world we live in. Her talent and vision will be instrumental in fortifying Fendi’s heritage, shaping the future talent in the house and deepening our commitment to Italian craftsmanship.”
The Chiuri appointment means more to many of us than LVMH understands. Losing her would have been a low blow, and I am grateful for their continued confidence in her talents as a perfect fit for Fendi.
Models Gwen Weijers, Matilde de Nard, and Melinda Kiss are styled by Samuel Francois in ‘Baroque Beauties’, a Dior fashion story lensed by Elina Kechicheva [IG] for Dior Magazine No. 51./ Hair by Alexandry Costa; makeup by William Bartel
AOC missed the fashion drama Deva Cassel brought to the pages of Grazia Italia 21st issue cover story, released in April 2025. Cassel wore multiple Dior fashions throughout the story ‘The Art of Allure’, complemented by Cartier high jewelry styled by Aurelien Storny. Other brands include Giorgio Armani, Sportmax and Zimmermann, with the sumptuous story lensed by Sabine Villiard [IG]./ Hair by John Nollet
I want to speak a moment about what I interpreted as a Grade A***** breadcrumb to Chiuri’s fans from the new Dior Men’s Artistic Director, also ‘waiting in the wings for the next big announcement’ regarding Dior Women.
For those of us for whom Chiuri is an absolute goddess on every level, Anderson’s quiet gesture might have been a coincidence. But I come from the school of people who believe there is no such thing as a coincidence at the highest levels of LVMH. Not like this one.
it was Jonathan Anderson’s ad campaign and film for his LOEWE Spring Summer 2025 Pre-Collection campaign that was a breadcrumb ‘diamond in the rough’ message.
The message was the arrival of Lilith, the mythological demon goddess believed to be Adam’s first wife. Lilith had no desire to be a tradwife, and she stormed out of the Garden of Eden.
New Zealand-born Japanese actor Anna Sawai [IG] became a Dior ambassador in early February, wearing a custom look designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri to the 2025 Golden Globes. Sawai is best known for her major awards-winning role as Toda Mariko in the "Shōgun" series.
Today Anna Sawai covers the July 2025 issue of Vogue Japan [IG], wearing key pieces from Dior’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection, shown at Kyoto’s Toji Temple in April. The kimono shape used extensively in the Dior collection reflects the Japanese philosophy of understated elegance and harmony with the surrounding environment.
Maria Grazia Chiuri is known for her collaborations with local artisanal communities. In the Kyoto show, she partnered with the historic Tatsumura Textile atelier to produce what Vogue Runway called “craftsmanship nothing short of couture”.
With her commitment to understanding better the design architecture of the kimono — including its unisex modernity — Chiuri created another of her timeless investment-worthy collections, inspiring a word not common among fashion shows to describe the Kyoto experience.
Dior delivered an evening of ‘Grace’. Nice. ~ Anne
The uber-talented, Dior ambassador Deva Cassel lands a Dior-story in Re-edition Magazine [IG] Spring/Summer 2025 issue 23.
When the NYTimes wrote ‘Nepo Babies Crowd the Runways’ in February 2024, there was some solid commentary from former casting director James Scully and two models we love, love, love.
“Kaia Gerber and Gigi Hadid would have walked into agencies and been signed, whoever their parents were,” Mr. Scully explained. “That said, the net is cast very wide now, and almost anyone will do. If you’re the average-looking daughter of a celebrity these days, then frankly you are as likely to be cast in a Prada show as if you are an actual model.”
Should Nepo Babies Be Banned?
Regarding Deva Cassel, she understands the ‘nepo baby’ label and doesn't view it negatively. Cassel believes that her own abilities and dedication will allow her to succeed beyond her parents’ names, which she agrees brought her to the industry’s attention, got her auditions, interviews and probably her initial small roles.
Rising model Yar Aguer is styled by Hamish Wirgman in ‘Dior Day Dream’, lensed by Priscilla Saada [IG] for HommeGirls [IG] April 2025./ Hair by Andrea Martinelli; makeup by Crystabel Efemena Riley
Anne of Carversville has long-prized elegant packaging as part of the beauty experience. Dior Beauty Riviera summer 2025 delivers for the first time ever, the iconic Toile de Jouy pattern on limited-edition makeup cases and powders.
Surely this packaging belongs in a scene from Deva Cassel’s new Netflix series ‘The Leopard’. Cassel plays the role of Angelica Sedara, amid the 1860s fall of the Sicilian aristocracy, where she enjoys a high-society romance with Prince Tancredi Falconeri, played by actor Saul Nanni.
The summer 2025 Dioriviera release combines beauty’s latest modern technology against the romantic, heart-grabbing emotions of Riviera summers from Cannes to Portofino. They remain an indescribable part of Anne’s life experiences.
The news was confirmed Monday, March 17 following months of speculation about the evolving chess game supporting creative talent at LVMH. The question is whether all players will be in place in a day or two, or the completion wait goes on.
After spending hours revisiting Jonathan Anderson’s body of work, taking the reins at Dior would be absolute perfection for him. Both Anderson are Chiuri are humanists, with a profound attachment to craft and human artistry. Both designers embrace the entire international community at large and are devoted to honoring history in fresh, new ways.
To seal the deal for AOC, watching the LOEWE Pre-Spring/Summer 2025 Campaign video, Lilith’s name appears as 1800 BC in the upper left hand corner of the art studio segment. That love note to feminists and Jewish women nails it for Jonathan Anderson at Anne of Carversiville.
Maria Grazia Chiuri staged her Dior Cruise 2025 show in the gardens of Drummond Castle in Scotland, with bagpipes making the occasion. The winter Luxe issue of Grazia UK [IG] features top model Debra Shaw wearing key pieces from the Dior Cruise 2025 collection, lensed by Silvana Trevale [IG] at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.
Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri Always Finds the Unique Makers for Her Collections
In fashion we concentrate so much on shape Grazia said, but textiles are a big part of our job—what you can do with them, and the changes you can make through them.” So, Chiuri went to the traditional—the tartan and cashmeres, the tweeds and the Argyles—and deftly filtered them into a collection which variously drew on the geopolitics of fabrics.
Chiuri’s collection and brief history lesson took AOC on a breakthrough journey into the history of women in Scotland and beyond. Anne never intended to land in a deep-dive into the Middle Ages. In fact, that’s exactly where our Gleneagles Defender landed.
The ‘Miss Dior’ range from Dior Cruise [IG] 2025 radiated youthful exuberance in the pages of Dior Magazine No.48, inspired by the Swinging Sixties. Photographer Viviane Sassen [IG] captured models Julie Hoomans and Sheila Bawar styled by Alexandra Carl in a psychedelic set designed by Ibby Njoya./ Hair by Christian Eberhard;makeup by Min Kim
As Jones Exits Dior Men, We Discover Him as Mentor to Abloh
The clues were few that British designer Kim Jones was about to leave Christian Dior Mens, especially after delivering one of the most ‘stupendous’ shows of his career in his Fall 2025 presentation in Paris last on Friday last week.
Praise for Jones has been lavish from his peers, with widespread consensus that Kim Jones’ seven-years tenure at Dior Mens “accelerated the convergence of men’s fashion, art, and celebrity to warp speed.”
Kim Jones and Virgil Abloh
In writing this post, AOC was not aware of the very close relationship of Kim Jones and Virgil Abloh. We share a major taste of the duo together.
The future for Kim Jones will include his work with Charleston Trust, where the designer became a vice president in fall 2024.
"Fortunately, there are flowers,” Monsieur Dior once mused in his memoirs. His words now blossom in a spare, seemingly fragile and delicate beauty in Victoire de Castellane’s latest ‘La Rose Dior’ collection for Dior Joaillerie.
Frequent Dior photographer Elina Kechicheva's [IG] ‘Celestial Poetry’ images capture the quiet allure of Rennaisance paintings in her signature highlights of the new ‘La Rose Dior’ collection.
Models Zoe Head and Li Linzi are styled by Samuel François in Dior Magazine Issue 48. / Makeup by William Bartel; hair by Sebastien Richard; set design Jean-Hugues de Chatillon
Dior Beauty 'Visionary' Willow Smith on 21st Century Lip Glow and 'Big Feelings'
Dior Beauty [IG] ambassador Willow Smith [IG] joins the January 2025 campaign of cult-favorite Dior Addict Lip Glow. The new campaign is shot by Dan Beleiu [IG] and filmed by Valentin Herfray.
When Dior Beauty named Willow as an ambassador in March 2024, they described her as:
“one of the most visionary and daring young women of her generation”.
Willow describes herself as “the child who sings the ancient song”. Her latest sound is ‘Big Feelings’ from her May 2024 album ‘Empathogen’.
“It doesn’t sound as clean as a regular piano,” Smith notes about their use of a 1910 piano for ‘Big Feelings. “The wood sound adds to the snarly nature of the song—it’s like we’re going inside the mind, where everything is textured.”
