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.
In Pucci’s latest images from the Marmo Spring 2025 campaign, model Bibi Breslin gone blonde seems to channel Marilyn Monroe and 1960s Palm Springs life in images by Drew Vickers [IG].
Pucci’s Gram writes: “Hollywood’s golden age meets the Italian coast” about Bibi’s images, styled by Jacob K. / Makeup by Lucy Bridge; hair by Eugene Soulemain
And the Pucci website writes: “The new Marmo Collection by Pucci, curated by [Artistic Director] Camille Miceli, showcases draped volumes, Roman influences, and a glamorous nod to the 1920s.”
AOC is reviewing the totality of Anderson’s work for LOEWE, including work we’ve not shared before. These fashion images capturing the 2018 Loewe x Charles Rennie Mackintosh capsule collection are a perfect example of Anderson’s enormous respect for Arts & Crafts movements worldwide.
The handsome Felix Sueur joined with models Fran Summers and Giselle Norman in the Loewe x Charles Rennie Mackintosh capsule collection lookbook lensed by fashion photographer Craig McDean with styling by Benjamin Bruno. /Hair by Anthony Turner; makeup by Lynsey Alexander
The Louis Vuitton Men Spring 2025 campaign, lensed by Stef Mitchell with Gabriel Moses [IG] as photographer and director, The visual effects continue the major themes Louis Vuitton Men creative director Pharrell Williams introduced at his fashion show held in Paris at UNESCO House.
This season Vuitton Men teamed up with Air Afrique in Paris, a consultancy inspired by those glorious years when all things seemed possible, and a multicultural youth quake took hold around the world.
After his recent role representing Louis Vuitton and his adopted country of France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Williams was feeling the love of his own humanrace [Pharrell’s skincare brand] family.
Japanese art star Takashi Murakami wants us to know he has more than one love besides Zendaya’s latest drop fronting his Louis Vuitton collaboration. With his new Major League Baseball collection, the artist hopes to build on what he sees as the “historical friendship between Japan and the United States.”
The Takashi Murakami x MLB Tokyo Series collection launches March 7, 2025 in advance of the series between the Cubs and Dodgers that opens the MLB baseball season at the Tokyo Dome on March 18-19.
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
New Burberry CEO Josh Schulman is much more focused on the heritage DNA of the Burberry brand, and less so on the runway. Burberry also needs a storyteller, in AOC’s opinion.
Anne had a Eureka moment a few weeks back, weaving Kim Jones’ departure from Dior Men into a new reality: “The future for Kim Jones will include his work with Charleston Trust, where the designer became a vice president in fall 2024.”
Let’s talk British Heritage, Burberry
When Kim Jones made his couture debut at Fendi, he packed up Kate Moss to create ‘Kate Moss at Charleston, Wearing Kim Jones Fendi Couture.’
Olivia Singer interviewed Kim Jones in East Sussex, where he bought a holiday home. Their convo went deep into the synergy between the Bloomsbury artists and the Italians.
The enormous success of Brunello Cucinelli is rooted in the principles of humanism and AOC has been influenced by his thinking in very significant ways.
“I was in Chicago shooting ‘The Bear’,” Ayo Edebiri tells Lynn Hirschberg, writing for W Magazine’s March 2025 cover story. “Luca and I met over Zoom and ended up talking for two hours about the script and life and films.”
The script in question is ‘After the Hunt’, directed by Luca Guadagnino, who also photographs Edebiri for W Magazine, as they pay homage to his favorite actors from the ’60s. “I especially love Sophia Loren,” he said. “And, of course, Ingrid Bergman.”
Edebiri has won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for outstanding supporting actress and best female actor, respectively, for her work on ‘The Bear’.
Guadagnino has released two highly praised films in the last year: ‘Challengers’, a ménage à trois power struggle set in the world of tennis, and ‘Queer’, an adaptation of the famous William S. Burroughs novel, set in Mexico City in the ’50s.
Hours ago, ‘After the Hunt’ landed a limited theatrical release date of Oct. 10 from Amazon MGM Studios, with theaters nationwide Oct. 17.
Camila Pitanga is a Brazilian actor and former model, the daughter of renowned filmmaker Antonio Pitanga. Rita Lazzarotti styles Pitanga in images by MAR+VIN [IG] for Vogue Brasil [IG] February 2025./ Beauty by Jake Falchi
Pitanga stars in this special edition of Vogue Brasil that celebrates the joy, sophistication and unique blend of Copacabana, one of Rio de Janeiro's most traditional neighborhoods.
Elodie Di Patrizi, known simply as Elodie, is an Italian singer and songwriter born on May 3, 1990, in Rome, Italy. She rose to prominence after participating in the 2016 edition of "Amici di Maria De Filippi," a popular talent show in Italy. Her strong vocal abilities and distinctive style quickly captured the attention of audiences and music critics alike.
Elodie covers d la Repubblica’s D Magazine[IG] January 25, 2025 issue, styled by fashion director Giovanni Dario Laudicina in Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Loewe, Rabanne, YSL by Anthony Vaccarello and more, in images by photographer Lea Colombo [IG]. / Hair by Paolo Soffiatti; makeup by Aurore Gibrien
Pamela Anderson is in high gear, taking a digital cover for an ELLE.com [IG] for an interview and fashion story styled by Jan-Michael Quammie. Photographer Adrienne Raquel [IG] captures Anderson wearing menswear looks from Alexander McQueen, Max Mara, Prada, Saint Laurent, Valentino and more. / Hair by Lacy Redway; makeup by Rokael Lizama
The iconic Baywatch star is reclaiming her narrative with a late career rebirth, starring in Gia Coppola’s ‘The Last Showgirl’.
As the ELLE.com headlines confirm, one of the most inspiring ‘older’ women out there — when we’re scoring on intelligence and wit, business savvy, beauty and raw, natural sensuality — Martha Stewart enters the convo for Pamela Anderson Gets Her Flowers from Martha Stewart.
The two dames discuss bread and Anderson’s great sourdough starter . . . it has a name . . . ‘Astrid Viking Warrior Princess’.
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.”
W Magazine China’s [IG] end of year ‘The Great Performance Issue’ reports that American actor and producer Jessica Chastain is affectionately known as ‘Lady Model Worker’ by her Chinese audience. Widely-respected for her dedication to advancing projects with feminist themes, Chastain is surely touched by her Chinese moniker.
Chastain’s Oscar for ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’
W China honors Chastain’s 20 years in the spotlight and over 70 film, TV and stage credits. She took home a Best Actress 94th Oscar [2022] for ‘‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’. Listening to her acceptance speech takes us into the mind, heart and values of Jessica Chastain, who is very comfortable speaking to her own challenging roots in America, as well as the women in her family who have been her rock.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of dreams,” America’s once First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said. Her tenure as First Lady, from 1933 to 1945, coincided with the Great Depression and World War II, periods that demanded strong leadership and a renewed sense of hope.
The theme of Dreams is central to Harper’s Bazaar España’s [IG] January 2025 issue. Rising Nigerian model Mayowa Adagunduro carries the torch of strong sentiments expressed by Bazaar Spain, in an issue that goes far deeper than best new fashion looks for 2025, based on their introductory commentary.
Bazaar openly embraces words like diversity and inclusion at the very time these themes are under attack in America and elsewhere on the global fashion circuit. In their own sentiments, Bazaar Spain embraces themes of inclusion, positivity and a new and permanent fashion reality as Dreams of their own.
Mateos is planting a flag in this moment, and AOC respects her deeply for doing so. So let me give her an additional boost by sharing additional inspiration from a former First Lady at one of the most troubled times in global history ever.
For the sixth consecutive year in a row, Moncler Group topped the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and Europe in the "textile, apparel & luxury goods" sector. On the consolidated list of 500 most sustainable businesses across all sectors, Moncler was #3.
Moncler’s top guy Remo Ruffini embraces many historical humanist values besides responsibility to the environment. What we’ve learned about humanism from Brunello Cucinelli surely applies to Ruffini.
What is so impactful is his generous praise of other business leaders, including Bernard Arnault and Ralph Lauren. Business relationships built on trust is a key word in AOC’s analysis. Anne is back in her AI for scholars this moment, looking for alignment between humanism and freemasonry across Europe.
Master actor Tilda Swinton covers the December 2024 issue of Vogue Taiwan [IG] December 2024, styled in the all-Chanel fashion story by Jerry Stafford in images by Zhong Lin [AOC].
Chanel in Japan for Chanel and Cinema Tokyo Lights Photocall
Chanel ambassador Tilda Swinton, represented the luxury brand in a new event: the Chanel and Cinema — Tokyo Lights Photocall.
Chanel launched the new program to enhance its support for emerging cinema talent by partnering up with acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda. The luxury brand will sponsor three films, selected from the Tokyo Lights project, showcasing them in Tokyo and Paris.
Chanel’s Hangzhou 2024/25 Métiers d’art Show on December 3, 2024
Tilda Swinton also touched down in China, in advance of Chanel’s Hangzhou 2024/25 Métiers d’art show “on the mythical West Lake” on December 3.
German filmmaker and author ‘Wim’ Wenders, a major figure in New German Cinema, joined the project and Chanel ambassador Tilda Swinton in a short film where Wenders follows Swinton as she explores Coco Chanel’s office on Rue Cambon,, before the creative team journeys to the iconic lake in China. See the 4 minute film.
The astonishingly grounded and successful supermodel activist, humanitarian, wife and mother, philanthropist, investor, and hands-on businesswoman Karlie Kloss covers the December 2024 issue of ELLE España [IG].
The Carolina Herrera ‘Good Girl’ ambassador is styled by Bárbara Garralda in three ELLE covers and a fashion story for the Carolina Herrera brand. Photographer Xavi Gordo [IG] captures the perfectly elegant looks for the holidays and resort getaways, as AOC dives into an examination of a Kloss-Herrera alliance that’s worth a Harvard Business School case study.
@KodeWithKlossy
The successful relationship between Karlie Kloss and Carolina Herrera the brand and their Good Girl fragrance is a thriving business/personal activist relationship founded in 2018.
Karlie’s philanthropy centered around @KodeWithKlossy — her 2015-launched, summer camp initiative teaching teen girls ages 13-18 to code.
Karlie Kloss and Reproductive Freedom
Today Karlie’s fight is not at all glamorous, as she increases her activism around women’s health access. Kloss chooses carefully her partners in activism in ways that do no harm to Carolina Herrera.
Those partners include Melinda Gates and her daughter Phoebe Gates.
British Vogue’s [IG] October 2024 issue channels ‘60s pop chanteuse Francoise Hardy in a fashion story ‘Joie de Vivre’. Top model Vittoria Ceretti channels Hardy’s signature looks styled by Jordan Bickham in images by Angelo Pennetta [IG]. / Hair by Ramona Eschbach; makeup by Marie Duhart
‘Tous les garçons et les filles’ [1962]
Françoise Hardy, a seminal figure in 1960s pop music, captivated audiences with her distinct voice and stylish presence, marking her rise to fame during this transformative decade. Born in Paris in 1944, Hardy emerged in an era where the youth culture was blossoming, creating a fertile ground for her talents to flourish. Her journey to stardom commenced with the release of her debut single ‘Tous les garçons et les filles’ in 1962.
The rising music phenom was a central figure of the Yé-Yé wave, that characterized post-war Europe.
Francoise Hardy Fashion Muse
Hardy had an innate ability to blend contemporary trends with classic elements, often wearing tailored mini skirts, chic trench coats, and perfectly fitted turtlenecks. Her love for monochromatic palettes and understated patterns allowed her natural beauty and grace to shine through, making her a muse for designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne.
Photographer Elizaveta Porodina[IG] is a perfect choice to capture the essence of the LEVIS X ADSB Fall 2024 collab. British model Evie Harris is styled by Robbie Spencer in Porodina’s fire images.
Denim is one wardrobe staple that never goes out of style, and the legacy of Levi’s defines it as a true heritage brand.
Besides being just plain cool fashion, LEVIS X ADSB Fall 2024 share a joint commitment to sustainability. This priority resonates with environmentally-conscious consumers who increasingly understand that climate change is not some far-left, hysteria-based hoax.
The Crystal Mason case news out of Texas is good. To send anyone to jail for five years for a casting provisional ballot is unAmerican. The Texas high court will rehear the case.
1) The actual news about voting in 2016 was filled with many states [most or all former slave states] softening their policies about previously convicted people voting. I posted many of those articles. Mason's mom believed her daughter could vote, even though her 'parole' wasn't completed.
