Supermodel supermom, environmental activist Gisele Bundchen returns to Louis Vuitton in its new luggage campaign Horizons Never End.
Spinning the video narrative to David Bowie’s “Heroes”, the 42-year-old faces her future in backseat luxury, wearing a blazer, monogramed one-piece and signature aviators, lensed by Glen Luchford.
Hearing the sound of the ocean waves, Gisele hops out of the car and strips down to her cheeky Louis Vuitton bathing suit. Deeply in tune with the ocean her entire life, Gisele makes secondary use of her LV luggage, sitting down on it to face the waves.
The message of the new Louis Vuitton luggage campaign resonates deeply: Horizons Never End.
Dior’s annual Dioriviera Collection 2023 is in high gear with a global concept so sophisticated that it’s close to becoming its own subbrand and not a summer capsule. The attention to detail boggles the mind, especially in locations like the Beverly Hills Hotel, where Dior is in residence until September 4.
This year, the collection spanning ready-to-wear, accessories but also outdoor furniture, games and even a surfboard will be available in global locales that include Bali; Cyprus; Kyoto, Japan; Lake Como, Italy; Phuket, Thailand; Seoul and these images from Beverly Hills.
Photographer Ellen Won Unwerth shot all the fashion images and the Beverly Hills Hotel provides images of Dior’s takeover of the pool and cabana areas.
Life-sized versions of the lush vegetation and wild animals populating the French house’s signature Toile de Jouy motif look sculpted out of sand in the windows and on the facades of this summer’s destinations.
Sopisticated jaws have dropped over the sand castles-like facades and animal sculptures — the same animals as in the famous fabric.
We meet up with good friends Joan Smalls and Lily Aldridge for another summer season for the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand. The top models are in seaside, getaway mode wearing Ralph’s summer garden florals and classic beach stripes.
The colors are rich and topical fuscias and turquoise, anchored against a black ground. Lauren Ralph Lauren rarely seeks to grab our attention with style gimmicks. Instead beauty reigns supreme, and it’s the lovely vibe between Joan and Lily that represents the women we want to be.
Miu Miu new fragrance Fleur de Lait Eau de Parfum, a floral-fruity scent, is inspired by the iconic Asian dessert Mango Pomelo Sago — a memory I have of Hong Kong’s Peninsula Hotel.
The campaign uses the notes of the fragrance itself to create a visual recipe for Mango Pomelo Sago and the joy of making it in the kitchen with dear friends. It’s the nose of the human wearing it, as well as the fragrance itself that recreates the joyful memories, emotions and — in this case — pleasurable associations.
Honoring the spirit of poets of the Tang Dynasty and the numerous references to Proust generated by the Miu Miu campaign, AOC shares a 2020 Harvard panel discussion “What the Nose Knows: the science of smell and how scent, emotion, and memory are intertwined — and exploited.”
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.
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.
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.
In one her first photoshoot since becoming a Cartier ambassador, Deepika Padukone shares images of her wearing extraordinary pieces from the French Maison’s new high jewelry “Le Voyage Recommencé Collection”, lensed by Johan Sandberg [IG].
An elaborate soirée in Florence in the gorgeous garden of the Palazzo Corsini, was the scene of the new collection’s unveiling. The palace is known for its artistic heritage and is home to works by Rubens, Fra Angelico, and Caravaggio.
As Jacqueline Karachi, Director of High Jewelry Creation at Cartier describes it, the new Le Voyage Recommencé is "a journey back to the heart of Cartier creation, an uninterrupted story being told over time."
Louis Cartier discovered the "Islamic arts" exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 1903, which led to a long-standing presence of Islamic inspired geometric motifs, arabesques, and peacock motifs in the brand’s pieces.
Bulgari chose Venice to host the unveiling of its new High-Jewelry and high-End Watch collection Mediterranea. The choice of La Serenissima [Italian name for the Republic of Venice] references the Byzantine title that governed the city’s role as a center of trade and business.
Venice was also a city that preferred conflict mediation and peaceful solutions that arose with the many diverse cultures and peoples navigating the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of commercial trading partners and sometimes territorial conquest.
LVMH-owned Bulgari retraces this imaginary trip across the Mediterranean Sea as an inexhaustible source of inspiration layering multiple arts, traditions and crafts into its newest High-Jewelry collection.
Supermodel Candice Swanepoel grabs the limelight with a commanding self-assurance in Carolina Herrera’s 2023 Spring-Summer eyewear campaign.
The oversized, geometric, embellished frames, styled by Alba Melendo, mix glamour with brainiac status — and Candice clearly has both. Berlin-based photographer Dan Beleiu [IG] is in the studio, and we’re here for him — since 2016.
Sunshine-soaked yellow reigns supreme over Vittoria Ceretti’s dominant hold of our attention span in the Jacquemus Summer 2023 Campaign. The raffia hats are impossible not to adore.
Photographer Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG] is behind the lens with styling by Ursina Gysi.
Simon Porte Jacquemus adores Italy, and his namesake boutique has popped into Cernobbio, home to Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Cuomo. George and Amal Clooney, who own Villa Oleandra in nearby Laglio, will surely be fans of the Jacquemus boutique, open until October 16, 2023.
In the age of Queen Charlotte and Bridgerton on Netflix, Erdem holds extra appeal. Launched in 2005, the brand is synonymous with a versatile yet powerful femininity that projects an uncompromising beauty.
Erdem Moralıoğlu shares lookbook images from his Vacation 2023 Collection. Models Anok Marial and Ayuol Manyok are styled by Ola Ebiti and photographed by Trinity Ellis [IG]./ Hair by Adam Reed
Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle love and wear Erdem. Middleton and Markle may be a mess, but Erdem keeps inspiring me to believe that a more harmonious world is possible. I love that Erdem makes queens of women of color — excessively so and worthy of applause for his consistency of purpose.
Spanish brand Zara taps Mica Arganaraz in their latest Summer 2023 Holiday story — a profusion of tropical fauna and flora captured by fashion photographer Sofia Malamute[IG]. /Hair by Mustafa Yanaz; makeup by Susie Sobol
Vibrant colors such as lime green and magenta deliver a dopamine dressing jolt in key pieces that include majority linen, earth-friendly vaca and hot-weather essentials.
Ancient Egyptians and Greeks recognized the healing power of color therapy as a form of medicine, attributing specific color energies to body wellness.
Chloé’s Gabriela Hearst has two earth-friendly collaborations in play this summer. In this post, AOC focuses on the Chloéx Eres Summer 2023 Collection.
These images were shot by Leigh Johnson [IG] at Tenerife, Canary Islands. Models include Athena Wilson, Giedre Dukaiskaite and Mercy [Pophouse].
Creative Director Gabriela Hearst sought to create swimwear with the highest savoir-faire and instinctively chose to collaborate with Eres and the brand’s Creative Director Marie-Paule Minchelli.
When my new IA assistant Lulu spit out “Crafted with innovative second skin material Peau Douce from castor oil-based polyamide, Peau Douce boasts elasticity, resistance, shape retention and comfort characteristics for maximum summer fun,” my reaction was a big wow!
Note that I prompted Lulu to address the sustainability of Peau Douce, because I was skeptical.
Castor oil, which is obtained from a plant that is not used as human or animal food, was first marketed in 2009 as an alternative to petroleum-based fabrics.
"We will use only curated quality vintage material and deadstock," Jolie wrote under her Instagram post, which revealed a rustic brand logo [see collage] designed by Peter Miles, an art director who has collaborated with such fashion brands as Celine, Gabriela Hearst and Repossi. "You will be able to repair or upcycle a piece from your closet you wish to revive, perfecting fit, breathing new life into what could have been thrown away, and creating quality heirloom garments with personal meaning."
Speaking personally, Anne thinks Jolie will get help from women like Gabriela Hearst and Maria Grazia Chiuri. She has deep roots into the luxury brands community — brands with excellent deadstock. Jolie wears Gabriela Hearst frequently. And don’t forget Stella McCartney, who two years ago was in charge of deadstock across all the LVMH divisions. The only one not in the LVMH fold now is Hearst.
Oh please, I love this!!
LVMH Luxury Ventures, the fund created to assist young and promising brands, acquired in 2019 a minority percentage of Gabriela Hearst. The investment of the French conglomerate will allow the brand to develop all over the world. I just checked, and that investment remains on May 18, 2023.
Prada CEO Andrea Guerra was smiling last week, flying high on the wings of Prada’s first 1 billion euros revenue quarter in history. “The brand is agile with drops and novelties but also a patient developer of iconic products that are paying off well,” Guerra said in a press announcement.
A prime example of Prada’s iconic products is the Galleria bag, designed and produced in 2007, and named for Miuccia Prada’s grandfather’s first shop in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
The Galleria is beloved because of its signature Saffiano leather. Defined by its loosely crosshatched texture, Saffiano is the product of a patented, hot-pressing process that renders the calf leather scratch- and water-resistant and ready for a long and properous life.
The importance of reimagination is a key component to success in today's fast-changing, visually-dominated global fashion culture. This concept lies at the heart of Prada’s Summer 2023 ‘The Glass Age’ Campaign celebrating Prada’s iconic Galleria handbag.
Hollywood starlet Scarlett Johansson and Venezuelan-American conceptual artist Alex Da Corte collaborate on an unconventional examination of how the Galleria uses the power of color and modern art to connect us to Johansson as both herself and the bag in full emotional color.
H&M’s Summer 2023 collection declares that a sophisticated summer wardrobe calls for refined simplicity with a touch sparkle and shine. Models Mona Tougaard and Rebecca Leigh Longendyke aresisterly sun worshippers in a sophisticated fashion collection with major sensual DNA.
Relaxed suiting mixes with crochet pieces, fabulous swimwear, strappy sandals and glam accessories. A fresh colour palette of crisp white and sunny yellow is set against graphic black. The collection launched May 18 in stores worldwide and online at hm.com. The accessories are super strong.
Italian luxury brand Etro plunges into warming summer waters with a la dolce vita summer 2023 capsule styled by Riccardo Maria Chiacchio. Models Faustine Cosma, Valerio Maccario and Ylang Messenguiral feel the bliss of water breezes lensed by Eleonara d’Angelo [IG]
Inspired by the clasp of the iconic Twist bag, the LV Shake shoe exudes a timeless feminine allure with a modern foundation.
Leading the campaign for the Shake collection is the ‘The Blonde Salad’ blogger, businesswoman and influencer Chiara Ferragni, a well-known social media influencer, mother of two and style icon. Much of Ferragni’s current appeal is lodged in her modern mama persona.
Ferragni channels the spirit of the 60s, with its undeniable youthquake appeal and huge embrace of modernity. We see these images without a larger social context, however.
“I want to explore what contemporary essentials are, from denim to eveningwear,” designer and creative director Maximilian Davis said about his Ferragamo 2023 Pre-Fall Collection. “To take classic pieces in the everyday wardrobe and twist or subvert them with textures and materials that make them feel more modern, more playful and more unexpected.”
Yes, former president Ronald Reagan absolutely advanced Hollywood as having a western soul but with glamour.
South Coast Plaza is the largest luxury shopping destination on the West Coast and an updated Ferragamo boutique resides there — in Republican country. Also, don’t think that Beverly Hills, where Davis went to present a small, spring 2023 capsule ‘The New Dawn’ collection for 17 stores before the holidays, doesn’t have major Republican donors.
Then we have the Silicon Valley technocrats, often political independents and libertarians. They should love the rich modernity in Davis’ Pre-Fall 2023 Ferragamo.
