Dan Beleiu's Egyptian-Based 'Party in the Desert' for CR Fashion Book Fall 2021

Dan Beleiu's Egyptian-Based 'Party in the Desert' for CR Fashion Book Fall 2021 AOC Fashion

AOC takes great pleasure in seeing photographer Dan Beleiu [IG] shooting for CR Fashion Book’s new issue — in the Egyptian desert, no less. Dan manages to create ‘Party in the Desert’, styled by Alba Melendo with creative direction by Carine Roitfeld herself and Edouard Risselet as art director under the hot sun. Models include Adhar makuac Abiem, Eya Mariam, Iman Eldeeb, Paula Anguera [partial list]./ Makeup and hair by Kate Mur

Zara Debuts 'Origins' Unisex Menswear Collection Lensed by Tyler Mitchell

Zara Debuts 'Origins' Unisex Menswear Collection Lensed by Tyler Mitchell AOC Fashion

Fashion behemoth Zara set out in 2019 to evaluate and revamp the process of designing its menswear collection. Enter Origins, a minimal collection of a premium mix of selvedge denim, cashmere, leather and wool wearables that are designed to last. The fabrics are promoted as being traceable, and the actual garments are manufactured to “the highest standards of expertise and craft.”

Straight out of the gate Zara’s Origins is promoted with a globalist, unisex vibe— giving it strong of-the-moment street cred. Photographer Tyler Mitchell [IG] produces a sampling of the 205 items in the Zara Origins wardrobe.

Models in the new campaign include Babacar N’doye, Kwaku Kufuor, Mika Schneider, Moustapha Sy, Ottawa Kwami, Sacha Quenby, Takfarines Bengana, and Yura Nakano. The models ensemble is styled in the neutral colors that define the Zara Origins style vision by Marq Rise./ Hair by Louis Ghewy; makeup by Lucy Bridge

RIMOWA's Great Sustainability Story Is Untold in 'Never Still' Fall 2021 Campaign

Rihanna Headlines RIMOWA 'Never Still' Fall 2021 Campaign by Gray Sorrenti AOC Fashion

Rihanna Photographed by Gray Sorrenti

Getaways were on Rihanna’s mind when she hit the road earlier for RIMOWA’S latest ‘Never Still’ campaign. The journey is lensed by Gray Sorrenti, Davide’s 18 year old niece and daughter of photographers Mario Sorrenti and Mary Frey. Gray captured Rihanna in September 2020 on 26 Harper’s Bazaar editions worldwide.

‘Never Still’ People

The rising-star photographer is more concerned about people than must-have fashion. The campaigns that thrill her the most properly make fashion the prop of people and not vice-versa. Example: Gray Sorrenti Revs Up LOEWE Paula's Ibiza SS Campaign with Loads of Love

A short film includes more RIMOWA campaign stars Patti Smith, LeBron James, and Roger Federer. Smith narrates a poem over the video’s cinematic clips — one that strikes a chord with today’s creative, activist-oriented thinkers. and also the LVMH powerhouse stable of brands.

“No one Builds a Legacy by Standing Still”

The message of the RIMOWA ‘Never Still’ campaign resonates deeply at AOC. The modernization of the centuries-old luggage manufacture was born from the mind of then CEO Alexandre Arnault, now charged with the rebirth of Tiffany & Co.

LVMH is investing significantly in the travel and hospitality sector,. The RIMOWA brand campaign prompts AOC to plead once again to Bernaud Arnault and now Alexandre Arnault, to save our beloved elephants.

Tiffany has supported elephant conservation for several years now and leads the jewelry industry in ethical manufacturing and transparency principles and practices.

Update: AOC is working on the LVMH conservation update and especially elephant conservation. This recent September 2021 article LVMH and UNESCO join forces again to safeguard biodiversity at IUCN World Conservation Congress documents the top-level facts about the LVMH Initiative.

Adit Priscilla and Tara Halliwell in Versace for The Face Magazine September 2021

Adit Priscilla and Tara Halliwell in Versace for The Face Magazine September 2021 AOC Fashion

Danielle Emerson styles models Adit Priscilla and Tara Halliwell in Fall 2021 Versace, a geometric mix of ‘70s geometric patterns. London-based Will Scarborough [IG] captures the fashion story with the Italian fashion house’s updated La Greca pattern for The Face Magazine.

A new graffiti Medusa smiley is also making its Versace debut this season, a graphic that’s said to “champion the brand’s sense of humor and rebellious character”.

He Cong and Artist San Yu Paintings by Trunk Xu for Marie Claire October 2021

He Cong and Artist San Yu Paintings by Trunk Xu for Marie Claire October 2021 AOC Fashion

He Cong’s fashion story for Marie Claire China October 2021 juxtaposes art work by the late artist Sanyu against elegant fashion looks styled by Austin Feng. Photographer Trunk Xu [IG] creates the visual masterpiece. / Makeup by Yooyo Keong Ming; hair b Minghu Zhang

See full size fashion images w/o paintings.

The artist Sanyu’s paintings are represented by Sotheby’s who writes that the artist was: among the first wave of Chinese artists of the Paris School during the 1920s. Picasso, Miró and Dalí arrived from Spain, Brancusi came from Romania, joined by Chagall from Russia and Kandinsky from Germany. From across the globe, creative immigrants took up residence in the world’s art capital of Paris.

The stories of the Chinese artists like Sanyu, Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun is of particular interest because their ancient cultural traditions were vastly different from those of the European painters.

Four Beauties in Dreamland Style by Hein Gijsbers for JAN Magazine September 2021

Four Beauties in Dreamland Style by Hein Gijsbers for JAN Magazine September 2021 AOC Fashion

Models Isabel Scholten, Loulou-Day O'Kelly, Noortje Haak, and Sara Dijkink are styled by Valérie Ntantu in fragile beauty fashion for ‘In Dromen Land’ [In Dreamland']. Photographer Hein Gijsbers [IG] captures the sleeping beauties for JAN Magazine [link] September 2021./ Hair by Monique Brinkhorst; makeup by Resy Ramaekers

Alexina Graham's Fairyland Glam by Luis Monteiro for Harper's Bazaar Serbia

Alexina Graham's Fairyland Glam by Luis Monteiro for Harper's Bazaar Serbia AOC Fashion

Model Alexina Graham is styled by Pablo Patane in fairy godmother, parfait-colored splendor lensed by Luis Monteiro [IG] for Harper’s Bazaar Serbia’s June issue.

TIME 100 2021: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)

TIME 100 2021: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) AOC She

Nigerian-American, MIT PHD, Harvard undergrad economist Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named to the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. Okonjo-Iweala is the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), appointed after the inauguration of US President Joe Biden.

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, give TIME testimony about leader Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, asking the question: what will it take to vaccinate the world? “Unity, cooperation and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,” is their answer.

As Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (2016 – 2020) and also AU COVID-19 Special Envoy and WHO COVID-19 Special Envoy, Okonjo-Iweala has existing skills and knowledge around global vaccine efforts.

Harry and Meghan remind us that “her job affects every person, family and community.” They continue, writing that “to end the pandemic, we must work together to equip every nation with equitable vaccine access.”

Today only one quarter of the world’s 8 billion people are fully-vaccinated, and Dr. Ngozi Oonjo-Iweala has a tough job ahead. Harry and Meghan write that besides guidance from strong leaders like their friend Ngozi, we have a global duty to find compassion for one another.

V Magazine 132 'Fall in Color' Luxury Mix by Domen / Van de Velde

V Magazine 132 'Fall in Color' Luxury Mix by Domen / Van de Velde AOC Fashion

V Magazine 132 ignites our style senses with ‘Fall in Full Color’ an edgy bouquet of high-volume fashion extravagance. The model roster includes Ajok Madel, Charlie Matthews, Cloud Modi, James Turlington, João Knorr, Noah Luis Brown, Olivia Petersen, and Varsha Thapa.

Photographers Domen / Van de Velde [IG] capture the pattern frenzy from Dior Men, Etro, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Missoni, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Schiaparelli Couture, Valentino, Versace and more styled by Nicola Formichetti. / Hair by Tsuki; makeup by Maki Ryoke

Tech Giant Amazon Rolls Out Amazon Rainforest Carbon Offset Project

Read on: Tech Giant Amazon Rolls Out Amazon Rainforest Carbon Offset Project AOC Sustainability

By Juliana Ennes. First published on Mongabay.com

. First published on Mongabay.com AOC Sustainability

How do you get a small rancher to give up cutting trees for pasture and instead produce high-value and sustainable agricultural products without the requisite skills, money, or access to markets? A new initiative is trying to solve this problem in the Brazilian Amazon.

Called the Agroforestry and Restoration Accelerator, this nature-based carbon removal project aims to help small farmers diversify production and reach new markets, focusing on reforestation and regenerative agroforestry while also advancing economic development. The initiative, announced in early September by U.S-based tech giant Amazon in partnership with nonprofit The Nature Conservancy (TNC), will set up a project in Pará state, home to 9% of the world’s tropical forest area and 40% of Amazon deforestation — the highest rate of forest loss in Brazil.

But this isn’t a philanthropic movement. While Amazon will invest money and provide technical assistance to farmers — and TNC and other nonprofits will provide support on the ground — the tech colossus will receive carbon credits in exchange. Amazon executives and NGO representatives say this project is a win-win for forests, farmers, investors, and even for international carbon credit markets.

“The logic was to generate an alternative source of income so the small farmers wouldn’t have to expand their cattle production through deforestation. This logic, however, had always been philanthropic so far,” said TNC conservation director Rodrigo Spuri Tafner de Moraes in a phone interview.

Before the partnership with Amazon, TNC said it developed a pilot project in Pará over the last eight years named Cacau Floresta (“forest cocoa” in English) to help small farmers start producing sustainable crops of high market value, such as cocoa; Brazil is one of the world’s top cocoa-producing countries, but is still a net importer of the commodity.

According to TNC, this pilot project incentivized small farmers and ranchers to recover degraded or unproductive areas by planting cocoa trees in addition to other native species. This approach created low-carbon, small-scale agricultural production through agroforestry systems that recovered the forest while opening up a new income source for farmers, the nonprofit added.

Farmers peeling cocoa fruit in São Félix do Xingu municipality, Pará state. Image courtesy by © Kevin Arnold/The Nature Conservancy.

Now, through the partnership with Amazon, the investing model aims to generate carbon credits by scaling the project over time, with the possibility of bringing in other investors, the partners say. The goal for the first three years, they say, is to support 3,000 small farmers and restore around 20,000 hectares (nearly 50,000 acres), an area approximately the size of the city of Seattle. Amazon calculates that this would remove up to 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through 2050.

“We believe that there are more than 40,000 farmers who could benefit from a program like this in the region, and that would take a significant scale of investment,” James Mulligan, senior scientist at Amazon, told Mongabay in a phone interview. “We will set up the basic structure of the project and set up the program to scale. In order to scale, it needs additional investments which could come from different sources.”

To succeed, the project includes comprehensive steps, developers say, ranging from a platform to select eligible farmers, to training for the requisite skills, given that deforestation here is driven largely by cattle ranchers who don’t know how to produce cocoa. Smallholders will also have access to high-quality seeds, access to credit lines, logistics to support sales, and entryways to markets, they add.

Read on: Tech Giant Amazon Rolls Out Amazon Rainforest Carbon Offset Project AOC Sustainability

Farmer Deniston Dutra working on his family’s small farm in São Félix do Xingu municipality, Pará state. Image courtesy of © Kevin Arnold/The Nature Conservancy.

Giedre, Karly Wear Massimo-Dutti-Fall 2021 Suits by Bibi Cornejo Borthwick

Giedre, Karly Wear Massimo-Dutti-Fall 2021 Suits by Bibi Cornejo Borthwick AOC Fashion

Inditex brand Massimo Dutti features New Suits for autumn/winter 2021/22 starring models Giedre Dukauskaite and Karly Loyce. Photographer Bibi Cornejo Borthwick [WeFolk] captures modern women who mean business

These suits are not part of the JoinLife collection. This link takes you to Massimo Dutti’s sustainability offering, which should be our first stop in choosing new fall fashion. You can find these suits on your own time and brainpower on the Massimo Dutti website..

Mar Gonzalez in 'Sultry' Technicolor Style by Ana Abril for Numero Russia September 2021

Mar Gonzalez in 'Sultry' Technicolor Style by Ana Abril for Numero Russia September 2021 AOC Fashion

Model Mar Gonzalez is styled by Caterina Ospina Buitrago in ‘Sultry’, technicolor images by Ana Abril [IG] for Numero Russia September 2021./ Makeup by Antonio Romero

Eva Herzigova Talks Long Haul COVID in Telegraph Luxury UK September

Eva Herzigova Covers Telegraph Luxury UK September by Alvaro Beamud Cortes AOC Fashion

Czech-Italian supermodel Eva Herzigova covers the September 2021 issue of Telegraph Luxury UK. Aline De Beauclaire styles Eva, now 48, in images by Alvaro Beamud Cortes [IG]. / Hair by Alessandro Squarza; makeup by Miriam Langellotti

The mother of three sons — George, 14, Philipe, 10, and Edward, eight, with partner Gregorio Marsiaj — shares with Telegraph Luxury readers that she has been recovering from “debilitating” long COVID-19 since December.

Herzigova said: “It was real; it was serious. Thank God we all had it together, so I had support from my husband and kids. We could cuddle and stay in our pajamas for a month. I had symptoms forever, like forever.”

“It’s very debilitating when you realize how much energy you actually need to speak. It's hard when you just can't manage. This virus has a far-reaching effect,” Herzigova continues.