Gucci Diana Bag Honors Her Memory at Gucci Bamboo House in Kyoto, Japan

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Gucci Diana Bag Honors Her Memory at Gucci Bamboo House in Kyoto, Japan AOC Fashion

Princess Diana in Japan, May 1986

Nearly 100,000 people cheered Britain’s Prince and Princess of Wales on the streets of Tokyo, when they arrived for a six-day visit to Japan on May 12, 1986. The headline in the New York Times read: ‘Diana Fever’ Comes to a Quiet Emperor’s Land.

Part of Diana’s duties in Japan included attending a traditional Japanese tea ceremony at Nijo Castle in Kyoto. {collage of images above} where she was gifted a traditional kimono fit for a princess.

Thirty-five years later, Gucci has paid tribute to the Kyoto visit in two ways.

First, in honor of Diana’s 60th birthday, Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele reimagined the royal’s favorite, iconic handbag in a series of bold and bright colors in three different sizes: medium, small and mini. Additionally, the new handbag — called the Gucci Diana — includes removable neon buckled belts on each bag, which serve as a nod to the functional bands that were first released with the original to secure the handles’ shape.

The ‘Diana’ bag, which the Princess made famous in one variation or another running errands around London or arriving for a gym workout. Diana LOVED her Gucci handbags with their bamboo handles.

Gucci creative director Alessandro Michel celebrated the Gucci Diana handbag at one of her favorite London institutions — The Savoy Hotel, where Diana was sometimes seen twice in a single day. In a bit of historical nothingness, the luxury brand’s founder worked as a lift boy at The Savoy in his youth.

The Gucci Diana campaign itself was shot by Angelo Pennetta [IG] with a variety of models strolling around London sporting the new bag, most notably leaving The Savoy Hotel

Second, Gucci took the Diana Bags to Kyoto. Thirty-five years later, Gucci’s new Gucci Diana bag traveled to Kyoto in an early August, Olympics concurrent exhibit called ‘Gucci in Kyoto’ project. AOC continues the narrative about the exhibition — which closed today August 15, after the campaign images.

See Campaign images @ AOC.

The Gucci Bamboo House, Kyoto, Japan.

Gucci Celebrates its 100th Anniversary in Kyoto

Learning about the special pop-up at Architectural Digest, Gucci renovated a ‘machiya ‘— a Japanese traditional wooden townhouse typically inhabited by merchants and craftsmen—formerly known as the Kawasaki Residence. Though these homes have existed since the Heian period, running 794 to 1185 AD, the Gucci restoration was constructed during the Taishō era of the 1920s (the same period as Gucci’s founding).

According to Japan Property Central, the townhouse, located in central Kyoto, has fashion in its bones: It was originally built for a wealthy cotton merchant, and after selling to the Kawasaki family, it ultimately served as a kimono museum. Despite its current designation as a Cultural Property of Kyoto City, the house risked demolition just two years ago. However, Gucci has since been able to supply additional funding.

Some images of the Gucci Bamboo House in Kyoto from the Gucci Instagram.

Ashley Callingbull Covers Fashion Canada September 2021, Talking Indigenous Peoples

Ashley Callingbull Covers Fashion Canada September 2021, Talking Indigenous Peoples AOC Fashion

Ashley Callingbull, Indigenous model, pageant queen, and motivational speaker from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta, covers the September 2021 issue of Fashion Magazine Canada. The activist wears a dress from Native American visual artist and California fashion designer Jamie Okuma on the cover, styled by Lucrezia Mancini.

Savage X Carmel Curves Bad-Ass Biker Ladies Were Born to Ride in Rihanna's Lingerie

[Image: Shaniqwa Jarvis/courtesy of Savage X Fenty]

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Savage X Carmel Curves Bad-Ass Biker Ladies Were Born to Ride in Rihanna's Lingerie AOC Fashion

When AOC saw the headline about Savage X Fenty’s newest lingerie campaign with ‘Carmel Curves’, we smiled big.

We wrote about the Carmel Curves Motorcycle Club, a 10-woman biker gang of some of New Orleans’ best Black beauties three years ago. Caramel Curves Motorcycle Club was founded 16 years ago by Nakosha “Coco” Smith and Shanika “Tru” Beatty. Back then, we wrote:

The group consists of 13 [now 10] women with a decades-long love of motorcycles and a desire to bike with other women. "The ladies wear helmets ridged with fluorescent pink mohawks and matching vests bedazzled in blingy patches and sequins. Finishing the look are Barbie-pink stilettos. Their bikes are big Suzuki Hayabusas (that they call “busas”) and Gixxers, and Can-Am Spyders, airbrushed in shades of pink, with brightly colored rims to match. And when they stunt, with curving burnouts or wheelies, their tires send off plumes of magenta-hued smoke."

In fact, the Savage X Fenty team read the same New York Times article that AOC did. Read our original post below.

Here’s the Carmel Curves Instagram Page. It seems that members also have their own personal page. Shaniqwa Jarvis [IG] is the photographer behind the campaign. We’re working on lining up the names of all the bikers featured.

I love it. Victoria’s Secret has got their VS Collective all lined up with star power that includes: Adut Akech, Amanda de Cadenet, Eileen Gu, Megan Rapinoe, Paloma Elsesser, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Valentina Sampaio — totally fab women chosen to keep the brand on track with what women really want.

And then Rihanna swoops in with probably the most body-affirming, pro-woman lingerie video ever created to inspire American women.

If VS was really game, they would ask the VS Collective to critique this totally out-of-the box video. I promise you that at least five — if not all seven — members of the VS Collective LOVE the Savage X Carmel Curves campaign.

The Carmel Curve ladies don’t typically ride in lingerie. But they DO ride in heels. They ARE the sisterhood in action, and the body-affirming, pro-empowerment message of the documentary-style video cannot be overstated. It’s just absolutely the BEST!

Beyoncé Celebrates 40 Years of Excellence for Harper's Bazaar, Lensed by Campbell Addy

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Beyoncé Celebrates 40 Years of Excellence for Harper's Bazaar, Lensed by Campbell Addy AOC Fashion

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is revered worldwide. As she prepares to celebrate her 40th birthday on September 4, the star is ready to listen to her own inner voice.

During the years of making herself a star music talent, businesswoman, activist, Black cultural hero, philanthropist, mother to four-year-old twins Rumi and Sir and nine-year-old Blue Ivy, and wife to JAY-Z, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter learned the power of putting in the work. “Vision and intention weren’t enough; I had to put in the work,” Beyoncé explains in the September 2021 Harper’s Bazaar US cover story.

The September issue of Harper’s is the first time in a decade that Beyoncé has appeared on the cover of the magazine.

For the majority of her life, including her childhood, the mega-talent had not only ambition and a desire to create excellence in her life. Beyoncé had standards — the highest standards for herself. She explains:

If something wasn’t helping me reach my goal, I decided to invest no time in it. I didn’t feel like I had time to “kiki” or hang out. I sacrificed a lot of things and ran from any possible distraction. I felt as a young Black woman that I couldn’t mess up. I felt the pressure from the outside and their eyes watching for me to trip or fail. I couldn’t let my family down after all the sacrifices they made for me and the girls. That meant I was the most careful, professional teenager and I grew up fast. I wanted to break all of the stereotypes of the Black superstar, whether falling victim to drugs or alcohol or the absurd misconception that Black women were angry. I knew I was given this amazing opportunity and felt like I had one shot. I refused to mess it up, but I had to give up a lot.

Tiffany & Co jewelry is worn throughout the fashion story ‘The Once & Future Beyoncé.’ With her husband JAY-Z , the couple have been named new faces and ambassadors for the luxe jewelry brand. LVMH, Tiffany’s new owner, is now an equal owner with JAY-Z of his champagne brand Armand de Brignac, aka ‘Ace of Spades’.

Beyoncé’s narrative for Harper’s is illuminating and deeper than others we’ve read. She tells a wonderful story about agencies and “formulaic corporate companies” that’s truly wonderful. She’s always sought to surround herself with creative, innovative thinkers, but sometimes there’s just no escaping sterile, corporate thinking.

Like there was the time this agency told her that her audience didn’t like black and white photography. It had to be color. ‘And how do you know that,’ Beyoncé wondered to herself. ‘Market research’ was the answer, and the modern music icon wasn’t having it. She was beyond aggravated:

It pissed me off that an agency could dictate what my fans wanted based on a survey. Who did they ask? How is it possible to generalize people this much? Are these studies accurate? Are they fair? Are all the people I’m trying to uplift and shine a light on included? They’re not. It triggered me when I was told, “These studies show…” I was so exhausted and annoyed with these formulaic corporate companies that I based my whole next project off of black and white photography, including the videos for “Single Ladies” and “If I Were a Boy” and all of the artwork by Peter Lindbergh for I Am…Sasha Fierce, which ended up being my biggest commercial success to date. I try to keep the human feeling and spirit and emotion in my decision-making.

Greta Thunberg Covers Vogue Scandinavia Issue 1 Lensed by Alexandrov Klum

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Greta Thunberg Covers Vogue Scandinavia Issue 1 Lensed by Alexandrov Klum AOC Fashion

Climate activist Greta Thunberg launches the first cover of Vogue Scandinavia Issue 1 August-September 2021, lensed by artists duo Alexandrov Klum [IG], The couple Iris and Mattias Alexandrov Klum live in Stockholm and Costa Blanca, located on the southeastern coast of Spain. Read Vogue Scandinavia’s separate interview with Alexandrov Klum.

As you would expect from Thunberg, she doesn’t mince her words in her interview with Tom Pattinson, but also clarifies where she’s coming from on the topic of optimism and change. What better place to do that than in the launch issue of the new Vogue Scandinavia. Thunberg breaks it down for Pattinson:

“There is some kind of misconception about activists, especially about climate activists that we are just negative and pessimists, and we are just complaining, and we are trying to spread fear but that’s the exact opposite. We are doing this because we are hopeful, we are hopeful that we will be able to make the changes necessary.”

[Note that digitally we’re not finding information of Greta’s clothes. We assume they are by sustainable designers.]

There are models who use their Instagram Vogue covers to thank everyone and express gratitude for the opportunity of stepping into the fashion world limelight. Not Greta Thunberg. She used a Sunday Instagram post. to send her main message about fashion around the world.

“The fashion industry is a huge contributor to the climate-and ecological emergency, not to mention its impact on the countless workers and communities who are being exploited around the world in order for some to enjoy fast fashion that many treat as disposables,”

“Many are making it look as if the fashion industry are starting to take responsibility, by spending fantasy amounts on campaigns where they portray themselves as ‘sustainable,’ ‘ethical,’ ‘green,’ ‘climate neutral’ and ‘fair.’ But let’s be clear: This is almost never anything but pure greenwashing. You cannot mass produce fashion or consume ‘sustainably’ as the world is shaped today. That is one of the many reasons why we will need a system change.”

Greta Thunberg is now 18. In 2020 the then 17-year-old founder of School Strike for Climate and Fridays For Future in America won the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity and its accompanying prize worth one million euros. In 2019, Greta was names TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year and she’s has three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize [2019-2021. Note the 2021 prize will be Awarded in October.]

AOC shares Swedish government-sponsored editorial on the state of fashion consumption in the country: Fast fashion is out — circular fashion is in. Sweden is in it for the long term.

Conservation Architect Gurmeet Sangha Rai by Avani Rai in Vogue India August 2021

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Conservation Architect Gurmeet Sangha Rai by Avani Rai in Vogue India August 2021 AOC Fashion

Mother-daughter duo Gurmeet Sangha Rai and daughter Avani Rai invite us to Chinar Haveli, their family home near Delhi. Both women are connected to legendary lensman Raghu Rai, called India’s best-known photographer alive by Fortune India. His website is awesome.

The women are not mere appendages in the life of Raghu Tai. Gurmeet Sangha Rai is one of India’s most important conservation architects. Priyanka Kapadia styles ‘Lay of the Land’, with hair and makeup by Deepa Verma.

Located two hours from Delhi is Chinar Haveli, a lush and private farmhouse located in the kingdom of nature. The 15-year-old home is build by hand using natural materials. It melds Western concepts with Indian karigari, writes Vogue India.

It’s here that the esteemed conservation architect is captured by her daughter, photographer and artist Avani Rai [IG].

In this interview with TheDesignBridge, Rai talks about the history of architecture and how it has been an evidence to a more intelligent and sensible solution to the world's environmental problems. She also highlights upon the fact that the smallest of the decisions can lead to a larger repercussions.

Karen Elson Poses for InStyle September 2021, Talks New Pro-Karen Modeling Venture

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Karen Elson Poses for InStyle September 2021, Talks New Pro-Karen Modeling Venture AOC Fashion

Supermodel Karen Elson poses on the subscribers cover of InStyle Magazine’s September 2021 issue. Elson is styled by Daniela Paudice in images by Yelena Yemchuk [IG]./ Hair by Recine; makeup by Romy Soleimani

This entire fashion story is fabulous. Elson looks fantastic and Yemchuk’s images are rich and powerfully beautiful.

InStyle’s Karen Elson interview ‘Karen Elson Has the Power’ by Laura Brown delivers a power punch paragraph.

After 18 months of the universally painful and isolating COVID-19 experience, the modeling industry has been one of the first to revert to less than empathetic behavior. So Elson did something radical: She left her agents and now represents herself. The boldness of the move cannot be overstated. Agents not only groom a model's career, they manage finances and travel, often breeding less independence than codependence. And that, of course, can be less than healthy..

I just reread The Cut — which is where we first read that Karen Elson is on her own. And now I’ve read the InStyle article. There’s nothing new in this piece about Karen Elson, her work with Model Alliance and all the great role model work that Karen Elson does.

Elson at large raises issues about models getting respect — and money. We know about Elson and the Model Alliance’s campaigns for better treatment for models. Elson has asked previously, why do models not get compensated in ways similar to photographers, for example? Elson is raising some very big questions about the world of modeling beyond respect and being treated with a bit of empathy. Her questions include long-term compensation for creative work that rains money years later.

It’s clear that InStyle EIC Laura Brown has a low opinion of model agencies. But there’s no smoking gun in the InStyle story. I’m speed reading, but there’s not one example of the modeling industry being “one of the first to revert to less than empathetic behavior”, post-COVID. That’s a strong statement, Ms. Brown. Examples would be nice to support your assertion.

The issues — especially the financial issues that Elson raises — have always been at the center of AOC’s commentary about the 80’s supers. Elson observes:

I look at someone like Maye Musk, who I'm obsessed with, and I think, "All right. She's 73 years old. She's badass. She's still doing it." And the norms are being finally pushed up against. I look at Precious Lee. I look at Paloma [Elsesser]. Even Kaia [Gerber], who's now acting. These girls have got so much more to offer than just their beauty. Something has shifted. I remember [casting director] James Scully said to me that in the '80s the models had all the power. They were the ones who were calling the shots, like Linda Evangelista: "I don't get out of bed for less than $10,000." I love Linda, by the way. She is the funniest person on the planet. But they were in charge, and then. Somewhere in the '90s it went to, "Oh, they've got too much power. We've got to smack them back down."

AOC — and Anne personally — have always maintained that the smackdown of models was real — that the industry did say that the supers had too much power (and money). The downsizing of size 4-6 models to size 0 was about far more than sample sizes and the growth of the Asian market where women are smaller.

When you strip supermodel bodies of healthy muscles for ‘heroin chic’ waifs, you are an industry smacking models down to size — literally. And you are stripping them of sexual power. It’s happened to every great goddess in history.

Karen Elson — like most of us — endured a period of intense reflection during COVID lockdown. Elson decided — and we APPLAUD her — that she wants to represent herself. I hope she creates a new paradigm of some kind for other models to follow.

Elson is a realist and given the personal goals she has created for herself, she believes she can do a better job of selling Karen Elson, than her old agency. And she wants some editorial control over her jobs. Saying no to one, doesn’t means she never gets another.

If Google and Apple have talented employees not wanting to work in an office five days a week and Morgan Stanley has MBAs saying ‘no’ to investment banking over no quality of life, it makes perfect sense that Karen Elson doesn’t want to leave her kids on her first getaway post-COVID and run to meet a photographer who decided that very morning that s(he) had to have HER. And could she hop a plain pronto. Elson said “no’. Her kids were more important.

It’s not as if a more empowered model industry never existed. Personally, I think feminism at large got derailed in the late 90s and women have been losing ground ever sense. As Elson points out, there’s some hopeful signs out there in fashion world right now.

It’s silly to make predictions. But many of us are watching very carefully to see how our post-COVID world defines itself. As one new variant hits after another, we may be living a new life for decades to come. Can fashion adjust? It will have to. ~ Anne

Read the entire Karen Elson InStyle interview.

Declining Male Fertility and Growing Concern Over Impact of Environmental Toxins

Declining Male Fertility and Growing Concern Over Impact of Environmental Toxins AOC Fashion

Male Fertility Decline

Infertility is defined as a couple’s inability to get pregnant for one year despite regular intercourse. When this is the case, doctors evaluate both partners to determine why.

For men, the cornerstone of the fertility evaluation is semen analysis, and there are a number of ways to assess sperm. Sperm count – the total number of sperm a man produces – and sperm concentration – number of sperm per milliliter of semen – are common measures, but they aren’t the best predictors of fertility. A more accurate measure looks at the total motile sperm count, which evaluates the fraction of sperm that are able to swim and move.

A wide range of factors – from obesity to hormonal imbalances to genetic diseases – can affect fertility. For many men, there are treatments that can help. But starting in the 1990s, researchers noticed a concerning trend. Even when controlling for many of the known risk factors, male fertility appeared to have been declining for decades.

In 1992, a study found a global 50% decline in sperm counts in men over the previous 60 years. Multiple studies over subsequent years confirmed that initial finding, including a 2017 paper showing a 50% to 60% decline in sperm concentration between 1973 and 2011 in men from around the world.

These studies, though important, focused on sperm concentration or total sperm count. So in 2019, a team of researchers decided to focus on the more powerful total motile sperm count. They found that the proportion of men with a normal total motile sperm count had declined by approximately 10% over the previous 16 years.

The science is consistent: Men today produce fewer sperm than in the past, and the sperm are less healthy. The question, then, is what could be causing this decline in fertility.

'Secular Girl' by Victoire Simonney and Anna de Rijk Makes Real-Life Fashion Point

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'Secular Girl' by Victoire Simonney and Anna de Rijk Makes Real-Life Fashion Point AOC Fashion

Model Anna de Rijk appears as a ‘Secular Girl’, reminding AOC of fashion stories from a decade ago — stories with an undercurrent and something to say beyond “buy me”.

If AOC could have one wish around fashion media, it would be for more ideas to be expressed in fashion pages, moving them beyond selling stuff, with no other purpose. I frankly don’t care if a high-end flower delivery services sponsors fashion stories. There’s no need to dumb everything down to a box of Fruit Loops.

The 2010 forward fall-off of “statement” fashion stories was dramatic to watch. Granted, AOC scans published work with a very critical eyes. Yet images as simple as these — photographer and stylist Victoire Simonney’s ‘Secular Girl’ is — caught our eye, prompting a visit to Sixteen Journal, where we read: “Victoire Simonney studies womanhood and identity in ‘Secular Girl’ story. Then on to Simonney’s IG.

As a deeply-political women’s rights and racial justice activist, I worry that the right-wing is winning — based on new laws in red states. As we speak, the Georgia state government is moving to take over voting in Fulton County in Atlanta — home to the largest Black population in the state.

America’s right-wing is trying to destroy confidence in voting in the US, while it pursue its authoritarian agenda. With its commitment to storytelling generally, Sixteen Journal [IG] becomes a relevant chef in the creative discussion.

Rev. Dr. Barber II, Beto O'Rourke on First Leg of 27-Mile Texas Voter Rights March to Austin

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They're off in Texas — marching south from Georgetown to Austin over four days, led by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and and former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke. The early stage of the Georgetown-to-Austin March for Democracy is limited to about 100 people, because they are practicing social distancing, masking -- all the protocols.

I know how I felt coming out of a torrid session in the gym today. In the 93-degree heat, all I wanted was to get home as quickly as possible. So I worry about Rev. Dr. Barber. I just do. He's such a great leader, and I worry about him the same way I worry about Simone Biles, every time she goes into orbit.

I can't imagine Rev. Barber walking all that way in this heat. I trust they have air-conditioned medical vans with them, in case anybody has a heat stroke.

It's so sad that America has come to this place again. Texas already has the most restrictive voting laws in America. But for Texas Republicans, they're not strict enough.

It blows my mind frankly, in 2021. I never thought it would be like this with our beloved country totally divided. Stupid me.

I'm so sorry Texas Democrats. I'll be praying for Rev. Dr. Barber. He dishes it out with concerns for his people. But given the temperature in Texas, he needs us praying for him and his wellbeing. Beto O’Rourke, I’m not worried about.

Make good trouble, my fellow Americans. We’re with you in spirit, and AOC will be following you to Austin. ~ Anne

Follow the March at the Texas Tribune: Voting Rights Activists Begin Selma-to-Montgomery-Style March in Texas

Amanda Gorman's 'Call Us What We Carry', Simone Biles and Weight of Expectations

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Dec. 7, 2021 Publication Date for ‘Call Us What We Carry’ by Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman, featured this week’s cover story for Net-a-Porter, will release a book of poetry ‘Call Us What We Carry’ on December 7, 2021. The 80-page collection, formerly titled ‘The Hill We Climb and Other Poems’, will include her famed 2021 President Joe Biden inaugural poem, while exploring new “themes of identity, grief, and memory.” According to the publisher Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Gorman will narrate the audiobook, which will be published concurrently by Penguin Random House Audio.

The Lyrics of Hope

Gorman’s poetic elegance, rich with connection and insights into America’s deepest wounds and achievements, will continue to express itself in a hopeful way in ‘Call Us What We Carry’.

Call Us What We Carry: Poems

By Gorman, Amanda

Buy on Amazon

Gorman, who was appointed the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017 and was the United States’ youngest inaugural poet, said: “I wrote ‘Call Us What We Carry’ as a lyric of hope and healing. I wanted to pen a reckoning with the communal grief wrought by the pandemic. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever written, but I knew it had to be. For me, this book is a receptacle, a time capsule both made by and for its era. What is poetry if not a mirror for our present and a message for our future?”

In Monday’s Net-a-Porter interview, Amanda Gorman added energy and direct purpose to the definition of being a poet. “I often call it ‘poeting’ because, for me, it is to get involved in a movement. I think back to Audre Lorde, who was so wise in saying that it’s the poets who create a language for pains, emotions and solutions.”

Amanda Gorman and Simone Biles

It’s impossible for AOC not to reflect on Amanda Gorman and Simone Biles in the same thought bubble. Gorman spoke on Twitter to Tuesday’s news that The GOAT Simone Biles was dropping out of the team competition at the Tokyo Olympics, over mental health concerns.

Retweeting Meena Harris, Amanda rolled many current events related to Biles’ life into one analytical opinion, and we’ll leave the analysis on Gorman’s Twitter feed.

What is relevant to me about the two women’s mutual stardom is the incredible weight it puts on their shoulders as humans, as women, and as Black women who have avidly grabbed the torch of leadership in America.

I heard a Black woman host on MSNBC declare last week that Black women hold up half the world.

My response to her staggering mathematical hyperbole was to think of Simone Biles, one of several star Black women athletes cited by the host. The pressure on Biles and Gorman comes from people — and especially women — of every skin color. There are MANY white women who think the world of both young women. Of course Black women are especially proud and thrilled with their success. But it seems unwise to build such territorial walls around the best of humanity that a wide swath of humanity can’t celebrate them.

More Amanda Gorman and Simone Biles

American Ballet Theatre Dancers by AB+DM for InStyle July 2021

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American Ballet Theatre Dancers by AB+DM for InStyle July 2021 AOC Fashion

The first ‘to do’ in reading ‘Ballet Is Back, Baby’ a fashion story shot by AB+DM for Instyle US and published early June online for the July issue, is to verify the facts. Julia von Boehm styles dancers from American Ballet Theatre in a heady mix of Alexander McQueen, Commando, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Givenchy, JW Anderson, Khaite, Mônot, Spanx,Thom Brown and more./ Hair by Shin Arima; makeup by Frankie Boyd

The Dancers include Isabella Boylston, ABT Principal Dancer; James Whiteside, ABT Principal Dancer; ABT Corp dancers: Anabel Katsnelson, Betsy McBride, Emily Hayes, João Menegussi, Melvin Lawovi and Yoon Jung Seo, ABT Studio Corps.

“Verifying the facts” refers to a bus tour select American Ballet Theatre dancers were scheduled to make across America, as they faced another cancelled official season in 2021.

In fact, the #ABTAcrossAmerica US tour did happen — at outside venues and not the predictable ones for a ballet tour. These shots on ABT’s IG — not in geographical order — show the dancers bringing joy to lawn-lovers in Minneapolis, MN; Middleburg, VA; Chicago, MI; Iowa City, IA; Lincoln NE. Other stops included St. Louis, Mo and Charleston, SC. The dancers made it back to New York City for a special closing performance last week, July 21.

An Injured Simone Biles Pulls Out of Team USA at Tokyo Olympics

Doug Mills/The New York Times

USA Gymnastics team powerhouse Simone Biles has pulled out of the team competition at the Tokyo Olympics. Biles bailed out of her Yurchenko vault with 2 1/2 twists, downsizing the difficulty to 1 1/2 twists and then stumbling out of the landing Tuesday evening.

Biles left the competition floor with a team trainer, while coach Cecile Landi, gathered the team. Biles returned to the floor, rejoining her teammates, hugging them before watching them perform their routines from the sideline.

Team USA will compete for their their consecutive Olympics gold medal without Biles. Follow all the Olympic competition from the New York Times.

Nominated for 3 Emmys, 'Misfits' Book Dropping Sept. 7, Michaela Coel Joins Black Panther

Michaela Coel Goes to Wakanda

Variety broke the news on July 21 that Micaela Coel has joined the cast of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. Details of her character are in the lock box, but the actor as joined “director Ryan Coogler at Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios, where production began last month,” writes Matt Donnelly.

Michaela Coel’s 3 Emmy Nominations

The Michaela Coel show continues to roll on, with the news that the actor, director, screenwriter received three nominations for ‘I May Destroy You’. Broadcast on Sunday, September 19 on CBS, Coel has been nominated for Outstanding Directing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie - 2021; Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie - 2021; and Outstanding Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie - 2021.

In December 2020, Michaela Coel was part of an impressive creative presentation by The New York Times Magazine, with its focus on today’s best actors. The magazine writes: “With ‘I May Destroy You,’ she set out to disturb, first by making us laugh, then by going to all kinds of extremes.”

‘Misfits’ Book Out September 7

The talented creative’s book ‘Misfits: A Personal Manifesto’ is due out September 7, 2021 in British and American bookstores.

The book will focus on topics covered in Coel’s MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh Festival in 2018. In her speech, which drew audible gasps from the audience, Coel spoke in astounding clarity and factual detail about the barriers and racism she had experienced as a young black woman working in the television industry, as well as her own sexual assault.

A video of the speech is embedded in AOC. The Guardian quotes British publisher Ebury saying that in the book [Coel] “makes a compelling case for radical honesty”. It will be a rousing and bold case against fitting in and a powerful manifesto on how speaking your truth and owning your differences can transform your life.”

New Series in Work for BBC UK Drama Unit

Lastly — for the moment — the BBC UK said in May that Michaela Coel is working on a new television series.

“It’s truly in Michaela’s head and it’s not for me to second guess that too much at this point,” the network’s drama chief Piers Wenger responded to questions about the plot’s potential ties to ‘I May Destroy You."‘ “It’s at relatively early stages, but I wanted to let the fans of ‘I May Destroy You’ know that there is a new show coming along…What relationship that show will have with the original series, [is for Michaela to decide].”

Maria Borges on Life's Journey by JD Barnes for Harper's Bazaar Vietnam July 2021

Maria Borges on Life's Journey by JD Barnes for Harper's Bazaar Vietnam July 2021

Model Maria Borges covers the July 2021 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam. Danielle Hawkins styles Borges in Bronx & Bronco, Christian Siriano, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu and more lensed by JD Barnes [IG] in St. Croix. Hair by Hos Hounkpatin; makeup by Porsche Cooper

Maria Borges was born in 1992 in Angola, a country devastated by civil war lasting from 1975 yo 2002. Borges became a model in 2010, winning runner-up in the Angola Elite Model Look competition. Just three years later, Forbes Africa Magazine placed her at the top of their rising models list.

The Angolan beauty’s mom died at age 11 and her father wasn’t part of Maria’s life. Her sister took over managing the family household at age 16, with help from their uncle to paid for school. Maria’s 2010 win with Elite Model Look Angola tethered her to an agency in Portugal, allowing her to travel to Europe for work.

Eventually Borges settled in New York in 2013, signed to Supreme Management after she booked 17 shows in her first New York Fashion Week. In August, 2013 Fashionista first sat down with the model in New York, where she credited Riccardo Tisci, James Scully and Katie Grand as her ‘godfathers’ and ‘godmothers’.