Monday begins with British model Gemma Janes posing in Florence for ‘Renesans Kunsztu’ [Renaissance of Craftsmanship]. The beautiful fashion story was styled by Rachel Bakewell in images by Tom Craig [IG] for Vogue Poland [IG].
AOC will always bring onboard another fellow creative who has jumped on our collective, global narratives, artistic moonbeam. Tom Craig’s IG commentary about being in Florence is posted in the primary post.
Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli is very influenced by the Augustinian order, which happens to be the background of the world’s new Pope Leo.
Read my commentary about the Vatican’s announcement of the new pope with many links and related posts, including Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli’s latest letter to the young people of the world.
W Magazine’s [IG] Volume 3, 2025 — The Pop Issue pulls out all the stops in ‘Pattern Recognition’, a made-to-be-seen fashion story. Top model Lulu Tenney is airborn at times, styled with abandon by Charlotte Collet. Photographer Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG] captures Tenney wearing Brunello Cucinelli, Burberry, Celine, Chanel, Chloé, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Rabanne, Talia Byre, Valentino, Zadig & Voltaire and more. / Hair by Shiori Takahashi; makeup by Mel Arter
Numéro Netherlands [IG] launches their 12th issue, themed around ‘Aurora’. In their own words, ‘Aurora’ is a symbol of renewal and creative evolution that reflects the spirit of transformation shaping today’s cultural and fashion landscape’.
Brazilian supermodel Isabeli Fontana graces one of the ‘Aurora’ issue covers, cited as an astute master of the industry concept of models being required to ‘rebirth’ themselves. Isabeli is styled by Caterina Ospina Buitrago in Balenciaga, BCBGMAXAZRIA [3 images], Ferragamo, Michael Kors, Sportmax, YSL and more, accented with Swarovski Jewelry.
There’s no obvious letup in the western trend deeply embedded in the American story. This narrative gains momentum as Bella Hadid actually moves to Texas. In Bella’s case, her home is in Fort Worth with its authentic, western-core identity, compared to Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
Pharrell Williams expanded the story for Louis Vuitton Men and Beyoncé herself celebrates cowboy culture.
Model Vanessa Moody landed in Arizona for this early April 2025 ‘Arizona Dreams’ cover story for Madame Figaro France [IG]. Stylists Delphine Perroy and Carole Matray choose from Bottega Veneta, Brunello Cucinelli, Dsquared2, Gucci, Isabel Marant, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, MM6 Maison Margiela, Prada, Ralph Lauren and more, lensed by David Roemer [IG].
Models Rosalieke Fuchs and Sihana Shalaj are styled by Katie Burnett in ‘Antithesis’, a fashion story lensed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG] for D Repubblica May 3, 2025. Burnett chooses Celine for the duo models cover cover with hat by Atours Vintage and an Intimissimi bra. / Hair by Cyndia Harvey; makeup by Lucy Bridge
British-Punjabi model Neelam Gill leads an absolutely-lovely, summer cover story for Vogue Singapore’s May 2025 ‘Sonder’ issue. Konca Aykan styles Gill in Gucci’s pre-autumn 2025 collection, shot in Spain by Javier Castán [IG]./ Makeup by Iria Salgado; hair by Mariona Botella
Most recently, Neelam Gill appeared in Gigi Hadid’s Vogue US cover story that inspired our jazz age dive into the Harlem Renaissance.
The Jazz Age in all its glory will be on view at tonight’s Met Gala.
‘Superfine’ is the official catalogue published in conjunction with the Met Gala Monday night, May 5 and the ‘Superfine’ exhibition running from May 10-October 26, 2025. Rising star photographer Tyler Mitchell [IG],now represented by Gagosian, shot the ‘Superfine’ catalogue and this series of images from it.
In this presentation of catalogue story images, Mitchell works with top stylist Carlos Nazario [IG] to capture dandy-worthy images of artist Ike Ude and models including Abdou Ndoye, Craig Shimirimana, Lamine Seck and Mou Lam./ Hair by Dre Demry Sanders; makeup by Keita Moore; set designer Julia Wagner
Natalie Portman is Vogue Australia’s [IG] May 2025 cover star eager to discuss her upcoming movie ‘Fountain of Youth’, which Vogue calls a “globe-trotting extravaganza” that looks like it was fun to make. The movie opens May 23 on AppleTV.
“It was so fun. It was really a dream offer when I got it. Wait, I get to work with Guy Ritchie and John Krasinski? And all these other actors, between Domhnall [Gleeson] and Eiza [González] and Arian [Moayed] and Carmen [Ejogo], who I love so much. . . Vienna was extraordinary and Cairo was a dream. It’s so rare these days to go to the real places.”
Portman pushes back on the issue of aging in ‘The Fountain of Youth’, although she affirms that her beautiful, aging-naturally mother inspires her not to be afraid of physical aging.
Cuban-American femme fatale Eva Mendes may look coy, but she’s a very direct and articulate woman madly in love with her man Ryan Gosling, the father of their two daughters.
Mendes covers the April 30, 2025 issue of ELLE France [IG], wearing a Stella McCartney dress on the cover and thruout the fashion story styled by Carolina Orrico with images by Pamela Hanson [IG]./ Hair by Chris McMillan; makeup by Maria Vargas
Amelia Gray covers the May 2025 issue of Vogue Arabia [IG] wearing Saint Laurent on the cover below and Cartier above. Stylist Jessica Willis adds Bottega Veneta, Chloe, Ferragamo, Gucci, Khaite, Maison Alaia, Proenza Schouler and jewelry from Tiffany & Co and Sophie Buhai to the fashion story lensed by Zoey Grossman [IG]./ Hair by Tiago Goya; makeup by Michael Bosch
Daphne Groeneveld once again brings her major modeling talents to Numéro Switzerland’s Surreal Issue, March 2025. With two covers and a fashion story celebrating designer Christian Siriano[IG], Ayumi Perry styles Daphne and models Brandon Good and Hunter Warr. Photographer Petros Kouiouris [IG] captures the ensemble in chill images with a subversive vibe.
Brazilian model Anita Pozzo is styled by Charlie Harrington in Balenciaga, Maison Valentino, Miu Miu and more for a lovely fashion story ‘Sing the Body Electric’.
Photographer Agata Pospieszynska [IG] captures the breeze and Pozzo, as well, for Harper’s Bazaar UK [IG] May 2025 ./ Hair by Declan Sheils; makeup by Liz Pugh
Rising Australian model Stella Hanan takes a digital cover for the May 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar France [IG]. Robbie Spencer styles the fashion story ‘Libre Comme L’air, with images by Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG].
Rising French model Loli Bahia covered the SS-2025 issue of Pop Magazine #52 [IG], styled by Emilie Kareh. London-based photographer Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG] photographed the French-Algerian model, who grew up in Lyon, as a complex, physical beauty who debuted at Louis Vuitton Fall in 2020.
Today we find Kruger covering the April 25, 2025 issue of Madame Figaro [IG], where the actor has just finished filming the six episodes of ‘Merteuil’, by Jessica Palud, freely adapted from ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ [1988], which was adapted from ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’ [1959], directed by Roger Vadim.
Kruger is styled by Barbara Baumel in images by Thiemo Sander [IG].
Kruger plays Madame de Rosemonde, in the ‘Merteuil’ series, and here we share synchronicity. Just today I wrote about the ancient, global history of courtesans, inspired by a Louboutin Beauty campaign with Daphne Groeneveld.
Her character excels in the art of seduction, Kruger explains. “But she uses her beauty for the sole purpose of being the equal of men, or even their superior. She is a strategist and a manipulator determined not to be locked up in the shackles of the patriarchal society of the time.”
The dandies of next week’s Met Gala have reached out to all the fine ladies including Ajok Daing, Dara Gueye, Maty Fall, Nyaduola Gabriel and Sunira Da Silva for this Vogue US May 2025 photoshoot lensed by Malick Bodian [IG] and styled by IB Kamara. Malick also appears as a model./ Hair by Virginie Moreira; makeup by Ammy Drammeh
Eveningwear is on the menu for the fashion story largely styled in hues of blue.
Twenty years into her model and businesswoman career, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is more successful than ever.
In today's April 27th issue of The Sunday Times Style Magazine UK [IG], Rosie is styled by Sophie Ozra Cloarec in a lot of Burberry, Cartier, Dries Van Noten, Loewe, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Sacai, Tiffany HardWear, Tiffany Knot and more, lensed by Pierre Toussaint [IG].
Rising model with a big future Angelina Kendall is styled by Rae Boxer in ‘A Delicate Balance’ featuring Balenciaga, Cartier, Dior on cover, Miu Miu, Stella McCartney and more. Vito Fernicola [IG] is behind the lens for d la Republicca [IG] April 12th, 2025. / Hair by Kalle Eklund; makeup by Siddhartha Simone
Supermodel Linda Evangelista covers the May 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar US May 2025 as she faces her 60th birthday on May 10th. Evangelista is styled by Carlos Nazario wearing Cartier, Givenchy, Jacquemus, Maison Alaia, Tiffany and more, lensed by Anthony Seklaoui [IG]./ Hair by Mustafa Yanaz; makeup by Dick Page
Evangelista’s relationship with her trauma over a CoolSculpting procedure gone rogue continues to dominate her life. One must process this reality knowing that the 90s superstar has experienced a host of health challenges. CoolSculpting aside, Linda has a 2018 double mastectomy behind her.
"I’ve had all those lung surgeries, oh my God, and my keloids and all the chest-tube scars and my C-section scar. There were a lot of surgeries. I’m cool. I’m fine with those. I won. I’m here. I won.”
This is an usually candid interview with the supermodel, who says she still can’t look at herself in the mirror but — even more important — she is grateful to be alive. Evangelista is in therapy to confront that issue of the mirror, and she also wants to be a grandmother. Just not right now.
Dutch model Britt Oosten is styled by Celia Azoulay in ‘Arizona Dream’, lensed in America by Laurie Bartley [IG] for ELLE France [IG] April 24, 2025./ Makeup by Diane Aiello; hair by Rolando Beauchamp
