Louis Vuitton Men's FW 2021 by Tim Walker Busts Power People Archetypes

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Louis Vuitton Men's FW 2021 by Tim Walker Busts Power People Archetypes AOC Fashion

Whatever your opinion of Louis Vuitton Men’s artistic director Virgil Abloh, he is moving into his own zone of excellence — at least in the eyes of Bernard Arnault and the LVMH family.

Given the realities of business life, AOC reminds the naysayers of this simple reality check: “That’s all that counts.” Not only is LVMH thrilled with Virgil Abloh’s artistic and financial performance at Louis Vuitton Mens, but they are dramatically expanding his role and influence within the entire LVMH family of brands.

The month of July was intense for the Rockford, Illinois-born Abloh who is an artist, architect, entrepreneur, designer and DJ who — in the words of NYTimes woman-in-the-know Vanessa Friedman — is on track to “become the most powerful Black executive at the most powerful luxury goods group in the world.”

It’s true that Virgil Abloh is about “rewriting the rules”, and we love that this reality permeates most of what the hyper-creative visionary does with his time each day.

For the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall 2021 Campaign, Abloh enlists his trusted creative partner, fashion photographer Tim Walker to play a fashion game of chess.

“By taking archetypes such as the writer, the artist, the drifter, the salesman, the hotelier, the gallery owner, the architect, or the student, the collection explores the dress codes that inform our predetermined perceptions of these familiar characters. Virgil Abloh imbues the grammar of these codes with different values and employs fashion as a tool to change those assumptions. Throughout the collection, garments, accessories, motifs and techniques play on themes of illusion, replicating the familiar through the deceptive lenses of trompe l’oeil and filtrage. Leather goods are interpreted through the classic shapes of Louis Vuitton and enriched with added wording, shiny silver, or tuffetage embroidery.” – from Louis Vuitton

Related: LVMH Buys 50% of Jay-Z's Champagne Brand As Bernard Arnault Nods To Black Culture's Financial Influence AOC Living

Savage X Fenty, Valued at $1 Billion, Is Poised To Rival Victoria's Secret and Win AOC Living (Note that while LVMH’s Fenty collab with Rihanna is on hold, the Arnaud family is a major backer in Savage X Fenty through L Catterton.)

Luz Pavon by Daniella Midenge Delivers Pedigree Gem Glamour to Vogue Mexico

Luz Pavon by Daniella Midenge Delivers Pedigree Gem Glamour to Vogue Mexico AOC Fashion

Mexican fashion and beauty model Luz Pavon is drenched in luxury jewelry from Cartier, Dior Jewelry, Harry Winston and more, styled by Aryeh Lappin. Daniella Midenge is behind the lens, creating high-voltage, rich-in-attitude images of Pavon for Vogue Mexico August 2021. / Makeup by Nicolás Beretteaga; hair by Gonn Kinoshita

Saskia de Brauw Poses at LongHouse Reserve for Ulla Johnson Resort 2022

Saskia de Brauw Poses at LongHouse Reserve for Ulla Johnson Resort 2022 AOC Fashion

Top model Saskia de Brauw poses for Ulla Johnson’s resort 2022 collection at LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, a sculpture garden conceived by the American textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen. The nature oasis comes with a Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome and a giant chess set by Yoko Ono, perfect backdrops for Emma Summerton’s sophisticated lookbook images.

Alessandra Ambrosio in Black Sensuality by Emma Summerton for Vogue Mexico and Latin America

Alessandra Ambrosio in Black Sensuality by Emma Summerton for Vogue Mexico and Latin America AOC Fashion

Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio is styled by Valentina Collado in black beauty sensuality from Alaïa, Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, Cartier, Etro, Isabel Marant, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and more. Photographer Emma Summerton [IG] captures ‘En Negro’ for Vogue Mexico and Latin America August 2021./ Hair by Luke Chamberlain; makeup by Benjamin Puckey

Giampaolo Sgura Captures 'Nomad' Cold-Weather Protection for Vogue Japan

Giampaolo Sgura Captures 'Nomad' Cold-Weather Protection for Vogue Japan AOC Fashion

Models Kayako Higuchi and Yura Nakano are styled by Anna Dello Russo in ‘Nomad’, lensed by Giampaolo Sgura for Vogue Japan September 2021./ Hair by Andrew Guida; makeup by Luca Cianciolo

'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.

Mona Tougaard Soaks Up Summer Heat by Alasdair McLellan for Vogue Paris August 2021

Mona Tougaard Soaps Up Summer Heat by Alasdair McLellan for Vogue Paris August 2021 AOC Fashion

Top model Mona Tougaard is styled by Aleksandra Woroniecka in ‘Premier Eté’, lensed by Alasdair McLellan for Vogue Paris August 2021./ Hair by Damien Boissinot; makeup by Linsey Alexander

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.

Kendall Jenner in 'City of Angels' by Zoey Grossman for ELLE US August 2021

Kendall Jenner in 'City of Angels' by Zoey Grossman for ELLE US August 2021

Kendall Jenner sends a fashion trend report from LA, styled by Alex White in easy pieces from Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Balenciaga, Celine by Hedi Slimane, Dior, Etro, Fendi, Gucci, Moschino Couture, Prada and more.

Photographer Zoey Grossman captures ‘City of Angels’ for ELLE US August 2021./ Makeup by Holly Silius; hair by Panos Papandrianos

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].”