In the world of bags, the luxury buyer has many to choose from. I chose these two brands — Golden Goose and Celine — not for the cool factor, but to speak to their brand DNA. Reality is that when one is spending many hundreds or thousands of dollars for a bag or leather accessory, the 2022 customer is more eager than ever before to know the story behind the brand, the ethics and sustainability initiatives employed by the owners, and how the brand reflects us — the buyers.
Models Julia Nobis and Selena Forrest are styled by Grace Coddington in ‘City Transfer’, lensed by Craig McDean for British Vogue August 2022./ Hair by Orlando Pita; makeup by Francelle Daly
AOC isn’t sure if photographer Nadine Ijewere [IG] is driving a Maybach Exelero or a Golden Bugatti Veyron in this new fashion story System Magazine X Schiaparelli F/W 2022. Maty Fall is ready for takeoff, oozing Black glamour in a 2022 version of Beale Street’s fashion club history.
Maty is still rising but her portfolio is solid. Time to fly, Ms. Maty Fall. Ijewere is driving this priceless fashion gem, but Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli gives her an abundance of modern-day riches, styled by Nell Kalonki.
Ethiopian beauty Amar Akway poses in ‘Girl About Town’, a dramatic collection of haute couture fashion formality styled by Imruh Asha for W Magazine Volume 3, 2022. Photographer Joshua Woods [IG] captures the ultimate luxury fashion extravagance in Paris, shooting looks from Armani Privé Haute Couture, AZ Factory, Balmain, Celine by Hedi Slimane, Chanel Haute Couture, Christian Dior Haute Couture, Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture, Valentino Haute Couture, Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture
Creative Director of Hermès Jewelry Pierre Hardy discusses House’s latest high jewelry collection ‘Les Jeux de L’ombre’, created by Hardy to give “form to the elusive”. It relates the movement of shadow and its relationship with light, and the contrasts that connect them..
Such a cerebral concept requires an equally conceptual photographer with an inner vision and signature technique to translate Hardy’s splendid jewelry pieces beyond their origins in a study of Caravaggio’s painting techniques and his chiaroscuros.
Elizaveta Porodina [IG] quickly emerged as the perfect photographer to create a totally-modern, 21st century visual dialogue around the new collection, modeled by Alyda Grace. Victoire Simonney styled the Hermes ad campaign with set design by Sophear Van Froment.
Supermodel Adut Akech returns ‘home’ to Vogue Australia’s June 2022 issue. The South Sudan to Adelaide to Vogue Australia and then rocketing into global domination Black beauty takes us to Memphis, USA in ‘On Beale Street’. Photographer Charles Dennington [IG] captures the fashion story, styled by Catherine Martin.
Aussie Baz Luhrmann, the director of ‘Elvis’ — a movie that topped $100 million at the domestic USA box office Friday without superheroes or dinosaurs running wild — guest edits both Vogue Australia June and also Vogue Living July/August to promote the new film and its Black-beauty-infused glamour.
Lindsey Wixson clearly shared great energy with Elizaveta Porodina in shooting this ZARA South 2022 campaign. It follows our Thursday night post ofZARA’s new Kate Moss campaign for their ‘Into the Night’ and ‘Into the Classic’ collections. We have back-to-back wows from ZARA.
Oh yes, ZARA’s Parisian nights collections were created with former Vogue Paris EIC Emmanuelle Alt. Parisian glamour is verbotin in Vogue France these days, so it’s nice to see ZARA picking up the slack.
Smiling is not fashionable, but how lovely it is to see the contagious spirit of Aaliyah Hydes in the pages of Vogue Portugal’s July 2022 issue. Photographer Noémi Ottilia Szabo [IG] captures Hydes in ‘Good Vibes Only’ with Lyla Cheng styling the pure delight fashion story.
When the ‘90s party girl Kate Moss poses for British fashion photographer David Sims [IG], making one grand entrance after another in old-Vogue-style photography, it’s one more reminder that big brands like Zara are driving fashion visualization as much — or more — than fashion media.
The always sensual, queen of summer Edita Vilkeviciute covers the July 14th issue of ELLE France, styled by Claire Dhelens in summer beach clothes from Carroll, Celine by Hedi Slimane, H&M, KKS, Le Passage, The Kooples, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and more.
Photographer Chris Colls [IG] shares his gift for capturing sensual women — in a classic sense — reminding us that Edita herself and her physicality are high-value assets in why we love this fashion story. In a moment when we are under siege on every front of American politics and culture, the momentary visual getaway of ‘ON DE SENSUELLE’ is deeply appreciated.
Louis Vuitton celebrates summer in the city with a look at its Pre-Fall 2022 collection modeled by streets-savvy, Nigerian-born Janet Jumbo. Baby-size graphic effects square off with athleisure details, achieving a pulsating balance of sophisticated fashion smarts.
Anatoli Smith styles the fashion story lensed by Brooklyn native Menelik Puryear [IG] for L’Officiel USA.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid fronts the Fall-Winter 2022 Campaign for Self-Portrait, posing in bare body, sensual silhouettes and fabrics. Hadid poses in six feminine outfits that run from day to night, lensed on the streets of New York City by Zoe Ghertner [IG].
Writing about the new collection, Vogue’sSarah Mower raises the issue of Burberry’s “border-free, non-nationalistic points of view.” The Guardian came close to raising the same issue, when Marco Gobbetti resigned in June 2021, to return to Italy as CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo.
Goddesses and Regal Rebels dominate Versace’s Fall 2022/23 Campaign, led by ‘Pam & Tommy’ star Lily James. The Emmy-nominated James plays a Versace goddess in a summer where AOC has read the word ‘goddess’ from non-AOC sources at every turn.
Louis Vuitton’s Friend of the House Olympia of Greece showcases the Scarlet Red Capucines Mini — and other Louis Vuitton’s in London. The glamorous daughter of Crown Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece enjoys a ‘dog day afternoon’ excursion with Echo, in images by Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG].
Top model Lindsey Wixson-Young sets off on the great American road trip for the July-August 2022, travel focus issue of Vogue Poland. Ashlee Barrett-Bourmie styles Wixson in unusually glam looks for a trip into the southwestern desert. Photographer Arianna Lago [IG] captures the fashion shoot in Death Valley National Park in the northern Mojave Desert. Lindsey poses in one of the hottest places on earth.
V Magazine #137 begins the 2022 fall fashion, gender-free styling transition with ‘It Takes Two’, luxury worn by models Malika Louback and Leon Dame. Anastasia Barbieristyles the duo in Burberry, Dior, Prada and more in images by Nathaniel Goldberg [IG].
LOEWE celebrated the launch of its latest Paula’s Ibiza collection with a pop-up market LOEWE Mercadillo at Las Dalias, Ibiza. Barcelona-based photographer César Segarra [IG] was on hand to capture the event.
I know we are all very rattled over the anti-trans legislation in red states, but then Roe got shot down, too. AOC’s activism is very focused on Christian fascism and white nationalism in this moment. The end of our imperfect democracy is in sight — if we don’t fight this back by the 2024 election.
People I respect say “It’s do or die time,” and they are not exaggerating.
AOC is not worried about “he, she, it, they, them . . . “ in this moment. We are focused on the American Taliban increasingly riding roughshod over all of us. No disrespect intended to pronouns.
