Supermodel Candice Swanepoel follows her Vogue Netherlands March 2023 cover story, joining the Carolina Herrera Eyewear family in a spring/summer 2023 campaign lensed by Dan Beleiu [IG] with styling by Alba Melendo./ Makeup by Manuela Pane, Paco Garrigues
American model Dilone, of Dominican descent, is on AOC’s ‘more, please’ list. The actor/model poses in Brasilia, Brazil in the April 2023 issue of Vogue Netherlands.
Linda Gumus Gerritsen styles the athletic earth daughter, who wears modern-architecture, spare but fluid silhouettes and fabrications for the warm-weather fashion story lensed by Arran & Jules [IG].
Brazil was a major home to brutalist architecture, long associated with independence movements in a post-colonial world. Against a verdant, tropical backdrop and with the addition of glass in some countries style preferences, the architectural style appears much warmer and human than that Parisian parking lot [see end of post].
You’re not alone if you did a doubletake over the model in Zimmermann’s new Summer 2023 Swim Collection. Indeed, the two-piece bandeaus are sexy . . . especially with gold jewelry accents.
The black and white graphic ‘sunflowers’ crochet dress is fabulous, but who is the blonde? We love the two-piece, strapless green bikini, but why does she look so familiar and yet . . . like a seaworthy, modern woman Aphrodite?
Model Cara Taylor reminds us to never judge a book by its cover. Never ever! You never know the person living inside the mind of that brunette American model from Alabama.
Whether it’s three days, three months, or never looking back, Taylor reminds us that every woman should walk where angels do not tread.
Supermodel Adut Akech graces the pages of POP Magazine #48, styled by Tamara Rothstein. Photographer Arnaud Lajeuneie [IG] is behind the lens, capturing a modern style approach to sexy, frothy femininity./ Hair by Kim Rance; makeup by Vassilis Theotokis
On the heels of model Cara Taylorgoing blue-blood blonde in the new Zimmerman campaign, blonde model Anna Ewers goes strawberry blonde in the pages of British Vogue April 2023.
Anna’s images by Zoe Ghertner [IG] are diminutive against nature’s green majesty. Jane How styles Ewers in fluid fine knits, but Her Green Majesty dresses herself, for ‘Within a Budding Grove’.
Bella Hadid greets longer days and brilliant sun as the face of Louis Vuitton 2023 sunglasses campaign, joined by Taiwanese singer, musician and actor Ouyang Nana.
Carine Roitfeld styles the campaign with Bella and Ouyang in images by Steven Meisel. / Hair by Guido Palau; makeup by Pat McGrath
Top model Vittoria Ceretti shows off a side of her fashion persona not typically revealed. We are backstage as Vittoria prepares for her runway walk in a larger atmosphere fraught with tension.
There is an eye that tears, having to deal with the most difficult model in the world, or perhaps a frenzied creative director giving orders a bit too harshly. Speaking for herself in ‘Vittoria Ceretti: Semplicemente, Sono Felice [I’m Simply Happy.]” lensed by Vito Fernicola [IG] the model is at peace.
Canadian model Jessica Stam was honored in early March by Marc Jacobs with his 2023 reissue of the Stam Bag. Stam also booked a major runway presence in the recent fall 2023 show.
Today Stam appears in the pages of Vogue Italia April 2023 in ‘Jessica Abita Qui’[‘Jessica Live Here’], wearing body-con, casual and athletic-life clothes styled by Georgia Pendlebury.
Photographer Thurstan Redding [IG] captures Stam, who sold her New York apartment last fall. A great lover of New York, her life now extends far west.
The fashion trends term describing the Spring 2023 Massimo Dutti Limited Edition collection is ‘elevated basics’. Every fashion-aware person self-defines their own vision of ‘elevated basics’, but Massimo Dutti’s 2023 vision is one of sophisticated, chic simplicity and clarity.
The new campaign highlights models Ella Mccutcheon, Imaan Hammam, Tara Halliwell and Yilan Hua in images by Ezra Petronio [IG].
The vision is not a boring one, but more of a timeless, body-aware, polished, sensual approach in black and cream.
Skirts are longer for seekers of elevated basics, silhouettes are fluid. AOC asks if the long column of a dress is a modern woman’s caftan.
Note that caftans are showing up in men’s collections also, but the narrow, sleeveless column dress remains a typically female choice, except in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Louis Vuitton Men releases the Taigarama Summer 2023 Campaign with models Akito Mizutani, Choi Mabior, Limamu Mbaye and Lucas El Bali styled by Pau Avia.
Tom Johnson [IG] photographs the campaign, with art direction by Lucie Matussiere./ Hair by Christian Eberhard; makeup by Christine Corbel
Models Chu Wong and Katie Craven wear relaxed, rough-elegance fashion seeking edgy respectability in ‘Neutral Territory’, styled by Samuel Drira for Harper’s Bazaar US March 2023.
South African photographer Pieter Hugo [IG] captures a wide range of nature-inspired, fabric-driven fashion looks from Armani, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Israeli fashion designer Hed Mayner, JW Anderson, Jil Sander, Brooklyn-based Lauren Manoogian, Loewe, MM6 Maison Margiela, Max Mara and Uma Wang. / Makeup by Asami Kawai; hair by Anne Sofie Begtrup
Brazilian model Anna Herrera is styled by Annie Hertikova in Net-a-Porter’s Spring 2023 best-of offering from Saint Laurent CR23. Photographer Darren Gwynn [IG] captures Herera with art direction by Phil Buckingham./ Hair by Eliot McQueen; makeup by Rebecca Wordingham
Dior Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri introduces her latest Dior Or capsule collection, inspired by gold’s history as a symbol of luxury in the maison.
While golden threads remain prominent in the new capsule, other luminous metallic threads and fabrics — especially silver — weave their way in the ready-to-wear and accessories, which were a timed-release with Ramadan.
In the Harper’s Bazaar Spain April 2023 fashion story ‘Romper Barreras’ [‘Breaking Barriers’], Pat Cleveland and Anna Cleveland are styled by Inmaculada Jiménez in images by Vladimir Martí [IG] for ‘The Picasso’ issue.
A Model Icon’s Life Turned Inside Out in March 2019
In Spring 2019, legendary AfricanAmerican model Pat Cleveland was diagnosed with colon cancer. The then 68-year-old model icon rushed to the American Hospital in Paris, after walking the Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya show in very early March.
Resulting from the emergency surgery in Paris on March 23, Cleveland’s colon cancer was detected. Anna Cleveland, Pat’s daughter, who is also a model and performer, was living in Paris and able to care for her mother during the crisis.
4 Years Later, Pat Cleveland Is Thriving
In a miracle of miracles moment, Pat Cleveland is thriving four years out from her life-threatening medical event.
Colorectal cancer disproportionately affects the Black community, where the rates are the highest of any racial/ethnic group in the US. African Americans are about 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and about 40% more likely to die from it than most other groups.
AOC has studied and promoted Karlie Kloss from her first steps into New York fashion world, because it was clear that she is a woman of principle and also a progressive activist at heart.
The folks at Carolina Herrera, now part of the Barcelona-based Puig Group of brands, were also drawn to Karlie, and not only because of her 6’2” stature and athletic/professional dancer training.
Karlie Kloss is the epitome of the classic Good Girl, updated for the 21st century. In fashion marketing, we toss around the term ‘boss lady’ with ease. Karlie Kloss helps define what a boss lady IS.
Model Yue of City Models Paris makes a vivid impression about modern elegance, styled by Pablo Patane in bold pieces from the fourth [2022] Louis VuittonSpiritHigh Jewellery Collection.
Francesca Amfitheatrof, the Maison’s Artistic Director for Watches and Jewellery, created a five-themes, multi-dimensional journey for the woman who wears luxurious extravagance.
Not only liberty, strength, and the notion of infinity define the design dna, but also ideas of destiny and of soaring to new heights.
AOC loves the merger of art and fashion, and ELLE Denmark delivers a true beauty of a fashion story. Brazilian model Mariana Santana poses in the Miró Fundació in Mallorca.
Photographer Rami Hanna [IG] captures Santana, who is styled by Hanna MW for the ELLE Denmark’s March 2023 issue./ Hair and makeup by Heidi Garcia Andersson
Fundació Miró Mallorca is located in the Cala Major district, where the artist lived and worked from 1956 to 1983. It comprises a main building exhibiting 6000 works donated by the artist, including paintings and sculptures, a library, a sculpture garden, Miró's studio Sert, and the Finca Son Boter.
French model Charlotte Touya is styled by Rebecca Bleynie in Akris, Calzedonia, Dsquared2, Fendi, Paco Rabanne, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and more — all with Swarovski jewelry exclusively.
Photographer Julien Vallon [IG] captures the long-days summer night story ‘Songe d'une Nuit d'été’ for Numéro France 237 March 2023. / Makeup by Ismael Blanco; hair by Ismael Blanco
Not every model has ‘Fuerza Natural’, making her a ‘natural force’ or a ‘force of nature’, which AOC prefers. Top-tier model Irina Shayk possesses this innate charisma and sensual power, which would have rendered her ‘supernatural’ in the ancient world.
Irina is styled by Valentina Collado in images by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin [IG] in this fashion story set in Mexico. The location is a Chablé Hotel, with two boutique hotels in the Yucatán and the Riviera Maya.
Photographer Nadine Ijewere [IG] captures cultural creatives, art-inspired fashion at its hot-weather best for the April 2023 issue of American Vogue.
Models Akon Changkou, América González & Kai Newman step into the sunlight, styled by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson in island-bliss beauty. ‘Eternal Sunshine’ is a fashion feast for hungry eyes./ Hairby Joey George; makeup by Yumi Lee