Mermaid-loving Halle Bailey has a digital cover in the May 2023 issue of Vogue Arabia. The fabulous young talent is styled by Julia Müller in luxury looks from Chanel, David Koma, Jil Sander, Schiaparelli, Valdrin Sahiti, Valentino and more for images by The Morelli Brothers [IG]. / Hair by Tinisha Meeks; makeup by Christiana Cassell
My position with Ariel is that based on my studying of Hans Christian Andersen and having new reading from Andersen delivered to me — ‘Two Dramas. The Mulatto and The Moorish Girl’ — there is zero reason to take the position the ‘The Little Mermaid’ could not have been portrayed as a young creature of color in 1950 or in 1875, the year the author passed.
The problem is societal racism but not the author’s racism. And even people of color are jumping to conclusions about the author, which are presently unfounded. White people have the most simplistic argment: that Andersen was Danish and therefore Ariel was white.
The June 2023 issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is truly beautiful. Given all the rancor and violence going on in the world, it’s just a little getaway to see ‘The Dreaming’.
When I look at the image below — the horizontal rose-colored image of Africa Peñalver, styled by Leith Clark — my mind and emotions say “thank you” to photographer Erik Madigan Heck [IG] and to Harper’s UK.
London-based, Danish photographer Thue Nørgaard [IG] turns his focus to Emily Ratajkowski who is simply everywhere this season. The result of this collaboration is a series of Ratajkowski images that are distinctive in their probing beneath the surface allure of the model, businesswoman, mama.
Emily Ratajowski covers the May 6, 2023 edition of D la Repubblica, wearing Ann Demeulemeester, Bottega Veneta, Comme des Garçons, Ferragamo, Grace Ling, JW Anderson, Paco Rabanne, Rick Owens and more styled by Rae Boxer./ Hair by Jimmy Paul; makeup by Sam Visser
The LVMH brands collaboration with the NBA takes another bow this morning as Moët & Chandon taps streetwear designer Don C for a capsule dropping today, May 8, 2023.
Moët & Chandon is the official Champagne of the NBA and the brand has a rich modern history working with the sports francise and the culture that surrounds it.
Chicago’s own Don C [IG] understands that “the fusion of sports and luxury is here now, and it's here to stay." The drop consists of a custom-designed Moët & Chandonchampagne bottle and a hoodie.
Superfemme businesswoman, top model and Mother Earth advocate Candice Swanepoel brings her Barbie vibe to V Magazine #142 Summer 2023.
Kevin Ponce interviews Swanepoel in ‘Keeping Up with Candice Swanepoel’, asking the model mother and entrepreneur about balancing motherhood with her career, the origins and sustainability principles that define her brand Tropic of C, and what 2023’s summer days have in store for her.
Ponce asks Candice about the strong emphasis on sustainability and ethical production in Tropic of C’s DNA. Her answer is very thoughtful, including her statement that humans “are all energy and that whatever you put out in the world comes back around.”
The beautiful, meticulously-maintained gardens of Highgrove House hosted this exquisite fashion story featuring model Aishwarya Gupta, of Indian heritage posing for Harper’s Bazaar UK [IG].
The private residence of King Charles and Queen Camilla was used in a collaboration with The Prince’s Foundation, for which British Vogue EIC Edward Enninful is an ambassador. [See link end of this post].
The newly-crowned royal couple Charles and Camilla’s convoy was seen Saturday evening May 6, 2023 passing through Tetbury in their maroon Bentley, less than two miles from their Highgrove Estate.
Italian luxury brand Gucci unveils its latest fine jewelry 'Link to Love' campaign with a focus on self-expression and individualism but through connection.
The ‘Link to Love’ collection’s signature octagonal shape channels religious symbolism worldwide. Octagrams formed from overlapping squares often emphasize duality: yin and yang, male and female, spiritual and material, while having a major place in global religions from Christianity to Hindualism, including also a significant place in Jewish mysticism.
This symbolism seems particularly relevent to Gucci’s embrace of a modern, androgynous, sleek design in the ‘Link to Love’ campaign. AOC just discovered major ties to the earliest deities — a transition period between goddesses were worshipped exclusively and patriarchy where God is male and women got the boot.
For example, Old Kingdom Egyptians recognized a group of eight deities, four male and four female, with the female bearing feminine forms of the male names: Nu, Nanet, Amun, Amunet, Kuk, Kauket, Huh, and Hauhet.
Kylie Jenner [IG], with 389M IG followers, takes a mermaid-worthy immersion into the world of Jean Paul Gaultier for the brand’s new “FLOWERS” IS OUT campaign.
Many people haven’t recognized Kylie Jenner because of her mermaid hair. Photographer Elizaveta Porodina [IG] is behind the lens. See the collection online. French artist Jean-Vincent Simonet collaborated with the design team on the "liquid" print of flowers fabrics.
At a collection launch event at The Webster in New York on Tuesday night, Jenner wore the Simonet flowers printed on a lingerie-inspired, nude tulle, long sleeves body slip.
Chanel launches its 2023 Eyewear campaign inspired by retro style and the rise of bling. If we attach a trend to the campaign, disco is dancing center stage.
Karim Sadli [IG] captures top models Vivienne Rohner and Hyunji Shin, along with Niles Rodgers, a critically acclaimed musician, composer, and producer who has made an indelible mark on the music industry.
Following up on her utterly stunning fashion story in the March 2023 issue of Vogue Arabia, model Abuk Adier leaves the paintings of Rashid Al Khalifa behind and assumes a hip, modern series of poses for the April 2023 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia.
Stylist Nour Bou Ezz curates a blended mix of top luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Schiaparelli with Arab world brands like haute couture, slow fashion brand Azzi & Osta; Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran; Lever Couture; Elie Saab trained, Lebanese designer Krikor Jabotian; French-Egyptian global luxury fashion house Maison Yeya; Lebanese-Italian fashion designer Tony Ward and more.
Dubai-based photographer Amer Mohamad [IG] is behind the lens, delivering a new perspective on luxury fashion photography.
American model Ella Rattigan is styled by Tugce Bahcivangil in modern-woman, rough-elegance edgy fashion lensed by Tugberk Acar [IG] for Vogue Turkey May 2023.
Top model Mona Tougaard covers the May 2023 issue of Vogue France. Emilie Karech styles the fashion story ‘Mona’ in images by Théo de Gueltzl [IG] shot at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. / Hair by Ramona Eschbach; makeup by Cécile Paravina
Jimmy Choo unveiled Gisele Bundchen as the star of its latest campaign ‘Who Is Ready for Summer’, shot by Carlijn Jacobs in Miami.
Imruh Asha styles the Brazilian runway legend, who was her own date to the Met Gala Monday thankyou. Gisele wears Jimmy Choo favs like the gold Agave gladiator sandal, pearl-embellished Fayence, Cecelia cork sandals and handwoven Bon Bon Bucket bag.
Model and Muslim-rights activist Halima Aden is featured on four Vogue Arabia May 2022 covers. Aden is styled by Amine Jreissati in images by Youssef Oubahou [IG].
Even in 2022, Halima was giving the same new interviews to media that shared her story of walking out of the fashion industry in 2020. AOC checks on her about every 90 days. Aden brings that identical voice to this Vogue Arabia May 2023 interview — but after therapy, which she cites as being very beneficial for her.
Is the fashion industry still rife with “inhumane working conditions for models”? I don’t know, but the New-York based Model Alliance four days ago posted on IG that the ‘Fashion Workers Act’, represents the culmination of the Model Alliance’s work over the last decade.
The Master of Diplomacy
In AOC’s opinion, Manuel Arnault probably has the most delicate and politically-fraught EIC role in fashion media. He walks that tightrope with an impressive maturity and diplomacy that I certainly don’t possess.
Arnault impressed me today, because he has taken up the topic of the Cleopatra Netflix series. Hence the paragraph that preceds this one. I bow down, Manuel Arnault.
Senegalese stunner Mame Thiane Camara brings her commanding fashion presence to the pages of Harper’s Bazaar UK’s April 2023 issue. Camara lived in Senegal until age 15, before moving to Italy.
The fashion story ‘More is More’ showcases unadulterated, robber-baron opulence, and acts as a perfect backdrop for Camara’s strong persona and physical presence. Miranda Almond styles the dazzling fashion statements lensed by Jem Mitchell [IG]. / Makeup by Joey Choy; hair by Tyler Johnston
AOC shares exciting news about the ongoing collaboration between Pharrell Williams and adidas — Humanrace Samba Colors by Pharrell, a collection of luxury footwear in a depth of colorways that embody the diversity and energy of Humanrace’s DNA.
Last weekend at Pharrell’s ‘Something in the Water’ Festival in Virginia Beach, music lovers with an Atlantic Ocean view got their first look at five new Humanrace Samba colorways: Yellow, Orange, Pink, Lilac, and Red. A Humanrace green colorway is also available exclusively to friends and family of the brand.
Pharrell elevates the Samba with all-around high-end leather upper and leather shoelaces sourced from ECCO Leather, a world leader in innovative and premium leather.
ECCO Leather’s water-saving tanning technology saves 20 liters of water per hide. The result is environmentally more sustainable production but higher color saturation. Humanrace always uses non-toxic vegetable dyes, and AOC assumes that is the case here. Read the Humanrace sustainability pledges.
Models Alay Deng and Cristina Jugo are styled by Alexander Picon in ‘Strictly Business’, lensed by Bryce Anderson [IG] for ELLE US [IG] April 2023./ Hair by Orlando Pita; makeup by Sam Visser
Argentinian model Iman Kaumann wears Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Loewe, Miumiu, Prada, YSL and more, styled by Charles Varenne. Photographer Yulia Gorbachenko [IG] captures ‘Extase’ [‘Ecstasy’] in the Agafay Desert, Morocco for Numéro France [IG] #238 April/May 2023./ Hair by Cyril Lalou; makeup by Marion Robine
The fabulous Imaan Hammam [IG] covers the May 2023 issue of Harper’s Bazaar France [IG]. This is the third issue of a French edition of Harper’s Bazaar, led by the Prisma presse group, which acquired the licence for France.
Emmanuelle Alt [IG] styled Hammam in images lensed in a variation of black and white by Robin Galiegue [IG]. The former EIC of Vogue France is expected to have a more influential voice at the magazine, as her contractual obligations to Conde Nast expire.
On March 26, 2023, Longoria debuted her new CNN show, “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico”, which is modeled after the very successful “Searching for Italy with Stanley Tucci”. She is both host and executive producer of the series.
The series consists of six episodes, each exploring a different location in Mexico, including Jalisco, Mexico City, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Yucatan. Throughout the show, Longoria immerses herself in the rich culture, landscape, and history of Mexico, which have all played a significant role in shaping its world-renowned cuisine.
There are plenty of star chefs in the series, but Eva Longoria is unusually mindful of the stories of simple people like Ponciano Méndez, a farmer from Santa Ana Zegache, a town one hour from the capital of Oaxaca. In the valley where Ponciano lives, corn has been planted for more than six thousand years; In the neighboring valley, the oldest maize remains of humanity were found.
I truly love the show and was eager to learn more about Eva’s experiences of visiting indigenous communities and eating a traditional decolonized diet.
Before the Spanish conquest, Mexico was a predominantly vegetarian territory.