The 'Unstoppable' Precious Lee Covers ELLE US April 2022 by Adrienne Raquel

The 'Unstoppable' Precious Lee Covers ELLE US April 2022 by Adrienne Raquel AOC Fashion

Rising model star Precious Lee covers the April 2022 issue of ELLE US, styled by the legendary Patti Wilson in AZ Factory, Bad Binch, Balaclava, Bottega Veneta, Christian Cowan, Eric Javits, Maison Atia, Michael Kors Collection, Mônot, Moschino [cover], Sinéad O’Dwyer and more. Photographer Adrienne Raquel [IG] is behind the lens for ‘The Unstoppable Precious Lee’./ Hair by Evanie Frausto; makeup by Raoúl Alejandre

Growing Up Like an Atlanta Peach Queen

AOC has told the Precious Lee story several times now. We are well aware that the Atlanta beauty has continually resisted external expectations of what she can and cannot do. Her glorious family was not only behind her efforts but cultivated a home life centered around the good life.

Most likely a few Atlanta bluebloods would raise an eyebrow over her cosmetologist, hair-salons-owning father wearing Versace and “silk shirts unbuttoned with gold chains.” But in this interview with Alexis Okeowo and others, it’s clear that Lee’s family nurtured her enormous self-confidence and comfort level with being in the spotlight.

Lee admits that she hasn’t spoken to the fact that her sister Charisma died in a car accident when she was young. Checking a couple earlier articles, we haven’t talked about this tragic event in Lee’s young life.

“It was so much pain at that age from losing the brightest light,” Lee says. “I actually never talk about this in interviews, but it’s just really important to because I’m starting to realize and understand how transformative that age was for me in being able to tap into things that were creative as an outlet for healing for me.”

Confronting Stereotypes: A Move to the Front of the Bus

Precious Lee needs to develop this story in a TED Talk. It should inspire us all. Lee was no different than many young women about pursuing competitive cheerleading. I have to believe it’s even more competitive in the South. Precious Lee believes that mastering ‘healthy competition’ is key to success in the modern world.

Early in practice, the coach began organizing the physical structure of the cheerleading squad. She assigned Precious a base position, at the bottom of the pyramid, because of her height and size, leaving Lee hurt and confused. Today popular culture calls it a “micro-aggression” and people carry these perceived insults for years.

Precious Lee wasn’t having it. Read on to learn how Precious Lee carried the day. The 'Unstoppable' Precious Lee Covers ELLE US April 2022 by Adrienne Raquel AOC Fashion

Prior Precious Lee Interviews: Precious Lee by Tyler Mitchell Is Committed to Uplifting Us in i-D No. 363 Summer 2021 AOC Fashion

Georgia's Queen Precious Lee Delivers Self-Love Power Punch in Harper's Bazaar May Beauty Issue AOC Fashion

New Optimism: L'O Arabia X Helena Christensen & Valentino Fashion Story Spring 2022

New Optimism: L'O Arabia X Helena Christensen & Valentino Fashion Story Spring 2022 AOC Fashion

Supermodel Helena Christensen poses in all Valentino fashion story New Optimism: L'O Arabia X Helena Christensen & Valentino. Helena was photographed in New York wearing colorful pieces from Valentino Spring-Summer Rendez-Vous collection for L’Officiel Arabia. Art direction and styling by Marko Galovic./ Hair by Linh Nguyen; Makeup by Mitch Yoshida

Lous and the Yakuza by Hunter & Gatti for Madame Figaro France March 25, 2022

Marie-Pierra Kakoma known professionally as Lous and the Yakuza, is a Congolese-Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter, model, and artist. Carine Roitfeld styles Lous in an all Louis Vuitton fashion story lensed by Hunter & Gatti [IG] for the March 25th issue of Madame Figaro France.

Describing the artist after the debut of her 2020 album ‘Gore’, Geneva Abdul wrote:

With words sung and rapped in French, Lous and the Yakuza feels like a distinctly globalized project, interweaving Kakoma’s Belgian-Congolese-Rwandan background with eclectic influences including politics past and present, manga comics, Mozart and Whitney Houston.

Lous Is Soul for a Child of War

As for her name Lous, it’s an anagram of soul, the music of the soul, explains the richly-endowed talent in a Madame Figaro story that accompanies her Louis Vuitton fashion images.

At 25, she's an old soul in a young woman's body, the daughter of two doctors a Rwandan mother and a Congolese father, both doctors engaged in humanitarian work. Lous herself is focused on opening a medical clinic in Rwanda, following in the footsteps of her mother’s status as a pediatrician.

Both of Lous’ parents were imprisoned during the the second Congo war in 1998.

Lous cannot speak of all the tribes in her ancestry, because they are at war with each other. The gender-fluid music activist acknowledges being part of the Kalwena ethnic group as expressed in Swahili.

Tribute to Amanda

In a very moving paragraph of her Madame Figaro interview, Lous speaks to her translation of Amanda Gorman’s book ‘The Hill We Climb’. Gorman recited the original poem created for US president Joe Biden’s graduation. Gorman wrote: "We will make this wounded world a marvelous world." — a narrative that inspires so many of us, no matter the color of our skin.

Related: Amanda Gorman Shocks America with Soaring Poetry | Dr. Jill Biden's Gabriela Hearst Federal Flowers AOC Fashion

Being a Louis Vuitton Muse

Translated: “The story that I have woven with Louis Vuitton was born from my simple and sweet encounter with the greatest designer that I had the opportunity to meet, Nicolas Ghesquière. I appreciated the risk he took by offering me to be muse when I was not yet known. It is an extraordinary prestige for me to have closed two shows for Louis Vuitton. I like the values ​​of this house and the way it respects women.”

Stella McCartney's Mushroom Rich SS 2022 Campaign by Mert & Marcus

Stella McCartney's Mushroom Rich SS 2022 Campaign by Mert & Marcus AOC Fashion

The Stella McCartney brand, defined by its sustainability commitments and credentials, is now so firmly entrenched in the minds of luxury consumers, that we can look at her Spring-Summer 2022 campaign as pure fashion. Stella is more committed than ever to now cultivate a larger message of people’s relationship with nature.

Photographed by Mert & Marcus [IG], the creative entourage captures the new Stella McCartney campaign with supermodel Natalia Vodianova center stage. The fashion shoot happened at France’s Marqueyssac gardens, one of France's listed 'Jardins Remarquable' sitting high above the Dordogne river.

Additional photography from the Stella McCartney’s Spring 2022-Summer 2022 campaign took place at the Espace Niemeyer in Paris, the site of Stella’s runway show. “The space gives the sense of being in a mushroom cap, an iconic nod to Oscar Niemeyer’s artistic expression and openness,” says the Stella McCartney website.

Fashion’s GAIA Queens

Spring 2022 mushrooms, center stage at Stella McCartney’s runway show in fall.2021, got a fresh boost two weeks ago. Sarah Burton stepped into the mushrooms and mycelium creative romp with her post-Paris, mid-March Alexander McQueen Fall 2022 runway show in New York City.

The womanly synergy of Stella McCartney, Sara Burton and Gabriela Hearst leading the discussion around our relationship to nature and organic processes cannot be ignored.

Is sustainability primary a ‘woman’s thing’? The dynamic has changed in the last decade with women now much more likely than men to be green activists and financial contributors to environmental causes. Be sure to set Google search time parameters when exploring this topic, because the current data delivers very different results from total Google results.

Fashion’s Leather Debate

Committed to making mycelium a big topic in fashion world, Stella works with mycologist and ‘Entangled Life’ author Merlin Sheldrake to host summer events paying homage to mushrooms. Activities include cooking sessions with globally renowned chefs, synthesizer music created from the sounds of fungi growing by Cosmo Sheldrake and this season’s hand-drawn print, emblazoned on luxury wallpaper by British heritage fabrics house Cole & Son.

Related: Stella McCartney's Spring 2022 Collection Hugs Shroom Power Sustainability AOC Fashion

The Times’ Vanessa Friedman is not entirely fair — or her memory failed her — when she wrote that sustainability finally made its full-throated entrance in the spring 2022 shows with Stella McCartney’s collection.

Friedman wrote: “Well, hello sustainability. Wondering when you’d show up.” The fashion industry expert must have slept through Gabriela Hearst’ Chloé show: Gabriela Hearst Takes Chloé to Bugatti Speed in Redefining Purpose for Luxury Brands

Within this creative atmosphere, the fashion crowd heard the voice of American mycologist and entrepreneur Paul Stamets, who is considered an intellectual and industry leader in everything associated with fungi. In only a few seconds, Stamets summed up the future of fashion with his admonition: “In fashion, mushrooms are the future.”

Cindy Bruna's Inner 'Joséphine' and Chaumet's Latest Jewelry Glamour

Cindy Bruna's Inner 'Joséphine' and Chaumet's Latest Jewelry Glamour AOC Fashion

The House of Chaumet, based in Paris, releases its latest Joséphine collection, channeling the French empress and wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. The explosive — and very modern, even by French standards — love affair between Napoleon and Josephine is often cited as the most documented love story in history.

Empress Joséphine was the first eminent client of Marie-Etienne Nitot, Chaumet's founder. Learning his art as an apprentice to Aubert, court jeweler to Queen Marie-Antoinette, Nitot moved to Paris in 1780. After surviving the French Revolution, he was appointed jeweler to Emperor Napoleon, tasked with making jewelry symbolizing the power that Napoleon wished to convey.

An 18th century aristocrat, Empress Joséphine cherished memories of life on tropical islands like Martinique, where she was born. As Empress, she reinvented the codes of fashion and taste, popularizing her own vision of elegance on Parisian society.

CL Covers The WOW Magazine 06 by Bryan Huynh, Talks ALPHA Release

CL Covers The WOW Magazine 06 by Bryan Huynh, Talks ALPHA Release AOC Fashion

Global K-Pop star Chaelin Lee, aka CL, covers issue 06 The WOW magazine, styled by Cece Liu in Nusi Quero, Mega Mikaela, Tara Hakin, [Separately} JW Anderson, Mugler, Victor de Souza, Wanda Nylon @Albright Fashion Library, Yves Saint Laurent @ New York Vintage and also Albright Fashion Library and more.

Photographer Bryan Huynh [IG] is behind the lens [with another photographer credited on the WOW website] with CL talking with the now independent artist about her most recent album ALPHA.

Tatiana Djau in 'Popstar' by Per Florian Appelgren for L'Officiel Belgium April 2022

Tatiana Djau in 'Popstar' by Per Florian Appelgren for L'Officiel Belgium April AOC Fashion

For Love & Lemons for Victoria’s Secret Spring 2022 Festival Collection with Lais Ribeiro

Lais Ribeiro Is Woodstock Ready in For Love & Lemons for Victoria’s Secret Spring 2022 AOC Body

Victoria’s Secret lingerie rolls on into Spring 2022 with the launch of a late ‘60s-early ‘70s For Love & Lemons for Victoria’s Secret embroidered flower power collection inspired by music festivals. Literally-speaking, you can buy a Festival Rose bra.

Lais Ribeiro gets us in the groove mood in a lingerie lovers collection of beautifully-embroidered bras and ‘Zoe’ bralettes, thongs, ‘Pastel punch’ dress, teddies, and garter belts styled by Ashley Gloriso. Crochet hats and colorful scrunchies add a precious, witty touch to the collection lensed by Bryan Rodner Carr [IG]. / Makeup by Hadia Kabir; hair by Tiago Goya

He Cong's Flower Power Style by Leslie Zhang for Wallpaper China March 2022

He Cong's Flower Power Style by Leslie Zhang for Wallpaper China March 2022 AOC Fashion

Model He Cong fronts an exquisite, color-drenched fashion story, styled by Quan Zhuoran. Shanghai-based photographer Leslie Zhang [IG] is behind the lens in this stunning style statement for Wallpaper Magazine China March 2022./ Hair by Zhao Wenzhi; makeup by Valentina Li

Kanye West Can Save Face at Coachella and Bow Out By Blaming Billie Eilish for No Apology

Remove Kanye West from Coachella! Petition

Update: The petition has crossed 30,000 at noon today and should be 35,000 Wed. am 3/23. This is the best day so far, and it’s because of online media coverage. We’re still plodding along in a turtle and the hare story. Multiple well-written, well-reasoned articles were written today. See lots of new outbound links below.

We have watched it very closely and this is an American signing audience [very few through the night] and AOC estimates 70% female of every skin color, BUT today looks like more guys — like 65/35%. It could move to 60/40% — as it’s more guys’ names we’re noticing. Yes, Kanye, I can tell.

Why We Are Signing This Petition to Have Kanye Not Perform at Coachella

People who are signing this petition don’t trust Kanye West not to hurt somebody or start a riot at Coachella. What we have witnessed from him in the last 90 days is totally frightening. I am so concerned that for weeks I got up and the first thing I checked at 6am was whether Ye had harmed his now ex-wife.

Kanye has taken me back to all of my 2008-2014 work in Sudan, to stop the brutal flogging of women in the name of Allah.

For a few years, those videos of Sudanese women being brutally flogged were smuggled out to me, as the government enforcers always took them down on Facebook due to violent content standards. The women knew they could count on me to keep the videos alive, working with a male editor at Bloomberg who then got the New York Times to write the articles also.

Today, we’re all supposed to sit here like morons while Kanye gets up on stage at Coachella, with a high probability of going on some crazy rant against women, against his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, against Planned Parenthood and Pete Davidson.

We say NO! I’m not cancelling you, Ye. I am worried that you might start a total riot. Or harm yourself. And you’ve got an easy out, Kanye. Blame Billie Eilish who didn’t apologize to Travis Scott for caring about fans at her concert.

You told the world that if Billie didn’t apologize, you weren’t coming to Coachella. Billie was, of course, as gracious as she could be about your accusations. Keep your word, Kanye.

You cannot be trusted ever to keep your mouth shut, because nobody tells Kanye West what to do.

Tonight March 22, the Kanye Petition Gets Significantly More Media Attention

Petition to remove Kanye West as Coachella headliner receives nearly 30,000 signatures FOX News

The Grammys Canceling Kanye’s Performance Is Just Glorified Self-Preservation: The Recording Academy couldn’t afford to risk a Kanye performance. MIC

Petition Calling for Kanye’s Removal From Coachella Passes 30,000 Signatures Complex

Petition to Remove Kanye West from Coachella Lineup Gets 26,000 Signatures Billboard

Petition to remove Kanye West from Coachella lineup gains traction The Independent London

Petition to drop Kanye West as Coachella headliner reaches 25,000 Signatures Page Six

Kanye West vs the world: when abusive behaviour is called out The Age [Australia]

Kim Kardashian doesn’t deserve this CNN

Should GAP continue to bet on Ye? The Grio

Kanye West’s Stormy Relationship With the Grammys Erupts Again New York Times

Kanye Faces Grammy Ban, Coachella Petition Over Online Behavior Newsweek

Petition to have Kanye West axed from Coachella line-up passes 26,000 signatures Newshub NZ

What To Do About Kanye West

What Should We Do About Kanye West? Maybe Nothing by Ineye Komonibo Refinery 29

AOC has read quite a lot of materials about the situation around Kanye West, and the events that prompted the creation of this petition to keep West from appearing at Coachella.

This think piece by Ineye Komonibo at Refinery 29 is excellent.

GLC Defends Kanye West, Criticizes ‘Disheartening’ Media Attention: ‘We Should Lift Him Up’ Complex

Ye was temporarily banned from Instagram for violating hate speech policy. Experts warn that abuse isn’t only physical Today.com

Kanye West Barred From Performing at Grammys Due to ‘Concerning Online Behavior,’ Rep Says Variety

KANYE WEST’S INSTAGRAM BAN IS AN ‘UNWANTED DISTRACTION’ FOR GAP Ad Age