Models Jeanne Cadieu and Bibi Breslin star in ‘Something Beautiful’ styled by Katie Burnett. Photographer Sam Rock [IG] is in the studio for D la Repubblica [IG] Magazine March 23, 2024./ Makeup by Lucy Bridge; hair by Mustafa Yanaz
Responding to a request for comment from WWD, Valentino confirmed on March 22, 2024 the departure of Pierpaolo Piccioli as creative director of Maison Valentino.
Kering’s Role is Unclear in the Mayhoola Decision
We don’t know what the role of Gucci-parent Kering has in this decision. Kering acquired 30% of Valentino in July, 2023, with an option to purchase the whole of Valentino's share capital no later than 2028.
Luxury Stocks Are Holding Steady with Kering Plunge of $6.8 Billion
As fashion’s titanic luxury brands ship rocks in a week that witnessed Kering stock lose $6.8 billion of value on Wednesday, following news of a 20% revenue decrease at Gucci, Kering is the hardest hit.
LVMH is holding steady and positive, along with other key brands like Brunello Cuccinelli and Ralph Lauren.
AOC believes that very different luxury brand marketing positions at these more ‘humanist-centered luxury brands’, coupled with deep bench strength in executive talent at LVMH — but also individual luxury brands like Cucinelli and Lauren — are positioning them to weather storms in the luxury sector.
Italian luxury brand Valentino is making headlines today, with news that the maison’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli has come to the end of his Valentino tenure after 25 years.
The Italian humanist was not a member of the Maison Valentino family in 1995, when esteemed photographer Herb Ritts [IG] created this series of elegant but sensually provocative images anchored by Christy Turlington of the Valentino F/W 1995.96 collection for Vanity Fair US.
AOC wonders if fashion scholars have explored this transition of sexual mores, especially within the Italian brands, who historically and geographically lived closer to the Levant-based lands of the goddess worship that predated monotheism.
What is true is that the woman — Turlington here — is the center of this ritualistic fashion ritual, captured for Valentino in 1995 by Herb Ritts.
Aitana, Spain’s top female pop artist and award-winning singer-songwriter, is featured as Numéro Netherlands [IG] Digital’s March 2024 cover star.
Her third album, ‘Alpha,’ garnered 10 million streams in the first 72 hours. Aitana, who is also an actor, debuted in Disney+’s ‘La Última’ and will lead Netflix’s ‘Pared con Pared.’
Caterina Ospina styles the fashion shoot, lensed by JUANKR [IG]./ Makeup by Alex Saint; Hair by Jesus De Paula
Models Ashley Radjarme, Malika Louback, and Tara Raani gather in ‘Shape of Spring’, floaty fashion architecture styled by Alex White.
Photographer Sølve Sundsbø [IG] captures the bold fashion feast from top luxury brands for ELLE US March 2024./ Hair by Syd Hayes; makeup by Val Garland
Hailey Bieber, FILA’s [IG] global brand ambassador and fall 2023 announced design collaborator with a three-year contract, introduces a new generation to its iconic, best-selling Settanta jacket.
Italian-brand FILA’s heritage-style Settanta debuted in 1976, made popular by legendary Swedish tennis star Bjorn Borg.
Top model Vivienne Rohner docks in Palma De Mallorca, Spain, luxuriating in warm waters lapping over the capital city of the Balearic Islands in Spain. Rohner is styled by Katie Burnett in Zara’s new Spring 2024 beachwear arrivals, lensed by Carlijn Jacobs.
Prada sponsors an excellent, much-appreciated style ride onto the covers and interior story of Vogue Korea’s April 2024 issue. At the helm from her perch atop the world of successful models, Vittoria Ceretti is styled by Eunyoung Sohn in cinematic images lensed by Luigi & Iango [IG].
Top model Mona Tougaard is dressed by newly-installed Harper’s Bazaar Style Director at Large Carlos Nazario in ‘Sharp Turns’ for Bazaar US [IG] March 2024 issue.
Photographer Oliver Hadlee Pearch [IG] is behind the lens, capturing the sensual cuts, modern architecture luxury looks. / Hair by Ryan Mitchell; makeup by Kanako Takase
Nazario celebrated his 36th birthday party in Paris on February 29, hosted by Samira Nasr, Harper’s Bazaar US editor-in-chief.
The watery effect of Pucci’s heritage Vivara print takes the stage in a new Spring 2024 campaign headlined by Vittoria Ceretti and captured by Mario Sorrenti [IG] at Villa L’Alma near Milan.
Pucci Artistic Director Camille Miceli has invited us to Rome on April 4 to view Vivara in action as "one of the house's most iconic prints, dating back to 1965 and featured in all the archives."
To many of us, Pucci is an absolute jewel, with speculation-only 2023 revenue of $100m. If any group can nurture her to Pucci’s maximum potential, it’s LVMH.
Previously working under LVMH’s Sidney Toledano as the chief executive of smaller brands like Celine and Fendi, Camille Micelli at Pucci — along with Belgian fashion executive Saar Debrouwere as Pucci CEO — will operate under the guidance of Michael Burke, who recently took the helm from Toledano.
I dig deeply into the LVMH approach to developing talent in the Michael Burke link above.
Precious words come from supermodel, businesswoman, activist Bella Hadid, who covers the April 2024 issue of Vogue Italia — and presumably other April Vogues as well.
In response to the question “How are you?”, asked by interviewer Sofia Viganò,Bella responds:
“Very good: for the first time since I can remember I am clear and present. I have the feeling that, by showing my most authentic self, things and people have aligned with my destiny."
Hadid is styled by Alex Jordan Harrington in inner cleansing-mode clothes, devoid of showstopping jewelry and other beautiful distractions, with Zoe Ghertner behind the lens.
Bella’s Texas State of Mind
With her enduring love of horses and now spending major amount of time in Ft. Worth, Texas with her guy National Cutting Horse Association Riders Hall of Famer Adan Banuelos, Bella should be fronting the Fall 2024 Louis Vuitton Men’s cowboys campaign.
Coco Chanel's connection to Villa Noailles [IG] is a fascinating chapter in fashion history. That unique relationship is expressed in the Chanel [IG] Spring 2024 ad campaign and also in lush floral prints inspired by the villa itself, located in Hyères, in the heart of the South of France.
This year, the campaign stars actor Riley Keough, named days ago as Chanel’s new ambassador, alongside longtime Chanel muse, supermodel Rianne Van Rompaey.
Villa Noailles was celebrated at Chanel’s Spring 2024 PFW runway show last October. The new campaign by frequent Chanel collaborators Inez and Vinoodh [IG], unfolds in the villa’s garden and its iconic pink room, envisioned as sanctuaries of creativity and happiness for the Chanel woman.
Top model Sasha Pivovarova takes a cover of T China Magazine’s [IG] March 2024 issue, as the focus of Dan Beleiu’s [IG] stylish interest in aerodynamics.
Edward Bowleg III styles Pivovarova in Bottega Veneta, Givenchy, Khaite NY, Maison Alaia, Miu Miu, Versace and more. / Makeup by Laura Stiassni; hair by E Williams
Spela Lenarcic styles models Maike Inga and Nyaduloa Gabriel wearing ‘Black & White’ Haute Couture sculptures of the highest order.
Brigitte Niedermair [IG] captures the precise vision of eternal feminity in its purest vision — before it returns to earth on red carpet reality — for Numéro 245, March 2024./ Hair by Caroline Schmitt; makeup by Lloyd Simmons
Dutch model Elza Matiz suits up in her finest fashion gear for ‘Medal Ceremony’, published in the March 2024 issue of SCMP [IG] Magazine. Joanne M Kennedy styles the fine jewellery shoot in images by Mike Ruiz [IG]./ Makeup by Nisha Gulati; hair by Joel Phillips
Uruguayan model Rossana Latallada takes us ‘To the Lighthouse’, a major spring season fashion story from Harper’s Bazaar UK [IG] February 2024.
Cathy Kasterine styled the wide range of epicurean clothes lensed by Boo George [IG] at Beara Peninsula on the southwest coast of Ireland./ Hair by Declan Sheils; makeup by Florrie White
Zara [IG] drops its Studio Collection twice a year, with today’s Spring 2024 drop called Rêveries.
Real-world models include Fei Fei Sun, Nyawurh Chuol, rising model Rosalieke Fuchs and Vivienne Rohner. Are they pondering Betty Friedan’s life-changing book ‘The Feminine Mystique’ [1963] — but are not quite ready to tackle the deeply philosophical and life-unsettling Simone de Bouveoir treatise ‘The Second Sex’ [1949]?
Steven Meisel [IG] shoots the quartet in rich, mid-century midtones, sheerish blouses, cardigans and pencil skirts, complemented by interior furniture in sensual hues and slowly-increasing sunlight.
Top model Mariacarla Boscono is styled by Brian Molloy in ‘Dark and Stark: Mariacarla Boscono Slips into Spring’s New Classics’. Brands include Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Givenchy, Gucci, Maison Valentino, Prada, The Row and more.
Photographer Karim Sadli [IG] is behind the lens for W Magazine [IG] Volume 2—2024./ Hair by Stéphane Lancien; makeup by Mariacarla Boscono
Kylie Jenner covers the Winter 2023-4 issue of Interview Magazine [IG] Issue 552, a fashion story we forgot to post.
Jenner is a momentary tour de force with a gift for words, chaneling the reality that at age 16, “these 50-year-old men were saying, “Hi, little slut,” and— . . . “
Alas, those punchy lines are rare in this girl talk session. It’s a white bread, Spam sandwich, shared between Jenner and her pal Jennifer Lawrence, who runs the interview.
Photographer Theo Liu [IG] is behind the lens with set design by Patience Harding and styling by Mel Ottenberg./ Hair by Jesus Guerrero; makeup by Ariel Tejada
Models Addison Soens and Vike Evseeva share ‘Un jeu de Mirror’ doubles fashion match editorial space with Madja John Peter and Mary Ukech, also Lamchi and Venus He in the March 2024 issue of M Magazine du Monde [IG].
Fashion editor Malina Joseph Gilchrist styles the fashion shoot, lensed by Carlijn Jacobs [IG] with creative direction by Jean-Baptiste Talbourdet-Napoleone [IG].
