Michelle Obama Is Schiaparelli Goddess of Strength and Energy at Smithsonian Fundraiser

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Michelle Obama with Schiaparelli Creative Director Daniel Roseberry. © Paul Morigi/Invision/AP/Shutterstock via British Vogue

Michelle Obama loves yellow, and she achieved true goddess stature wearing a custom Schiaparelli gown to the American Portrait Gala. Obama attended the event to support her friend Lin-Manuel Miranda, now a permanent fixture on the wall of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, in artwork by Mark Seliger.

“What I love most is that [Lin] believes it’s his duty to lift up those around him, especially the next generation,” the beloved former First Lady said of the ‘Hamilton’ creator. “He’s someone who has, in melody and rhyme and connection, painted as honest a portrait of our country as I’ve ever seen. Love this guy.”

Speaking of Michelle Obama’s dress, Schiaparelli Creative Director Daniel Roseberry commented on the design: “The inspiration for the shape originally came from the crinoline which is often found underneath couture gowns, but the real starting point for the overall look was the colour. The acidic tone echoes Elsa Schiaparelli’s signature shocking pink, and we also felt that it matched the strength and energy of Mrs Obama. It was such an honour to make this special gown for her.”

Roseberry waxed lyrical about Madame Schiaparelli when he took the creative reins at the house in April. “She was a master of the modern; her work reflected the chaos and hope of the turbulent era in which she lived,” he said. “Today, we find ourselves asking similarly big, identity-shaping questions of our own: What does art look like? What is identity? How do we dress for the end of the world?” via British Vogue.

Besides Lin-Manuel Miranda, other honorees included Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, Nobel Laureate Frances Arnold, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee band Earth, Wind & Fire, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.

The event raised more than $2 million in support of the Smithsonian museum’s endowment for exhibitions, with more than 700 guests in attendance. The Washingtontonian provides photos galore.

Adesuwe Aighewi's Life Philosophy: I Can Feel Sexy While Claiming a Better World

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Adesuwe Aighewi's Life Philosophy: I Can Feel Sexy While Claiming a Better World

Top model Adesuwa Aighewi covers the December 2019 issue of S Moda for El Pais. Aighewi is styled by Paula Delgado in images by Jack Waterlot./

AOC articulates Adesuwa Aighewi’s activist, documentary producer narrative constantly — as recently as last week — but we just learned a new reference from her S Moda interview. BTW, do you know that AOC tracks the intersection of black beauty, racism in fashion and beyond, colonialism, slavery in America and contemporary Africa in our GlamTribal channel”

‘How To Make a Slave’ by Willie Lynch

What AOC notes — and has never been exposed to in decades of work in civil rights — is her reference to ‘How To Make a Slave’ by Willie Lynch, an alleged slave owner in the West Indies. Looking for the best reference on this alleged, but heavily disputed speech, I will share this link for LongReads, because 1) it’s researched by librarians using the wayback machine, and it involves Kanye West. Denzel Washington quotes the letter at length in the 2007 film ‘The Great Debaters’.

Multiple voices in this article argue that the letter is a construction from the ‘60s or ‘70s, one created to confuse and disempower people of color. Rest assured that AOC will be investigating Aighewi’s reference to ‘How To Make a Slave’.

Baltimore Museum Will Acquire Work Only By Women Artists in 2020

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Georgia O’Keeffe's "Pink Tulip" is on view at the Baltimore Museum of Art as part of its 2020 Vision initiative,which will be a year-long series of exhibitions and programs focused solely on female artists. (The Baltimore Museum of Art)

Women artists received a tough love message in a recent survey of art acquisitions by America’s museums. Only 11 percent of art acquired by 26 of America’s top museums for their permanent collections from 2008 to 2018, is the work of women artists.

The Baltimore Museum of Art announced a new drive for women artists, announcing that in 2020, the museum will only acquire work for its permanent collection that is produced by women.

The decision is an attempt by the museum to “truly be radical and emphasize to the arts communities that we are taking this initiative quite seriously,” and “re-correcting the canon,” chief curator Asma Naeem said.

The initiative comes as many museums in Washington and across America prepare to celebrate women artists in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment and women’s right to vote. It’s also expected that the newly Democratic state government of Virginia will ratify the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) early in 2020, pushing the amendment across the finish line with state ratifications. The time is beyond the original ratification dates, and the issue will surely be moved into the federal court system.

Celebrating women artists is great, but just as American women have learned with achieving the ERA, progress is very painful and slow.

“Curators say they struggle to convince their acquisition committees to pay up for work, particularly by older, overlooked female artists, who frequently lack an auction history that might be used to validate the asking price,” the investigative report on museum acquisitions stated.

AOC discovered a perfect example of this reality in our recent post about 99-year-old artist Luchita Hurtado.

“If you think about the word ‘artist,’ there’s a tacit assumption that it’s a male genius who is in fact the artist,” Naeem said. “That can be seen in the fact that we even call these ‘women artists.’ They’re not women artists. They’re artists.”

Artist Emma Kohlmann by Mariya Pepelanova for Eurowoman December 2019

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Artist Emma Kohlmann by Mariya Pepelanova for Eurowoman December 2019

Artist Emma Kohlmann @meiow_mix is lensed by Mariya Pepelanova for the December 2019 issue of Eurowoman Denmark. Fashion editor Frederikke Raun styles Emma, who was interviewed in Amadeus Magazine in 2018.

Multimedia artist Emma Kohlmann exists in three different worlds: her quaint, quiet life in Northampton, Massachusetts; her social, gallery-hopping life in New York City and Los Angeles; and the indefinable otherworldly life she has created through her colorful and abstract watercolors. Each world is a telling reflection of Emma’s multifaceted personality and the disparate needs she has in order to fuel her creativity.

Emma’s watercolor world is playful and somewhat naive. It’s balanced, yet completely off-balanced. It’s intrinsically political, unwittingly powerful, and aesthetically stunning. It’s a way for the Massachusetts-based artist to retreat into a figurative world that doesn’t define an ideal form. Fascinated by the idea of constructing things that are beautiful, but are not attached to certain forms of identity, Emma sees the body as political. There are aspects that are visible and others that are hidden. There are parts that are celebrated and others that are obliterated, and she wants all of them to be acknowledged. Driven by her desire to deconstruct what is learned, her lively figures aren’t confined to traditional gender norms, and who or what these figures are is irrelevant. What’s most crucial for Emma is branching out of the typical male canon of nudity, transgressing the image, and remaining absolutely limitless in her presentation of such.

A 14.5 Billion Dollar Engagement Ring: Why Tiffany Should Say "Yes" to LVMH

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A 14.5 Billion Dollar Engagement Ring: Why Tiffany Should Say "Yes" to LVMH

On October 28, 2019, Tiffany & Co confirmed that it had received an unsolicited but non-binding offer from LVMH to purchase its securities at $ 120 per share , an offer of $ 14.5 billion. What are the six main reasons that can push LVMH to a transaction of this magnitude? What impact would this acquisition have on the financial structure of the French group? What about the fact that Tiffany & Co's board is asking for an increase in the offer?

#WINNIEXSM Winnie Harlow by Steven Klein for Steve Madden | Choice Winnie Words @ ForbesWomen

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AOC is slow to respond to Winnie Harlow’s sexy collab with Steve Madden. The WINNIE HARLOW X STEVE MADDEN project was revealed in September, 2019 in images by Steven Klein./ Hair by Hos Hounkpatin; makeup by Kabuki

The upside of being late with Winnie’s Steve Madden campaign is checking in with Forbes to read the November 7 post Why Winnie Harlow Doesn’t Believe In Role Models. As it turns out, Winnie is beautifully outspoken on just about every topic tossed her way by Moira Forbes. We share a sampling.

Akiima Poses in Glam Elegance by Petrovsky & Ramone for Harper's Bazaar Netherlands

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Akiima Poses in Glam Elegance by Petrovsky & Ramone for Harper's Bazaar Netherlands

Australia-raised South Sudanese refugee model Akiima is styled by Astrid Schilders in glam, holiday elegance. Photographers Petrovsky & Ramone capture ‘Piece De Résistance’ for Harper’s Bazaar Netherlands December 2019./ Hair and makeup by David Koppelaar

Tyrone Lebon Eyes Anna Ewers, Jean Campbell for Bottega Veneta Pre-Spring 2020

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Tyrone Lebon Eyes Anna Ewers, Jean Campbell for Bottega Veneta Pre-Spring 2020

Top models Anna Ewers and Jean Campbell are lensed by Tyrone Lebon in Bottega Veneta’s Pre-Spring 2020 Campaign, styled by Marie Chaix. / Makeup by Lauren Parsons; hair by Gary Gill

Prada 2020 Resort Ads, 'Seditious Simplicity' Flower Power

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Prada 2020 Resort Ads, 'Seditious Simplicity' Flower Power

Global powerhouse brand Prada taps New York-based photographer Drew Vickers and Japanese photographer Keizo Kitajima for their Resort 2020 advertising campaign ‘Seditious Simplicity’. Olivier Rizzo styles the mega wattage list of campaign stars, with casting direction from Ashley Brokaw. They include Ashley Radjarame, Freek Iven, Freja Beha Erichsen, Lexi Boling, Kyla Ramsey, Sara Blomqvist, Stella Jones, Xiao Wen Ju and Yang Hao,

Like the H&M Holiday Campaign earlier this week, the Prada Resort 2020 Campaign is truly a global family message. The campaign, shot in London, Milan, Moscow, New York, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo, is anti-tech in a high tech world lacking in human connections. Prada puts one simple gesture front and center — the simple act of giving flowers.

The very act of carrying a flower bouquet does become seditious, with some choosing a flower bouquet with our their image and others choosing to go global, hugging an image of another human, unknown to them. In the case of Adut Akech and Kaia Gerber — neither model in the campaign — the two fast friends would surely choose each other images to carry.

Sam Gold Sizzles in 'Modern Classic' Sensual Luxury for Grazia Australia

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Sam Gold Sizzles in 'Modern Classic' Sensual Luxury for Grazia Australia

Wilhelmina icon model Sam Gold is styled by Malcolm Hall in Alberta Ferretti, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Brandon Maxwell, Marni and more. Yossi Michaeli captures Sam’s high-voltage ‘wow’ factor fashion statement ‘Modern Classics’ for Grazia Australia online/ Hair by John Ruidant; makeup by Ann Bahamas

Luna Bijl Models Versace Capsule Collection for Porter Edit November 15, 2019

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Luna Bijl Models Versace Capsule Collection for Porter Edit November 15, 2019

Helen Broadfoot styles model Luna Bijl here today, wearing the entire Versace capsule collection in Porter Edit November 15, 2019. Photographer Giampaolo Sgura is in the studio. Read Jess Cartner-Morley’s litany of Versace loves at Net-a-Porter.

Adut Akech Fronts 'Bag of Tricks' for Vogue US December 2019 by Erwin Wurm

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Adut Akech Fronts 'Bag of Tricks' for Vogue US December 2019 by Erwin Wurm

Adut Akech strikes a series of amusing poses, inspired by the visionary wit and imagination of contemporary artist Erwin Wurm, who also photographs the fashion editorial. Alex Jordan Harrington.styles ‘Bag of Tricks’ for Vogue US December 2019./ Hair by Ramona Eschbach; makeup by Grace Ahn

Mary McCartney Eyes Sustainable Fashions for Vogue Poland November 2019

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Mary McCartney Eyes Sustainable Fashions for Vogue Poland November 2019

Models Ewa Witkowska, Kamila Szczawińska and Maria Zakrzewska cover the November 2019 issue of Vogue Poland. Describing the shoot in the Polish countryside of Warmia and Mazury, Vogue Poland shares details of their real-world trajectories in the modeling world.

Designer Stella McCartney’s sister, English photographer Mary McCartney is behind the lens, photographing all-sustainable fashions in the cover story ‘For Nature’, style by Daniela Agnelli. McCartney is a Global Ambassador for Meat Free Mondays , cofounded by the McCartney family, and Green Monday, embracing a fully-sustainable lifestyle like her sister Stella. / Hair by Michal Bielecki; makeup by Aneta Kostrzewa

Ansley Gulielmi in 21st Century Glitter by Sebastian Kim for Harper's Bazaar US December 2019

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Ansley Gulielmi in 21st Century Glitter by Sebastian Kim for Harper's Bazaar US December 2019

Model Ansley Gulielmi is styled by Miguel Enamorado in glam glitz for ‘Mission Control’, lensed by Sebastian Kim for Harper’s Bazaar US December 2019./ Hair by Pasquale Ferrante; makeup by Rachel Goodwin

Botswana’s Okavango Delta Is Created by a Delicate Balance, but for How Much Longer?

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Botswana’s Okavango Delta Is Created by a Delicate Balance, but for How Much Longer?

The Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is a mosaic of water paths, floodplains and arid islands. The delta sits in the Okavango river basin, which spans three African countries: Angola, Namibia and Botswana.

Because it’s an oasis, in a semi-arid area, it hosts a rich array of plants and attracts a huge variety of wildlife.

As a unique ecosystem, in 2014 it was placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list and it is an iconic tourist destination, which generates 13% of Botswana’s GDP.

But it’s a fragile natural area. It’s controlled by deformations of the Earth’s crust over a long time (thousands to millions of years) and by annual water flows and evaporation. The size of the flooded delta from year to year varies between 3,500km² and 9,000km² because of weather fluctuations which control its water supply.

Any change to the processes that form the delta will have an impact on the wildlife and local economic activities. Its grassy floodplains are food for grazing animals in the dry period. Losses of this habitat will cause declines in wildlife and livestock. It’s therefore imperative to understand what creates and sustains the delta for the future management of the system.

Diane von Furstenberg Holiday 2019 Gathering by Coliena Rentmeester

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Diane von Furstenberg Holiday 2019 Gathering by Coliena Rentmeester

Diane von Furstenberg Holiday 2019 Gathering by Coliena Rentmeester

Designer Diane von Furstenberg hosts a pre-Holiday 2019 party, inviting artist Anh Duong, and models Chiara Scelsi, Lameka Fox, Sara Ziff and granddaughter Talita von Furstenberg to join her for a toast to women’s progress. Photographer Coliena Rentmeester captures the good vibrations for Diane von Furstenberg Holiday 2019./ Hair by Gavin Harwin; makeup by Talia Sparrow

Diane von Furstenberg Holiday 2019 Gathering by Coliena Rentmeester

Artist, actor, socialite and friend of many powerful people, France-born Anh Duong joined Long Island East End artists Jack Ceglic, Cindy Sherman, Chuck Close, and ex, Julian Schnabel in “Selfies and Portraits of the East End” in summer 2019 at East Hampton’s Guild Hall. Erin Riley wrote about Duong in How Anh Duong & Other East End Artists are Redefining the Selfie in Hamptons Magazine.

Speaking of her life on the East End, Hamptons Riley wrote:

“When I first moved to the Hamptons, I didn’t really understand the beauty of it,” says Duong, who spent childhood summers in Spain, Italy, and the South of France with her Spanish mother and Vietnamese father. “But over the years, I’ve grown to love it completely. People always talk about the light, and it’s true.”

After her move to New York, Duong became a popular presence on the art and fashion scenes. In 2006 she married architect Barton Hubbard Quillen and moved into an old fisherman’s house in East Hampton. Although the couple went their separate ways, Duong kept the home and converted the barn into a painting studio.

‘Lazy Point’ by Ahn Duong

Rubina Dyan's Silvery Beauty for Harper's Bazaar Arabia November 2019 by Quintin and Ron

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Rubina Dyan's Silvery Beauty for Harper's Bazaar Arabia November 2019 by Quintin and Ron

Model Rubina Dyan is styled by Jairus Jordan in silvery, futuristic fashion hues lensed by Quintin and Ron for Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Beauty November 2019./ Hair by Wade Lee; makeup by Romana Lai

Two Traps Where Woolly Mammoths Were Driven to Their Deaths Found in Mexico

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Two Traps Where Woolly Mammoths Were Driven to Their Deaths Found in Mexico

In the neighborhood of Tultepec, just north of Mexico City, plans were recently underway to convert a patch of land into a garbage dump. But during preparatory excavations, workers at the site found themselves digging up woolly mammoth bones—hundreds of them. Over the course of ten months of archaeological and anthropological work, experts were able to piece together a grim picture of what appears to have been a prehistoric hunting site. The team had, according to the Associated Press, stumbled upon two large man-made traps—pits where hunters drove woolly mammoths to their deaths.

Researchers with Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) announced the discovery this week, saying that it lends “unprecedented context” to experts’ understanding of how ancient humans hunted woolly mammoths. The pits date to 15,000 years ago, each measuring 5.5 feet deep and 82 feet long, reports CNN's Jack Guy. Inside the pits were 824 mammoth bones, among them eight skulls, five jaws, a hundred vertebrae and 179 ribs. Experts say the remains correspond to at least 14 individual mammoths. Bones belonging to a camel and a horse were also found.

According to INAH researchers, the pits may have been vital tools for ensnaring a formidable prey; woolly mammoths, which went extinct some 4,000 years ago, could stand more than 11 feet tall and weigh up to eight tons. Experts think that groups of hunters, perhaps numbering between 20 and 30 people, would separate one individual from the herd and drive it towards the pits, possibly frightening it with torches and branches. Once inside the trap, the animal would be killed.