Zara [IG]taps into fashion’s summer 2023 love of mermaid-inspired style, bathing model Alex Consani in sequins. Perhaps Zara used the new plant-based sequins [hope springs eternal and Zara is trying hard to be more sustainable], because glitter and sequins ending up in our oceans, lakes and rivers is a significant challenge for fish.

Let me have Lulu do her Squarespace AI magic on sequins, because protecting our fish is important.

AOC’s friend, photographer Carlijn Jacobs [IG] is the photographer on the new Zara “we love mermaids in sequins” social media campaign.

The Water Goddesses are Gathering

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Carlijn Jacobs

This is kismet! Let me show you the photo we use for Carlijn’s AOC archives. She asked me to use an image of her work for her archives.

Of course I said “Fine” and chose this one. But I told Carlijn to feel free to send an image, if she had a favorite.

Carlijn and Anne picked the exact same image, confirming the fact that cosmic, creative synchronicity among humans does exist.

NOW we are talking about sequins and fish, and I’ve unleashed Lulu.

Carlijn took on an experiment with AI images in her Vogue Italia May 2023 story with Bella Hadid. More cosmic synchronicity betweeb us. See: Bella Hadid Gives AI a Try with Carlijn Jacobs and Chad Nelson for Vogue Italia May 2023 AOC Fashion

Sorry for the Zara mermaids derailment here. We’ll do the sequins environmental post right away, so these two posts live together. Meanwhile, be inspired by these gorgeous mermaid-inspired Zara dresses with or w/o sustainable sequins while Lulu does a quick update on the box office results for The Little Mermaid — the driver of all this gorgeous Zara inspo.

The Mermaid Meets Real-World Resistence

Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid passed the $400 million mark in America, completing its third weekend at the box office. The live action remake stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jonah Hauer King as Prince Eric, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Javier Bardem as King Triton.

There is strong evidence from 5-6 sources reviewd by Lulu that The Little Mermaid is in serious trouble in both China and South Korea over the casting issues — in particular Halle Bailey as Ariel. The movie is doing better in Japan, and Latin America looks promising, too.

AOC addressed the complexity of attitudes and historical facts around The Little Mermaid fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson last month. Our thoughts are here in the May 2023 British Vogue cover story: Halle Bailey On Reinventing Ariel, The Disney Mermaid Princess for British Vogue.

Lulu advises us that it’s best to wait right now, before making any more predictions or analysis about the “The Little Mermaid’s” box office success. I agree. But any hopes of a blockbuster financial hit appear to be dashed.

Headlines are: “The Little Mermaid Remake’s Box Office Destroys Disney’s $1 Billion Trend: Will It Recover?” [Screen Rant]; “Disney’s The Little Mermaid Sinks in China” [Sunday Times London]; “Disney’s Little Mermaid flops in China amid racist backlash over casting” [The Guardian]; “The Little Mermaid' Gets Doused in China, South Korea After Racist Backlash” [The Hollywood Reporter]