Deva Cassel in Dior for Re-Edition SS2025 | Anne's Thoughts on Nepo Babies
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The uber-talented, Dior ambassador Deva Cassel lands a Dior-story in Re-edition Magazine [IG] Spring/Summer 2025 issue 23.
Will Waterworth [IG] captures Cassel, with styling by Louise Ford. / Makeup by Min Kim; hair by Christian Eberhard
Re-edition does not enlighten us on the round circles, except to say: “the story deepens - more from Deva Cassel”.
I love Dior to death, but have actually gotten a headache and now a queasy stomach with this post — which has NEVER happened since 2007. That’s the gospel truth, but then again, perhaps this is the sinister plot of an upcoming Cassel movie.
Nepo-Babies and Ms. Deva Cassel
AOC does not dwell on nepo-babies, and in the case of Deva Cassel, her current Netflix production ‘The Leopard’ opened strong and has not slowed down. From my sources, the girl has major talent and beauty both.
I note that even the august journal $60/mo Foreign Policy covered ‘The Leopard’ and Cassel’s role in making the film happen.
Nepo Babies Are Crowding the Runways
It’s also noteworthy that when the NYTimes wrote ‘Nepo Babies Crowd the Runways’ in February 2024, there was some solid commentary from former casting director James Scully and two models we love, love, love.
“Kaia Gerber and Gigi Hadid would have walked into agencies and been signed, whoever their parents were,” Mr. Scully explained. “That said, the net is cast very wide now, and almost anyone will do. If you’re the average-looking daughter of a celebrity these days, then frankly you are as likely to be cast in a Prada show as if you are an actual model.”
That comment may sting, but it’s probably not overstated and comes from someone who knows this business, rather than an unhappy wannabe newbie model.
Sorry, but experience and credentials count for AOC in the nepo-baby convo. I’ve watched young models with minor talent try to stir up a lot of trouble on both race and nepo babies, even today.
One of our highest-ranking, most successful models Vittoria Ceretti had this to say about nepo-models:
“I know it’s not your fault, but please, appreciate and know the place you came from. You can tell me your sad little story about it (even at the end of the day you can still always cry on your dad’s couch in your villa in Malibu), but how about not being able to pay for your flight back home to your family?”
Similar in stature to Ceretti, Anok Yai — who is an absolute ‘it girl’ on AOC — had this to say:
“Seeing people benefit from nepotism doesn’t bother me at all — I know my talent and work ethic will get me into any room I want,” she wrote. “But goddamn if only you knew the hell we go through just to be able to stand in the same room you were born in.”
Both top models — or supers as both clearly are in the talent category — ask for mutual respect and understanding in a post-George Floyd world. Privilege matters now more than ever.
Today is the 5th anniversary of George Floyd’s murder in which activists and populists turned everything inside out and upside down. I wept for so many days that I got an eye infection and posted the proof on AOC.
These are fair and wise words from James Scully, Vittoria Ceretti and Anok Yai, but:
Should Nepo Babies Be Banned?
Regarding Deva Cassel, the talent featured in this Re-edition Magazine post, she has openly admitted that she is the child of famous parents and that this has likely influenced her career trajectory.
While she understands the ‘nepo baby’ label, she doesn't view it negatively. Cassel believes that her own abilities and dedication will allow her to succeed, regardless of her family's fame.
Anne adds: What is she supposed to do? Not act?
The daughter of Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel, who has lived on movie sets her entire life? The girl who speaks five languages: French, Italian, English, Portuguese and Spanish and clearly decided not to eat bonbons during her formative years?
Her parents didn’t get Deva Cassel her role in ‘The Leopard’.
Are Dying, Already-Born Babies a Bigger Priority Than Nepo-Babies?
In re-electing Donald Trump as president of America, the attempt to roll back the past five years is a unified, massive effort. Trump may be coming for the nepo babies anyday now and many populists would cheer wildly.
The man is trying to take down Harvard University, for goddesses sake, so none of us is safe.
Who knows, he may even reopen his modeling business and try to ban IMG and DNA for starters. What a thought . . . on this 5th anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the re-election of US President Donald Trump.
Are nepo-babies America’s biggest problem for gifted young people? Probably not. But just as Bella Hadid played right into the hands of Project 2025 Republicans, led by Trump and Musk, Trump has a 6th sense for pitting people against each other.
[I had a furious with Bella response, and I’m not changing one word.]
Trump is Coming for Hollywood | Are Models Next?
Do not assume that Hollywood and by extension the modeling world is safe from Musk’s metaphorical, authoritarian chain saw. This next piece of the catastrophe is Trump’s lead.
There was little coverage last week of Bill Gates accusing Elon Musk of killing millions of children in Africa and around the world with his chainsaw. The incident didn’t even get coverage on MSNBC, so AOC must write it up.
Most people in my world are more worried about nepo-babies than dying, born babies in America and around the world.
It’s just the big, bad truth. President Trump know that reality and maximizes it for his political gain. ~ Anne
