Superwoman, supermodel Sora Choi covers the October 2026 issue of Vogue Korea [IG], styled by Eunyoung Sohn in two Prada covers.

Choi is lensed by Mok Jung Wook [IG] before the birth of her daughter on October 11, 2026.

Sora Choi and Kove Lee’s Baby Daughter

Sora Choi has been married for seven years to photographer Kove Lee and this is their first child. Choi first confirmed their pregnancy in late May 2026, when the supermodel debuted her baby bump on the runway at the Chanel Métiers d’art 2026 show in Seoul.

Birthing babies is an even higher priority in Asia than in the United States. While AOC is firmly committed to female agency in all aspects of our lives, we are also highly sensitive to the topic of falling birth rates.

Even AOC did not understand just how dramatically lower the birth rates are in Asia, compared to America and France or Brazil. I created this selective list of birthrates based on negative commentary being directed at China’s government over their prioritizing of traditional Chinese families and an alleged rejection of feminism. This topic first emerged in China several years ago, with the major dustup between the government and Gucci, with regard to the brand’s intentional promotion of sissy-boys in ad campaigns.

I sided with the Chinese government then as well. I do not want the Chinese government dictating social policies in America and we have no right to intervene in their social policies. Especially when brands like Louis Vuitton Men and Ralph Lauren Men are sharing platinum-level ad campaigns in China, with no interference from Beijing.

While neither Louis Vuitton or Ralph Lauren has explained precisely the duties of their newly-promoted high-level executives Hector Muelas as Chief Brand Creative Officer and Ryan Lally as Chief Brand Communications Officer of Ralph Lauren respectively, I anticipate that avoiding unnecessary branding conflicts and international confrontations over marketing communications is high on their list.

Both of these men are being promoted out of senior management, EVP-level positions. This decision at Louis Vuitton absolutely signals a lack of confidence in giving almost unlimited authority to designers as creative directors. Think of Jonathan Anderson’s absolute authority at Dior to pick books that are reviled in China and America as reeking of anti-immigrant hate and misogyny towards women.

I expect brands to have conversations about the wisdom of giving anyone that kind of unchecked power in global markets.

A New Fourth Wave for American Democracy

Let the US midterm elections of October 2026 indicate exactly how America feels about Sun Kings hawking culture as their own private, high-value commodity to be dished out to the rest of us. AOC stands proudly with China on the perceived value of the Dior book list vs the insult I believe it is to women, immigrants and people of color — and so does China’s Ministry of Culture.

Prada and Miu Miu brands have successfully established themselves as European luxury brands with strong followings in Asia. This success is largely driven by Prada’s goal of creating cultural dialogue in China specifically and also throughout the rest of Asia through the lens of local artists and their voices, not European voices telling them what high culture is in their own countries.

When I read statements that China does not permit discussion of topics like feminism, I reject the argument because Prada and Miu Miu do not find the word feminism to be a banned word, and an anti female agency policy dictated by the government. That argument is overly-simplistic, self-centered and viewed through a Eurocentric prism when you understand the challenge facing Asia, in particular, with falling birth rates.

America’s New Day

On November 3, 2026, ordinary Americans stood up with a roaring demand that we return to a more humble expression of love and respect for others in this country. That means their cultures and their values. I’ve travelled in the embrace of otherness my entire life, and I don’t fancy books that honor the paranoia of white people — or more specifically white men who can’t cope with change in the world.

The Trump administration has sought to suffocate my American dream for a decade with vulgarity, racism and terror. Last night I caught glimpses of my young girl America — as even Texas turned blue last night. TEXAS!!!!

My American dream may be on life support, but last night I saw America with the same eyes that fixated on the lights of Seoul many years ago, when the skyline came into view for the first time. I was in awe of the city lights before me and the vast potential — and also the future challenge to America — of South Korea.

Unlike so many business leaders in the last decade, I refused to bend the knee or denounce my values as subordinate to MAGA’s demands, and as required by Trump. Last night was one of the greatest repudiations of a political leader — Donald J Trump — ever in American history. It was glorious to be part of it — and also so see so many women rising in previously ‘red’ states.

American historians are weighing in on the scale of what happened, and it was epic. Of course, the American president was wandering around his building projects at the White House today, unfazed by his stunning defeat.

Trump lives in his own imaginary reality and simply said “If I was on the ballot, we would have won.” It is what it is.

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Across this great country, millions of people just like me were in shock last night, as the votes of our fellow citizens rolled in. The win was a crushing one that defies containment. Republicans are calling it an “extinction event” as we fought back against a totally corrupt American political leader and his party.

Silence, Please

I trust that one of the luxury sector’s most prominent voices, who is very tight with Trump, will not take his good friend’s side in America’s rebuke of the US president. Seeing him at a recent wedding reception, financed by a Russian oligarch, and again at the recent Celine show, created an abundance of doubt in my mind that I understand this prominent family at all.

I’m proud to say that never in my life have I supported so many men in an American election, including Congressman-elect Sam Forstag from Montana, who looks like he belongs in a Ralph Lauren ad campaign. And yes, I’ve thought many times about the smoke jumpers fighting fires in California and the southwest — which Forstag has done.

I really spread my support around in this election, wanting to get out of my own traditional box on how I finance political support. Forstag also reminds me of the firefighters and emergency responders at the World Trade Center site. They live in a very special place of honor in my memories and have suffered major health consequences since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

I’ve never seen courage like theirs — as they ran from Brooklyn to certain deaths. It represents another reason why the Trump family’s total lack of any national service leaves them looking small in my eyes. I came to know these men, when I myself became involved in the restoration of the WTC site and went to live there to be part of the rebirth of the devastation.