Fall 2012 Eroticism Embraces Flowers at Nina Ricci

Flowers, fauna and Mother Nature accompanied by model Kati Nescher star in Nina Ricci’s Fall/Winter 2012/13 campaign, lensed by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin. Front and center are the new La Rue handbags made of alligator skin — a product objectionable to some AOC readers.

Nescher faces off against the contrasting botanical watercolor painting illustrated by artist Jo Ratcliffe.

Exotic Nature @ Florabotanica

The eroticism of nature makes any play for attention in Balenciaga’s new fragrance Florabotanica, due out in September. Aimed at a younger audience than Balenciaga Paris, the scent was created by perfumers Oliver Polge and Jean-Christophe Hérault, who worked in collaboration with Balenciaga’s designer Nicolas Ghesquière.

Kristen Stewart is the face of Florabotanica, because she embodies the modernity of the scent with her unique sensibility and intelligence. The campaign is photographed by Steven Meisel.

Cleve West’s Brewin Dolphin Garden @ Chelsea Flower Show

Image by Martin PopeInnocence is deceiving writes The Financial Times about this year’s winner of top garden at the Chelsea Flower Show.

People

Marilyn Monroe

She had to be smiling in heaven — Marilyn Monroe that is. Marilyn’s ‘The Seven Year Itch’ dress sold at a Profiles in History auction for $4.6 million plus another $.9 in fees. It was estimated to bring between $1 and $2. Marilyn’s red ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ dress also rendered the estimates meaningless, bringing in $1.2 million instead of $200,000-300,000. Audrey Hepburn’s Ascot dress from “My Fair Lady,” carrying the same estimate, sold for $3.7 million.

The dresses were all owned by actress Debbie Reynolds, who began collecting them at a young age, when she was under contract with MGM. Marilyn Monroe is a superb example of a Smart Sensuality woman. You might be surprised to know that being taken seriously as an intellectual was a life-long dream of the Hollywood star.

Marilyn Monroe | A Smart, Sensual Blonde (includes old video of Marilyn being interviewed on ideas and her world view.)

Reflections on Female Sexual Desire: Anais Nin, Marilyn Monroe & Isabelle Allende Join Forces with Anne

Design

Brooklyn Launch LEIF

We have a nice Internet ‘progression’ story this am. Notcot delivered me to this set of mixed greens teaspoons, made in France and sold online and in person at a new shop in Brooklyn called LEIF.

Wandering over to their blog, we have a great example of a mix between content not sellling product and content that does. All the entries support the’ LEIF lifestyle’.

Now for the Big Love — no offence lovely French teaspoons.

If you look at as much fashion editorial as I do, you see Stella McCartney’s spring 2011 fruit print in your sleep. Much as I love it, there is a part of me that says ‘enough all ready’.

Unless it’s really creative, I’m over looking at the same oranges and lemons on fabric.

As for a cake — now that’s creative! Stella McCartney was so impressed that even she Tweeted about it, writes LEIF blog. Called the Stella cake, it’s a citrus cake with lemon curd filling and orange lemon icing.

Another visually arresting, great content mix blog Apollinas has many photos of her Stella cake and the recipe. The author is an attorney in Washington and began her blog as a form of ‘relief’ from her stodgy career. Smashing!