Recent Interviews and Analysis
/ Anne Enke
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‘Twilight Saga’ franchise star Kristen Stewart is styled by Bojana Kozarevic in a fashion story ‘Laid Bare’, a collection of sultry separates from Acne Studios, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, JW Anderson, Saint Laurent, Tom Ford and more. Stewart covers Porter Edit’s May 6 issue, lensed by Zoey Grossman [IG]./ Hair by Adir Abergel; makeup by Jillian Dempsey
Billie JD Porter interviews Stewart, fresh off her press tour for ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, where she plays “Lou – a seemingly nihilistic gym manager, whose world is turned upside down when she falls hard and fast for a female bodybuilder.”
The actor has spoken multiple times about the challenges of bankrolling ‘The Chronology of Water’, the film she is about to direct and one she has struggled to finance until now.
Stewart jazzes up the descriptors, saying the movie "is about incest and periods and a woman violently repossessing her voice and body, and it is, at times, hard to watch ... but it’s gonna be a f---ing thrill ride."
Vogue China +[IG] May 2024 issue features a fashion story ‘Laufey On The Up and Up’, focused on the young talent Laufey, born in Reykjavik to a Chinese mother violinist and a Icelandic economist father, who was a devotee of Chet Baker.
Alvin Yu styles the singer in images by Arseny Jabiev [IG]./ Hair by Gonn Kinoshita; makeup by Mélanie Inglessis
Rolling Stone headlines their recent story ‘Laufey: Cozy, Classic Pop’. Vanity Fair’s says ‘A Celebration of Modern Girlhood, Laufey Brings Jazz to a New Generation’.
On February 4, Laufey won her first Grammy for Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Life is good for Laufey.
Mother-Nature, Gaia, Terra Mater, the “cult of the feminine” is center stage in the May 2024 issue of Vogue Portugal, writes Sofia Lucas.
The editorial issue overview opens with a quote from Aristotle:
“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous” - Aristotle
As educated women, we do not bow down to Aristotle, for clear and concise reasons.
There’s no record that Aristotle, the great philosopher and foundational contributor to Western civilization, saw significant value in women. He argued quite the opposite, and AOC contends that Aristotle was a creator of the misogyny and not merely reflecting his time in history.
Actor Nicola Coughlan is styled in ‘Dear Reader’, a manor-born fashion story for Harper’s Bazaar UK’s [IG] May 2024 issue. Coughlan is styled by Charlie Harrington in images by Agata Pospieszynska [IG].
The fashion shoot took place at Goodwood [IG], home of The Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon. Goodwood roadway was featured in Ralph Lauren’s Polo Fall 2023 Campaign.
In this third season of ‘Bridgerton’, Nicola’s character Penelope Featherington moves from a supporting character role, stepping into the center-stage limelight. This is not an entirely comfortable space for Coughlan to occupy. The actor writes:
The Louis Vuitton Leather Goods Campaign Spring-Summer 2024 returns to the high seas with an extension of their Louis Vuitton Nautical Summer Capsule that focuses on Vuitton’s best handbags.
Lensed by Ethan James Green [IG] against the ancient backdrop of Mediterranean world waters, the campaign steps into AOC’s earlier Louis Vuitton Nautical campaign discussion of women in the world of Olympic sailing.
Today models Chu Wong, Ida Heiner and Sacha Quenby inspires a deeper question by AOC.
Did Women Sail in Ancient Waters?
Based on our best AI, Phoenician women were known to be skilled sailors who played a crucial role in the maritime trade network of the ancient world. These women were involved in various aspects of seafaring, including navigation, trading, and ship maintenance. Their expertise in sailing and trading helped establish Phoenicia as a dominant maritime power in the Mediterranean.
The scarcity of direct historical records makes it difficult to paint a complete picture, yet through the analysis of artifacts, writings by ancient historians, and mythological tales, we begin to see indications of women's participation.
AOC readers know about actor Penelope Cruz doing Salma Hayek’s major-event makeup in a house with no electricity. Anne knows nothing about the two Hollywood women besties almost experiencing a plane crash together.
This story and more is a new reveal for AOC in the May 2024 issue of Vogue Arabia [IG] where Hayek is the fashion star photographed by Cuneyt Akeroglu [IG].
“We never lie to each other. It allowed us to navigate the hypocrisy and fakeness of Hollywood. I always call you to work on a character because there is no one else in the world that could understand me better,” Hayek Pinault says about Penelope Cruz.
Rising model Deva Cassel is photographed by JUANKR [IG] in a fashion story for Harper’s Bazaar Taiwan [IG] May 2024. Melina Chen styles the fashion story on location at the Château Voltaire in Paris.
Cassel recently made her acting debut in Laura Luchetti’s upcoming “The Beautiful Summer.” Now she is filming ‘The Leopard’ in Rome, playing the role that originally belonged to Claudia Cardinale.
The ambitious six-part series for Netflix is based on the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and is set against the backdrop of social revolution in 1860s Sicily.
Photographer Carlos Teixeira [IG] contributes a fashion story centered on model Stella Hägerstrand for Vogue Portugal’s April 2024 Memories issue. Gloria Alafarga styles the shoot paying homage to the carnation revolution (Revolução dos Cravos) that took place 50 years ago this April 25th in Lisbon.
History of Revolução dos Cravos
The Carnation Revolution, known as the Revolução dos Cravos, occurred 50 years ago on April 25th, in Lisbon, Portugal. This peaceful military coup, named after the carnations placed in the barrels of soldiers' rifles, marked the end of the authoritarian Estado Novo regime that had ruled Portugal for nearly five decades.
On that fateful day in 1974, the Armed Forces Movement led by young military officers and supported by civilians overthrew the dictatorship of Marcelo Caetano. The revolution was largely bloodless, with the people and the military joining forces in a display of unity against the oppressive government.
Supermodel Christy Turlington Burns follows her co-cover star Anok Yai in the May 2024 issue of Harper’s Bazaar US May 2024.
Style Director at Large of Harper’s Bazaar US Carlos Nazario [IG] chooses luxury pieces from Balenciaga, Loewe, Maison Alaia, YSL and more, lensed by Ethan James Green [IG]. / Hair by Lucas Wilson; makeup by Sam Visser
In her interview with Chelsey Sanchez, Turlington Burns quickly turned the discussion to Every Mother Counts [IG], a nonprofit dedicated to improving maternity care for women around the globe. AOC has written about Christy’s maternal health activism since her founding of EMC in 2010.
The most noteworthy — and deeply sad fact, unfortunately — is the increasing activism of Every Mother Counts connected to the alarming increases in maternal health deaths in America.
Egyptian-born, American model of South Sudanese descent, Anok Yai covers Harper’s Bazaar US May 2024. Anok is styled by Carlos Nazario and lensed by Ethan James Green [IG] — and what a fashion ride the team delivers.
Understand that Anok Yai — the disciplined, knife fighter with moxie and rock-solid backbone — is also expressing her creative side as an artist. Writer Kaitlyn Greenidge meets the top model at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, in the presence of Kerry James Marshall’s ‘Untitled’ (Studio) painting.
AOC has followed Anok from Day one — literally —and I am so proud that she’s one of our own — a superstar American. ~ Anne
Top talent Dua Lipa [IG], also identified as a 2024 TIME 100 artist, covers the May 2024 issue of ELLE US — The Music Issue. Writing her TIME 100 bio, music legend Patti Smith described her as a ‘Ringmaster’ who is “driven, independent, and possesses a desire for knowledge”.
Patti Wilson styles “the queen of the dance floor’ in images by Dan Beleiu. Suzy Exposito conducts the interview.
Dua Lipa’s 3rd studio album ‘Radical Optimism’ is out May 3, 2024.
My own radical optimism has been renewed with deliberateness in 2024 — not only in response to Donald Trump and the Republican War on Women — but in response to absolute binary thinking among progressives.
What in the world is radical optimism? AOC explains.
NYLON Magazine [IG] has landed, publishing its first print issue since 2017. Landing with a BOOM, NYLON put pop star Gwen Stefani, now 54, on the cover of their new Spring/Summer 2024 issue.
The pop star is styled by Jan-Michael-Quammie in images by Domen & Van de Velde [IG]. / Hair by Suzette Boozer; makeup by Anthony H Nguyen
Today, Nylon is available at Barnes and Noble bookstores and online. My copy via Amazon is on the way. I see no subscription offer on the Nylon website or send option on the Barnes and Noble website. This could be good news.
This story of a return to print in a digital world is gaining major momentum, triggered perhaps by the growth of book clubs led by people like Kaia Gerber. Book club event listings grew 24% in the United States in 2023 annually, according to ticketing platform Eventbrite; and Meetup saw a 10% increase in book club listings, according to CNN.
Actor Monica Bellucci [IG] covers the May 2024 issue of ELLE Spain [IG]. Bellucci is lensed by JUANKR [IG]. who also photographed the star for the January 2024 issue of Esquire China.
Now age 59, Bellucci continues to look spectacular, but tells ELLE she is a peace with aging and accepts the inevitable transformation. 'I'm like everyone else: I tell myself that going against something that is more powerful than me is useless. And if time passes it means that you are lucky to still be here. “
In October 2022, Bellucci presented ‘Edward Scissorhands’ director Tim Burton with a lifetime achievement award at the Lumiére Film Festival in France. They did not go their separate ways this time, as happened in 2006.
Actor Cate Blanchett takes the spotlight, covering the May 2024 issue of Vogue China [IG].
Before VOGUE China‘s May 2024 Issue cover star landed in Shanghai for Louis Vuittton’s Nicolas Ghesquière’s Pre-Fall 2024 collection show, LV’s high jewelry ‘Spirit’ ambassador spoke to Georgina Graham from her East Sussex home.
Vogue China explores the idea of legacy in the May issue. What is the balance between legacy and innovation? What begets legend status?
The interview moves to Proof of Concept Accelerator Program founded by Cate Blanchett and Coco Francini, who are partners behind Dirty Films. Blanchett acknowledges that the program is probably headed for a big fight with Republicans arguing that projects like this one have now been declared unAmerican and illegal by our US Supreme Court.
The world is 100 days out from opening day of the 2024 Paris Olympics — and the magic is building. Vogue Australia’s April 2024 issue is happy to do their part promoting the City of Lights, loved deeply by so many of us.
‘From a Land Down Under’ calls the entire world to hop on Aussie model Angelina Kendall’s magic carpet for the 25 hrs flight from SYD to CDG. Whoosh! Kendall is lensed at the Australian Embassy in Paris by Juergen Teller [IG]
Olympic Security Concerns in Paria
Not to be Debbie Downer, but I checked this morning to verify my memory that it was Palestinian terrorists who massacred two members of the Israeli team at the Munich games in 1972. Confirmed.
French president Emmanuel Macron says the spectacular Opening Ceremony on the Seine has a backup plan in the case of significant concerns of a terrorist attack. Actually, there’s not only a plan B but also a plan C.
AOC has narrated the American cowboy story for years, most recently inspired by Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Men’s FW 2024 show in January 2024.
Now his good friend from Houston is flying high on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs. The woman with the most awards in Grammy history holds the No.1 spot for the 8th week running with ‘Texas Hold Em’. Beyoncé is the first Black woman to achieve this goal on the Billboard Hot Country chart.
Here we find Beyoncé looking mighty fine with two digital covers and a fashion story in W Magazine, released March 29, 2024. Sara Moonves and Shiona Turini style America’s finest-looking cowboy femme in western luxury gone fine-tailoring.
Zendaya has no intention to make music anytime soon. Not only is her life overflowing with acting projects like her just-opened film ‘Challengers’, where her character Tashi, a fiercely-competitive tennis phenom turned coach over an accident, whips her husband into shape on the tennis court and in the bedroom.
Zendaya is the cover star for both American Vogue and British Vogue’s May 2024 issues, photographed for American Vogue [IG] in these images by Annie Leibovitz [IG] and for British Vogue by Carlijn Jacobs.
Zendaya is a co-chair of this year’s Met Gala, joining Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth. Loewe's creative director Jonathan Anderson and TikTok CEO Chew are Honorary Met Gala chairs.
Actor Sydney Sweeney covers the April 2024 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Spain, an issue paying special attention to crafts, workshops and trades that combine tradition and innovation.
Sweeney herself takes multiple covers, styled in ‘The Cool Girl’ fashion story by Elizabeth Sulcer. Photographer David Roemer [IG] is in the studio on location in Los Angeles.
Sweeney woke up one day on nun TikTok, which she described as a “vast, vast place to be.” Her new horror thriller ‘Immaculate’ opened in US theaters end of March. With another undiscussed project in development, Sweeney will then turn to ‘Barbarella’. Now that is a stunning range of projects — perhaps a true commentary on women’s lives.
When a resort-focus fashion story opens with model Devyn Garcia styled by Verity Parker in classic, white swimsuits from sustainable brand Jade Swim and queen of rich understatement Loro Piana, we know that a hot Pucci print is probably not waiting in our digital scroll.
Here we are — returning to Reid’s Palace [IG], a Belmond Hotel in Madeira, one week after sharing ancient water stories inspired by a Vogue Thailand wellness story also shot at Reid’s Palace.
Today, photographer Ina Levy [IG], who is also editor-in-chief of Vogue Poland, captures Devyn Garcia in classic swimwear and coverups that will “suit everyone”, writes The Sunday Times Style [IG] section.
Last year Robert Downey Jr. hired the host of the television show ‘My Cat from Hell’ to create Catification Zones on the Malibu property the actor shares with his wife Susan, kids Avri and Exton and cats Monty and two little kittens Willow and Winifred.
Reality is that there are hawks in Malibu and Downey knew he would be kicked to the curb if anything happened to the little felines.
Writer Ryan D’Agostino brings this Hollywood family to life with Robert Downey Jr. Doesn’t See Things the Way You Do in the April-May 2024 issue of Esquire. The actor is styled by Alison Edmond in images by Norman Jean Roy [IG].
Rising model Chloe Magno covers Vogue Thailand Beauty [IG] April 2024 issue, devoted to emerging, holistic trends in wellness and beauty.
Magno’s fashion story ‘Wellness Wisdom’ is styled by Holly Gorst with images by Amie Milne [IG] and the editorial eye of Vogue Thailand EIC Kullawit Laosuksri.
The Mekong Basin: Ancient Wisdom and Water Reverence
In the heart of Southeast Asia, the Mekong Basin unfurls as a testament to the ancient wisdom and reverence for water held by the peoples living in this region. Their differing histories and customs are united by their respect for the region’s waterways. This region considers its rivers and springs not merely as sources of sustenance but as sacred entities that cradle life and civilization.
American-Korean, Texas-born model, actor, singer and designer Kiko Mizuhara covers the April 2024 issue of Vogue Taiwan .
Today, Mizuhara manages her own pure beauty brand Kiiks and a fashion brand Office Kiko and her 8 million IG followers.
Prominent photographer Zhong Lin [IG] captures ‘By Her Rules’, with a familiar ‘popsicle’ image cluing AOC to search for the environmental connection in the editorial, styled by Chen Yu.
Staying with Vogue Taiwan’s April 2024 issue and Kiko Mizuhara’s environmental commitments, the talent explains the evolution of her own environmental passions.
Penélope Cruz covers the April 2024 issue of ELLE Spain, working with photographer Xavi Gordo [IG] to deliver some of the most precious images of the actor I remember. Cruz turns 50 on April 28, and Gordo has captures her inner spirit, as well as her physicality in these simple but so revealing images. He and Penelope have quite a dance going on.
Penelope Discovers Women’s World
Cruz’s mother was a hairdresser and she and her sister spent a great deal of time in a salon after school. It was there that Penelope observed the women carefully, understanding not only their desire to be pretty in their lives, but practicing rituals thousands of years old. The young daughter Penelope developed insights that would fuel her future success as an actor, after she first paid her way and contributed to the family finances as a model.
Louis Vuitton is in Olympic Games Paris 2024 countdown, as a lead brand in LVMH’s role as a top sponsor of this summer’s games.
Dropping the new Louis Vuitton Nautical Capsule 2024 this weekend reminds us that some fashion trends truly possess heritage status — in the way that the Olympics are heritage.
Women, Sailing and the Olympics
The world has changed almost beyond recognition since the summer of 1924 — the last time Paris hosted the summer Olympics. One simple statistic grabs our attention immediately: 2954 men competed in the 1924 games and 135 women. AOC digs deep into women in competitive sailing a century ago.
Louis Vuitton's foray into the prestigious realm of sailing and its premier position in the LVMH sponsor umbrella of the Paris 2024 Summer Games spills next into Barcelona, where Louis Vuitton hosts in late August 2024 the America's Cup Challenger Selection Series. Hosting the event since 1983 and subsequently renamed the Louis Vuitton Cup, it culminates in the race for a new America’s Cup Winner.
Australian model and actor Gemma Ward, mother to three children with her partner David Letts, covers the April 2024 issue of Vogue Poland [IG]. It’s Ward’s 38th cover, lensed by Virginie Khateeb [IG], with styling by Lorna McGee./ Hair by Roku Roppongi; makeup by Sandra Cooke
Knowing that AOC featured Gemma and David and their [then] two kids Naia and Jet in a cover story of the December 2019 issue of Vogue Australia, we made it our Renewed feature for March 27.
The family is photographed in the Australian Outback at Ti Tree Lake, and AOC was on the trail. Who did we discover in Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, on the ground in a huge restoration project? Louis Vuitton.
In this 2015 fashion story ‘Commune’ lensed by Mikael Jansson for Interview and renewed March 25, AOC’s sassy side wrote:
In developing countries the women are often in charge of agriculture until the tractors arrive. Then men hop on board.
Models Caroline Trentini, Constance Jablonski, Daria Strokous, Julia Nobis and Lina Berg toil the soil and tend the artichokes in ‘Commune’, lensed by Mikael Jansson for Interview Magazine February 2015./ Makeup by Mark Carasquillo; hair by Tom Jidai
Fast forward nine years, and we wonder if anything has changed. AOC sets new goals for our readers.
Top model Vivienne Rohner docks in Palma De Mallorca, Spain, luxuriating in warm waters lapping over the capital city of the Balearic Islands in Spain. Rohner is styled by Katie Burnett in Zara’s new Spring 2024 beachwear arrivals, lensed by Carlijn Jacobs.
Precious words come from supermodel, businesswoman, activist Bella Hadid, who covers the April 2024 issue of Vogue Italia — and presumably other April Vogues as well.
In response to the question “How are you?”, asked by interviewer Sofia Viganò, Bella responds:
“Very good: for the first time since I can remember I am clear and present. I have the feeling that, by showing my most authentic self, things and people have aligned with my destiny."