Recent Interviews and Analysis
/ Anne Enke
Featured
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.
!['Commune' [2015] from Interview Magazine Prompts a Look at Women Farmers Worldwide](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55f45174e4b0fb5d95b07f39/1711484107579-AI2J0KUWYPCGBR23CC44/Mikael-Jansson-Commune-2-Interview-Magazine-2015-Mikael-Jansson.png)
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."
Hadid is styled by Alex Jordan Harrington in inner cleansing-mode clothes, devoid of showstopping jewelry and other beautiful distractions, with Zoe Ghertner behind the lens.
Bella’s Texas State of Mind
With her enduring love of horses and now spending major amount of time in Ft. Worth, Texas with her guy National Cutting Horse Association Riders Hall of Famer Adan Banuelos, Bella should be fronting the Fall 2024 Louis Vuitton Men’s cowboys campaign.
Top model Cameron Russell, now 36, has a new memoir ‘How to Make Herself Agreeable to Everyone’, and it sounds hot. On the book’s cover, original supermodel Christy Turlington calls it “A unique and honest perspective on the fashion industry.”
Verity Parker styles the outspoken fashion industry and environmental activist in the usual luxury brands lineup, with cover looks by Miu Miu shot by photographer Clément Pasca [IG].
Reading her Sunday Times UK [IG] interview with Megan Agnew in the March 10th issue, we learn that on her second fashion shoot, the young-model Russell was told she had “cocksucker lips”.
The Goal Was Model Submission
Russell comes at the topic of this hopefully-waning, fashion-industry reality from a fresh perspective, not an exclusively sexual one.
Sitting at the intersection of streetwear and luxury, Highsnobiety [IG] is so worth watching. Today the Zalando-owned media brand delivers a fashion story featuring Pamela Anderson, now 56 years old.
If Highsnobiety is busy reinventing what defines a successful media landscape in a challenging business-world, Pamela Anderson is at work with a slow living, brilliantly-executed reinvention of her famous life as a top Playboy Bunny. Her personal evolution story is one with defined by sincerity and personal integrity.
More Interesting with Age
“My face gets more interesting with age,” says Pamela Anderson, speaking about her fashion story for Issue 34 of Highsnobiety Magazine.
Photographer Fernando Sippel [IG] brings his poetic and sensual photographic vision to Rio De Janeiro for a fashion story ‘Rainforest’, shared in the February 2024 digital issue of Numéro Netherlands [IG]. / Hair and makeup by Claudio Belizario
Jose Camarano styles model and rainforest activist Emilly Nunes in images that express the deep relevance and symbolism of the rainforest in human life on planet Earth.
Vittoria Ceretti covers the March 2023 issue of ELLE US in a fashion story ‘Vittoria Ceretti Is the Ultimate Supermodel’ lensed by Mario Sorrenti [IG]. Alex White styles the engaging Italian in Alaïa, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, Khaite, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Schiaparelli, Willy Chavarria and more./ Hair by Tomo Jidai; makeup by Diane Kendal
The Spring/Summer 2024 issue of AnOther Magazine [IG] is in ‘reveal mode’. First up in a collection of seven covers, is actor Julianne Moore, wearing Bottega Veneta by Matthew Blazy on the cover.
The newly-engaged Bottega Veneta ambassador is styled by Katie Shillingford in Alaïa, Courreges, Maison Margiela, Schiaparelli and more./ Hair by Esther Langham; makeup by Mark Carrasquillo
Today: Julianne Moore in ‘May December’
Julianne Moore plays Gracie in the Todd Haynes-directed film ‘May December’ about a long-married, but once-notorious Savannah, Georgia couple. Gracie, then 36, seduced her husband Joe Yoo, then age 13 and a schoolmate of her son Georgie. Their sexual union resulted in Gracie giving birth in prison.
Tomorrow: Julianne Moore in ‘Mary & George’
2024 sees Moore as the “ruthless bisexual countess Mary Villiers, who rose through snarls of conflicting interests in the English court by engineering her son’s affair with King James I.”
“I’m not an adventure-tales person,” Moore tells AnOther. “I don’t care if they get on a boat and sail across the ocean. I want stories about relationships and families. Human drama.”
Read the actor’s entire interview online — or buy your issue of AnOther SS2024: Julianne Moore: “I Want to Be Inside the Director’s Story”
Today, supermodel Candice Swanepoel and Carolina Sanchez [IG] deliver divine new images lensed by Jerome Duran [IG] for the Tropic of C x Agua Bendita swimwear collaboration.
A Gaia Love Letter
Respect and joy over the gifts of the natural world are center stage for both brands: Tropic of C and Agua Bendita. Sustainability and a deep-seeded respect for Gaia are key brand planks.
Equally important, connections among mothers and their children send precious Gaia statements about human connections on earth.
Mushrooms on Two Levels of Symbolism: Ancient Worship and a Global Mushroom Network
The creation of a charming mushroom print for the Tropic of C x Agua Bendita drop has deep roots in many ancient cultures around the world.
In particular, our focus on psilocybin or ‘magic mushrooms’ is fundamental to the much-acclaimed rise of western civilization.
Top model Imaan Hammam fronts the late February 2024 release of Zara Swimwear. The images remind us that spring is coming in to the northern hemisphere, and swimming is on our minds.
Some of the earliest examples of ancient swimmers include the frescoes in the Cave of Swimmers in Egypt, dating back to around 10,000 years ago.
These paintings in Egypt’s Al Wahat Al Dakhla Desert depict figures swimming in a naturalistic style, suggesting that swimming was already a part of human culture at that time.
Additionally, water holds immense symbolic significance in various global religions due to its powerful and transformative nature. In many belief systems, water is seen as a source of life and purification.
In Christianity, water plays a central role in rituals such as baptism, symbolizing spiritual purification, rebirth, and the washing away of sins. It is viewed as a medium through which believers are cleansed and enter into a new life of faith.
Read on about the role of water in Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and indigenous cultures.
Fresh off being named a USA ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty last week, Lila Moss covers the March 2024 issue of Vogue Espana [IG], wearing Mugler.
In her own words, Lila credits “the wonderful mind” of photographer Elizaveta Porodina [IG] for transforming her into “a magical harlequin” for the Vogue Spain cover story.
Lila Moss Now Lives in New York
Lila reflects on her fashion model life, explaining “This profession is about telling a story with clothes and making them come to life. That's why I think it's important to understand the creative side and not get too caught up in looks and how you're perceived."
Moss lives now in New York, navigating a degree of physical independence and personal agency from her famous supermodel mother Kate Moss. The two have an unusually close relationship, and Lila is hardly at a loss, looking for connections and friendships in New York.
Nevertheless, the bird has flown the nest, so to speak, and she speaks more on this topic in her Vogue Spain interview.
Kaia Gerber is her multi-talented self, covering WSJ Magazine Spring 2024 Women’s Fashion Issue, lensed by Lachlan Bailey [IG]. Josh Duboff’s interview with Kaia Gerber highlights her unorthodox career-development trajectory, including her “side hustle” as what Gerber calls “the internet’s librarian.”
Now, Gerber is launching a more formal version of the club called Library Science, which includes a website and filmed interviews with authors. Reader engagement is also being woven into the online space.
Kaia Gerber Actor
In 2023, Kaia subverted the “hot cheerleader” archetype in the edgy comedy ‘Bottoms’. In March, she’ll appear in Apple TV+’s series Palm Royale, as a warm-hearted manicurist who aspires to become a model. In a jam-packed schedule, Kaia just wrapped filming on Mother Mary, an A24 musical film starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.
