Eye: Dear Helena, Ashley, Chiara, Monica + | In Posing For Dolce & Gabbana Sp 2019 Campaign, Do You Give The Brand Cover?

Some of AOC’s favorite models and talents led by Helena Christensen, Ashley Graham, Monica Belluci, Eva Herzigova, Karen Elson, Chiara Scelsi and more are supported by photographers including Angelo Pennetta, Luca & Alessandro Morelli, Giuseppe Tornatore, Branislav Simoncik, Franco Pagetti, Bruce Gilden and Alex Majoli in celebrating Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring 2019 ad campaign.

Complicity Among Creatives

We don’t have the answers to any key questions around the participation of these creatives in the Dolce & Gabbana campaign — except to say that we wouldn’t participate in the campaign in any way. That’s a tough decision to make in a world that feels increasingly politically correct, a world where disagreement and debate is not tolerated by either demanding progressives or right-wing conservatives. So unlike many voices, AOC won’t criticize talents using their gifts on behalf of the Dolce & Gabbana brand.

Caught in our own concerns about the intolerance of politically-correct, progressive demands, we also acknowledge the reality of a world marching towards intolerance generally. This right-wing intolerance derides women’s rights or even our intelligence, gay rights, protecting the environment and a host of other values that the fashion industry theoretically embraces.

Kim Kardashian Hawks Dolce & Gabbana, Then Pulls Instagram Story As Confused Followers Express Dismay

Talent mogul Kim Kardashian had the equivalent of a senior moment, rushing to produce an Instagram Story praising Italian luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana’s big box of goodies sent her by the controversial luxury brand. In the short clip, the KKW Beauty mogul pans across several sequinned tuxedo jackets while narrating, “So I come home to these amazing, huge Dolce & Gabbana boxes”.

By now Kardashian knows that her every move is under the microscope, leaving people confused that days after announcing that she and husband Kanye West are expecting a fourth child via IVF, she would use her reputation to advance a brand that advocated against IVF, saying “We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one…. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed.”

Kardashian pulled her Insta Story within hours, but one wonders exactly what she was thinking. AOC doesn’t disparage Kim Kardashian in any way. We’re not KK haters but admirers of her frankly prodigious business talents and ability to live in the limelight 24/7. But surely Kardashian knows that the Dolce & Gabbana brand is newly-toxic, yet again over its controversial antics and subsequent cancellation of their late fall 2018 Shanghai show.

In reality, the Dolce & Gabbana brand is aligned far closer to the Trumplandia values embraced by her husband Kanye West than her own more progressive ones. One wonders if Kanye told the DG boys to send over the loot, so Kim could hawk it. How much $$$ was it worth to all parties involved.

Pedro Quintana Eyes Ava Smith In Dolce & Gabbana Irresistable Excess For Harper's Bazaar Chile

Model Ava Smith is styled by DaVian Lain in over-the-top opulence for 'Exceso Irresistible'.   Photographer Pedro Quintana is behind the lens, featuring Dolce & Gabbana dresses for Harper's Bazaar Chile September 2018.

Eye | Pope Francis & Dolce & Gabbana Both See Red | Are American Nuns Off The Hook?

The Captivating Beauty of Libraries Around the World My Modern Met

DesignTracker

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2015 Campaign

Dolce & Gabbana up the ante on family celebrations, embracing mature mamas with a love of Italian/Sicilian glitter. Add bullfighter José Maria Manzanares and models Bianca Balti, Vittoria Ceretti, Irina Sharipova and Blanca Padilla — then let it rip to welcome spring 2015. See the rest of the images at Dolce & Gabbana website.

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2015 Collection

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2015 Style.com

Today there was a black net sheath, a black corset paired with thigh-high black stockings, a black jacket and pencil skirt combination that had the sexy severity of the racy widow—all of it adding up to enough Catholic guilt to choke a pope.

RedTracker

Pope Francis Delivers Blistering Rebuke to Roman Curia

Pope Francis delivered a stunning pre-Christmas speech to officials of the Roman Curia, accusing them of succumbing to greed, jealousy, hypocrisy, cowardice and “spiritual Alzheimer’s”.

If the NYPD felt that New York cops were the most beleaguered and unappreciated work force in the world, they had major company among the Roman Curia, after Pope Francis challenged the prelates to make “a real examination of conscience.”

The popular CEO pope basically accused his workforce of a host of deadly “illnesses”, including the fault of feeling “immortal, immune or even indispensable”.  Not stopping there, Pope Francis accused the prelates of pursuing wealth, showing off and leading double lives in a mindset leading to “existential schizophrenia”.

Prior to the papal tongue lashing, Pope Francis gave a speech of gratitude to the lay Vatican staff including gardeners and cleaners — with whom the pope often grabs lunch. In great contrast, he asked “forgiveness for the shortcomings of my colleagues and myself, as well as for some scandals, which do great harm. Forgive me.”

Complete text of Pope Francis’ 2014 Christmas Speech to the Roman Curia via Vatican Radio

Related: Rome’s Scrutiny of American Nuns New York Times

For the past six years, AOC has followed the Vatican’s investigation of American nuns, a report that has ended with a generally positive report under the guidance of Pope Francis and not the more authoritarian Pope Benedict.

Alas for AOC, the report comes at a time when I have not only returned from a difficult 2014 and actual hiatus from writing, but also in the midst of a major move of AOC articles into a much simpler organizational format. All of my RedTracker writing on feminism in America, international feminism, religion and women, the lives of women in Africa and the Middle East, female sexuality, women and philanthropy has been moved — but not properly tagged — into my Sensual Rebel blog.  Therefore, I can’t link to all the tagged writing at AOC about the Catholic Church and the investigation of American nuns. It’s a goal to complete this tagging by Jan. 1.

These moves are a larger part of my own second look at what AnneofCarversville.com should be to readers going forward. I will explain the new (old) strategy in a separate post.