Luxirare Pursues Romantic, Visual Seduction Brilliantly | Is There A Cost?

Some bloggers believe images should be free of text, header and other “Noise’. Images alone stand for beauty — pure and simple. In reality, those works also become an excuse for lack of excellence in writing, any degree of scholarship or adding to the value of content. 

One blog where words aren’t required — although they are prolific — is Luxirare, a New York website that merges food and fashion. 

Luxirare is a weekly webzine dedicated to clothing and cuisine. At Luxirare, the typical notion of a seasonal fashion show or seasonal “menu” does not exist. Styles and recipes are presented as individual pieces that do not follow a strict theme but rather a flow of ideas. The Luxirare principle is to use the unique mobility of the internet to develop an enticing, unorthodox presentation.

Food is consumed by mouth and clothing worn on the body, says Luxirare. That makes both intimate experiences. This is a vision I can relate to. The authors write: “The new definition of luxury will not depend on mass production or the “high” price tag. There is no false creation of the “it” item and its corresponding “scarcity” that this item will “sell out”. The new definition of Luxury will not only depend on the quality of materials used, but the time and amount of thinking it takes to create it.”

As a Smart Sensuality woman, I read these words as ‘right on’ — with one huge omission. Luxirare remains a Modern values message, because it wraps items from macaroons to snakeskin envelopes in visual luxury, with no mention of the real circumstances by which this fabulous bit of luxury came to market. 

Smart Sensuality women are increasingly concerned about these topics. The images in Snakeskin Envelopes are exquisite. The process by which a snake is skinned alive to make that bag is not. In its beauty, the pursuit of luxury becomes clinically cold — divorced from the sublime sensual experience of biting into a Ladurée macaroon. 

When one makes mouthwatering beauty out of snake skinning, with no statement of intentions or background mission statement, the image exists as what it is — divorced from the holistic process by which products come to market. Student Kim Preston explores this reality in her “Plastic Pacific” images, inspired by the garbage dump that is becoming the Pacific Ocean. Pretending that Greenpeace was her client for a class project, Preston creates images that engage the viewer in discussion, asking them to use what intellectual horsepower they have left to think independently and question if this garbage floating in the Pacific is really as beautiful as presented. 

The same challenge applies to snake skinning. Read How the Python Makes Its Way to Becoming a Liz Carey Handbag, Thanks to Vogue Magazine on AOC Green.

Bottom line, the delicious visual seduction that is Luxirare creates mouth-watering desire and appreciation for food and clothes that are intimate to us. I adore the style of presentation. Yet, it is a somewhat false seduction in the way that ‘50 Shades of Grey’ is a false seduction — a painful, brutal sexual relationship transformed into a romantic novel read by over 40 million women worldwide. 

Smart Sensuality women see through this ruse.

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Is White Models Going Black for Fashion's Sake What Luxury Customers Desire?

Running breathlessly between opening two new GlamTribale shops, delivering a new collection to Giant Steps Gallery in Philadelphia, and keeping the websites afloat, I must pause for a moment to comment on this white women in dark skin topic again. 

‘African Queen’ Dust Up

Last week we had Ondria Hardin playing ‘African Queen’, lensed by Sebastian Kim for Numéro 141. I wrote then — and will write again this morning in response to Charlotte Cowles for the Cut and also Fashion Copious’ commentary about it being ‘lame’ to question darkening the light skin of fashion models to appear black — that I tend to land on the side of artistic freedom on this complex subject. Personally, I would never do it and the only reason that I don’t condemn it is because America is so politically-correct at this point, that we are on the verge of becoming creative robots with no juice in our brains. 

Charlotte Cowles wrote:

No black models walked in A.F. Vandevorst’s show in Paris today, but several of the light-skinned girls appeared on the catwalk with their arms and hands painted black. Obviously, this looks bad. (When will fashion LEARN?) If the Vandevorst designers really wanted that visual effect, why not just have everyone wear gloves?

Is it ‘lame’ as FC suggests to point out this fact? No. It is never ‘lame’ for people to question the relationship between branding, marketing, images and their real-world impact on peoples’ psyches and especially the female psyche which is bombarded daily by the business strategies of mostly white men worldwide. 

Also, Charlotte never suggested that Raf Simons is racist as FC suggests in quoting “someone at Fashin”. I think John should read This Story Stinks: 

The Web, it should be said, is still a marvelous place for public debate. But when it comes to reading and understanding news stories online — like this one, for example — the medium can have a surprisingly potent effect on the message. Comments from some readers, our research shows, can significantly distort what other readers think was reported in the first place.

But here, it’s not the content of the comments that matters. It’s the tone.

In commenting on photographer Sebastian Kim’s apology to the controversy around ‘African Queen’, FC’s headine was ‘I Would Have Gone With ‘Fuck Off”. Now that is enlightening commentary, if I ever read one!

Sebastian Kim issued a statement saying:

I would like to apologize for any misunderstanding around my recent photos for Numero France.  It was never my intention (nor Numero’s) to portray a black woman in this story.  Our idea and concept for this fashion shoot was based on 60’s characters of Talitha Getty, Verushka and Marissa Berenson with middle eastern and Moroccan fashion inspiration. We at no point attempted to portray an African women by painting her skin black. We wanted a tanned and golden skin to be showcased as part of the beauty aesthetic of this shoot. 

It saddens me that people would interpret this as a mockery of race.  I believe that the very unfortunate title “African Queen” (which I was not aware of prior to publication) did a lot to further people’s misconceptions about these images.  It was certainly never my intention to mock or offend anyone and I wholeheartedly apologize to anyone who was offended.

Fashion Fascism and Libertarian White Men

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Ondria Hardin Plays 'African Queen', Lensed By Sebastian Kim for Numéro 141

Expect Jezebel to go crazy with Chanel Model Ondria Hardin playing an African Queen in Numéro’s March issue. Given my own position that Jezebel is politically correct to a fault when the topic is multi-cultural fashion exploration, I stay out of this argument. Last week they went over-the-top crazy over the Sports Illustrated issue touching down in multiple countries and using ‘exotic people’ as ‘props’. The comments over at the New York Times were truly enlightening. 

When I ask myself if I would ever use a Caucasian woman in black makeup to sell GlamTribale jewelry, the answer is clearly ‘no’. Even though I do believe strongly that we are all African queens because humanity began in the Omo Valley, I don’t need to wear black skin to celebrate my heritage. I am Caucasian for official purposes and also wear the privileges and stereotypes associated with that skin color. I simply can’t go into the mindset of an African woman — or an African American woman — because of my inexperience.

It would be interesting for a top model to ‘go African Queen’ for an entire year of her life as an unknown and write a book about the experience in and out of the fashion industry. Jezebel did do us a service, tracking for the fifth year in a row, the skin color of models in New York Fashion Week.

Personally, I put my own position as Victoria’s Secret Fashion Director on the line, threatening to resign if we didn’t put Naomi Campbell in ads and our fashion show. At the time our customer base was 25% African American and our public face was very white. VS never looked back after that first decision to commit to women of color — although even today, the model base doesn’t accurately reflect the customer base proportionally. ~ Anne

Kate Mossman styles Ondria in these high-impact images lensed by Sebastian Kim for Numero #141. 

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Aline Weber's Sexy Men Beach Outing by Paola Kudacki for 25 Magazine Spring/Summer 2013

I simply adore how Anja Rubik is turning the tables for 25 Magazine, presenting sensuality and sexy from a woman’s point of view. Originally inspired by the 70s magazine Viva — a Penthouse publication for women — Anja is today surprised by the response to 25’s first issue.

The way that people reacted to it — even journalists — everyone was shocked and found it very provocative, which I really don’t think it was. And a lot of places wouldn’t sell the book because they said it was too extreme. We had to tone down the original layout because people wouldn’t print it. I thought that was really funny, because there’s really no vulgar imagery in there, or anything aggressive or violent. It was about celebrating beauty and women and their sensuality and achievements. Even some people our age didn’t know what to do with it. And meanwhile, my mom was really cool about it, and she loved it and thought it was fabulous.

It’s also interesting to note which male bloggers are picking up editorials like Chloé, lensed by Paola Kudacki with models Aline Weber, Antoni Russo, Greg Remmey and Nicola Wincenc. Michael Philouze styes the scene which focuses on neutral, oversized, sporty silhouettes. 

As for Anja, she delivers a totally fabulous editorial, lensed by Mario Sorrenti for the March issue of Vogue Paris. 

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Did Pope Clement VII Father Alessandro de Medici with a Nigerian Slave Girl

Having another of my 4am, goddess call-ins, my day is off to a grand start. This time it was Oshun dialing in — and also my business head asking me how in heck I intend to pull together two small shops — 350 sq ft of retail space — in Lancaster’s Building Character by next Friday March 1. 

I began making lists; it’s about time, don’t you think? 

My mind wanders easily, fantasizing about new creative connections where none officially exist. How I ended up in Florence last week making jewelry theoretically inspired by a Nigerian (Yoruba) goddess requires an explanation — even to my open-minded self. 

When the goddess knocking woke me up a few hours ago, I took myself to great task for flying off to Florence for inspiration when Oshun in Africa isn’t sorted out. Let’s see now … we need 24 cards with earrings, six large planters … I’d better rent a storage unit downstairs because the entire loft will smell like potpourri … 

This attempt to focus didn’t last. When the goddess knocking begins, it’s futile to try to beat it back. Accepting that there is a reason why I flew off to Florence in my Italian-inspired burst of creativity last week — and it has nothing to do with my glorious, sexy existence in and out of the country for years — I began Googling. 

Ask and you will receive! Within minutes I was on PBS Frontline, reading about Alessandro de Medici, the great 16th century Italian Renaissance figure whose Medici prince remains are buried in the famous tomb of Michaelangelo.

Without even trying to mount my religious hypocrisy soapbox, enter stage right one 17-year-old Cardinal Giulio de Medici, as the father of Alessandro. The later Pope Clement VII, is believed by researchers to be the father of a bastard child conceived with a North African slave girl.

Good goddess! A Catholic pope is unintentionally besmirched by my flower pots in this accidental bout with the creative truth. Note that I’ve only established Alessandro’s mother as from the region of Nigeria and she’s NOT alleged to be Oshun acting in disguise. At least this element of the story has not revealed itself. 

My Italian dreams journal is now firmly cemented logically into the Oshun collection, while remaining true to a design concept. Unintentionally, I’ve reminded us all that the holier than thou history of Cardinals and Popes is suspect at best.

No wonder the need for self-flagellation occupies the minds of so many in Vatican City. On a positive note, the truth of Alessandro’s African ancestry positions him as the “first black head of state in modern western history”. In reality “Alessandro de’ Medici’s race was quite pivotal to the Grand Ducal and the most politically powerful period of Medici history.”

Hmmm. I wonder how Vatican Father Gabriele Amorth, head of the International Association of Exorcists, is doing in chasing the Devil out of the Vatican. If he hears about my Italian Dreams collection, it will surely be condemned as the work of the devil, especially now that I’ve revealed yet another saucy Catholic Church story to AOC readers. 

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Film | Amy Hood in PRETTY.BIG.MOUTH by Jonathan Leder

‘Pretty Big Mouth’ from Jonathan Leder on Vimeo.

A sultry Amy Hood amplifies pop culture’s love of guns in PRETTY. BIG. MOUTH. shot by Jonathan Leder. 

Guns have long been a symbol of masculinity and power in America, fueling our popular culture with sexy associations between guns like the one Amy is sucking and an erect cock waiting to unload his preciousness into or onto the female body. 

Women like to believe we can handle a loaded gun — like we’re the mistress of it. The imagery may be sexy but the statistics of women killed in partner-related gun violence aren’t sexy at all. In real life women aren’t the mistresses of men’s guns, although we may do better with power and influence in bed. 

Still, women who are willing to take responsibility for their own lives and their own actions are often more attractive than those girls who need constant protecting. “I am an independent woman who is your equal as a soverign individual” can be a sexy image to many men - and women, too.

Heck, I adore Angelina Jolie to death, and how many guns has she toted in life? I’m not sure how many barrels Angelina has sucked on in her action heroine films. 

Ajak Deng cuts a mighty sexy figure in her Flaunt magazine editorial with Bruno Mars, lensed by Hunter & Gatti for Flaunt Magazine’s February issue. 

Ajak Deng & Buno Mars Sizzle in Hunter & Gatti’s ‘Rock Star Moment for Flaunt Magazine February 2013

Maryna Linchuk's Popsicle Tricks for 25 MAGAZINE S/S 2013 by Victor Demarchelier

25 Magazine editor top model Anja Rubik is dealing first hand with the degree to which American business will go to stamp out positive expressions of sensuality in grown women while cultivating young girls and any kind of gun violence as sexy. Rubik has had a few run-ins, most recently with Instagram, over a simple post of a nipple showing under a sheer blouse. Welcome to the dog house, Anja; I know the location. 

Rubik took over 25 Magazine last year with the help of Italian backers Gabriele Moratti, Daniele Sirtori, and Giuseppe Modesto and runs it with her husband Sasha Knezevic. 

The second issue opens with a quote from performance artist Marina Abramovic: “Sexual energy is the source of creation”. This factoid has been the premise of Anne of Carversville from day 1. And now it’s the premise of our GlamTribale jewelry and gift collection. 

Anja Rubik writes in her editor’s letter for the second issue titled “A Woman Is Present”:

For me, starting this magazine has helped me channel the kind of sexual energy I find every woman to possess… The media operates on a paradox—it’s no secret—where selling the notion of unobtainable beauty is allowed, while portraits of women just being women are simultaneously shunned. However, I still want to continue pushing the boundaries of what a female fashion magazine can be.

The 25 Magazine team does a fabulous job with Maryna Linchuk in Victor Demarchelier’s celebration of one smoldering-hot, very bad girl — who is every woman. I can promise Anja that there is life after the censors are done with condemning your very fine media event. You have nothing more to lose, and it’s smooth sailing after that because ordinary people — and industry creatives, too — are truly committed to your success. 

The true stories of women’s history are only beginning to be told in the digital age. Everyone should fasten their seat belts because we wil all be travelling to some very interesting territory. Great job, Anja! ~ Anne

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