'Sun and Moon' by Christean Kareem for Vogue Portugal October 2024 Mystical Issue

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'Sun and Moon' by Christean Kareem for Vogue Portugal October 2024 Mystical Issue

AOC discovered Christean Kareem’s [IG] first fashion story ‘Sun and Moon’ for the October 2024 issue of Vogue Portugal [IG] dedicated to the mystical and mysterious. Models Alay Deng and Fadel are styled by Marisa Ellison in an intoxicating visual brew of fashion wisdom and creative exploration. Visually, Kareem delivered an inspiring, intellectually-complex, maiden-voyage fashion story. / Makeup by Christyna Kay; hair by Jenni Iva Wimmerstedt

The Ancient Understanding of Life

The integration of the sun and moon in modern occult practices manifests in a unique synthesis of ancient wisdom and contemporary spiritual exploration. These celestial bodies serve as potent symbols of the dynamic balance between light and shadow, seen as essential for achieving harmony within oneself and the universe.

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Vogue Greece Sends Red Kisses | AOC Goes to Babylon for a Primer on Cherry Lips

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Vogue Greece Sends Red Kisses | AOC Goes to Babylon for a Primer on Cherry Lips

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Vogue Greece Sends Red Kisses | AOC Goes to Babylon for a Primer on Cherry Lips

Models Lucy Rosiek and Naomi Apajok are styled by Glen Mban in ‘Red Kisses’, lensed by Johan Sandberg [IG] for Vogue Greece [IG] October.

Red Lipstick In Ancient Mesopotamia

In the annals of ancient history, the use of red lipstick finds one of its earliest origins in Mesopotamia, a cradle of civilization that flourished in the regions of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The people of ancient Mesopotamia, notably the Sumerians and later the Assyrians and Babylonians, were among the first to transform the act of adorning one's lips into an art form.

Lip Color and the Divine Feminine

Beyond social stratification, lip color also conveyed aspects of femininity and allure, playing a role in rituals and rites associated with love and attraction. The divine feminine was celebrated in Babylonian mythology, where goddesses were revered for their beauty and grace; by adorning themselves with lip color, women could symbolically align themselves with these powerful deities.

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Boxing for Women's Health: Madame Figaro Paris Is Ringside with Karlina Caune

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Boxing for Women's Health: Madame Figaro Paris Is Ringside with Karlina Caune

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Boxing for Women's Health: Madame Figaro Paris Is Ringside with Karlina Caune

AOC turns our attention to ‘Ring Parade’, and we’re not talking diamonds — although model Karlina Caune is sporting some serious watches in this fashion story for the September 2024 issue of Madame Figaro Paris [IG].

Stylist Sylvie Clemente is ringside, preparing Caune to fight, fight, fight — as women did in Sparta. Photographer Thiemo Sander [IG] photographs the fashion action for Madame Figaro; and AOC takes a seriously-informed deep dive into the health benefits of boxing. / Hair by Kazuko Kitaoka; makeup by Maria Olsson

Historical records and artwork from different civilizations reveal women engaging in activities like wrestling, running, and even boxing. Ancient Minoan artifacts, for example, depict women participating alongside men in athletic competitions, while the society of Sparta in ancient Greece famously encouraged women to train in physical exercises to strengthen them as future mothers of warriors — male and female.

All AOC can say is “Thank goddess for cave paintings.” Let’s go.

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