Pharrell Williams designed his first collection for Louis Vuitton for himself
Pharrell Williams has revealed the muse for his first collection as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear – himself. The 50-year-old legendary producer opened up in his GQ Style cover story published on 15 August about his design process ahead of his spring-summer line debut on the historic Pont Neuf bridge in Paris. Williams confessed he never expected to be appointed the coveted position at the luxe French fashion house, and that not a lot of people did either, with the exception of Louis Vuitton’s CEO Pietro Beccari, who offered him the job. “It wasn’t an interview or anything,” Williams recounted. “It was like: ‘Will you accept this position? Will you accept this appointment?’ I’m looking at the water and I’m just like: ‘What?’” Williams is no stranger to the fashion world, having worked on a collection of sunglasses for Louis Vuitton previously and on long-time collaborations with Adidas and Chanel. However, after the sudden 2021 death of his close friend and predecessor at Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, he hadn’t considered himself as someone viable for the position until the opportunity was presented to him. In fact, the artist presented LVMH with a list of candidates he thought suitable to carry-on the Avant garde shift for the brand made by Abloh. “It’s the first time someone has had the daringness to pick a real worldwide star to helm a house,” Beccari remarked. “He has 13 Grammys and even Oscar nominations. “One could say he has a Midas touch. So, as a creative director, while it’s an experiment, I think it will be a successful one.” And it was. The “Happy” singer titled his collection “LVERS,” an ode to his Virginia roots. Before his star-studded June show, Williams performed a test run of his creative concepts for the lush clothing line in Virginia Beach during his annual three-day Something in the Water music festival. By offering $860 T-shirts and $1,310 hoodies that would be representative of the style cues in his spring-summer collection, he was bringing luxury fashion to his home for the first time ever. “From Paris to VA, VA to Paris,” he proclaimed. “That’s literally the narrative. All of this is seeding that. It’s a part of my story.” What’s more, with Williams’ artistic direction having been mostly channeled into his music, he relied on personal preferences when piecing together designs for the runway. “I look at myself like I’m the real customer,” the “Beautiful” creator admitted. “So I design for what it is that I want and what I’m going to need.” Pixelated prints and strategic tailoring formed the consumer collection, which mirrored his renowned wardrobe. He paid homage to ready-to-wear pieces he adored from brands like Roberto Cavalli and Chanel in the form of fur overcoats. Williams fused streetwear, athletes, and resort–wear, while keeping the desired Louis Vuitton buyer in mind – an elite class. Just as the models cloned Williams’ persona, his front row packed with A-listers including Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, LeBron, and Lenny Kravitz, whoo were pleased to don the collection embodying a new era of forward-thinking designers in luxury fashion by their friend. Read More Pharrell fuses entertainment and fashion for confident Louis Vuitton menswear debut Pharrell Williams makes his Louis Vuitton debut in star-studded Paris show Zendaya, Sophie Turner and Kerry Condon attend Louis Vuitton show TikToker urges parents to save all their old clothes for children to inherit Billy Porter criticised for calling Anna Wintour a ‘b****’ over Harry Styles cover Billy Porter hits out at Harry Styles and Anna Wintour over Vogue cover
2023-08-16 00:55
Nestlé recalls Toll House cookie dough for potentially containing fragmented wood chips
Nestlé USA is recalling a “limited quantity” of its Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough “break and bake” after fragmented pieces of wood were found in some packages. On 10 August, the food and drink corporation announced the news in a press release published on its website. According to the company, it had identified two batches of the 16.5 oz product produced on 24 and 25 April as being the reason for the recall, “due to the potential presence of wood fragments”. “This recall does not involve any other Nestlé Toll House products, including other varieties of refrigerated cookie dough in ‘break and bake’ bars, rolls, or tubs, or Edible cookie dough,” the statement read. Nestlé directed consumers’ attention to the recalled batch codes to avoid, both 16.5 oz bags with 311457531K or 311557534K. The company warned people who have already purchased these batches to “not prepare or consume the product” and urged them to “return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a replacement or refund”. There have been no reported injuries or illnesses related to the recall, according to the confectioners. “We are taking this action out of an abundance of caution after a small number of consumers contacted Nestlé USA about this issue,” the release proclaimed. “The quality, safety and integrity of our products remain our number one priority. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this action represents to both our consumers and retail customers.” Nestlé also said it is in contact with the US Drug and Food Administration (FDA) about the recall, according to their press release. Anyone in need of support or with any further questions is encouraged to contact the company’s customer service line at (800) 681-1678 Monday through Friday, between 9am and 6pm ET. The recall comes after Nestlé voluntarily recalled its Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with Fudge Filling because of the “potential presence of white plastic pieces” in October of 2022. The Independent has contacted Nestlé for further comment. Read More Advocates sue federal government for failing to ban imports of cocoa harvested by children Sugary cereals and yoghurts must remove child-friendly packaging – health group Nestle reveals reason behind price increase of its most popular chocolate bar
2023-08-16 00:24
Metal detectorists find 2,000-year-old Iron Age gold treasure in Welsh first
Gold coins dating back more than 2,000 years have been found by metal detectorists in Wales, making them the first hoard of Iron Age gold coins to have been discovered in the country.
2023-08-15 23:20
Red flags you might be missing about your child’s online safety
During the wait for improved online safety laws, tens of thousands of grooming crimes have been recorded. The Online Safety Bill, which is meant to become law this autumn, has encountered numerous delays and changes since it become a proposed legislation. As a result, the children’s charity NSPCC has called on MPs and tech giants to support the Bill, especially since 34,000 online grooming crimes had been recorded by UK police forces over the last six years, since first calling for more robust safety regulations in 2017. Based on data from 42 UK police forces, the NSPCC said that last year, 6,350 offences related to the sexual communication with a child were recorded. Some 5,500 took place against primary school-aged children, and 73% of the crimes were related to Meta-linked platforms or Snapchat. NSPCC chief executive Sir Peter Wanless said: “The number of offences must serve as a reminder of why the Online Safety Bill is so important and why the ground-breaking protections it will give children are desperately needed. “We’re pleased the government has listened and strengthened the legislation so companies must tackle how their sites contribute to child sexual abuse in a tough but proportionate way, including in private messaging.” Here are some of the red flags parents should be on the look out for. Being secretive about how they are spending their time On their website, Childline define grooming as someone building a child’s trust to make a connection in order to do something sexual or illegal. “Studies show parental supervision typically declines as children get older, however online abuse does not,” said Mark Bentley, safeguarding and cyber security lead at charity The National Grid for Learning (LGfL). From being secretive to omitting relevant information, changes in behaviour can vary from child to child. But it’s something for all parents to be mindful of when their child starts using social media more. “Unfortunately, as in many areas of child protection, indicators of abuse can often mirror natural markers of growing up,” said Bentley. “As children and adolescents develop, they seek independence from parents, engage in risk taking and have changes in mood and friendship group. “Nonetheless, these markers remain vital to watch out for, even if it is just to support your growing child. Those who are being groomed online are much more likely to be defensive and secretive about phone usage and loathed to be separated from their device.” Having unexplained gifts, big or small Buying gifts for children, whether big or small, can be another grooming technique used to flatter children and their families. “Some groomers have been known to provide alternative phones just to contact them, and this is always a red flag if you suspect your child may have a secondary device,” said Bentley. They are spending too much time onlineSocial media may promote negative experiences if no boundaries have been established.“Of course, some of these [red] flags can also be a sign of the child going through adolescence but it’s important to discuss any unusual behaviour with them as soon as possible,” said Simon Newman, member of International Cyber Expo’s advisory council and of the Cyber Resilience Centre for London.“The way groomers target children varies, but is often done through social media sites, text messages and apps, emails or online forums – particularly gaming sites.”They develop friendships with a much older person Children and young people can be groomed by a stranger or by someone they know – such as a family member, friend or professional, according to NSPCC. But the age gap between a child and their groomer can also be relatively small. The groomer may also work towards building a relationship with the family to gain trust, so they can be left alone with the child. “There are various models of the stages of grooming, but at heart it revolves around building up trust and making a child feel understood and listened to in a way they do not feel elsewhere, and then breaking down the links of trust to family, school, friends and other adults,” said Bentley. “Any parent thinking that this might be happening should definitely reach out for help.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rumer Willis says she is ‘grateful’ to her body following birth of daughter Sugary cereals and yoghurts must remove child-friendly packaging – health group Clever kitchen storage solutions to clear the clutter
2023-08-15 22:49
Why Do We Like to 'Nip It in the Bud'?
The idiom goes back centuries. And no, it's not 'nipping it in the butt.'
2023-08-15 22:22
Hong Kong Residents Are Leaving at the Highest Rate Since Covid
Hong Kong saw its biggest net outflow of residents since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, the latest
2023-08-15 20:27
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill takes to the skies with his pilot's license
Tennessee running back Derrick Henry is very happy that his teammate Ryan Tannehill enjoys flying and earned his pilot’s license this summer
2023-08-15 18:21
Some athletes with a fear of flying are leaning on greater resources than their predecessors
Professional sports are a difficult career for athletes or coaches with a fear of flying
2023-08-15 18:20
Hong Kong’s Population Rises, Reversing Years of Reporting Drops
Hong Kong’s population grew as the city dismantled pandemic curbs and the economy bounced back. The city saw
2023-08-15 18:15
Can Sweden’s Visionary Wood City Outrun Its Real Estate Crisis?
This article is part of the Bloomberg Green series Timber Town, which looks at the global rise of
2023-08-15 17:26
Chloe Bailey brought to tears after hotel ‘serves her meat by accident’
Chloe Bailey was left in distress after she recently accidentally ate a beef burger, interrupting 10 years of dedicated veganism. The singer, 25, and her younger sister Halle Bailey, 23, have both been vegans for the last decade and have been outspoken about their dietary choices. However, Chloe revealed in an Instagram Live stream that she was mistakenly served red meat instead of a plant-based Beyond Meat burger over the weekend, just before attending Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour concert in Atlanta, Georgia. According to Chloe, the incident occurred on Saturday (12 August) after she ordered burgers for her and Halle in the hotel they were staying in before the show. She told fans: “So I called to get a Beyond Burger for sis and I like usual. Specified that it’s vegan, no butter on the bun, nothing like that. “So we get the burgers, I’m getting out of the shower… and she’s eating the burger and she’s like, ‘Are you sure this is Beyond?’” Confident in her ordering, Chloe said it was. However, when she took a bite of the burger herself, she realised something was wrong. The “Do It” singer continued: “I touched the patty and smelled it and was like, ‘Of course it’s Beyond, yeah’. So I finish getting dressed, I take a bite and the juice dripping from the burger is not like a Beyond burger. I just knew it was not a fake burger. “The one bite I took and I just knew. Immediately I said, ‘This doesn’t feel right’.” She quickly rang the hotel’s front desk to ask if they delivered vegan burgers to her hotel room. However, the concierge’s answer horrified her. “He said, ‘No, they’re brand burgers’. I said, ‘Brand burgers? I said Beyond burgers’. I don’t even know what a brand burger is,” she told fans on the livestream. “Immediately I’m losing my s***. I gobbled down a whole can of Sprite. Halle’s laughing at me because I’m crying. This is right before the concert yesterday. I’m crying, Halle’s just laughing so hard at me because I’m freaking out. “I’ve been vegan for 10 years. I have not consumed any red meat for 10 years,” Chloe added. The clip was shared on the celebrity news Instagram account The Shade Room, and prompted sympathy from other vegetarian and vegan fans. “I’m vegetarian and it’s definitely hard to tell the difference sometimes but you know the taste of real meat and that stomach ache ain’t no joke,” one person commented. Another said: “My first time eating meat after a full vegan diet, my stomach… revolted.” Halle said in a 2017 interview with Complex that the sisters went vegan because of their mother. She explained: “One day, she was like, ‘I’m gonna try to be vegetarian for a week. You can join me if you’d like’. We started the week with her and just never went back.” In an awkward red carpet exchange at the premiere of live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, Halle was asked who she would choose to eat between Flounder and Sebastian. In the film, Flounder is a fish and Sebastian is a crab. She responded: “I would not eat either of them. They’re my friends." Read More The millionaire smuggled out of Japan in a box: Was Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn a victim or a villain? Husband ‘ruins’ dinner because of his wife’s typo: ‘The worst kind of control freak’ Billy Porter hits out at Harry Styles and Anna Wintour over Vogue cover: ‘You’re using my community’ Foodies forced to eat their own words after trick ‘gourmet’ meal Michelin-starred chef Michael O’Hare puts Skittle twist on classic desserts The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon
2023-08-15 17:21
Penfolds Maker Says Cheaper Wine Could See Quick China Return
Treasury Wine Estates Ltd. says cheaper bottles of its flagship Penfolds brand could quickly return to the Chinese
2023-08-15 17:21