In Memory of Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones, the legendary music icon whose remarkable career spanned producing Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking Thriller album, composing award-winning film and television scores, and collaborating with legends like Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, has passed away at 91.

Cortesy Quincy Jones Instagram

Quincy Jones stood as one of the most influential figures in American music history, with a career spanned over seven decades. Born in Chicago in 1933, he overcame a challenging childhood to become a groundbreaking musician, producer, arranger, and humanitarian. His genius for collaboration and genre-crossing innovation helped shape popular music, from his early days as a jazz trumpeter to his legendary work as a producer with artists like Michael Jackson. Jones has earned an astounding 28 Grammy Awards and holds the record for most Grammy Award nominations at 80. His work as a producer on albums like "Thriller" and his own recordings have influenced generations of musicians. Beyond music, he's made significant contributions to film, television, and humanitarian causes, breaking racial barriers and consistently advocating for music education and social justice.

― Quincy Jones famous quotes

“To me, loving a woman is one of the most natural, blissful, life-enhancing — and dare I say, religious — acts in the world."

“Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind.”

“You have to know that your real home is within.”

“The only justification for looking down on anyone, is that you're going to stop and pick them up.”

“You may be angry. These are difficult times and you may have a good reason for feeling that way. But imagine a world where instead of holding on to our anger, we use it to channel a more communal sense of love to make up for the lack thereof. What a world it would be.”

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THE BURNING QUESTION IN FASHION: IS JACQUEMUS THE FUTURE OF CHANEL?

Rumors are swirling that Simon Porte Jacquemus, the innovative designer behind the Jacquemus label, may be a top contender to become Chanel’s next Artistic Director. Following Virginie Viard’s exit from the role, industry insiders have pointed to Jacquemus as a candidate due to his ability to connect with younger generations and his flair for creating memorable, visually striking shows. His work often blends contemporary playfulness with timeless elegance, making him an appealing choice to helm such an iconic brand.

Simon Porte Jacquemus © Jacquemus

At times, it feels like Jacquemus’ flawless execution of his eponymous brand is an ongoing audition. Not because he's aiming to replicate what Karl Lagerfeld achieved, nor does he seem interested in doing so. What Jacquemus creates is entirely unique and distinct.

The real significance lies in his accomplishment of building a French luxury brand from the ground up—a feat that speaks volumes and is certainly something worth recognizing.

Despite these rumors, Jacquemus has frequently expressed a desire to focus on his own brand, which complicates the likelihood of his transition to Chanel. Other designers, including Thom Browne and Pieter Mulier, are also being considered, so nothing is confirmed yet. The process mirrors the long speculation that preceded Pharrell Williams' unexpected appointment at Louis Vuitton, signaling that anything is possible at this stage.

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Claire Waight Keller is Uniqlo’s new creative director

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Claire Wright Keller has been appointed as Uniqlo's new creative director, bringing fresh insight and innovative vision to the brand. Known for her previous work at Givenchy, where she gained recognition for her elegant designs and sharp tailoring, Keller is expected to influence Uniqlo's approach to modern, functional fashion. Her appointment signals a strategic move for the brand as it seeks to blend accessibility with elevated style. With a focus on sustainability and inclusivity, Keller's leadership may usher in a new era for Uniqlo, appealing to a diverse consumer base while maintaining the brand's core values. Claire Wright Keller has been appointed as Uniqlo's new creative director, bringing fresh insight and innovative vision to the brand.

Known for her previous work at Givenchy, where she gained recognition for her elegant designs and sharp tailoring, Keller is expected to influence Uniqlo's approach to modern, functional fashion. Her appointment signals a strategic move for the brand as it seeks to blend accessibility with elevated style. With a focus on sustainability and inclusivity, Keller's leadership may usher in a new era for Uniqlo, appealing to a diverse consumer base while maintaining the brand's coreight

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Virginie Viard Exists Chanel

Virginie Viard's leadership at Chanel has been marred by a series of missteps and controversies, leading to her recent exit from the iconic fashion house. Viard struggled to resonate with Chanel's audience, failing to capture the essence of the brand established by the legendary Karl Lagerfeld. Her design choices were often criticized for lacking innovation and failing to uphold the brand's reputation for timeless elegance.

The public's reaction to Viard's departure has been largely positive, with many expressing relief and hope for a new creative direction at Chanel. Social media platforms have been inundated with comments praising the decision and anticipating the appointment of a new creative director who can revive the brand's former glory.

With Virginie Viard's unsuccessful tenure at Chanel coming to an end, there is a sense of optimism among fashion enthusiasts who are eager to see the brand reclaim its position as a trendsetter in the industry. Time will tell what the future holds for Chanel under new leadership, but for now, there is a collective sigh of relief from those who felt disillusioned by Viard's vision.

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Saint Laurent will Debut a Movie at Cannes

The iconic French fashion house, Saint Laurent, is launching a film production subsidiary led by its artistic director, Anthony Vaccarello. The new division is called Saint Laurent Productions and will debut with three films from acclaimed filmmakers, including a couple of shorts premiering at Cannes: "Strange Way of Life" by Pedro Almodóvar, featuring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.

Vaccarello, an avid cinephile who assumed the role of artistic director of Saint Laurent in 2016, stated that establishing this new division provides him with "an opportunity to broaden the vision I have for Saint Laurent through a medium that has more permanence than clothes." He further added, "A film can still be viewed ten or thirty years from now, provided it is good. In certain ways, producing a film can have a more significant impact than a seasonal collection. To me, it's a logical extension of another field of creativity that is perhaps more universal and popular."

The new production banner, run by a fashion house, is being presented as the first of its kind. In addition to premiering projects by Pedro Almodóvar and David Cronenberg at Cannes, Saint Laurent Productions is developing films by well-known directors such as Paolo Sorrentino, Abel Ferrara, Wong Kar Wai, Jim Jarmusch, and Gaspar Noé. These directors have created works that have influenced and inspired Vaccarello, and share a tendency towards a "dark undercurrent," which can be thought-provoking.

Saint Laurent Productions plans to co-produce two to three films annually, and Vaccarello will design the costumes for these films.

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Starring Gaspard Ulliel, Jérémie Renier, Louis Garrel, Léa Seydoux

Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

MAX MUMBY/GETTY IMAGES

With the departure of politicians like Queen Elizabeth II , the era elusive under our feet becomes even smaller. This era can be compared to an ice field, once powerful and strong, now melted, cracked and shattered. Surrounded by clear water and everyone screaming, "Freedom! Swim free!" it suddenly is difficult to swim, not knowing where and why. What comforts is knowing that there are pieces from the crack of the ice field that are still floating, and to which an exhausted person can grab onto. But there are less and less of those pieces.

The passing era consisted of strong rocks. People who have gone through real wars, not internet wars. People who know what an idea is, how difficult it is to produce it and even more difficult to defend it, convincing others of their righteousness. They managed to lead the people, the state, make history, create the greatest future without internet and cellular communication. Future that today becomes the greatest past. They managed to occupy the minds of millions of people with their personality. They were not afraid to refuse and stand their ground, they were not afraid of their own courage, they knew what national pride and human dignity are. Today the last of them are leaving and there will be no more like them.

If you ask anyone today who knows the slightest bit of modern history who personifies the political life of Great Britain in the twentieth century, they will answer "Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth". They are the makers of British history and will always be remembered, because everything rests upon people like them. Or rather, rested upon. It is impossible to imagine how hard it was for Queen Elizabeth, a person who met the greatest people of the century (she remembered Churchill and you can imagine what she was thinking when she saw Truss), a person who is a reflection of time, energetic and strong-willed to feel her weakness and powerlessness before the modern time. To watch how the royal house degrades and crumbles, how something that once was eternal and unshakable for her, like Stonehenge, is now collapsing. With what difficulty did she agree that she, who once ruled over millions of people, now had no power even over herself and her home. Now she is on the tablets of history and will remain there forever. In memory, books and monuments

The Majestic Life of Queen Elizabeth II

Starring Interviews with Queen Elizabeth II, Hugo Vickers, Camilla Tominey, Jenni Bond, Tim Heald, Arthur Edwards, Robert Lacy

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Soccer Player Karim Benzema and Jean Paul Gaultier collab

In hopes of attracting new generation, Jean-Paul Gaultier teams up with the athlete of Algerian descent born in Bron , a neighborhood in Lyon, France.

"Collaborating with Karim Benzema is an opportunity to pay tribute to a new generation of virtuosos who express themselves boldly and do not hesitate to break free from conventions to challenge the status quo and achieve their goals," said the brand about its partnership with the captain of Real Madrid, who is a self-confessed collector of vintage sunglasses and was the star of the video campaign made by Original Kids.

This collab will include the reissue of Jean-Paul Gaultier's iconic sunglasses, the "56-6106". Rapper Tupac wore the iconic pair back in 1990s.

Beyonce Announces New Album Release

28-time Grammy Award winner Beyoncé gently announced to fans of the release of her next solo album, Renaissance, due on July 29. Her Instagram profile quietly mentioned “act i Renaissance 7.29.” Beyoncé’s website provided links to “pre-save” and “pre-add” options.

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Pinterest acquires The Yes

An AI-powered shopping service The |Yes was acquired by Pinterest. The Yes was founded by former Stitch Fix COO Julie Bornstein and co-founder, Amit Aggarwal. The platform provides users a personalised shopping feed, while technology studies user's style as they shop online. The plan is to potentially applu same experience to other categories on Pinterest such as home, beauty and food.

“I’ve spent my career at the intersection of shopping, fashion and technology and have seen firsthand the valuable impact of building technology that enables brands to join a platform with ease while enabling customers to share their preferences,” Bornstein said. “Joining forces with Pinterest to broaden our reach utilizing such an inspirational platform is an exciting and ideal next step for our team and technology.”

Ben Silbermann commented: “The Yes team are experts in building an end-to-end shopping experience. They share our vision of making it simple to find the right products that are personalized for you based on your taste and style. We’re very excited about The Yes’s talented team and technology as we build dedicated shopping experiences on Pinterest.