Tik-Tokkers, rejoice! The app has officially exceeded 2 billion downloads, according to an analytical report Sensor Tower.
The ByteDance social video app accumulated a whopping 315 million downloads across the App Store and Google Play in Q1 2020 – the highest number of downloads for any app in a quarter. Of the 2 billion downloads, more than 1.5 billion come from Google Play while the App Store accounts for 495.2 million downloads.
Senior Tower credits Tik Tok’s surge to the coronavirus pandemic, as mobile phone have become the ultimate weapon to dwell against quarantine’s boredom.
India takes the lead with the highest number of lifetime installs with 611 million downloads, translating to 30.3 percent of the total. Following the South Asian country is China with 196.6 million downloads for its local version called Douyin. The figure translates to 9.7 percent of total downloads, however Sensor Tower notes that the number doesn’t include the country’s third-party Android store downloads. At number three is the United States with 165 million downloads, translating to 8.2 percent.
Leading streaming service Spotify has reached $2 billion in revenue for Q1 2020, tapping analysts’ forecasts. Consequently, the streaming company welcomed a decisive net-sum profit of $1 million, while other businesses remain at loss due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In light of global challenges lingering across the entire world, chances are we’re all in a better mood of listening to artists we love and cherish for. And on that note, Spotify’s monthly users have peaked to 286 million, while paid users are at 130 million and ad-supported monthly active users are at 163 million.
According to TechCrunch, the spike falls in line with the boost in media streaming services amid the pandemic. However, while numbers soar, other areas decrease.
Spotify reports that streaming shows low consumption in areas heavily affected by the pandemic, such as Italy and Spain. Furthermore, listening patterns vary with more frequency.
“Despite the global uncertainty around COVID-19 in Q1, our business met or exceeded our forecast for all major metrics,” Spotify revealed to shareholders. “For Q2 and the remainder of the year, our outlook for most of our key performance indicators has remained unchanged with the exception of revenue where a slowdown in advertising and significant changes in currency rates are having an impact.”
Louis Vuitton has subverted its Parisian RTW atelier unit to craft gowns for frontline hospital workers, with an aim to render help due to covid-19 pandemic.
The move paves alongside Louis Vuitton’s latest strategy that saw the maison producing tons of non-surgical face masks, in support to those in need during the battle against Covid-19. Louis Vuitton has subverted its Rue Du Pont Neuf headquarters into an industrial unit to produce gowns for six staff at six Parisian hospitals of the “Assistance Publique” – Hôpitaux de Paris” operation (AP-HP), which takes care of covid-19 patients.
Louis Vuitton has remarked that 20 volunteers have been recruited to undertake the task of producing gowns. The gowns are crafted with AP-HP fabrics and patterns, and will be gifted to the following hospitals: Hôpital Antoine-Béclère in Clamart; Hôpital Bicêtre in Kremlin-Bicêtre; Hôpital Paul-Brousse in Villejuif; Hôpital Ambroise-Paré in Boulogne-Billancourt; Hôpital Raymond-Poincaré in Garches, and Hôpital Sainte-Périne in Paris’ 16th arrondissement.
Touching on the topic, Louis Vuitton’s CEO and Chairman said: “We are proud to be able to help healthcare professionals at our level and put our know-how at the disposal of the Hôpitaux de Paris to create gowns for medical staff. I would like to thank the artisans of our atelier who voluntarily participate in this civic act and who have been bravely applying themselves since this morning to equip healthcare workers in hospitals who are in need of gowns.”
Apple is allegedly delaying production of the iPhone 12 by a month, according to the Wall Street Journal.
And while that doesn’t essentially imply a push-back in the release date, it’s likely that the new handset will be in much shorter supply down the track.
The current pandemic has inevitably caused grievous disruptions to the global supply chains, and according to “people familiar with changes”, disruptions will impact accessibility later in the year.
Thanks to mass manufacturing over the summer months, Apple is usually able to unveil its new iPhone in September and start distributing devices before the end of the month. Insiders have indicated that the brunt of the pandemic will be seen later in the year with a more restricted supply of the flagship model.
Setbacks aside, the new iPhone is still one of the most anticipated announcements of the year from the company.
eBay has joined forces with the Help a Life Foundation on a special auction featuring high-level artworks by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and more. Comprising a plethora of photographs and paintings, the sale will be directed to the benefit of the foundation that houses an education for adolescent orphaned girls in Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
One of the key highlights is Picasso’s Le Musicien de Rue, a lithographic print that was published in Paris back in 1956. The artwork is one of only 2,500 prints. Moreover, Andy Warhol’s iconic Campbell’s Soup Can print is up for grab. The work was first published in 1988 by the Belgium-based Galerie Ronny van de Velde.
Comprising works By Basquiat, RAMMELLZEE, Futura and more.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts has decided to postpone the physical launch of its greatly anticipated “Writing The Future: Jean-Michael Basquiat and The Hip-Hop Generation”. The exhibition was initially bound to take place from April 5 to August 2, 2020. Instead, MFA Boston will launch a virtual version in weeks to come.
A recent statement saw MFA Boston remarking: “Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation’ tells the story of artists who overcame great barriers to bring the world entirely new forms of cultural expression. Now more than ever, it is an exhibition that is urgently needed—one that promises to bring our museums and communities of all ages and backgrounds together at a moment in which new modes of access to art, culture, and ideas will pave the way to our shared future.”
The show will display exclusive, rare works by Jean-Michel Basquiat alongside Keith Haring, Futura, RAMMELLZEE among others. Overall, the exhibition will offer insights into Basquiat before he rose to fame, epitomising his socio-political issues that influenced his iconic works, and showcasing the relationship with fellow artists that helped define New York City’s downtown art and the hip-hop scene in the ‘80s. One of the highlighted, collaborative works to go on display is the United (Fun Fridge) that comprises a slew of hand tags by Basquiat, Haring, Futura, Eric Haze, Kenny Scharf and others.
As the current global circumstance continues being disrupted by the turmoil of the pandemic, Apple and Google have joined forces in developing a technology that tracks and reduces the spread of Covid-19.
A recent statement saw both companies remarking: “All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.”
Bluetooth will alert users if they have been in contact with someone who has been infected by the virus. The companies aren’t designing an app for this purpose, but rather they’re drawing a framework that could be later evolved into an app for ioS10 or Android.
The release of this feature is still yet to be revealed.
As retailers are lurching from global effects caused by the pandemic, H&M took precautionary measures by borrowing €980 million to strengthen its liquidity buffer over the course of the pandemic.
According to Reuters, H&M’s 12-month bank facility comes with a six-month extension option, topping the retailer’s €700 million facility from 2017, which matures in 2024.
“The H&M group’s liquidity remains good,” H&M said in a statement. “The group is continuing its work to set up a combination of different financing solutions.”
Being the world’s second largest retailer, H&M is slowly but surely gearing up for a loss marked for he first time in decades. The company plans to raise additional funds and launch other initiatives in aid of these times.
Facebook has reportedly added a new feature to its app, “Quiet Mode” to give a better equilibrium to the platform and its users.
According to The Verge, the new function will stop “most” of the app’s push notifications with the exemption of legally required information such as privacy updates. When users launch the app while on Quiet Mode, they will receive a reminder by Facebook stating the feature is still turned on. Quiet Mode is available to switch on/off both manually and on schedule, providing its users the freedom to abandon the app whenever they feel like it.
In a Covid-19 information report, Facebook stated that “As we all adjust to new routines and staying home, setting boundaries for how you spend your time online can be helpful. Whether it’s to help you focus on your family and friends, sleep without distraction or manage how you spend your time at home, we have tools that can help you find the right balance for how you use Facebook.”
The new feature is fully available for iOS users and will launch in May on Android.
In celebration of World Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, sportswear household Nike launched a new feature to help consumers to identify its sustainable designs. Aside from adding a new ta on its website under “Shop Sustainable Materials” that applies a direct filter, Nike will now also display its Sunburst badge on both its product walls in-store and on product display pages online, meaning that a product is made from at least 50 percent sustainable materials. From items meeting this threshold, here will be a new feature called “How This Was Made,” giving customers more insight into where things were sourced and how the product was produced.
“Earth Day, long credited with launching the modern environmental movement, is more than an annual observance for Nike,” the brand writes. “It is fuel to continue building on decades of advancing sustainability and setting bold goals for the future. From creating innovative ways to recycle shoes nearly 30 years ago to recent measures that address climate change, Nike has long been committed to helping protect the planet to create a better future for sport. After all, there is no finish line.”
Head over to Nike’s website to get in the know with more information.
Luxury conglomerate Kering S.A. (Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, and Saint Laurent) has revealed its financial report for Q1 of 2020. Similar to the Q1 report from rival LVMH, the Coronavirus outbreak has quivered revenues streams with a reported shortfall of 15.4 percent.
Gucci, among Kering’s most profitable brands, has witnessed a sale downfall by 22 percent worldwide compared to Q1 of 2019. This has been attributed to the closure of physical stores and suspension of travels, interrupting the essential profits obtained by the Chinese investors. This decline, however, was offset by an increase in online sales, which now counts for 9.5 percent of Gucci’s retail strategy.
Jean-Marc Duplaix, Kering’s chief financial officer remarked that exclusivity will be ever more paramount than before,” as Gucci plans to make further reductions from wholesale. In contrast, one of Kering’s less established brands Bottega Veneta actually saw a growth with a 10.3 percent increase for Q1, which was put down to a 55 percent year-over-year growth from wholesale. Bottega Veneta was recently taken over by Daniel Le, who has tactfully repositioned the brand as a key player in the new wave of Italian craftsmanship, harnessing eco-conscious materials and low-key branding.
While statistics are looking promising, Bottega Veneta’s Q1 track record was reasonably low.
Duplaix also commented further discounts and product mark-downs that are expected for Spring/Summer 2020, as collections begin to pile up in warehouses as a result of shut down stores. He continued, “we know we will face a very difficult second quarter and a challenging year overall, but I can assure you that we are not only adapting to these unexpected circumstances, we are also using these lessons to improve our efficiency, resilience, and agility to emerge better prepared for the future.”
The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) has recently launched a series of free online courses. From boosting your competence in modern art to deepening your photography skills (to make you a pro), topics are predominantly art-focused and tailored to be gripped by a wider demographic. The courses are: “Fashion as design,” “Seeing through photography,” “In the studio: abstract post-war painting,” “Modern art and ideas,” and “What is contemporary art?”
“Seeing through photography” will aid amateur photographers to grasp a variety of approaches to photographic methods, the context and shifts of our perspective of an image, and the role of photography in today’s world. Furthermore, the “Modern art and ideas” courses will help interested learners to understand modern art through audio interviews with artists, designers, and curators alongside readings and interactive exercises.
View the full list of courses provided by MoMA on its website.
Long, short, tunic, habit, chiton or toga, the male skirt has been the favorite garment of people, civilizations, tribes, kings, and warriors. It has ruled in temples, courts, agora, and battlefields. But, in 1789, to the cry of “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité”, trousers have become the flag of revolutionaries and skirt was put in the pillory.
In the modern West, wearing a skirt is still inconvenient for men because it is a garment associated with the female world and it is a symbol of lack of masculinity. But it is amazing how the points of view change when we look from another perspective.
Think about the kilt. Prince Charles, Sean Connery, Ewan McGregor o Gerlad Butler with the kilt and knee socks look like “William Wallace”, they are daredevils and dark and with patriotic pride, they say: “It’s a kilt, not a skirt”.
Also, the Tartan Skirt, the traditional symbol of Highlands, it is not very different from a piece of cloth rolled around the waist. However, if we think about Maasai wrapped in their gaudy colored drapes (Shuka) and dressed up with bead jewelry and iron wires, the first thing that will come to our mind, won’t be a tribe of female men in skirts, but a tribe of warriors, hunters, and skilled fighters.
For the utopian hippies, instead, the skirt embodied the image of a future society without gender diversity; for punks, in their rebelliousness, it was a symbol of contempt for the patterns and models imposed by the society; David Bowie, as an incarnation of the excessive glam rock, showing off white fur, glitter, feathers, rafts, and skirts, denied clothing as an expression of personality.
In 1984 people shouted to the scandal when the irreverent Jean-Paul Gautier debuted with his first men’s collection “objectification of men”, questioning the clichés of clothing and dressing a rough and macho man with skirts, scoop-neck sweaters and sailor’s t-shirts with uncovered back.
But on second thought it is fashion. As well as if Joaquín Cortés dances in a skirt is art, and if Billy Porter shows up at the Oscars with a wide black skirt is show biz. If the male uniform of the Starfleet of Star Trek is a mini dress, the Skant then is science fiction.
Summing up, in today’s society, the acceptance of a man with a skirt (or his refusal) is essentially related to the historical, cultural, environmental, religious, ethical and creative factors. Its decontextualization leads to hilarity, discomfort or distrust. If we ask a man to wear a skirt, he “will be struck to the idea to appear effeminate” as the journalist Arwa Mahdawi wrote in “The Guardian”.
In a West that has consecrated the skirt as an icon of femininity, for the male culture the time to welcome it in its wardrobe has not yet arrived.
A day, maybe, the idealistic hope of David Hall of “give men more freedom without meaningless extravagance, but without dull conformism” will be realized.
On the other hand, when Elizabeth Smith Miller, the first woman who has worn trousers in 1851, showed up in public with Turkish wide trousers was hit with vegetables and snowballs, insulted by men and accused of outrage against decency.
It has been a long road, but finally today also a woman with trousers can give of herself an image of strength, power, and career. Maybe, in the next future, it will also be for a man wearing a skirt.
Earth Day today turns 50, a half-century of love and union to save the earth.
“Mother Earth Day” was born on April 22, 1970, after a huge environmental disaster that caused the death of 10,000 animals: in 1969 a drilling platform in the Santa Barbara canal had caused an oil spill, almost 100,000 barrels of crude oil were poured into Californian waters. Thus the common duty was felt to call the whole world together to awaken consciences and urgently ask for environmental reforms.
All took to the streets to demonstrate and the rumors reached the peace activist John McConnell, the Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and the University student Denis Hayes, the trio that sowed the land of Earth Day. On that distant April 22, 1970, around 20 million American citizens responded to the appeal of Democratic Senator Nelson and mobilized in a demonstration in favor of the planet; marches with a “green” motto, conferences dedicated to environmental issues, educational and training messages for empowerment; from then until today, the people are proving sensitive to the cause.
But it is not enough, and now more than ever, closed in our homes to have exploited the environment and nature to our only and selfish advantage (isn’t this pandemic a warning?), we must demonstrate a serious behavioral change and celebrate Earth Day in digital format.
192 other countries around the world will coordinate for the event, scientists are giving us ultimatums with the warning that we will have just over 10 years to halve emissions and avoid the devastating effects of climate change.
Our country has created an exceptional schedule for the day, from Italy Earth Day which will be broadcast on Ray Play from 8.00 to 20.00 on April 22, 2020: 12 consecutive hours in which scientists, journalists, artists, institutional representatives and anyone who wants to participate will exchange tips and messages of hope and deepening in direct streaming.
All viewers will be able to interact via social media and the web platform (https://onepeopleoneplanet.it) using the hashtags of the day #OnePeopleOnePlanet, #CosaHoImparato, # EarthDay2020, #iocitengo, #VillaggioperlaTerra, #focolaremedia.
On the occasion of such an important event, we at Manintown, close and attentive to the theme of sustainability, environmental protection and love for the Earth, have collected a series of images taken by photographers and internationally renowned artists who have told, each with their own unique and recognizable style, the concept of beauty and man/nature relationship. The photographic project aims to be a space, a voice, a help, in line with the world event, aimed at human awareness towards Mother Earth, the womb from which we are born and arms in which we swim our life, a unique, immense gift, and valuable.
Pietro Lucerni
“I believe that from the human and personal suffering and tragedies that Coronavirus has caused, we should learn. We should (re)learn to listen to the signals that nature sends us. We should be aware of the fact that we are guests on this planet and that we are not the masters and that, as Pope Bergoglio says, “we cannot be comfortable on a planet that is bad.” If we take this opportunity, then we will have a good chance to start again towards a better future for us and our planet”.
The snowy and icy landscapes of Pietro Lucerni are silent expanses in which nature acts undisturbed, they are desolate and cold views waiting for the light to warm them up.
Mariavittoria Backhaus
“Beauty was supposed to save the world and instead the world stopped. But nature doesn’t. We are frozen and she goes very fast on an Earth that blooms and grows relentlessly.”
Maria Vittoria Backhaus makes the plants of the earth, still life of stems, buds and leaves in black and white speak, a beautiful negative that waits to be colored and saved by a man.
Maurizio Galimberti
A photographer known for his landscape and portrait decompositions made of Polaroid, Maurizio Galimberti takes us to deserted cities, made up of silences and headless men, where only the sheets dance freely. They look like the places of Covid-19, desolate nostalgic environments, the result of our imagination, places of memories made even more melancholic by the vintage effect of photography; cars on fire that warn us of the environmental disaster, blurred images as if they were going to vanish at any moment.
Emilio Tini
“Life and beauty can never be separated from real sensitive and deep listening to the world around us.”
This is how Emilio Tini, a fashion photographer who works daily with the human figure, describes his images.
In this series, man and nature are brought into a relationship, in harmonious and complementary coexistence, nature mixes with the body and becomes an extension of an arm, a hand. It is on the face of a woman that flowers bloom, in a complex, natural and essential relationship.
Piero Gemelli
A continuous line that forms two worlds, that of man and woman, which come together in an infinite kiss. This is the world that Piero Gemelli would like; known and unknown worlds that have the common intent to love and respect each other. In the strong image of a naked woman, Piero Gemelli’s heart is made of earth, the one we come from.
In times stressed by global socio-political disruptions, (free) food is yours for the taking. Good causes only, here’s why…
McDonald’s is the latest service to introduce “Free” meals in light of the current pandemic. From April 22 running through May 5, the franchise will offer free breakfast, lunch or dinner to medical workers that present their work badges. A gesture to give something back to the community affected by the current disruption.
“We have been inspired by the way our franchisees have been going above and beyond to support their local communities throughout this trying time,” continued Joe Erlinger, President or McDonald’s USA in the statement. “I couldn’t be prouder of how our company, franchisees and supplier partners have come together to give back to those who are working tirelessly for our country. That is truly our McDonald’s system at its best.”
For more information, visit McDonald’s website here.
On the occasion of the Earth Day, which promotes the rise of a new environmental awareness, we thought of collecting some inspirational images. 2020 is also a special year because it celebrates 50 years of Earth Day.
The special reportage by Ricky A Swaczy (Creative director and Founder of the Wabisabi Culture) captures the essence of a magical and illusory nature, which from darkness inveils the quietness of contemplation. A frame of transitory life. The evocative power of impermanent Nature
London-Based retailer Browns has launched its new “Family Affair” Initiative. The project is intended to provide a platform to creatives, including a series of guest editors to curate and commission content alongside their own friends and regular collaborators.
The project will involve the likes of creatives deriving from a variety of backgrounds: models, artists, activists, producers, stylists and activists.
As well as launching “Family Affair” to support creatives during this difficult time, Browns has acclaimed its support for the BFC Foundation Covid Crisis Fund. A recent statement saw Browns CEO Holli Rogers remarking: “More than ever connectivity, collaboration and unity are key. For this reason, we are acutely aware of the economic pressures these smaller brands are under and in an attempt to help minimise the impact of these uncertain times, we will not cancel orders. The team and I at Browns are here to talk, listen and find solutions with all of our brands.”
Browns’ “Family Affair” project will take place on its website and on its multi-channels.
Founded in 1992 by Jon Bresler in New York, LAFCO combines traditional craftsmanship and the purest ingredients to create transporting home fragrances and personal care products. The luxurious collection of soaps, lotion, diffusers, and candles are made from rigorously sourced essential oils. The products are hand produced using both time-honored botanical production practices and cutting-edge technology. The fragrances are designed to evoke an emotional, sensory response. We met the founder, here below our conversation:
How and when did u develop the brand and launch? Philosophy and values behind it
Our founder, Jon Bresler, began the LAFCO brand after leaving New York City and moving to Switzerland in the ’90s. While living in Europe, he discovered and fell in love with the continent’s traditions in aromatherapy and botanicals. His hunger for travel, combined with a new love of fragrance and old-world craftmanship, led him to beautiful cities in Italy, Portugal, and Greece. It was there he had his first experiences learning about and then launching unique European brands to the American market; brands such as Santa Maria Novella, Claus Porto and Korres Natural Skin Care, all of which are globally recognized today. In 2010 Jon launched his own home fragrance line, LAFCO New York, based on these European traditions, but with a modern New York twist.
Our concept has always been to create a full ambiance with the elements of mood, scent, and color. We design our home fragrance offerings with these details in mind and associate them with a place in a house or a type of setting. For example, our Chamomile Lavender candle is calming in scent, and the glass vessel color is a warm, neutral beige that evokes the relaxation of a bedroom. Our Office candle fragrance combines notes of rosemary and eucalyptus, both invigorating and revitalizing scents. The glass color is a vibrant green, a stimulating color, making it the perfect choice for an office environment.fo
Since LAFCO New York has its roots in botanical and natural fragrance and skincare, and because our philosophy is to create products that smell good (and are good for you), it was imperative to us we use the cleanest and safest ingredients available. We create our candles with a clean-burning blend of soy wax, with no petroleum. Our reed diffuser fragrance formula contains zero alcohol, so it not only is good for you, but the fragrance lasts much longer. Also, all of our candle glass is hand-blown, using techniques from one of the oldest glass factories in Bohemia. Each glass piece is a creation as unique as our customers!
Which are your core products?
• Signature Candle – Our original creation has a 90 hour burn time and is hand-poured here in the USA.
• Signature Diffuser – Our reed diffuser has an innovative design that allows it to be completely refillable; it’s eco-friendly luxury! The glass vessel is hand-crafted and may be enjoyed for many years.
• Hand Care Collection (Liquid Soap + Hand Cream + Bar Soap) – Artisanally crafted in Italy and Portugal, our hand care collection uses natural ingredients, without any sulfates, parabens or palm oil, that is gentle to your skin, as well as the environment.
Can we have a message of hope and support to other small-medium companies from NY to Italy
As business slows right now, and we all hunker down together as a call to public safety, our hope is that we help remind people that there is still so much beauty in the world. Now, more than ever, people are looking to their favorite brands to offer inspiration and escape. We feel our mission, as with all brands, is to continue to connect with our customers during this challenging time and lean in to their stories and ideas. We will all get through this darkness together, and in the process, learn valuable lessons that not only strengthen us, but also our companies.
Pick up your 5 favourite products and explain why?
Feu de Bois 3 Wick Candle – My NYC studio doesn’t come with a fireplace, but this is the next best thing. I love how the woody notes of cedar and sandalwood combine to create the warming effect of a roaring fire during cold winter nights. In the summer, it reminds me of the campfires of my childhood. I love it so much, I burn this candle all year long!
Amber Signature Candle – Amber has always been a fragrance I’m drawn to and this candle captures its essence perfectly. The deep blue color of the glass makes it feel modern and timeless at the same time.
Sea and Dune Classic Diffuser – Our Classic Diffuser is a new design that we just introduced this year. The small size of the diffuser fits perfectly in a smaller space, like a guest room or even a closet. Sometimes I don’t have the time to burn a candle and this is a great alternative for adding scent to a room. The Sea and Dune fragrance transports you to a house by the ocean. Bring this as gift wherever you stay, and I guarantee the host or hostess will invite you again and again.
Discovery Trio– This is just brilliant! If you’re shopping online, the challenge is you can’t smell fragrance through the computer. How many times have you come across a product online and wished you could smell it? The Discovery Trio is the idea we came up with. You select 3 different candle fragrances of your choice. Each sample is a mini candle so you can experience the product before you commit to the full size. Its a great gift for those hard to shop for friends!
Wick Trimmer + Snuffer– I have a candle obsession (clearly), so I understand how important it is to take good care of your candles. My golden rule: you must trim the wick each time you burn your candle. Otherwise, the wax will tunnel and the glass becomes smokey black. There is nothing worse! Our Wick Trimmer + Snuffer is an ingenious design our team created that simultaneously extinguishes the candle flame and trims the wick. No mess and your candle always burns perfectly.
Where can people find your products?
LAFCO may be found in many independent boutiques, hotels and spas across the USA. We are also available in department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. Of course we also ship worldwide through our e-commerce store at LAFCO.COM.
The British Fashion Council (BFC) has just announced that for the next twelve months, all London Fashion Week will merge womenswear and menswear designers into a one-gender platform, allowing greater flexibility.
From this June, London Fashion Week will take a new approach as a digital-only platform in light of these delicate times and will run from June 12 2020 through its normal time. The digital platform (available at www.londonfashionweek.co.uk) will relaunch and be for both trade and consumer audiences.
The new digital experience will be open to global audiences, offering interviews, webinars, digital showrooms and exclusive insights in London’s fashion, giving the opportunity to existing collections and retailers to make orders for next season’s merchandise.
With an aim of boosting a community, London Fashion Week will ensure storytelling is done to give a fresh voice to British fashion, putting together a platform that comprises content from designers, creatives, artists and brand partners, enabling collaboration and bringing together fashion, culture and technology.
Caroline Rush CBE, BFC Chief Executive commented: “It is essential to look at the future and the opportunity to change, collaborate and innovate. Many of our businesses have always embraced London Fashion Week as a platform for not just fashion but for its influence on society, identity and culture. The current pandemic is leading us all to reflect more poignantly on the society we live in and how we want to live our lives and build businesses when we get through this. The other side of this crisis, we hope will be about sustainability, creativity and product that you value, respect, cherish. By creating a cultural fashion week platform, we are adapting digital innovation to best fit our needs today and something to build on as a global showcase for the future. Designers will be able to share their stories, and for those that have them, their collections, with a wider global community; we hope that as well as personal perspectives on this difficult time, there will be inspiration in bucketloads. It is what British fashion is known for.”
The London Original Print Fair has pledged its plans of creating an online version of the event in May, due to the Covid-10 outbreak. Originally scheduled to take place at the Royal Academy of Arts, the event will launch a digital version which aims at comprising a “browse and buy” selection of works.
In addition, viewing rooms will enable visitors to view and purchase prints spanning five centuries, while number of exhibitors will host themed exhibitions. A multimedia map will give visitors the opportunity to dive into a number of stands.
Being London’s longest-running art fair, London Original Print Fair online will host 51 print dealers, galleries and publishers cross-globally, providing resources for collectors to showcase prints on the current art market.
The list of exhibitors includes numerous galleries across the countries, encompassing the works of artists that span from Rembrandt to David Hockney.
The event will launch on May 1, and it will be shown live at London Original Print Fair’s website for the whole month.
Two months after Kobe Bryant’s death, the NBA star is receiving his sport’s greatest honour. Bryan has been appointed to lead this year’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class. The announcement was made formally Saturday on ESPN.
Bryant was a five-time NBA star and the fourth all-time leading scorer in league history, winning two Olympic gold medals. The 2020 class may epitomise one of the most glorious ever in basketball history. The late Laker will be enshrined along with Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Women’s NBA star Tamika Catchings.
In a conversation with ESPN, Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant told ESPN: ““It’s an incredible accomplishment and honour. We’re extremely proud of him. Obviously, we wish he was here with us to celebrate.” She described the inauguration “the peak of his NBA career” and remarked that “there’s some solace knowing that he was probably going to be part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class.”
The Class of 2020 will be hallowed on August 29 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
We have interviewed Yossi Fisher, a brand consultant and brand strategist who also in this delicate period is carrying out international projects with costumers and associations. Here some reflections related to the phase that the fashion system is going through.
You are connected with many creative people around the world. What is the general sentiment of the people about this moment?
There are a lot of emotions circulating these days, and respectfully so. There’s no denying the uncertainty of these times. What I’m noticing is while some are seeing the troubles it’s causing in their careers or businesses, the majority of those people are using this time as a way of re-assessing what truly makes them happy, and what they want to return to – or not, when this is all over. Ultimately, it seems to be a time of great reflection, and people are using it as a way to step back and redefine the values their careers and businesses are built on, and their progressive relevance – or lack there of, as we move towards navigating a whole new set of industry landscapes.
How do you think the fashion system will overcome the crisis and rethink its models?
The fashion system is now forced to take a massive step back and re-asses itself in its entirety. Everything from freelance structures to content, production to manufacturing, retail to design and all the way though to Live streaming, Fashion Weeks, PR dynamics, and digital initiatives … and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. As a system all of its components effect the Fashion Economy and how the industry operates as a whole. The entire idea of Fashion will be forced to take a massive step backwards in order for it to move forward. As a collective industry we all have felt in one way or another how broken it’s all become, but there was nothing truly driving change across all of its channels until now, making this a very exciting time.
In my opinion, there’s too much romance and idealism and not enough practicality in the system. I believe this crisis will be the catalyst for healthier business practices, as well as a stimulus for mental health initiatives, especially within freelance and creative communities. Many within those circles are already rethinking why they’ve put themselves through so much financial uncertainty and lack of job stability for so long.
As they find new interests and hobbies that make them happier during this forced pause, many are questioning what exactly it is they’re going to want to do after this is all over. Regarding Businesses, they will need to humanise their practices even further, and will have to face massive questions like; whether trading off ethical values for higher margins and selling more products is emotionally or environmentally sustainable, and how their supply chains and practices will be scrutinized by their consumers as people’s values and humanities change. Many feel that sustainability will be a driving force forward, but even that has its challenges; especially how it tends to price out many consumers who share its values, but can’t afford the slow fashion price points.
As we enter a world with less people employed, and strained finances, many businesses are going to have to strategically reframe their losses if they plan on getting ahead of the curve and have a hand in redefining the industry.
How do u see the future of the retail (physical stores vs digital?)
We are very far away from a completely online world but we are evolving for sure, there’s no question. Physical and digital will both play a massive part in the future of retail, but they will both have to be much more consumer centric. Physical spaces may need to downsize, integrate more digital components, hold less stock, and treat their spaces more as experiential than just a place to shop.
Dynamic in-store brand experiences that revolve more around their culture than products will be a good way to keep consumers coming back, which will usher in the opportunity for much more dynamic collaborations. Online digital initiatives will have to become more personal as well though. Currently E-com shopping lacks personalization and engaging emotional prompts, so having brand specialists go live with scheduled showings, presentations, and collection run-throughs (one on one with VIP’s or mass sessions, where consumers can chime in with questions to better understand their purchases) will be a great way to deepen community, trust and drive D2C conversations.
We will certainly witness more confusion and market disruptions while everyone finds their bearings. Physical retail may need to scale back to invest finances deeper in to their ecosystem, while the Digital realm may require more testing investment as the depths of its foundations and structures are still being explored. I believe the brands that will win he next 6-18 months will be the ones promoting more ethically driven, consumer-centric businesses models.
You started some live conversations with designers and entrepreneurs. What did u get from these dialogues?
I have really enjoyed the IG-Live Talks & Zoom Sessions I’ve been a part of during these times. It’s allowed me to share tips, strategies, and insights with so many communities and platforms (like here on MANINTOWN). More than anything though, I’ve really been using those opportunities to really listen to the ones I’ve been engaging with and the questions I’ve been receiving from our collective followings.
Taking an empathetic approach to these conversations has allowed me to forecast what the world will need post Covid-19. One thing I’ve noticed to be a constant though is the human approach in how these LIVE Talks have been playing out. We’re all vulnerable to these massive global shifts, and it’s obvious just how interconnected we all are. Everyone needs to remember that although we are all going through our own set of challenges, we truly are all in this together. Social media and online communities are offering support in many different forms, and that has really been beautiful to see.
What is your advice for the companies and brands to restart?
EQ is now more important than IQ. The future of companies and brands won’t be products or services; it will be empathy. Leading with empathy at this time and perpetually forward will fundamentally be the most important tool at our disposal.
The humans and businesses that are going to come out of this on-top are the ones that aren’t solely focussing on their problems, but rather on how to solve the ones everyone else is facing. For example; many people have been, and unfortunately will continue to lose their jobs.
As a boutique, perhaps a good idea would be to create a campaign initiative for people that have recently found themselves unemployed, offering a complete outfit (suiting, etc.) + a CV consultation (perhaps serviced through an outsourced professional). That way when businesses open up and start hiring again, these people will be ready and well equipped to hit the market and better their lives again. Consider this a stronger shift towards a Giving Economy.
If you’re a CBD company, perhaps integrate in to your culture a meditation series, exercise video’s, journaling tips, healthy eating to promote clean bodies, etc. Look at ways to help others with their mental health right now. Provide free structured self betterment initiatives, provide resources to nurture and support people’s mental spaces. Both those ideas show that your business actually cares, and that’s what people need now more than ever.
Innovating consumer appreciation initiatives across physical and digital channels will fundamentally compound success rates over time, deepen community appreciation, and strengthen customer relations.
To offer a starting point strategy, Businesses should be asking question like; what do our consumers care about, what would elevate their lives, and how can we express to them that our values align with theirs? How do we do it in a way that isn’t a direct sell? How we do we humanise our approach?
These are the types of healthy, empathetic actions needed not only to restore our trust in brands, but more importantly, our faith in humanity.
yossifisher.com; IG: @yossi_fisher
Photographed by nathanrichardsphoto.com; IG: @nathanrichardsphoto
On the 2ND of April 2020, Nike sharply closed its largest distribution center in Frayser, Tennesse after an employee tested positive for Coronavirus. The 2.8 million-square-foot facility is where most of the brand’s sneakers are shipped out of and is now implemented with a scrupulous disinfection process.
In an official statement to MLK50, Nike remarked the following: “The health and safety of our team is always our first priority. We have temporarily closed one of our Memphis, TN, distribution facilities. During this period, we will be conducting a comprehensive disinfection process. We are targeting to reopen at 6 a.m. Sunday, April 5.”
According to the report, employees were informed that one of them had tested positive for the virus, leaving such case with a decision to shut down facilities after a Meeting of that same day. Workers were informed that they would continue to be paid during the temporary closure and were handed a hotline number to seek for further assistance.
The North American Logistic Campus in Frayser is Nike’s largest in the world and one of the most crucial locations of the brand’s online commerce operations. It remains to be seen how this temporary closure will affect Nike’s distribution worldwide.
Apple has officially announced the cheapest handset of its range, the iPhone SE. Starting at around £320, the device comes in black, white, and red, available for pre-orders from Friday, April 17.
The iPhone serves as the second generation of the iPhone SE. Its features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display and Touch ID while powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic, which is the fastest chip in a smartphone. According to Apple, the phone boasts the best single camera system to date in an iPhone.
The iPhone SE is constructed with aerospace-grade aluminium and durable glass. It’s water resistant up to one meter for 30 minutes and also dust resistant. The home button on the phone is designed with sapphire crystal, featuring a steel ring that is able to detect a user’s fingerprint for touch ID. The single-camera system includes a 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture wide camera with Portrait mode, six Portrait Lighting effects, and Depth Control. Smart HDR relights objects in a frame to offer a more natural look to the image. The rear camera can capture a video at 4K up to 60fps, while QuickTake video on the front and rear cameras allows someone to record a video without leaving Photo mode.
The iPhone can be charged wirelessly with Qi-certified chargers. Fast-charging provides the phone with up to a 50 percent charge in just 30 minutes. Users can also adopt the dual sim modality to have two separate lines on the same number, but on the same device.
It comes in storage capacities of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.
Burberry dedicates its resources to support global efforts in combatting covid-19 outbreak. The brand has pledged to hep fund University of Oxford’s research into a single-dose vaccine and has planned on donating to various charities to help tackle crisis in food and poverty across the UK.
“The whole team at Burberry is very proud to be able to support those who are working tirelessly to combat COVID-19, whether by treating patients, working to find a vaccine solution or helping provide food supplies to those in need at this time,” stated Burberry’s CEO Marco Gobbetti.
However, the philanthropic move goes on. On top of distributing 100,000 surgical masks to the NHS, the company has also pledged to repurpose its iconic Yorkshire unit to manufacture non-surgical gowns and masks for medical workers and patients cross-globally.
The six-figure sum (which amounts to €300,000 prize) has been split between the eight finalists, meaning that each will be able to enjoy the cash reward. The designers in question are: Casablanca, Ahluwalia, Peter Do, Chopova Lowena, Nicholas Daley, Sindiso Khumalo, Supriya Lele, and Tomo Koizumi will all get a share of the bounty.
Luxury Conglomerate LVMH has also set up a fund to support young fashion designers that will be available to all previous winners of the LVMH Prize from previous editions (Marine Serre, Jacquemus and others). The fund will be mostly complemented with the remaining Prize money from this year’s Karl Lagerfeld prize, which is the competition’s equivalent of second place.
Delphine Arnault said in a statement: “Since its launch, the LVMH Prize has promoted and nurtured young talent. Each year, it places the spotlight on young designers from all over the world and supports the development of their companies. In this challenging context, this Fund in aid of young fashion designers highlights the main mission of the LVMH Prize by supporting our former winners.”
New Balance has began producing face masks in response to the current covid-19 crisis. The footwear brand made it clear via an Instagram post, showing an image of a mask and the call out “Made shoes yesterday, Making masks today.”
The Boston-hailed label has teamed up to join brands such as Nike – which has commenced prototyping personal protective equipment (PPE) – in the coronavirus relief effort. It has also recently pledged $2 million to support efforts made on local, regional and global levels, mainly affected by the pandemic.
“We are producing prototypes for face masks in our Lawrence, MA manufacturing facility,” the footwear brand has said in a press release, adding, “and [we] hope to scale production using our other New England factories soon.”
Italian luxury menswear association Zegna has joined forces in the fight against Coronavirus. The Zegna group, together with the label’s senior management have pledged a 3 million euros donation to Italy’s Civil Protection (Protezione Civile), which is aimed at helping doctors, nurses, researchers and volunteers on the front-line.
The news came after The Zegna Group pledged to reshape part of its production facilities in Italy and Switzerland into manufacturing labs for masks. The group is set to make a direct donation to several hospitals, in order to purchase ventilators and masks.
“At Zegna, we believe our actions today will shape our tomorrow,” remarks Gildo Zegna, CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna, in a statement. “The pandemic we are all facing is a call for people around the world to take action. Each of us must do our part, in every way possible, to stop this global emergency.”
Further luxury brands converting production facilities to supply medical equipment and gear comprise Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Ferragamo – among others.
Prada has donated new intensive care and revitalization units to three main hospitals in Milan, as reported by Corriere.
In a brief statement, Prada announced that it donated “two full units to intensive care and resuscitation to each of the following hospitals in Milan, Italy: Vittore Buzzi, Sacco, and San Raffaele.” The donation was made by head Designer Miuccia Prada, CEO Patrzio Bertelli and Chairman of Prada SpA, Carlo Mazzi.
Prada’s philanthropic gesture comes as a consequence of a series of donations ushered by Italian labels. Armani has donated millions of euros to four Italian hospitals: Luigi Sacco, San Raffaele, and Istituto dei Tumori (in Milan), counting the likes of Rome’s institute Lazzaro Spallanzani. On the other hand, Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital also received a six-sum intake of $220,000 in donation from icon Donatella Versace.
Luxury conglomerate LVMH reported a recent downfall in revenue (of 10%) to (20%) in comparison to the same period of last year, allegedly revealed due to the office closures and shoppers desisting from purchasing during Covid-19 pandemic. The company is slated to disclose first-quarter results on April 16.
LVMH’s reduced revenue earning is a tail now shared with the rest of the luxury world. Kering SA, company which owns the likes of Gucci, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent, on Friday March 27 revealed its sales and revenue fell of nearly 15%, with Burberry Group Plc. Noting on March 19 that its retail sales dropped between 40% and 50%, in comparison to the previous six weeks.
“In a particularly uncertain environment, the Group will maintain a strategy focused on the preservation of the value of its brands, supported by the exceptional quality of its products and reactivity of its teams,” LVMH shared in a statement. The “[outbreak’s] impact cannot be accurately calculated at this time without knowing the timing of a return to normal in these countries.”
Chanel is the latest luxury household to pivot to face mask and protective gear manufacturing in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.
In a recently released statement, Chanel observed: “[T]oday we are mobilizing our workforce and our partners […] to produce protective masks and blouses.” The storied fashion maison is currently developing prototypes, which will be sent out to relevant health organizations once approved by French authorities.
The brand also remarked that it would not be laying off any of its 4,500 employees as a result of the pandemic.
Chanel is an anomaly among fashion labels for not being held by luxury conglomerate such as LVMH or Kering S.A. However, Chanel steps along rivals Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Prada to ensure there are enough medical supplies to prevent lack cross-globally.
Vogue Italia’s April issue was recently released, landing a blank canvas as a response to the development of Covid-19 crisis. Emanuele Farneti, Vogue Italia’s Editor-in-Chief, confirmed on Instagram that though the April issue was already in the works, it was shelved quickly to make a more appropriate response to present circumstances.
Farneti also remarked: “to speak of anything else – while people are dying, doctors and nurses are risking their lives and the world is changing forever – is not the DNA of Vogue Italia.” Farneti says the white colour epitomises respect, rebirth, the uniforms of health of medical workers on the front line and a blank canvas for new beginnings.
As Vogue makes it clear, fashion upholds major risks and crisis with this pandemic, with independent households forced to pivot in production and protective gear, to step towards a final downfall of the virus.
Published this week on WWD an open letter by the pen of Maestro Giorgio Armani to the world of fashion. After being one of the very first one leaders to recognize the danger of the pandemic, showing his new collection behind closed doors during Milan Fashion Week, donating 2 ml euros to the local hospitals for research and cure, Armani also converted his manufacturing facilities in Italy to produce single use-disposable gowns, leading by example in this global fight against COVID- 19.
Giorgio Armani Julian Broad
The reflection explores, in Giorgio’s words this “absurd” current state of affairs exposing a world where fashion industry has fallen in “a criminal nonalignment between the weather and the commercial season” in a frenetic pursue of fast fashion.
The decline began when we pursued fast fashion
He continues on stating that the slow down forced by the pandemic is bringing to light a necessary redemption of value to the work and world of designers, which would ultimately bring the customers to the understanding of the value of fashion and its collections.
“The decline of the fashion system as we know it began when the luxury segment adopted the operating methods of fast fashion, mimicking the latter’s endless delivery cycle in the hope of selling more, yet forgetting that luxury takes time, to be achieved and to be appreciated. Luxury cannot and must not be fast. It makes no sense for one of my jackets or suits to live in the shop for three weeks before becoming obsolete, replaced by new goods that are not too different.”
Luxury takes time
Giorgio Armani’s creations as we know them are the indisputable symbol of timeless elegance. This pause is giving the world a chance to renew the pace of proposing ideas to the world especially giving the chance to refocus on production cycles and seasons, allowing to a more livable and therefore quality-driven fashion.
It is a moment of reflection that calls for a more ethical approach to fashion.
Timeless Elegance
“I don’t work like that, and I find it immoral to do so. I have always believed in an idea of timeless elegance, which is not only a precise aesthetic code, but also an approach to the design and making of garments that suggests a way of buying them: to make them last. For the same reason, I find it absurd that, in the middle of winter, one can only find linen dresses in the shops and alpaca coats in the summer, for the simple reason that the desire to purchase must be satisfied immediately.”
Who buys an item to put it in the closet waiting for the right season? None or just a few, I believe. But this, driven by department stores, has become the dominant mind-set, which I think is wrong and needs to change.
This crisis is an opportunity to slow down and realign everything; to define a more meaningful landscape. I have been working with my teams for three weeks so that, after the lockdown, the summer collections will remain in the boutiques at least until the beginning of September, as it is natural. And so we will do from now on.”
Slow down and realign
“Special events should happen for special occasions, not as a routine.” The expense of a grandiose show far surpasses and is no longer justifiable especially when, according to Armani, it carries just a mediocre message. The letter denounces a scenario where too much is spent on “vulgar” displays of “mild ideas”; the designer reinforces his invitation to focus on slow-paced high-quality measured communication adding on to the message of focusing on authenticity to “regain human dimension”
“It is nice to see that in this sense we are all united. For retail, this will be an important stress test. I want to send my heartfelt encouragement to the American fashion operators for the difficult weeks they will face ahead. United, we will make it. But we have to be united and operate in unison: This is perhaps the most important lesson we can learn from this crisis.
Last week, The Weekend, Drake and J,Cole teamed up in video-chatting an 11-year-old fan, Elijah Patrick Williams, prior to his death caused by cancer, as reported by Billboard. The young boy’s cousin, Michael Watson II, confirmed the news via an Instagram post on Sunday March 29.
Williams can be seen taking calls from J.Cole and The Weekend in the first video below and scroll through the gallery in the second post to see a snap of him talking to Drake.
Titled Martin Margiela: In His Own Words, the world awaits for the designer’s big-hit across the global screens this Friday.
Filmed 10 years after Margiela’s departure from his own label, the documentary gives an intimate glimpse into fashion’s most acclaimed and most puzzling figures.
The trailer looks at some of the momentous times of the designer’s career, comprising the introduction of the veiled model, using ice to alter the garment colour, the Tabi shoe, as well as delving into the accomplishments of his identity and career.
The film was directed by Reiner Holzemer and encompasses the likes of Carine Roitfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier among many more successful creative entrepreneurs.
Ralph Lauren donates $10 Million to help in combating coronavirus crisis. The sum, extended via the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, will go towards the company’s employees in need, as well as global communities impacted by the pandemic.
The recently-turned knight, together with the Foundation’s president Patrice Louvet, declared the pledge to WWD. “We believe that no matter who you are or where you are from, we are all connected. That is why we are taking significant action to help our teams and communities through this crisis,” Lauren remarked.
“We recognize that this is an unprecedented multifaceted crisis that demands different responses for different needs in different places,” Louvet continued. “That is why we are funding multiple activities to support our teams, our partners and our communities around the world.”
$10 million has reportedly been planned to go towards various programs, from financial grants for Ralph Lauren employees to the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 Fund. In addition, Lauren has committed in supplying medical equipment such as 25,000 isolation gowns and 250,000 masks.
Elsewhere, the company pledged that it will be closing stores and hospitality locations in selected countries until further notice. The wellbeing of our teams, friends, and family around the world is what matters most right now.” The announcement has been shared via a few Instagram posts, featured below.
Brook Brothers (also known as the “Company”), America’s oldest retailer, announced its response to the urgent call from the White House and other state leaders for medical supplies.
The Company is in the process of converting its New York, North Carolina and Massachusetts factories from manufacturing ties, shirts and suits to now making masks and safety gowns. Brooks Brothers plans to utilise these facilities to produce up to 150,000 masks per day, on a continuous basis to help increase protective gear for medical workers and wider demographic battling the spread of Covid-19, both at the nation’s hospitals and other facilities. The company pledged to be soon producing gowns.
Over the past two weeks, the Company has been in direct contact with Federal and State officials, task forces, several hospital systems and other municipalities and organisations.
As part of this effort, Brook Brothers has built an extensive liaison with Stop the Spread, a coalition of volunteer CEOs working in Washing D.C. and around the U.S., to legitimise and support government actions in relation to Covid-19.
The company has also teamed with leading universities recognised as centres for excellence for both textiles and technology in order to develop prototypes. Brooks Brothers has been working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration service to expedite the approval process.
For over 200 years, Brooks Brothers has been at the forefront of tackling some of the nation’s most critical issues – from its support o he Red Cross society in 1898 – to crafting U.S. military uniforms from the Civil War through today. The Company currently supports numerous national and local charities with a focus on health and welfare.
“We consider this a duty, and part of our DNA at Brooks Brothers, remarked Claudio Del Vecchio, Chief Executive Officer. “These are challenging times that are impacting us all. We are deeply grateful to the medical personnel at the frontlines who are fighting the pandemic, and we are honoured to do our part and join our peers in retail to provide protective masks that our health care system critically needs.
I also want to thank our dedicated manufacturing employees who are returning to work as we reopen our factories to make this possible.”
Adding up to the 150,000 masks crafted per day, Brooks Brothers expects to begin producing protective gowns. And for marking the product start, Brooks Brother’s factory personnel are set to return to their job this week following a two-week precautionary self-quarantine.
The company is closely following public health guidance and will enforce federal guidelines for sanitation and social distancing across all facilities to protect the welfare of its staff members.
Sergio Rossi, the founding entrepreneur of the eponymous brand, died at the age of 84 and had contracted the coronavirus. A great entrepreneur and shoe maker from the Romagna district who gave his name to one of the best known brands of made in Italy.
Its history cannot be separated from that of San Mauro Pascoli, a small town in Emilia Romagna known for the birth of Giovanni Pascoli, poet and singer of nature and everyday life. The post-war years saw the transformation of the area with its footwear vocation.
The success of the cobblers, who roamed the villages and farms, led to the change and progressive abandonment of the more traditional agriculture and livestock activities. Thanks to him, the village was transformed into a large artisan shop specializing in the production of sandals, which were then sold in small shops on the Riviera.
From this first artisan activity a flourishing industry was born and developed, which specializes in women’s high fashion footwear. Together with the shoe factories, small companies specializing in the manufacture of semi-finished products – soles, heels and bottoms – and workshops for cutting uppers by hand and machine are born and thrive in the same district of San Mauro Pascoli.
A true industrial craftsmanship that has been able to establish itself on the global market, focusing on the quality of materials and manufacturing as well as on the originality of the design. So in 1958 in San Mauro Pascoli the Mir Mar was built, the first industrial-sized shoe factory, while the nearby seaside towns such as Rimini are in full swing, then celebrated by Federico Fellini in his Amarcord.
From this cultural closeness with the great director a curious legend was born: in the masterpiece “La Dolce Vita” (1960) the décolleté worn by Anita Ekberg seem to be those of Sergio Rossi, who in those years built his fortune by focusing on footwear female.
This is the context from which the adventure of Sergio Rossi begins, who follows in the footsteps of his father, a skilled shoemaker, from whom he resumed his activity in 1956, creating the first handmade sandals.
Riccardo Sciutto, CEO of the Sergio Rossi Group, was inspired by this story of authenticity, named by Andrea Bonomi, founder and president of Investindustrial, an independent financial group that acquires 100% of the company from the Kering Group.
Sergio Rossi is back in Italian hands and thanks to Sciutto’s vision, the path to relaunching the brand begins. 2016 with the sr1 collection, inspired by the square-tipped model of the early nineties represents the new beginning, in the sign of the brand’s most genuine aesthetics. A path in which the contemporary reinterpretation of one’s legacy is central.
Sergio Rossi had declared in 1988: Since the beginning of our industrial activity we have concentrated all efforts in the search for form, an element that is of primary importance in the shoe … After the shape, the focus is on the other two elements that complete the structure of a successful shoe: style and quality.
Once the three ingredients are perfectly calibrated, success simply becomes a logical consequence ”. Today, thanks to the “Living Heritage” company museum, it is possible to relive all the salient milestones of Sergio Rossi through a selection of over 300 of the most representative and innovative wooden shapes of the brand.
From the shape of the very first “Opanca” sandal from 1966 to the large plant and low heel shapes of the seventies, to the tapered shapes of the décolleté, to the timeless pump “Godiva”: a significant representation of the history of this extraordinary artist-craftsman of form.
Even before the important photographic campaigns, Sergio Rossi entrusts his image to artists and illustrators who have created recognizable and ironic illustrations and drawings for him. Among the first could not miss the eclectic illustrator and stylist Alberto Lattuada, who with his creations and jokes has animated the world of Italian fashion for over fifty years.
Then it was the turn of Miguel Cruz, who in addition to creating some illustrations to advertise Sergio Rossi in the early 70s, is also a stylist who makes use of Sergio Rossi’s collaboration for the creation of footwear to match the looks and clothes of his collections.
Always designs of great strength and incisiveness are those made by the Swedish Mats Gustafson, a name that has become famous for his important collaborations with Hermès, Dior and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as with magazines of the caliber of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. When the brand reaches success, the moment has come to create real advertising campaigns that define the imagination and the Sergio Rossi woman.
To immortalize his shoes to make them style icons are called Italian and international photographers who made the history of photography. We pass from still life images where the product is the protagonist, to those set and more seductive thanks also to the presence of the top model.
From the great Italian masters such as, to name just a few, Piero Gemelli, Oliviero Toscani, Fabrizio Ferri, Giampaolo Barbieri, Marco Glaviano, to the most celebrated foreign talents, such as Albert Watson, Miles Aldridge, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Michel Comte and Peter Lindbergh.
The gotha of photography with Helmut Newton in the front row makes Sergio Rossi’s modernist style immortal. With him disappears a piece of history of Made in Italy and a charismatic figure of Italian footwear.
So, do you still think that individualism, an ancient dogma that the 80s with paleoconservatism have perpetrated in the minds, is still the only way possible? It seems now, more than ever, with this pandemic situation that is making us think about the way we treat our environment, but also how the economic system is collapsing, and, last but not least, how we treat and heal our body, that we actually need a refresh to follow new paths. And mostly, to have new mindset. This is a way of conceiving life typical of the East.
These people (differently from the West which has always focused on the machines’ development) has a centuries’ tradition of in-depth knowledge of body’s study. Prepare to listen to your body and other’s is a revolutionary practice. Probably the most effective in times of crisis like this.
Technology helps us as always! There are several apps and websites on meditation and mindfulness available for download on your tablets and mobile phones. What are you waiting for? Your spiritual revolution starts now! Myfitnesspal, for example, offers tips to stay healthy and active. The site imediatly specifies that meditation not only helps concentration, but also athletic performance. initially proposes three techniques to have more meditation in our lives, and then goes deeper. Then Serenity app is focused on daily meditation.
The proposal starts with level 1 (basic), to move on to expansion (level 2) up to continuous meditation (level 6). But this is only the beginning: then there is the advanced meditation course which includes 24 steps. The app has intuitive graphics. Finally we point out Simple Habit: meditation App. It is a daily meditation app for busy people. The strong point is the initial screen that offers various aids to the user: from getting better sleep to reducing anxiety. Then, after selecting your goal, you set the time and access the course with a small fee.
After the entire fashion world has placed major shifts towards supporting and backing Covid-19 turmoil, Gucci is the latest fashion house to pledge a lump-sum donation to battle against spreading coronavirus.
Based in Italy, where the epidemic has implemented huge havoc, the luxury label announced a 1 Million euros donation to the Italian Civil Protection Department (Protezione Civile) in partnership wit Intesa Sanpaolo and an additional million-euro sum to the United Nations Foundations Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund in support of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Gucci solicits its consumers and followers to join to help in raising financial backing to combat the pandemic. Those interested can help donating to the Solidarity Response Fund for WHO through the “donate” feature on Gucci’s website.
Moreover, Gucci is offering its social media accounts, owning over 70 million followers, to the World Health Organization to tackle public health information that could protect the health of the community.
Gucci’s President and CEO Marco Bizzarri and Creative Director Alessandro Michele remarked: ““This pandemic calls us to an unexpected task, but it is a call to which we respond decisively, advocating the selfless work carried out by health workers, doctors and nurses on the front lines every day in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, in Italy and in the rest of the world.
Their generosity and courage light our way forward in these difficult days. By supporting each other and helping those who are most vulnerable among us, we will be able to overcome this crisis: united, even more than before.”
As times of upheaval couldn’t get worse and all hopes seem to dim, the fashion industry knows how to get hold of the quickest solutions. On this occasion, the Alexander McQueen’s Sarabande foundation has consolidated in the making of free lectures on the subjects of art and fashion, as the world rolls in self-isolation.
Titled The Sarabande Sessions, the free-of-charge classes are set to broadcast talks from household such as Thom Browne, Tim Walker, Molly Goddard, and A-COLD-WALL*’s Samuel Ross – and that’s just to name a few.
The first session, on March 27, featured a dialogue between Oscar-winning designer Colleen Atwood and acting mogul Eddie Redmayne. Classes start everyday at 5 pm DMT and run until April 9.
The schedule is as follows:
Tuesday 31 March Camp: Notes on Fashion. Andrew Bolton in conversation with Liam Freeman.
Wednesday 1 April A-COLD-WALL*’s Samuel Ross in conversation with Bunny Kinney
Thursday 2 April Grayson Perry
Friday 3 April Script to screen: How to get your films made with Olivier Kaempfer, Amy Jackson and Fiona Lamptey.
Saturday 4 April Get your film seen: How to market your film with Bunny Kinney, Saam Farahmand and Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith
Sunday 5 April Jake Chapman in conversation with Mark Sanders
Monday 6 April Juno Calypso
Tuesday 7 April Maggi Hambling OBE in conversation with James Cahill
Wednesday 8 April Thom Browne in conversation with Tim Blanks
Thursday 9 April Tim Walker in conversation with Molly Goddard
In this moment in which we are far from anyone, our habits and our routines are very different.
From smart working to the various solutions to meet every need, including those to keep fit and blow off steam. Also, the choice of our outfit is in this direction: comfort is the master, with a charge of energy thanks to the bold colours of sweaters and t-shirt, alternating with more traditional collections for the most classic people, concluding with the silk, cotton and cashmere.
Arming themselves with positivity and setting new targets is the best strategy. For this reason, in this period, there are many tutorials online or lives on Instagram and Facebook based on sharing.
An example is @italia_smart which in its page offers its followers more than one solution to deepen their knowledge, test their creativity and doing homemade workouts.
Also the Yoga lessons of Denise dalla Giacoma are becoming popular https://denisedellagiacoma.com/ and the free sessions of bio-energetic practice through the YouTube channel of Daniele Mauro Guainazz ; praticabioenergetica.it
Moreover, Tonic Gym in Milan has activated a sporty programming live on Facebook visible at the link https://www.facebook.com/tonicfitness/ with 12 lessons per day from Monday to Friday.
Apple has launched a new app and website for users in the United States, in order to deliver accurate and reliable information regarding the Covid-19 condition.
The digital portal allows users to answer a series of questions around risk factors, recent exposures and symptoms for both themselves and their beloved ones. In turn, they will garner recommendations on steps that follow, together with guidance on social distancing and self-isolating measures, how symptoms should be monitored, whether or not a test is suggested, and when to contact medical wellbeing.
It should be feasible that Apple remarks that the program is designed to be a source for individuals and does not replace instructions from medical providers or guidance from public health authorities.The Apple Covid-19 website and app were created in partnership with the CDC, 1 the White House Coronavirus Task Force and FEMA. Click here for more.
Mauro Porcini joined Pepsi in 2012 as its first ever Chief Design Officer. Living in NYC and Italian native, he shares with us his experience during the Covid-19 epidemic. Mauro is an expert in design as well as global branding, a supporter of the Made in Italy and Italian style. We have asked his view, experience and a message for businesses and individuals during this global pandemic.
Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer of PepsiCo
Who has been or is inspiration and reference for you?
First of all my parents, though I may sound pretty obvious, probably for many. I took for granted for a long time. They taught me the importance of culture, of knowledge and of learning with curiosity. Culture was the most important thing in my family, and they passed on the love for it, leading by example. They studied, they read and they were interested in anything that was relevant. They were in owe of and loved people with culture: University teachers and people in television that somehow were showcasing that level of culture.
One very important value they taught was the need of being a good person. They are devoted Catholic, very Christian, very religious. My father is an architect and a painter, so I was surrounded by paintings in my house. So that was a great inspiration for me on the art side, and as a kid, I could draw very well. So it was really fun for me to draw with him and learn all kinds of techniques.
My mother instead was in love with literature, writing and reading and she loves writing poems with religious backgrounds and content. Still today they work together to publish daily paintings and thoughts online. You know, my parents are totally non technological but they figured out how to create a blog. They self-published different books, paintings, sketches with poems. They have been such an inspiration all my life.
2. Your personal definition of design and how did you apply it in your professional experiences?
Design is all about people. It’s all about understanding the needs and wants of people. Therefore, understanding what is important, what is relevant, what is meaningful to people, and then creating solutions. It could be a product, a service, a brand, an experience: all solutions that solve those needs and those wants, those desires and dreams. This is what designers do.
To do that, we need to understand three dimensions. One is the world of the human beings, psychology and anthropology. Semiotic and semantic, hence understanding people. Second dimension is business: how to do branding, distribution, how to work with your customers: it is important because once you understand those needs, you also need to find a way to create solutions that can be sold. Third dimension is technology: the one of the product, to manufacture the product.
The product needs to be feasible, sellable and you need to have the right technologies to do all of that. The connection between people, strategies slash business and technology is the key to create solutions that are meaningful to people to their needs and wants. Design is all about people and is all about fulfilling those needs, and those ones in a meaningful way.
3. How do you live in New York and how does it influence your work? What are the other places that inspire or relax you?
I deeply Love NY, I define it as the capital of capitals. People all around the world come to NY to do business, to create and inspire. There is a density of unbelievable people with great ideas and unbelievable drive to change the world that you cannot find in any other city in the world. This makes NY an amazing “piazza” where people with ideas meet people with resources to make things possible.
Having this density of people with amazing ideas, drive and energy to make things happen is very inspiring, but at the same time could be draining. You always have the desire to be out and join and meet these people that can inspire you.
To balance this out I have a house where I can escape in nature 2 hours away from the city, in the Hamptons. I love waking up and seeing deers in the garden and the sound of the fireplace crackling. In my life I have always been in a sort of suspension between two worlds: on one side a full energy of the city and on the other the full energy of nature, I love them both and a balance of two is what I feel comfortable with.
4. How are you facing the coronavirus situation and which stereotypes or preconceptions would you like to fight?
Mauro takes a deep breath and sighs, and I know he is gearing up to deliver his honest opinion with most empathy. If you follow Mauro on his IG account you already know his posts are often filled with social involvement messages and human sensitivity. The impact of coronavirus issue, the healthcare shortage of staff and gear, the impact that this pandemic has on our country and the others, is one that he has deeply at heart.
The Corona virus situation is absolutely mind blowing in so many different ways. Nobody expected it. Nobody understands how to face it: it’s scary and difficult to understand. The problem is that many people are underestimating the magnitude of this crisis.
As an Italian living in New York my message is “Wake up! This is not just something happening in Italy”.
Italy has the second-best performing healthcare system in the planet according to the World Health Organization. The US is far behind: there are by far less hospital beds per person than Italy.
My thoughts and my prayer go to all the families and all the individuals that have been and will be impacted by this. We need to make sure we are safe as individuals, families and if we have teams and companies is necessary to prioritize the safety of our people. We also need to find ways to maintain the basic business needs, in specific industries in particular: healthcare system, food and beverage, production and delivery, the production of any safety equipment, as well as information and entertainment.
The solution is to stay home. Many of us will need to be in the front line fighting this virus. Some of us may be able to work remotely, while many other will not.
Try to better yourself, to do something to grow: You have an amazing opportunity to invest your time. “Beat this virus with creativity.
In my case: I’m reading multiple books that I was planning to read and I never had time for, I started drawing again. I’m also writing my book. Actually, I’ve been writing this book for years. But now I am full on dedicated to it.
My goal is to grow and become better as a professional and also as a human being. So this is how I’m reacting to this virus and how I’m fighting it.
5. Your message of solidarity and energy to overcome this moment
My message of solidarity is: Beat the virus with Creativity.
As I mentioned already, we are living a tragedy with a very heavy death toll, but we also have the unique opportunity of getting time back in our life to slow down, invest on yourself and grow as a human being by learning new things. Read as much as you can. In brief do something that you always wanted to do, but you never had the time to.
This is how we’re going beat this virus from an emotional level. Obviously, you know, we still need to fight obviously this virus in a more practical way and contain it.
Let us use creativity to better ourselves, to grow and eventually share it also with others in order to inspire as many people as possible in this moment of difficulty.
6. Let’s talk about Made in Italy, of which you are a big supporter, and specifically how the role of the designer in future business in a world where the impact and physical interaction seems to be less and less prevalent?
A designer is a creator of meaning. A designer is somebody that understand the needs and wants of people and creates solutions. In the past those solutions were often material, and the material we were working with was wood, metal, or leather. These materials will stay in the future as well, obviously, you know, as there will always be a place for physical things.
Today, there is a new material that designers can play with and need to play with and it is bytes and gigabytes of information that you can translate in so many different ways: videos, digital content, all those megabytes of information the fly in the air.
As yourself: how does communication among devices work? what is the user interface and how do products connect with each other creating dialogue with each other? how do human beings connect with those products from their smart thermostats to wearable technology to their smart phone or device of the future that will interact with their home and their clothing and car. We design the connection of all these devices. Even when is intangible we design the way you interact with them and how user friendly, intuitive, simple to use it is. We design something that at the end of the day can be synthetized and defined as an experience and therefore there is a physical component of it and there is also an intangible component of it
At the end of the day, however, we do exactly what the designers of the past were doing. We understand people, their needs, their wants, and we create solutions that are meaningful for them, where material is not just wood metal or plastic but also intangible as bytes and the intangible experience of people with these contents made of bytes and these physical products that some how carry, receive or send the contents away.
7. Have you traveled the world to educate brands and their professionals on best practices : an advice to brands in this moment of stalemate and crisis?
My recommendation to any brand around the world right now is to be sensitive and be part of the global conversation. Create a content that is authentic. It needs to be aligned to your brand promise, to what you stand for. It needs to be relevant to your target audience. Be part of the conversation, have a specific message that invokes energy and positivity or offer solutions that can be informative or entertaining. Offer value to your audience in a way that is informative, entertaining and authentic as possible, aligned to your promise, to your positioning and with the tonality that is typical of your brands.
8. Last but not least Mauro let’s talk about YOUR SHOES. you left NY temporarily to stay at home in the Hamptons, to stay at home, retreat and to contribute and rightly follow the guidelines dictated by the concept of “Social Distancing” as a weapon to combat the spread of this terrible virus. Are your beloved shoes (from you and us) now in quarantine?
My shoes, I miss my shoes in New York! I have my emergency collection you know, Here in America some people have collections of tomatoes and flowers and cookies and chips to use this in case of catastrophes, I have that and my shoes, about 50 pairs of them. It is you know My emergency collection!
“In this way,you know, while the other pairs, stay in New York resting and being safe, I will just as safely, enjoy this smaller collection here. “
He jokes about it, but truly Mauro is a lover of shoes and he has a collection of approx. 350 shoes, 50 of which now in quarantine with him, the rest back in his apt in NYC..
We wish Mauro to be safely reunited with his beloved quarantined shoes soon, curious to see what he will design next, and we wish all of you to stay safe, stay in and work on a better future by utilizing Creativity to beat the virus!
