Tate Awards 10 Artists A “Turner Bursary” In Lieu Of This Year’s Turner Prize

The Tate has officially announced that it shall award 10 artists with a £10,000 GBP bursary (approximately $12,300 USD) in lieu of this year’s Turner Prize.

In normal occasions, The Turner Prize jury would have announced it shortlist of artists in May and would have invited them to create artworks to be displayed in its autumn exhibition. However, as gallery spaces are shut down amidst the coronavirus disruptions, Tate has introduced Turner Bursaries which aims to help a larger selection of artists during these uncertain times. 

This year’s jury has spent the past 12 months visiting hundreds of exhibitions to select nominees for the now-canceled Turner Prize exhibition. Much like the Turner Prize, these bursaries will be awarded to British and Britain hailed artists who have contributed remarkable works in the contemporary arts spectrum. A virtual meeting will be held in June to choose the 10 bursary winners. 

Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain and chair of The Turner Prize jury, commented in a press statement: “The practicalities of organizing a Turner Prize exhibition are impossible in the current circumstances, so we have decided to help support even more artists during this exceptionally difficult time. I think JMW Turner, who once planned to leave his fortune to support artists in their hour of need, would approve of our decision. I appreciate visitors will be disappointed that there is no Turner Prize this year, but we can all look forward to it returning in 2021.”

Dickies’ Latest Collection Looks At The Colourful ‘90s For SS20

Referencing a time when freedom was in the air and everyone was there for a good time (how wistful), Dickies adopted 1990’S tailoring elements and styles to create their SS20 collection. The brand adopts those famous nineties styles into something more contemporary. Using modern, lightweight construction techniques and breathable premium cottons, the brand fused tailoring and sportswear shapes to create a modern take on that urban spirit we’ve always yearned for. Colourful codes are one – of the many – Dickies’ trademarks. Never one to shy away from the brightest of hues, for SS20 Dickies thought it was important to lighten-up our lives in these dark and stressful times. 

A poised take on the retro-inspired trend, the brand taps a past that sees a future filled with novelty and fresh cues. Building a heritage on existing styles within the iconic range, Dickies’ designers deliver a lesson in dynamic and versatile dressing intermixing a blasé take on chromatic elements. Hybrids are made-up of two sight-grabbing combinations: multi-panel constructions and of bold blues, reds and yellows juxtaposed by a softer palette.

Ever since the company’s prime foray, counting over 100 years since its dawn, the brand’s expansion has led to the reinvention of wearable and functional apparel that adopts a culture spanning beyond the likes of functionality – but prods to a perpetuation of practical-driven fashion. Now, more than ever. 

Apple’s Latest Update Warns When Someone With Covid-19 Is Nearby

Apple has released iOS 13.5 and iPad 13.5 GM to developers as of this week. According to 9to5Mac, the update includes the first version of the company’s Covid-19 exposure notification API.

Apple utilises Bluetooth to exchange anonymous identifiers when two people are in close vicinity to one another. If a person has tested positive to Coronavirus, their phone can share a list of everyone they’ve been in contact with to the cloud. When the other person’s iPhone downloads a list of everyone who tested positive (for the virus) in the area, they will be informed of any positive cases around them and prompted to inform health authorities. 

The new feature also shares updates for Face ID. Face ID recognises when someone is wearing a mask, as it has become a pivotal item, and immediately switches over the passcode screen, speeding up the unlock process ever significantly. Face ID itself won’t work, however, until a mask is removed.

The Couture Books By Assouline: Between Style, Poised Craftsmanship And “Art De Vivre”

If you ever wondered who Prosper and Martine Assouline are, look no further than here. Booksellers of luxury, trailblazers across editorial haute couture, eclectic connoisseurs lusting for voluptuous beauty embodied in the opulence of the most precious accessories; but there’s more. The duo are the pioneering founders of the iconic luxury publishing house of the same name and the forerunners of a “Culture of Luxury” typified in the niche book, an art object for furniture and collection. Luxury isn’t equivalent of wealth, but, as Franca Sozzani well wrote in her editorial: “Luxury today implies exclusivity, almost uniqueness and not because it is for the few, but because it is special. Luxury is research, the possibility of experimenting new ways, of finding new solutions that are not too obvious and already seen.”

Moreover, enlivened by a spirit of “nouvelle vague” in the early 1990s, the Assouline couple perpetuated the intuitive and modern vision of illustrated books to a market that was still too conservative and lacking in “fashionable” publications. 

In 1994, Prosper and Martin decided to dedicate a photo book to their favourite hotel La Colombe D’Or, a small retreat also loved by Jacques Prévert just outside the village of Saint-Paul de Vence, known throughout the world as an intimate place where Provencal art de vivre blends with a stunning private collection of modern art. “For us it is the quintessence of luxury, a place where you can eat simple tomatoes surrounded by paintings by Picasso and Léger“. After this dedication of love, with the successful “pilot” series Memoire de Mode, a tribute to some great designers, they chose a building on Park Avenue, in international and cosmopolitan New York as the headquarters of their receptacle of style and culture, the Maison D’Édition Assouline. And in 2014 they open their first flagship store in the heart of the busy Piccadilly Circus, in an old bank designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1922. A distinct philosophy is at the basis of a plethora of publications part of the Assouline brand: an identifiable identity along with a polished savoir faire marry a contemporary visual narrative.

Case in point: The ability to observe a subject from a different, unprecedented perspective, as in “Dinner with Jackson Pollock.” A visual journey through the rooms and garden of Springs’ Long Island home, Pollock’s studio, the portraits and dishes that the artist and his wife, Lee Krasner, loved to offer their guests. Thus, discovering a “Jack the Dripper”, not only a painter, but also a baker lover of homemade pastries and cakes, dedicated to fishing, gardening and the first fruits of the season. The book – with a preface by Francesca Pollock, the painter’s nephew – illustrates about fifty recipes that collect Lee Krasner’s handwritten cues, Pollock’s creations and his mother Stella’s traditional recipes, but also many suggestions from famous friends.

Flaunt luxury with a praise for handcrafted luxury bookmaking, as in “The Impossible Collection of Bentley.” A fine $1,450.00 coffee table book bound in ivory leather to celebrate the centenary of the famous British car manufacturer founded in 1919 by young engineer Walter Owen Bentley. An elegant photographic tour through 200 pages, 150 illustrations and 100 revolutionary and glorious Bentley models from the 3-Litre Le Mans winner to the luxurious S2 to the Continental GT coupé.

Design Special Edition, as in “Mosques: The 100 Most Iconic Islamic Houses of Worship.” A book, in just 300 copies, made of silk, velvet and woven gold threads that accompanies readers to the entrance to the 100 most significant prayer buildings in the world, to celebrate the great beauty of architectural wonders. The places of worship, from time immemorial, have been the sign of human greatness: the nobler and more sumptuous the temple, the nobler the society. And this spirit of magnificence is no exception to the imposing architecture of Islamic mosques with their precious decorations, enamels, carvings, marble and ceramics. 

On a style note, as in “Gaetano Savini: The Man Who Was Brioni.” At a time when Savile Row was synonymous with men’s style, an Italian figure, Gaetano Savini, reinvented men’s fashion with the luxury brand Brioni, and his far-sighted legacy is celebrated in this spectacular illustrated edition. Full of letters, photographs and personal anecdotes, this volume recounts the brand known as “the Dior of menswear”. 

Travel with the imagination, as happens with the oversized volume dedicated to “AIUla”. A journey, in huge format, into the fertile and remote Valley of AIUla, in Saudi Arabia, with its pure oases, rock paintings, majestic tombs dug out of the rocks, rugged mountains and the suggestive canyons.

We love books more than anything. They are the testimony of the present and the past. They are legacy and innovation. They are what remains in the trifling of the digital world.”

Venice Biennale 59th International Art Exhibition Postponed Until 2022

Despite originally moving schedule from May 23 to August 29 this year, Venice Biennale’s 59th International Art Exhibition has been postponed until 2022. As one of the world’s largest (and most prized) exhibitions, its organisers have decided to move the event to make a way for the 17th International Architecture Exhibition “How Will We Live Together?” which was originally scheduled to launch this May.

The new events dates will now go from April 23 to November 27, 2022, meaning the new schedule will coincide with documenta, another prominent art exhibition held once every five years in Kassel, Germany, which was set to launch this summer.

“In the past few weeks it has become apparent that holding the Architecture Biennale this year would have dramatically compromised the event, leaving countless of nations without the representations of their pavilions and preventing hundreds of architects and thousands of viewers to participate in the exhibition,” said Cecilia Alemani, curator of the High Line in New York and artistic director of the next Venice Biennale. “I look forward to having more time with the artists to develop ambitious new projects.”Alemani added: “In 2022, the Art Biennale will open two days before the day in which Italy traditionally celebrates the end of World War II: I hope that the occasion will mark a new celebration of togetherness, a new sense of participation and communion that we are all very much looking forward to.”

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Announces New On-App Shopping Feature

As retailers cross-globally are being forced to adapt to measures during global disruptions for the pandemic, Facebook has announced the launch of a new shopping feature intended to help businesses sell their products online.

Facebook shops, which was announced on Tuesday May 19, will begin rolling immediately, enabling retailers to sell products directly to consumers on both Facebook and Instagram. 

Businesses can also create their own visual “storefront,” which can be customised with imagery and colours. Moreover, stores can have their own business front page, as well as in stories and adverts. Sellers of all sizes are being encouraged to use this new feature, with a fee-free participation cost for all retailers – a type similar to Facebook Marketplace, which surfaces local ads.

The new feature will also be supported across Facebook and Instagram Live, enabling viewers to make product purchases on live streams (real time).

Facebook has launched this new to boost sales amidst global crisis, which has caused a number or closures around the world.

Tie-Dye Is Spurring Hot Vibes Only For 2020 – (So You’re Welcome, DIY)

If your proclivity longs for a cool-meets-slick style renaissance, stop everything you’re doing: The tie-dye technique is a mainstay, so be prepared to embrace it.

Tie-dye was once the stuff of elementary school arts and crafts–DIY gifts bestowed upon parents and grandparents on special occasions. Then, it became a cure for middle school boredom–a photogenic (and budget-appropriate) backyard event for kids who preferred matching tees to friendly bracelets. Now, more than ever, it’s become a full-blown (and sworn) trend for Spring/Summer 2020. Indeed, tie-dye has peaked the helmed of this year’s most coveted trends, elevating fashion to a new status, already pervading our Instagram feeds and favourite retailers.

The 2020 tie-dye obsession began back in September (during the Spring/Summer 2020 catwalks), when R13, Prabal Gurung and Eckhaus Latta stormed tie-dye pieces at New York Fashion Week. Of course, these trend-frenzy items barely resembled their forefathers. 

With tie-due clothes from years past evoke images of the ‘60s and ‘70s–or to say the least, memories of haphazardly dumping colour-rich dye onto cheap T-shirts-contemporary tie-dye hybrids feel crisp and edgy. Once-distinct shades haven’t blended together to form new, compelling tones; they’re starkly separate, acting more as a print than a chromatic fusion.

The result? A dynamic, hot trend that feels clean but organic, bohemian but tailored, avant-garde but contemporary. The reinvention of tie-dye tells us a story of enormous juxtaposition: but juxtaposition that triumphs (decade after decade), that uplifts (one’s dreary style conundrum through tonal psychedelia), that works (if paired accurately), time and time again.

Tie-dye is too often linked to the puerile pleasure-seekers of Ken Kesey’s party bus. But as designer brands refuse to let go (case in point: Loewe’s SS20 iconic tie-dye collection), and as famous men of all shades further indulge, tie-dye isn’t solely for festival season. Though this 2020 fashion trend has been in the works throughout lockdown around the globe, it’s already trickled in many (big and small) fashion retailers. By shopping designers and budget-friendly staples, alike, you can get an incredibly power-tone glimpse at the perfect tie-dye composition (and serve-up the best off-duty looks in the process).

Dip your eye in the below gallery and get ready for a full immersion, assured you won’t sigh nor yawn. You’re welcome.

Balenciaga Lands A New Flagship Store In London

Reports comment that luxury label Balenciaga has authorized a deal to open a new flagship store on London’s Bond Street. The Kering-owned label came in accord with British footwear and handbag retailer Russell & Bromley to take over its lease on for its store on New Bond Street.

Kering liaised with the building’s landlord, the City of London Corp., to take over the first floor of offices above the store too, therefore giving Balenciaga a new two-story flagship shape. Sources commenting on the matter report that Balenciaga allegedly paid $6.2 million USD to take over the lease. However, the parties refused to comment on Bloomerang.

Here’s Your Chance To Gain A Once In A Lifetime Opportunity With Nike

Sportswear giant Nike, as part of the brand’s ongoing response with Coronavirus, CEO and President John Donahoe will be giving one lucky fan the opportunity to win a private tour of Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. The winner will also get to design a pair of their own sneakers with help from the company’s design team.

The experience is part of Fanatics’ “All in Challenge,” a virtual fundraiser supporting a number of non-profit organizations working on Covid-19 relief efforts. Donahoe made the declaration in a video posted to the challenge organizer’s website.

Nike’s serving-up a once in a lifetime opportunity, which includes an all-expenses-paid trip, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Nike world headquarters, attending a design session with the brand’s top designers to create customised sneaker design, and a one-to-one mentorship session with Donahoe.

Donations for this experience are now open with bids starting at $10 for 10 entries and $100 for 200 entries. All of the proceeds will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry, eliminating food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic. Bidding ends on June 3.

Festival Season 2020 – Reading And Leeds Cancel This Year’s Editions

Reading and Leeds Festival have officially cancelled their 2020 editions, dealing with the current situation and the fact that both aren’t able to cope with live music shows.

Reading and Leeds Festival is annually scheduled over a three-day weekend in August, in chorus taking place in Leeds and in England. This year’s festivities were supposed to be led by Rage Again, Stormzy, Liam Gallagher and more. 

Organizers of the premier UK festival announced the event’s cancellation in a lengthy statement: “Reading and Leeds will no longer be taking place this year. We’ve been closely monitoring this unprecedented situation and we were hopeful we could deliver the ultimate festival to you in August, something to look forward to in these strange and confusing times. However, it has become clear that it’s just not possible for this year’s festival to go ahead.”

The festival continued to thank loyal patrons for their support and understanding, providing them with information for ticket refunds or retainment. Organizers also promised a much better installment next year, writing, “We’re already counting down the days to when we’re back in the fields we call home for the August Bank holiday weekend. We promise you that Reading and Leeds 2021 will be worth the wait.”

Instagram Introduces New Features To Deter Cyber-Scamming

After issuing Facebook’s Community Standards Enforcement Report, Instagram has launched a new series of features designed to deter cyber-spamming and offensive comments, progressing its fight against online bullying and harassment.

The first and most imperative feature comes with the platform now introducing a “mass delete” of comments option. Unlike the old method of deleting comments one by one, users will be given the option to delete up to 25 comments on each post, alongside choosing the accounts they want to restrict or fully block. 

The feature is designed to address the lack of effective e-traffic and to draw more traffic to accounts that have been affected by cyber-scams, as comments can inundate one’s post and have negative outputs overall. Along with this new feature, the platform has enabled people to pin their favourite posts at the top for people to read more easily. Lastly, Instagram will allow one to control which accounts can tag or mention you in either posts or stories. You’ll be provided with three categories to choose from: everyone, only people you follow, or everyone. 

Nike Donates 140,000 Footwear Gear To Frontline Workers

The past few months have seen sportswear household Nike to share a massive contribution towards the Coronavirus pandemic, not only by manufacturing full-face shields and air-purifying respirator lenses, but also pledging $2 million USD from employees. 

Now, Beaverton is growing its efforts once more, working with non-profit Good360 in the U.S. as well as other local organisations in Europe to donate 140,000 pieces of footwear, apparel, and equipment to the frontline medical workers across the globe. 

Part of the donation will consist of Nike’s Air Zoom Pulse, a sneaker designed with Healthcare workers in mind, in partnership with the Oregon Health & Science University and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. 30,000 pairs will be handed out to various hospitals across LA, Memphis and NYC, as well as the Veterans Health Administration, while an additional 2,500 pairs will make their way to Europe, spanning Barcelona, Berlin, London, Milan, Paris and Belgium.

The North Face Supports Outdoor Companies With Funds In Light Of Covid-19 Disruptions

The fund is available to companies and charities across the U.K., Germany, France and Italy, with the intention of supporting these organisations until they are able to operate again. Winners of the prize will be chosen by The North Face alongside national and local outdoor officials. 

Applications for the Covid-19 Explore Fund are now open through The North Face website, and applications close on May 22.

Brazil Drops Major Fashion Revenues In Light Of Global Disruptions

Brazil has been reportedly affected by the current pandemic, totalling 66,000 confirmed cases and 4,500 deaths from the coronavirus attack, situation that led to major downfalls in economy, dropping sales to 50 percent. 

The figure comes from a recent WWD report, where Chief Financial Officer of luxury beachwear brand Luis Lima remarked – “We are expecting 50 percent across the board.

Shares are the same sentiment as analysts’ predictions for retail in general. Lima also pointed out lockdowns in the country’s capital have led to store closures. 

“All of Brazil is closed and the only stuff that’s selling is online,” says Andrea Milanez, who handles São Paulo Fashion Week’s public relations. “Everyone is doing sales but even then, no one is buying. People are worried about what is happening.” She also points out that after the pandemic, the consumer’s spending habits will change: “People won’t buy like they used to,” she added. “They will probably change their view of fashion and how they buy it. We will probably see a lot more online buying.”

Artist Eben Haines Builds “Shelter In Place” Gallery Space In Boston

As the world keeps rolling in the calamity of the pandemic, the creative sphere might face serious repercussions in showcasing work as serious social distancing measures have been put into place.

On that note, for artists hoping to exhibit their craft during lockdown, Boston’s Shelter In Place gallery has been mounting exhibitions of brand-new work over the past month. Built by artist Eben Haines, the miniature 20 by 30-inch gallery showcases scaled-down works in a model structure that encompasses foam, mat board, balsa wood and plexiglass.

The condensed space is extremely realistic, with high ceilings and skylights that allow light to enter the space and radiate the works.

Artists can submit works at a one-inch scale, which allows them to create and show seemingly[co1]  impressive pieces while traditional exhibition spaces remain close. Each exhibition at Shelter In Place is based on submissions selected by Haines, his painter and gallery assistant, Delaney Dameron.

Haines and Dameron then capture the installation views and share them on the gallery’s Instagram. To avoid possible contamination during shipping, Shelter In Place has only been able to show works in the local Boston area. Haines hopes to eventually extend the opportunity to a larger group of artists.

Local artists who can easily transport their work can review submission guidelines on Shelter In Place’s Instagram.

“I’m hoping that artists are able to get more eyes on their work and even sell some work during the pandemic and beyond,” said Haines.

“One of my ambitions for this project, besides urging people to step outside of their crisis mode for a little bit, is for artists to be able to use their submission proposals and photographs of their installed work to send to galleries, residencies, or grant programs, and have some momentum when the country opens back up.”

Facebook And Google To Imply #WFH Measures Until The End Of 2020

Leading technology companies Facebook And Google have recently announced that the majority of employees who can carry out their jobs from home will be able to do so until the end of the year.

Google is extending its work from home measures for seven more months from June 1, while Facebook said it will reopen its offices – after considering factors like public health data and government guidance – on July 6, when COVID-19 lockdown measures are gradually lifted. 

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that employees who need to return to the office will be able to do so starting in July, with augmented measures put into place. Facebook is still determining which employees will be required to come in. “As you can imagine this is an evolving situation as employees and their families make important decisions re: return to work,” a Facebook spokesman remarked.

April saw Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg explaining that Facebook’s employees would be among the last to return back to office, nothing the return would have to be staggered and that “helping the rest of our community and local economy to get back up and running first” is the priority.” The company was the first tech firm to state employees will conduct their job from home.

With work from home policies continuing to broaden, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg told Fortune that the coronavirus pandemic is creating a “double shift” for female employees, who are now fully responsible for home-schooling kids and caring for their relatives. She said Facebook has given employees a bonus of approximately $1000 dollars for their work and childcare costs, with an urge to relieve major hindrances in home scenarios. 

Apple Music Lands In 52 Other Countries

Apple Music wants you to keep calm and enjoy the track you love. The streaming service has officially entered in 52 additional countries, making the service available in 167 countries and regions after 5 years since its prima launch. 

Reports states Apple is now offering these countries free six-months music streaming services. The 52 countries include Algeria, Angola, the Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Chad, Croatia, Guyana, Iceland, Jamaica, Kuwait, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos, Uruguay and Yemen.

In addition to Apple Music’s extension, Apple has also made other services like the App StoreApple Arcade, Apple Podcasts and iCloud available in 20 new countries. The App Store and iCloud — two of the tech giant’s basic online features — is now accessible to most of the world, landing in 175 countries and regions. The additional countries, with the exception of Afghanistan and Nauru, also received Apple Music and includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Maldives, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Rwanda, Serbia, Tonga, Vanuatu and Zambia.

Fashion Revolution Names H&M “World’s Most Transparent Brand” – However, Concerns Soar High

In the new analytical index of Fashion Revolution, showing the ranking of the world’s leading brands (and how they communicate) on social, political, environmental and economical terms, atop of the list is H&M (with a 73 percent grading against data points). The average score for the 250 brands was only 23%.

According to Fashion Revolution, any scores over 70 implies a good transparency of social and environmental practices. Sportswear giants Adidas and Reebok scored 69 percent, while Gucci, for instance, reached a score of 40 percent. Zero percent was scored by Bally, Max Mara and Tom Ford. 

A head-turning statistic factor from the report reveals that only two percent of brands pay above minimum wage to workers amid the supply chain, with Patagonia being the street pillar to disclose data on their supply-chain workers earning above the living wage. 

To be included in such ranking, brands must increment sales constantly, reaching a turnover of over $400m across sportswear, luxury or high street, meaning smaller labels who do not meet the criteria cannot be included. And to make things clear, transparency isn’t eponymous to sustainability. 

In a recently released statement, Carey Somers (Fashion Revolution’s Operations Director) points the effect of the pandemic on global supply chains. “The crisis has brought to light the systemic problems within the industry and revealed just how fragile the system really is,” she says. “For decades, brands have chased ever-cheaper production and factories operating on impossibly tight margins, consequently, workers’ wages and rights have been squeezed.”

Apple’s iPhone 12 Design Has Now Landed (And It’s Quite Worth Checking Out)

Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 12 was rumoured to grasp design cues from the latest iPad, and a newly-posted video shows how precise those speculations were. YouTube channel EverythingApplePro gave an up-close peek at a physical render using a 3D-printed model of the unreleased device. The 12-minute-long video breaks down the 12’s features, including a 6.7-inch display – the largest produced by an iPhone yet. 

As predicted, the new models design borrows cues from the latest iPad Pro. In fact, it’s literally described as “the pro iPhone.” Further features include a three-way camera composition and LiDAR scanner, a new Smart Connector, and its surprisingly agreeable square frame. 

It should be clarified that the leak is based on a CAD that is 70 percent complete.

For more information, take a peek at the video below. 

Facebook Launches “Care” Emoji In Light Of Coronavirus Pandemic

As the world continues its crusade against social disruptions, Facebook has recently launched a website to make it easier for people to share their support and unity.  

The app has added a new emoji to its wide collection: A “caring” symbol hugging a heart. Messenger users, similarly, can activate a pink-purple heart by pressing onto the existing heart icon. With lockdown measures actualised across the globe, Facebook is now an important communication platform to check on loved ones. 

“We know this is an uncertain time, and we wanted people to be able to show their support in ways that let their friends and family know they are thinking of them,” tweeted Alexandru Voica, Facebook’s EMEA Communications Manager for Engineering. Weeks to come will see Facebook showing warning messages in News Feed to users who have liked, reacted to “harmful” covid-19 information, announced on April 16. 

Canadian Outerwear Brand Nobis Pledges To Kickstart A Donation Of Online Sales In Response To Covid-19 Crisis

Canadian premium outerwear brand Nobis has announced a three-week global initiative, whereby 100% of online sales will be donated to help frontline health medical workers who continue the battle against the scattering of the pandemic. 

From April 10 to 20, 2020, the pre-tax purchase price from all online sales of the brand will go directly to support hospitals and healthcare workers around the world responding to COVID-19 in urgent need of supplies and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). All global sales will be directed to the Red Cross COVID-19 to enable Red Cross and Red Crescents around the world to support Covid-19 preparedness, response and recovery activities. 

In Canada, the list of recipients comprises the CanadaHelps Covid-19 Healthcare & Hospital Fund, which supports over 90 hospital foundations across the country, and five local Ontario hospital foundations – Headwaters Health Care Foundation, Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, Scarborough Health Network Foundation, Toronto General, & Western Hospital Foundation and William Osler Health System Foundation. 

This program is being implemented in addition to the commitment made last week when brand donated $100,000 to local hospitals in Ontario. Customers making purchases on Nobis’ website between April 10 to 30, will be able to direct the donation funds to the organisation of their choice, by selecting the hospital or organisation name at the time of check out. For the full list of benefitting foundations and additional details on the initiative, please visit Nobis’ community resource page: Nobis.com/pages/community.

A recent statement saw the label’s Co-Founder and Vice President Robin Yates commenting: ““Nobis, Latin for ‘us’, has always understood the importance of community, and we are incredibly proud of and indebted to our frontline healthcare providers whose bravery and selflessness are a beacon of hope in uncertain times. There has never been a crucial time for us to further our community support. This is why Nobis is doing everything within our means to recognise and support the incredible sacrifice being made by these outstanding individuals in the ongoing battle against COVID-19.”

Facebook’s Founder Mark Zuckerberg Postpones Over Capacity Events Until Summer 2021

Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will delete over capacity and physical events with more than 50 people through June 2021, due to concerns that may arise in regard to coronavirus. This year’s F8 conference, scheduled to take place on May 5 and 6 was cancelled back in February. The latest update means that F8 will not occur next year either.

Other events such as Oculus Connect and GDC 2020, which Facebook said it will not host, have all been cancelled too. 

“The summary is: we’re slowing our plans to return to the office in order to prioritize helping the rest of our community and local economy to get back up and running first,” Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post. Zuckerberg noted that when large groups of employees do return back to Facebook offices, they will do so in staggered waves to keep people safe and minimize the risk of future outbreaks. Facebook is also requiring the “vast majority” of employees to work from home until at least the end of May and is extending its policy of no business travel through at least the end of June this year.

“Most Facebook employees are fortunate to be able to work productively from home, so we feel a responsibility to allow people who don’t have this flexibility to access shared public resources first,” he concludes. “I hope this helps contain the spread of Covid-19 so we can keep our communities safe and get back up and running again soon.”

Select Apple Stores In The US To Reopen In Upcoming Weeks

Alongside Apple’s fiscal second-quarter earnings, CEO Tim Cook revealed the company plans to reopen some select retail stores this month. 

Cook made the announcement to Bloomerang, saying that he believes “just a few, not a large number” of stores in the US will re-open in the first-half of May. Apple is reportedly “going to look at the data and make a decision city by city, county by county, depending on the circumstances in that particular place.”

Moreover, the company plans to reopen every retail store in Australia and Austria. 

Apple released its quarterly financial results on April 30th, looking back at the financial repercussions of the global disruption. As stated in the report, the company has $192.8 billion cash on hand, that’s down 7.4% from its fiscal first quarter of 2020.

However, Apple’s revenue has reached an all-time high of $13.3 billion.

Chopard loves cinema

The Swiss watchmaking and jewellery brand Chopard is Official Partner of the renowned Cannes Film Festival. It has rewarded for 72 editions the feature films, which made the history of the big screen. Among these, we suggest you a selection created by experts of the seventh art, where you can find six winners of the Golden Palm to watch (or to re-watch) in this period. 

La dolce vita by Federico Fellini (1960). A happily decadent film about a hedonist hero’s raids, interpreted by Marcello Mastroianni, through the streets of our homegrown Capital. The scene when Anita Ekberg in a beautiful black mermaid silhouette bathes in the Trevi Fountain, has become iconic for the history of our cinema. Appreciated by the critics and condemned by the Vatican, this movie is the consecration of the Golden Age of Italian cinema.  

Les parapluies de Cherbourg by Jacques Demy (1964). This movie, which is entirely sung on the notes by composer Michel Legrand, won the 17th Cannes Film Festival. Behind its pastel colours, this film hides a deep sense of melancholy. A real revelation was the actress Catherine Deneuve and her interpretation of the innocent beauty. 

All that jazz by Bob Fosse (1980). This musical comedy is a love declaration towards Broadway. A whirlwind of dance and music which enhances life’s theatricality. 

The piano by Jane Campion (1993). It is the first and only film directed by a woman which has ever won the Golden Palm. Nature and human instinct are in the spotlight in this cinematographic history, shot in the breath-taking landscapes of New Zealand.

Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino (1994). One of the funniest movies presented throughout the several Festival’s editions. The victory for this film was the President of jury Clint Eastwood’s betting on the future of the young and talented director, who at that time shot his second movie. 

Shoplifters by Kore’eda Hirokazu (2018). The upsetting story of a dysfunctional Japanese family, which manages to stay close thanks to the propensity for little thefts.

Banksy’s Bathroom Art Is Your Ultimate Lockdown Pleasure (And No, Don’t Feel Sorry)

In times seeped by global disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the sphere of the arts acquires a whole new peep that tackles creativity through ground-breaking styles. From tik-tok’s dancing queens (and kings) to fawning avenues to nurture craftsmanship, there’s always something for everyone. Though social distancing might have well been a source of embracing quarantine in our respective homes, consider Banksy’s confinement idea your ultimate mood booster – that’s when you’re in the loo. 

The graffiti mogul shared on Instagram a photograph of stencilled rats on the wall – becoming an exclusive insight for his fans, as he never shares images of his home. Humorously titled My wife hates I work from home; the work shows the gang of spray-painted rodents making a mess with one swaying from a light fixture and another clomping on a tube of toothpaste until it spurts. 

Rats are pervasive attribute in Banksy’s art practice, serving-up political satire as a ballot of rebellion and heroism.

BBC Arts To Launch Digital Festival “Culture In Quarantine”

International leading public service broadcaster BBC has launched Culture in Quarantine, a digital festival of the arts that gives insightful access to exhibitions, presentations and museums that would be shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The broadcaster service remarks the program is “rooted in the experience of national lockdown,” giving the public access to the arts whilst supporting creative organizations and artists. 

In a four-section series called Museums in Quarantine, BBC will dive into national collections. For the first series, visitors will be able to go inside the Tate Modern for a last look at Andy Warhol’s retrospective. 

Ensuing programs will focus on the Ashmolean’s “Young Rembrandt” exhibition, looking at further collections in the British Museum. 

Other programming for Culture in Quarantine include a puppet show by Margaret Atwood, a virtual book festival curated by Kit de Waal and productions chosen by the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

The BBC has also launched a Culture in Quarantine Fund liaising with Arts Council England that will support 25 established English-based artists to produce works that “adhere imaginatively and lawfully to the principles of self-isolation.”

“It’s important during this period that we maintain access not just to news and information, but to the arts and culture…” said Tony Hall, director-general of the BBC. “By working together, we can still have a vibrant period of culture to brighten our lives.”

Visit BBC’s website to stay in the know and to get the latest updates.

American Vogue’s Digital Met Gala Wants You To Take Part Too

In light of a disrupting pandemic, global circumstances call for a shift in social customs – galas and festivals included. The first Monday of May could only mean one thing: The Met Gala, in other words, The Oscars of Fashion, where industry groundbreakers[co1]  gather in the name of charity (and sartorial excellence). 

Due to the current situation affecting the fashion community in its entirety, Vogue Magazine has chosen to host a virtual alternative to the Met Gala today. The historic event has been postponed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 crisis. 

The yearly fundraising event would have marked its 150th anniversary tonight. American Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour remarked the following in a recent statement: “It would be impossible to recreate the gala on Monday evening, though I have loved hearing how so many are marking the occasion in their own ways. So instead, I asked a few friends to join me for a simple moment — one that I hope will bring us all a bit of joy.”

The digital Met Gala, titled “A Moment With The Met,” will foresee a live performance from Florence + the Machine and a live DJ set from Virgil Abloh. 

As tickets for the Met Gala usually amount up to $35,000, this may feasibly be the most low-price chance to get involved in the fashion’s wildest parade yet. In order to support the Met’s Costume Institute, Vogue Magazine has prompted to donate the Met and the CFDA’s “A Common Thread” initiative, which provides financial backing for emerging designers and independent business amidst the pandemic. Virtual attendees are also encouraged to donate where possible.

The event’s official Livestream will happen on Vogue’s YouTube channel at 6 p.m. EST.

Get Space-Ready À La Prada, And Embrace Retro-Futurism In This Micro Capsule Of Shirts

Prada has released four new propositions of its stanning bowling shirts for SS20, opting to explore retro-futurism through graphic patterns that take us back to the ‘90s.

Christened the “Double Match” bowling shirts, the various pieces see a 50/50 whole print split vertically at the center front, whereby the left side features the Prada logo, with the right side featuring collaged prints. 

The shirts themselves were constructed utilising a Cuban collar and a cropped, wide-fitted structure, amplifying the level of breeziness and comfort ahead of the warmer season.

The various pieces feature a selection of 4D CGI graphics, cassette tapes and more, adorned on heavy-coloured and bold cotton poplin.

Two of the iterations feature the Prada Vertigo logo alongside maxi digital graphics, while the other two options feature hugely sized motifs: One with the Prada oval logo and the other clad with the Prada visage logo detail.

Take a look at Prada’s SS20 shirts capsule at Prada’s website.

Instagram’s New Food Service Features Drip In Choices

Instagram has recently updated its App with some new features that aid restaurants and food services amid Coronavirus crisis. Business accounts can now add stickers and buttons that allow users to order food and buy gift cards. 

One of the App’s latest updates lets users buy gift cards from a business. It’s an approach adopted to help organisations to boost their business, and customers will be able to shop with the funds once the shop doors reopen again.

Another feature is a sticker that allows users to order food directly to their door from the app itself. Stickers can be added to stories, and buttons to profiles. According to Instagram, the update was created with the intention of helping organisations facing hardship amid the pandemic: “Small businesses are an important part of our community, and many are facing immense challenges during the COVID‑19 crisis.

Today, we’re making it easier to discover gift cards, online food orders, and fundraisers on Instagram so you can support the businesses you love.”