Latest news with #French-Belgian
Fashion United
03-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
In times of crisis, luxury brands turn to the new guard of designers
Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Demna at Gucci: luxury's leading brands turned to the creativity of relatively low-key designers in their forties to address the economic challenges facing the sector. Following months of speculation and his arrival at Dior Homme, forty-year-old Jonathan Anderson was appointed creative director of the brand's womenswear collections on Monday, replacing sixty-one-year-old Maria Grazia Chiuri. The Northern Irish designer became the first designer since Christian Dior to create the womenswear and menswear lines for LVMH's flagship brand, as well as haute couture. After the appointment of forty-year-old French-Belgian Matthieu Blazy at Chanel in December 2024, this was the biggest event in the extensive reshuffle that had been stirring the fashion world for over a year, in response to the economic turbulence experienced by the luxury sector. Another shift within the Kering group was that of forty-four-year-old Georgian Demna, who spent ten years at Balenciaga, and was appointed head of Gucci in May 2024. After several lavish post-Covid years, the sector had been facing headwinds in its two main markets since 2024, with a recovery yet to materialise in China and the threat of increased customs duties in the US. At Dior, the second largest fashion brand in the LVMH group after Louis Vuitton, turnover reached 8.4 billion euros last year, with profits of 2.7 billion euros, but the brand experienced a 'double-digit decline in the second half of the year', according to HSBC bank. Chanel reported a 28.2 percent drop in net profit to 3.4 billion dollars last year, and a 5.3 percent drop in turnover to 18.7 billion dollars. Gucci's underperformance dragged down the Kering group, which saw its net profit collapse by 62 percent in 2024, with the Italian brand's sales falling by 23 percent to 7.65 billion euros. Forty-somethings to the rescue Relatively unknown to the general public, the forty-something designers tasked with reviving these powerful fashion houses had nevertheless proven their worth. 'There is the idea of giving a kind of fresh impetus but with profiles who already have experience, a certain maturity, and whose objective is not so much to revolutionise as to have a coherent, authentic and strong message, which resonates both with the brand and with the evolution of consumers,' explained Serge Carreira, an affiliated professor at Sciences Po Paris and a specialist in the luxury industry, to AFP. Jonathan Anderson made the Spanish brand Loewe, during the eleven years he headed it until 2025, one of LVMH's greatest successes, not forgetting that of his own label JW Anderson. Among his flagship creations were stage outfits for Beyoncé and Rihanna. He also had a link with cinema, particularly with Italian director Luca Guadagnino, for whom he designed the costumes for 'Challengers', starring Zendaya, and 'Queer', starring Daniel Craig. More discreet, Matthieu Blazy contributed to the resurgence in popularity of Bottega Veneta (Kering group), where he was creative director from 2021 to 2024, giving a sense of movement and boldness to the Italian brand's signature woven leather. At Chanel, he would also be tasked with turning the page on Karl Lagerfeld. The Kaiser reigned over the brand for over three decades, until his death in 2019. His right-hand woman, sixty-three-year-old Virginie Viard, succeeded him before abruptly leaving her post in June 2024. Finally, Demna enabled Balenciaga to exceed one billion euros in turnover. His strengths: an iconoclastic style, from T-shirts to haute couture, his ability to make the 'ugly' desirable, from platform Crocs to bin bags, as well as his celebrity connections, from American influencer Kim Kardashian to French actress Isabelle Huppert. A success story, however, tarnished in 2022 by an advertising campaign featuring children with sado-masochistic-inspired accessories. The results were not long in coming: Jonathan Anderson opened the ball with Dior Homme on June 27 in Paris, while Demna and Matthieu Blazy made their debuts at the womenswear Fashion Weeks in Milan in September and Paris in October, respectively. (AFP) This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
Japan's Seto Wins Int'l Critics Award at Cannes
News from Japan Society Culture May 25, 2025 14:03 (JST) Cannes, France, May 24 (Jiji Press)--Japanese director Momoko Seto's animated film "Dandelion's Odyssey" won the International Federation of Film Critics' award at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on Saturday. In the French-Belgian production, Seto from Tokyo presents the story of dandelion seeds that travel the universe after surviving a nuclear explosion. The dialogue-free film was the closing work of the Critics' Week, held in parallel with the film festival. "We chose this film for the great editing and the use of particular techniques of image that combine classic and modern animation forms," said the federation, known as Fipresci. The federation also awarded two other films. Meanwhile, this year's Palme d'Or went to Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi's "Simple Accident." Director Chie Hayakawa's "Renoir," the only Japanese nominee, missed out on the top prize. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Style Blueprint
21-05-2025
- Style Blueprint
Chattanooga Choo Choo's Hotel Chalet is My Favorite Solocation Spot
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit During a recent solocation to Chattanooga, TN, I finally checked a long-standing item off my travel bucket list: a stay at The Hotel Chalet. Nestled in the heart of Downtown Chattanooga, this boutique gem at Chattanooga Choo Choo offers a lodging experience that's anything but ordinary. Pin Pin Part of the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo campus, The Hotel Chalet blends rich railroad history with chic design. Perhaps the most buzzed-about feature? The refurbished train carriage rooms, which offer guests the chance to sleep in a luxe railcar. While I didn't book a train room this time, my Chalet King room didn't disappoint. Styled with jewel-toned mid-century modern decor, the space felt instantly calming, perfect for a solo retreat. Pin Pin On site is Elsie's Daughter, a moody, elegant restaurant where I was lucky to snag a seat at the bar on a busy Saturday night (SB Tip: Be sure to make your reservations in advance!). The restaurant's name is a charming nod to history: Donn Barber (the architect behind Terminal Station) and his wife Elsie had a daughter named Elsie, who later named her daughter Elsie. Hence, Elsie's Daughter. Pin The restaurant leans into Barber's Beaux Arts aesthetic while serving up French-Belgian fare with an Appalachian twist. It felt more like dining in a well-appointed living room than a bustling eatery — warm lighting, layered textures, and rich flavors made for an unforgettable meal. Pin I happened to visit during an unseasonably warm March weekend and loved seeing guests take advantage of the Alpine pool. Surrounded by lush greenery and tucked away from the hum of downtown, it's a chic little oasis that adds a touch of European resort energy to the Southern setting. Pin Whether you're in town for adventure, relaxation, or a bit of both, The Hotel Chalet manages to make even a quick getaway feel intentional and elevated. This charming spot is well worth the hype — and a return visit. For another boutique stay, check out The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville, NC! Cheers to your next solocation! ********** Subscribe to StyleBlueprint for more travel inspiration! About the Author Kate Feinberg Kate Feinberg is StyleBlueprint's Associate Editor & Sponsored Content Specialist, based in Nashville. Kate is a plant-based foodie, avid runner, and fantasy reader.
Telegraph
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The best films to watch on TV this week, from Tombstone to Twisters
Saturday 12 April Fiddler on the Roof (1971) ★★★★★ BBC Two, 1.30pm Its sweep at last week's Olivier Awards (for Jordan Fein's revival at Regent's Park) proved that Fiddler on the Roof ranks among the all-time great musicals. Norman Jewison teases a wonderful performance from Chaim Topol as Tevye, a milkman who must juggle the toils of life with the harsh realities of being poor and Jewish in Tsarist Russia in 1905. Despite its jolly songs, it has a tragic core. Also on Thursday (BBC Four, 9.30pm). Black Box (2021) ★★★★ BBC Four, 9.40pm Yann Gozlan's thrilling French-Belgian mystery has echoes of Michael Mann's The Outsider (1999) and Brian De Palma's Blow Out (1981); it's fast and frantic, but human too. Pierre Niney stars as a talented young black-box analyst at the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety who is tasked with investigating a mysterious fatal plane crash. Lou de Laâge and André Dussollier co-star. Gangs of New York (2002) ★★★★ Channel 4, 10pm Martin Scorsese's 19th-century epic tempted Daniel Day-Lewis out of retirement and introduced Leonardo DiCaprio as the new post-De Niro fixture in his films. He plays the son who returns to New York to avenge the death of his Irish immigrant father at the hands of Day-Lewis's Bill the Butcher, only to be sucked into the city's gang culture. Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson and Stephen Graham are along for the ride. Sunday 13 April Easter Parade (1948) ★★★★★ BBC Two, 12.55pm With charming lead performances from Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, terrific dance routines, and 17 original songs by Irving Berlin, it's no wonder this springtime classic was trumpeted as 'the happiest musical ever made'. It's a gorgeous vision of a world in which no man leaves the house without a top hat and tails; all the women, meanwhile, swan around in fabulous gowns and Easter bonnets. Also on Thursday (BBC Four, 7.50pm). The Bad Guys (2022) ★★★ ITV1, 1.40pm DreamWorks have perfected the formula for crafting intelligent, fun and modern children's animations – just look at the success of Shrek, Despicable Me and Kung Fu Panda. This is similarly hilarious: a vivid heist comedy about a group of anthropomorphic criminal animals who, upon being caught by the police, pretend to attempt to reform themselves as model citizens. Sam Rockwell and Richard Ayoade are among the stellar voice cast. Scent of a Woman (1992) ★★★★ BBC Two, 10pm The film that finally got Al Pacino his Oscar is a stirring tale of a student (Chris O'Donnell) who's hired to look after a grumpy, blind ex-army officer (Pacino) over a weekend around Thanksgiving. Its ending may be a little mawkish, but thanks to some wonderfully uplifting scenes – ie Pacino's impromptu tango – Martin Brest's drama is definitely worth a watch. Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent in support. Monday 14 April Greedy People (2024) ★★★ Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm Potsy Ponciroli's crime comedy owes an obvious debt to the films of Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers. Greedy People follows a rookie cop who, while trying to prove that he's got what it takes to one day upstage his established partner, winds up involved in an accidental murder – and the owner of a large bag of criminal cash. Himesh Patel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lily James star. Streaming from Saturday. Greta (2018) ★★★ BBC Three, 9.55pm Not a profile of the climate activist, instead Greta is a greasily watchable stalking thriller from director Neil Jordan. Isabelle Huppert does her best Isabelle Huppert as an unsettling, widowed piano teacher who ensnares Chloë Grace Moretz's needy waitress. There's promising shades of lesbian drama Carol in the set-up, but Huppert threatens to unspool into self-parody. You can also catch it on Sunday (BBC One, 12.10am). Hi Mom! (1970) ★★★★ Talking Pictures TV, 11.05pm After serving in Vietnam, Jon Rubin (Robert De Niro) arrives in NYC and asks sleazy producer Joe Banner (Allen Garfield) how he can direct a porn film. After becoming obsessed with his beautiful neighbour (Jennifer Salt), Rubin has the idea to start shooting her – and others – through his window. Brian De Palma's black comedy hasn't aged well feminism-wise, but it's worth a watch as one of De Niro's early films. Tuesday 15 April Tombstone (1993) ★★★★ Film4, 9pm There's few line deliveries as memorable as 'I'm your huckleberry'. George Pan Cosmatos's Western is rollicking good fun, mainly thanks to the late Val Kilmer's scene-stealing turn as gunfighter Doc Holliday. There's so much facial hair on display it's sometimes hard to tell who's who, but Kurt Russell, sporting a moustache as big as an albatross, is also great as Earp. For more Kilmer, Top Gun is on Great! Movies on Sunday at 6.40pm. Smile 2 (2024) ★★★ Sky Cinema Premiere, 9pm Part of the new world order of blockbuster horror films made on a shoestring budget, Parker Finn's bloody, relentlessly gory sequel will test even the most strident of fright-lovers. Naomi Scott plays Skye Riley, a pop star whose life is turned upside down by a series of disturbing events. Expect blood, murder and plenty of screaming. Peter Jacobson, Kyle Gallner and Rosemarie DeWitt also star. Also streaming on Paramount+. The Australian Dream (2019) ★★★★ BBC Four, 10.50pm Written by award-winning Australian journalist Stan Grant and directed by Brit Daniel Gordon, this thought-provoking sports documentary offers a window into the world of Australian professional football. It focuses on Australian Football League (AFL) player Adam Goodes, and his battle against racism in the sport as an Aboriginal player, as well as exploring his activism and early life and upbringing. Wednesday 16 April Inglourious Basterds (2009) ★★★★ Film4, 9pm Quentin Tarantino's homage to classic war films offers all the hallmarks of the director's audacious style. It's bloody, darkly comic and anchored by actors playing thrillingly against type. Christoph Waltz won an Oscar for his incendiary turn as a fearsome SS colonel known as the 'Jew Hunter'; Brad Pitt is almost as memorable as the chief Nazi-killer, Aldo 'the Apache' Raine. Eli Roth and Mélanie Laurent also star. Surrogates (2009) ★★★★ Great! Movies, 9pm Real people stay at home and live vicariously through their good-looking robot facsimiles in Jonathan Mostow's sci-fi thriller. Hence we get to see Bruce Willis as an FBI agent with hair and smooth skin before his surrogate is destroyed and he has to revert to his paunchy, wrinkled self in order to solve a series of murders in which people's brains are 'liquified in their skulls'. Ving Rhames and Rosamund Pike co-star. Hideous Kinky (1998) ★★★★ BBC Two, 11.30pm Based on Esther Freud's novel of the same name, this moving drama, directed by Gillies MacKinnon, gave Kate Winslet a meaty role to sink her teeth into following the blockbuster success of Titanic the year previously. Winslet plays a young mother who moves from London to Morocco with her two daughters in the early 1970s, keen to find new friendships, community and, eventually, romances. Thursday 17 April Touch (2024) ★★★★ Sky Cinema Premiere, 4.30pm Baltasar Kormákur's sweeping romantic drama centres on Kristófer (Palmi Kormákur) and Miko (Kōki), whose illicit love affair in 1960s London is cut short by their respective families. Decades later, the story is interlaced with scenes of Kristófer as an old man, tirelessly in pursuit of Miko and set on rekindling their love. Fans of Past Lives or Before Sunrise will find much to love. The Client (1994) ★★★★ ITV4, 11.30pm One of countless John Grisham film adaptations (along with The Rainmaker, A Time to Kill, and many others), this legal drama, directed by Joel Schumacher, stars Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. When 11-year-old Mark (Brad Renfro) witnesses the suicide of a mob lawyer, the police try to get him to testify in court. But Mark isn't keen, and instead hires a feisty attorney (Sarandon, deservedly Oscar-nominated) to protect him. Denmark (2019) ★★★ BBC Two, 11.50pm Welshman Herb's (Rafe Spall) life is a right old mess. His welfare payments have stopped, he can't find a job, his son hates him, and his diet consists of cheap beer and tinned mush. So when he watches a documentary about Danish prisoners' high quality of life – and how they're treated to great healthcare, TV, and a countryside location – he travels across Europe on a mission: to get arrested in Denmark and sent down. Wickedly funny. Friday 18 April Twisters (2024) ★★★★★ Sky Cinema Premiere, 8pm Glen Powell staked his claim to be the new King of Hollywood (he was mentored by Tom Cruise, after all) in Lee Isaac Chung's terrific follow-up to Twister (1996). Powell is a cocky storm-chaser who teams up with Daisy Edgar-Jones's gifted scientist to investigate an outbreak of devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma. It's silly in the sort of way the best action movies are, and the climactic scene is a corker. The King's Speech (2010) ★★★★★ BBC Two, 10pm Tom Hooper's stirring film about the future King George VI's struggle to overcome his stammer won multiple Oscars, including Best Actor for Colin Firth and Best Picture (beating the dazzling likes of Black Swan, The Social Network and True Grit). But it's his double-act with Geoffrey Rush, as the King's speech therapist Lionel Logue, and their doubleheaders, courtesy of screenwriter David Seidler, that give the film its heart. Fall (2022) ★★★ BBC One, 10.30pm It's perhaps wise to avoid Scott Mann's survival thriller if you have a fear of heights: its protagonists spend the majority of the film stuck atop a 2,000-foot-tall broadcasting tower. Becky and Hunter (Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardner) find themselves stranded after climbing to the top to scatter a partner's ashes; what ensues is their descent into psychosis, as the heat, starvation and sheer terror pushes them to the brink.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fire-Damaged 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Fetches $224K at Amelia Island Auction
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious A vintage luxury car ravaged by fire stunned auction-goers by selling for $224,000 at the Amelia Island auctions, a striking reminder that in the collector car market, rarity often overrides condition. The vehicle in question: a 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet, now reduced to a scorched shell following a devastating trailer fire. Despite its damaged state, the rare prewar luxury car sparked fierce bidding before hammering for the six-figure sum, including buyer's premium. Only about 120 examples of the Hispano-Suiza J12 were built between 1931 and 1938. The particular car sold was originally commissioned by French-Belgian industrialist Jean Empain and bodied by the famed coachbuilder Fernandez et Darrin. Empain used the car for cross-continental travel between Europe and Africa, and it eventually made its way to the United States after World War II. Its most recent—and most notable—custodian was Sir Michael David Kadoorie, billionaire businessman and avid collector. Under Kadoorie's ownership, the J12 received a no-expense-spared restoration and was displayed at some of the world's most prestigious automotive events. It earned accolades at both the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and The Quail, including the Alec Ulmann Trophy in 2024 for its exquisite Vanvooren Cabriolet design. The trailer fire that ultimately damaged the vehicle occurred sometime after its most recent public showing. While restoration of the fire-damaged Hispano-Suiza may be improbable, the car's historical pedigree and extreme rarity proved enough to warrant a serious investment from a determined buyer. The sale underlines a truth long held in the collector community: some cars are simply too rare to ignore, no matter their condition.
