Latest news with #MGC
Graziadaily
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Maria Grazia Chiuri Is Leaving Dior – So What Will Her Legacy Be?
The first woman to take creative control of Dior. The first woman to co-direct Valentino. She was, until this week, one of two female creative directors in the corporate megabrand couture world. Maria Grazia Chiurireceived a standing ovation in Rome earlier this week when she took her final curtain call; an emotional and respectful moment, in what had been months, some might say years, of deafening whispers about the security of her position. This had nothing to do with ability: she quadrupled sales at Dior during her nine-year tenure. Maria Grazia Chiuri takes her final bow at the Dior cruise show in Rome. ©Getty At a moment in fashion history where the latest round of musical chairs, resembles a kind of grand designer game of chess that can only be played by a who's who of white middle-aged men, MGC's departure feels even more symbolic; more than ever, she has become a figurehead of feminist power – or lack thereof. Chiuri's creative control at Dior was always as much about feminism as it was fashion. She bolted out of the gates with luxury Breton t-shirts bearing slogans from feminist literature. Anything emblazoned with 'We Should All Be Feminists' and 'Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?' are, no doubt, about to see their value shoot up on resale sites. She has put her models in fencing suits, boiler suits, factory boots and revolutionist leather berets. Her fashion shows have often placed physical displays of female strength centre stage. There was the all-female band of Mexican rodeo riders, the escaramuzas , who performed daredevil stunts on horseback at full gallop; the troupe of acrobats who made human skyscrapers by standing on each other's shoulders to demonstrate female solidarity; the powerful flexibility of the Tel Aviv ballet who pirouetted their way around models to better demonstrate the idea of one's personal space; the pounding heels of a flamenco dance troupe. Let's not forget the set that resembled a birth canal by feminist artist Judy Chicago, who asked: 'If women ruled the world, would buildings resemble wombs?' L-R: ChristianDior S/S '18, Christian Dior S/S '17 ©Getty With every collection, in fact, MGC thrust feminist issues in the face of her audience – that's a global audience of multi-millions. Like it or not, she raised questions. You may think she 'womansplained' her message, or you may have internally fist-pumped the air at the audacity of putting it all front and centre at a Parisian haute couture show. Whether you approved or disapproved of the commercialisation of the feminist cause, that's your business. Meanwhile, the Dior business (and I just love to imagine the confusion of the Parisian patriarchy, wincing at all the wombs one minute while blinking disbelievingly at the balance sheet the next) witnessed sales soar in a way that they had done so before. Not with Christian Dior, his protégé Yves Saint Laurent, his successor Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, even John Galliano or Raf Simons. Christian Dior Cruise 2019 ©Getty It was only MGC, seventh in line to the Dior throne, first woman at the brand, who brought home such commercial success. Christian Dior doesn't split womenswear from menswear so it's impossible to know her true commercial value, but according to the Business of Fashion, Chiuri's tenure became a 'significant contributor to LVMH's bottom line'; at least, the combined efforts of Chiuri's womenswear and Kim Jones' menswear topped euros 9 billion in 2023, before falling slightly last year. So what made her Dior so commercially superior? And why did women keep coming back for more? Perhaps this is the most feminist thing about MGC: she didn't issue diktats; she listened. Her formula was, in a way, simplistic: she delivered clothes that women around the world wanted to wear – and, believe it or not, that's not easy. Romantic dresses, supple tailoring, little of which ever screamed a season. A Dior customer could build up their wardrobe incrementally or buy three of the same thing in different colourways or fabrics. She developed iconic MGC totems – from ballet flats to Bar jackets. She reissued Galliano's saddle bags and created the wildly popular Dior monogrammed Book Totes and the myriad leather Dior Toujours bags and J'Adior slingbacks. All of it flattering, not avant-garde; everyday special, not costume. The book tote and logo slingbacks: some of Maria Grazia Chiuri's most feted accessories. ©Getty The A-list, of course, clamoured to wear Dior because why not look like your best self, when it matters most on a red carpet? Yes, that's you Anya Taylor-Joy, Jenna Ortega, Ashley Park, Jennifer Lawrence and Natalie Portman. Of course, we talk about Maria Grazia Chiuri as if she just arrived as a designer when she entered the hallowed portals of Dior. This is not the case. Born and raised in Rome to a mother who was a seamstress, she studied fashion at a traditional Italian school of fashion 'that only talked about heritage, craftsmanship, sketching – not about fashion as an important impact on society', she once told me. In other words, she learned the craft of making clothes early; any societal impact would come later. Her first job was at Fendi, run by five sisters so no need to shout about feminism there. She joined Valentino in 1999 as head of accessories (hence the always great bags) and became joint creative director with Pierpaolo Piccioli in 2008, where she and he consistently topped the couture charts. It was in 2016 that she landed her appointment as the first women's director of Dior. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino. ©Getty What will the fashion consumer make of MGC's departure? Will they think of it as a loss? Will they miss the Dior look she created? Will they even care? Certain members of the female press corps may be wringing their hands in despair at the sheer lack of female artistic directors and, besides, they enjoyed wearing the oh-so-flattering clothes, bags and shoes. But they will have to move on – just like the 78-year-old Dior brand. You never know MGC might also leap to another brand. She's only 61. Karl Lagerfeld continued to work until he died, aged 85. 'I am just me, Maria Grazia. I am not so obsessed with the idea that I am a woman designer,' she told me back in 2019. She might feel very differently now – and with good reason. Whatever she does next, Maria Grazia Chiuri will always be remembered as a fashion gamechanger in an industry that, more than ever, seems to look more favourably on the efforts of men. Rebecca Lowthorpe worked as fashion director for Grazia from 2016 to 2019; she is currently Grazia's acting assistant editor, overseeing fashion and beauty content .
Toronto Sun
08-05-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
B.C. woman with ALS has one last wish: A happy home for her beloved pets
A charity that helps seniors find homes for pets before they can't care for them anymore is trying to help a Coquitlam woman with her three 'flowers' A Coquitlam woman with ALS is looking for a home for her "flowers," cats Tulip and Aster and dog Daisy, once she is no longer able to care for them. The charity My Grandfather's Cat is hoping to help. Photo by My Grandfather's Cat Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. A Coquitlam woman was recently diagnosed with ALS and has her own health and well-being to worry about. One thing she doesn't want to fret over: What to do with her beloved dog and two cats once she can no longer care for them herself. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Enter My Grandfather's Cat (MGC). Julie, who asked that her last name be withheld, reached out to the Nova Scotia-based charity at the end of March when she realized she might soon have to find a new caretaker for the pets she calls her 'flowers,' cats Tulip and Aster and their canine companion Daisy. The three are a close-knit fur family, so Julie's greatest wish is for them to stay together. A big ask, to be sure, trying to get someone to adopt three pets at once. Did we mention they're all seniors? 'The SPCA is a wonderful organization, but I didn't want my pets caged and stressed more than was necessary,' says Julie, who heard about MGC from her vet. 'I knew, because they are older, that it was unlikely that they would be chosen, together or separately.' Tulip is one of three bonded pets up for adoption by My Grandfather's Cat. Photo by My Grandfather's Cat 'When she reached out to us, individually rehoming these animals was going to be a challenge, but they're a bonded family and they're all nine or older,' says Angela Rafuse, who launched the charity in 2021 after being put in a similar bind. Her grandfather had just died and his elderly cat Mackenzie was suddenly on the brink of spending the rest of her life in a shelter. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Realizing the 'spicy, grumpy calico' might not be everyone's cup of tea, Rafuse took Mackenzie in, and 'we became best friends.' But Rafuse wondered: What if she hadn't been available? 'If it's not me, what's going to happen? I designed MGC to be what my family would have needed to rehome Mackenzie comfortably,' she says on the phone from Halifax, where she and the charity she founded are based. 'And now we can do this for hundreds of families.' In its first few years, MGC has found homes for well over 300 pets whose owners were terminally ill or who had died, as well as expanding into donating pet food and supplies for seniors as the cost of pet ownership soars. Though based on the east coast, over 30 of those adoptions were in B.C. and the charity now has volunteers in every province. 'I had this idea that animals could stay with their people as long as possible, then we could find a home for them, and really make sure their next home is the right fit,' says Rafuse. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Aster is one of three bonded pets up for adoption by My Grandfather's Cat. Photo by My Grandfather's Cat The Coquitlam 'flower family,' though, has been 'our most difficult adoption to date,' admits Rafuse. There's the fact they come as a unit, they're older, and whoever adopts them must remain available even if Julie is able to keep them for months or even years. 'She is not even concerned about her short future, only the well-being of her pets,' says Melanie Meckelberg, the local volunteer co-ordinating MGC's efforts for Julie, who has become mostly wheelchair-bound since she got in touch a couple of months ago. 'It is a tough situation, as she wants to be with them for as long as possible,' says Meckelberg. Julie has help with dog walking for now, but kno ws the time to give them up is coming sooner than later. That's why Rafuse has ramped up the campaign to find them homes, expanding from a posting on MGC's adoption page to an Instagram reel, TikTok and pretty much every other social channel out there. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We've had a few enquiries and there's been genuine interest,' says Rafuse. 'But overall it's been quite quiet.' Daisy is one of three bonded pets up for adoption by My Grandfather's Cat. Photo by My Grandfather's Cat One thing that hasn't been a challenge for MGC is fundraising. Generous donations have allowed Rafuse, 30, to take on the charitable work full-time after several years in public relations and marketing in Ontario. 'We have so many donors. So many people believe in the work we're doing,' she says. MGC never charges adoption fees, and 'we also don't have the overhead a traditional shelter would. 'Shelters do such amazing work, but this was a real issue and so many people reached out. Rehoming is needed.' MGC does vetting of prospective adopters with a rigour that likely exceeds what the SPCA and humane societies put them through. There's an application similar to what those agencies use, with 'a few more questions.' Then come phone interviews with every applicant and, more important, a conversation with the pets' owners. 'The senior also interviews them and they make the choice of a new home,' says Rafuse. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Rafuse says her philosophy is that it shouldn't matter 'if a cat is 16 years old, has diabetes or three legs or whatever it may be, we will help them. 'I believe wholeheartedly that there is a home for every animal,' she says. 'We just have to find them.' Meckelberg says she is deeply committed to finding a 'second forever home' for Tulip, Aster and Daisy. 'It's literally Judie's dying wish that her pets are well taken care of, and ideally that they are adopted together,' says Meckelberg. 'I am going to do everything I can to place these three together.' 'My greatest hope is to keep this little flower family together,' says Julie, whose symptoms started a few years ago. 'They have brought me such joy and love throughout the years, and have kept me going over the last three.' Anyone interested in adopting the trio is asked to email adopt@ Donations are welcome at This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. jruttle@ Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Canada Editorial Cartoons World Celebrity
Vancouver Sun
08-05-2025
- General
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. woman with ALS has one last wish: A happy home for her beloved pets
A Coquitlam woman was recently diagnosed with ALS and has her own health and well-being to worry about. One thing she doesn't want to fret over: What to do with her beloved dog and two cats once she can no longer care for them herself. Enter My Grandfather's Cat (MGC). Julie, who asked that her last name be withheld, reached out to the Nova Scotia-based charity at the end of March when she realized she might soon have to find a new caretaker for the pets she calls her 'flowers,' cats Tulip and Aster and their canine companion Daisy. The three are a close-knit fur family, so Julie's greatest wish is for them to stay together. A big ask, to be sure, trying to get someone to adopt three pets at once. Did we mention they're all seniors? Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The SPCA is a wonderful organization, but I didn't want my pets caged and stressed more than was necessary,' says Julie, who heard about MGC from her vet. 'I knew, because they are older, that it was unlikely that they would be chosen, together or separately.' 'When she reached out to us, individually rehoming these animals was going to be a challenge, but they're a bonded family and they're all nine or older,' says Angela Rafuse, who launched the charity in 2021 after being put in a similar bind. Her grandfather had just died and his elderly cat Mackenzie was suddenly on the brink of spending the rest of her life in a shelter. Realizing the 'spicy, grumpy calico' might not be everyone's cup of tea, Rafuse took Mackenzie in, and 'we became best friends.' But Rafuse wondered: What if she hadn't been available? 'If it's not me, what's going to happen? I designed MGC to be what my family would have needed to rehome Mackenzie comfortably,' she says on the phone from Halifax, where she and the charity she founded are based. 'And now we can do this for hundreds of families.' In its first few years, MGC has found homes for well over 300 pets whose owners were terminally ill or who had died, as well as expanding into donating pet food and supplies for seniors as the cost of pet ownership soars. Though based on the east coast, over 30 of those adoptions were in B.C. and the charity now has volunteers in every province. 'I had this idea that animals could stay with their people as long as possible, then we could find a home for them, and really make sure their next home is the right fit,' says Rafuse. The Coquitlam 'flower family,' though, has been 'our most difficult adoption to date,' admits Rafuse. There's the fact they come as a unit, they're older, and whoever adopts them must remain available even if Julie is able to keep them for months or even years. 'She is not even concerned about her short future, only the well-being of her pets,' says Melanie Meckelberg, the local volunteer co-ordinating MGC's efforts for Julie, who has become mostly wheelchair-bound since she got in touch a couple of months ago. 'It is a tough situation, as she wants to be with them for as long as possible,' says Meckelberg. Julie has help with dog walking for now, but kno ws the time to give them up is coming sooner than later. That's why Rafuse has ramped up the campaign to find them homes, expanding from a posting on MGC's adoption page to an Instagram reel, TikTok and pretty much every other social channel out there. 'We've had a few enquiries and there's been genuine interest,' says Rafuse. 'But overall it's been quite quiet.' One thing that hasn't been a challenge for MGC is fundraising. Generous donations have allowed Rafuse, 30, to take on the charitable work full-time after several years in public relations and marketing in Ontario. 'We have so many donors. So many people believe in the work we're doing,' she says. MGC never charges adoption fees, and 'we also don't have the overhead a traditional shelter would. 'Shelters do such amazing work, but this was a real issue and so many people reached out. Rehoming is needed.' MGC does vetting of prospective adopters with a rigour that likely exceeds what the SPCA and humane societies put them through. There's an application similar to what those agencies use, with 'a few more questions.' Then come phone interviews with every applicant and, more important, a conversation with the pets' owners. 'The senior also interviews them and they make the choice of a new home,' says Rafuse. Rafuse says her philosophy is that it shouldn't matter 'if a cat is 16 years old, has diabetes or three legs or whatever it may be, we will help them. 'I believe wholeheartedly that there is a home for every animal,' she says. 'We just have to find them.' Meckelberg says she is deeply committed to finding a 'second forever home' for Tulip, Aster and Daisy. 'It's literally Judi's dying wish that her pets are well taken care of, and ideally that they are adopted together,' says Meckelberg. 'I am going to do everything I can to place these three together.' 'My greatest hope is to keep this little flower family together,' says Julie, whose symptoms started a few years ago. 'They have brought me such joy and love throughout the years, and have kept me going over the last three.' Anyone interested in adopting the trio is asked to email adopt@ . Donations are welcome at . A post shared by MY GRANDFATHER'S CAT 🐾 (@mygrandfatherscat) jruttle@
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man, 81, in epic charity drive after life-saving op
A grandfather who underwent innovative life-saving lung surgery is preparing to drive the length of the UK in his classic car for charity. Dave Whittington was diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension - a relatively rare disease where blood clots block the lung's arteries - in November 2020. The 81-year-old, from Shepshed, Leicestershire, underwent a procedure that involved his heart being stopped and all the blood being drained from his body. He said he had been through a "long and difficult" recovery but was now determined to challenge himself further by driving his 57-year-old MGC from John O'Groats to Land's End. Mr Whittington and his wife Thelma, 79, will start the epic journey on Monday to say "a huge thank you" and raise money for two charities that helped him. Mr Whittington, who has 10 grandchildren, underwent life-saving pulmonary endarterectomy surgery at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. It is the only centre in the UK offering the procedure to remove the clots and scar material by stopping the patient's heart and draining all of the blood from their body. To do this the team cools the body from 37C to 20C to prevent damage to the organs, including the brain. The couple hope to raise awareness of the disease and the specialist surgery while raising money for the Royal Papworth Charity and Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA UK). They are due to travel 1,178 miles from Scotland to Cornwall via a number of pulmonary hypertension hospital centres over four days. Mr Whittington said: "My road to recovery has been long and at times difficult but I am determined to challenge myself further in aid of what I feel are two hugely worthwhile causes. "This driving challenge is my way of saying a huge thank you from myself and my family. "Plus, my bucket list is starting to get rusty so now is the time to do the road trip I've always wanted to do." David Jenkins, a consultant in cardiothoracic surgery at the hospital, performed Mr Whittington's surgery. He said: "It has been great to see Dave looking so well and be given the chance to look around his classic car. "All the hospital staff involved in his treatment and care wish him and Thelma the best of luck." Dr Iain Armstrong, chair of PHA UK, added: "We are hugely grateful to Dave and Thelma for supporting us with this challenge. "It's a wonderful way to celebrate the success of Dave's surgery and the new lease of life it has provided, and we wish them all the best for their adventure." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Double lung transplant means couple can dance again Grandfather with cancer finishes 1,700-mile ride Study could pave way for new lung treatments Royal Papworth Charity Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Online casino scam targets Missourians; Missouri Gaming Commission warns
MISSOURI — An online casino scam that has spread across the country is now targeting Missourians, claiming to be operated by legitimate casinos in the state. The Missouri Gaming Commission said advertisements of the online game have spread across social media, claiming specific Missouri casinos are 'going online.' The advertisements use genuine photos from the casino's website to make it look like it represents the corporation. Federal charges filed in well-known Wildwood cat-hoarding case The Missouri Gaming Commission warns that online casinos are illegal in the state and any claims such as these recent scams are 'highly suspicious.' Due to the lack of regulations of online casinos, the MGC said it is currently unable to resolve complaints that have arisen from the fake gaming site, which leaves victims with little to no chance of recovering any lost funds. The MGC advises that anyone who comes across an online casino scam should document the website URL, app, business, and promotional materials. Additionally, it should be reported to the Federal Internet Crime Complaint Center, and they should immediately stop their use of the platform and monitor their bank accounts for suspicious activity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
