Latest news with #TheLouvre
Mint
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Climate Change and You: The price of comfort in a rapidly warming world
Dear Reader, Last week may have been a distressing time for some of you, particularly if you live in one of India's border towns. For a friend in Srinagar, it was like dying every night, not knowing if she would wake up alive. Even at a distance, cocooned in the comfort and safety of the national capital, the India-Pakistan conflict and the possibility of a full-blown war took a mental toll on many of us. Thanks to the ceasefire—and hope it isn't a fragile one—we can catch our breath. And revisit some forgotten wisdom. Rabindranath Tagore, the poet laureate who penned India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, wrote in a letter to a friend that 'patriotism can't be our final spiritual shelter. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live". Tagore's views on nationalism, and his differences with Mahatma Gandhi on this issue, are evocatively captured in his 1916 novel Ghare Baire (The Home and the World). Satyajit Ray adapted the book for the screen. Both are worth a look. Perhaps none of this is relevant to a climate newsletter except for the certitude that the world is in dire need of visionary leaders to guide us through emergency situations, none more so than in climate crisis—among the most pressing challenges of our times. We need global leaders who can ensure a liveable future for our children, leaders who can think beyond narrow self-interest while trying to end a conflict or solve the climate puzzle. State of the climate Temperatures are rising after a brief spell of showers in early May. Those of us who can will now lock ourselves indoors, avoid the sun, and crank up the air conditioner. There's a big climate piece unfolding there, right inside the blissful comfort of our personal spaces. Room AC sales in India are on steroids. Consumers made a beeline for ACs last year as a gruelling summer fuelled a business driven by discomfort. In the year to March, Indians purchased nearly 14 million ACs—a staggering 30% jump over the previous year. By 2030, annual sales are expected to more than double to 30 million units. By 2050, estimates suggest electricity demand to run ACs will increase ninefold as compared with 2022. India is already the world's fastest-growing AC market. In a rapidly warming world, an ever-increasing demand for cooling will jeopardize national climate goals. Can technology provide a solution by making ACs more energy efficient? The short answer is yes, but it may take years. The interesting part is that we already have the solutions—such as moving to centralized systems like 'district cooling', which can slash energy use by at least 30%. In Hong Kong, schools and hospitals use district cooling; in this model, centralized chillers cool spaces using piped chilled water as a refrigerant and not polluting gases that add to global warming. Iconic buildings like the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and The Louvre in Paris also use district cooling. The news in brief Climate Change Tracker How many disasters will a child face in her lifetime? Exposure to heatwaves, crop failures, floods, droughts, wildfires and tropical cyclones will at least double for a child born in 2020 than one born in 1960. That will be the case if global temperatures rise by 2.7 °C compared to pre-industrial levels (in a business-as-usual scenario), as per a study published in Nature. We can save today's toddlers a lot of pain as they age if we act now to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, as per the Paris Accord, the authors say. But who's listening? Know Your Jargon Our cities are replete with impervious surfaces, from cemented pavements and concrete buildings to asphalt roads and vanishing waterbodies. These surfaces absorb and store heat during the day, and release it in the night. In addition, waste heat is released by cars, ACs, and the like, which gets trapped by the dense concrete around it. This makes urban centres much warmer than the rural outskirts, which is why they are now called urban heat islands, or UHIs. We tend to use more ACs and refrigerators—and more energy to run them—as it gets hotter. This worsens the UHI effect in a vicious cycle. Here's a review of the India situation. 107,000 The number of passenger electric vehicles (EVs) sold in India in 2024-25, compared with 91,607 in the year before. Current penetration is 2.6%, marginally up from 2.3% in FY24. In comparison, 6% of two-wheelers and over 57% of three-wheelers sold last year were electric. What explains the tepid consumer demand? Buyers see EVs as a second car, not the primary one. They are concerned about range (how many kilometres an EV can run on a single charge), inadequate charging infrastructure, the price premium over regular cars, and the future cost of battery replacement. Video of the month To be honest, reading on the climate crisis can be pretty depressing. The chatter can put one off because of all the doomsday-crystal-gazing. So why not listen to some irreverent comedy instead? Here's a short compilation. Don't miss Dana Carvey, Straight White Male, 60, on how US President Donald Trump may solve the climate problem if he believed in it (glide to 10:08 if you're in a rush): 'I will be so good with global warming, so, so good with global warming, I will make CO2 pay for it. I promise you that." That's all, for now. Bibek will be back with the next issue, in a fortnight.
NZ Herald
06-05-2025
- NZ Herald
How to plan the perfect girls' weekend in Paris
Attractions and Experiences You could spend a month in Paris taking in the sights, sauntering through the streets, and mooching around museums. With only a weekend, it's best to prioritise. A leisurely way to take in some of the famous landmarks is the hop-on hop-off Batobus. This relaxing boat journey has nine stops, with easy access to some of the main attractions like The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Louvre and Place de La Concorde. Tickets last 24 or 48 hours, so you can split your journey over a few days according to your schedule. The Eiffel Tower stop offers an excellent vantage point for great photos. Paris has a myriad of museums. If it's your first trip, don't miss the Louvre for a glimpse at the Mona Lisa or The Musée de L'Orangerie to admire Monet's Water Lilies. For something a little different, try the YSL Museum showcasing the legacy of Yves Saint Laurent, or the Perfume Museum, which is free. A food tour is a fun and delicious way to introduce yourself to the city. The 'Paris ultimate food tour' by Devour includes eight tasting stops in the Marais district, including a bakery, cheese shop, chocolate shop, and classic French bistro. With small groups of 10 or less, there's plenty of opportunity to ask questions as you learn about the Parisian food scene. Notre Dame has been fully restored and is now open to the public. To avoid a lengthy queue, you can reserve free online. The website updates throughout the day, so check back if you didn't manage to secure a booking. The area of Montmartre is home to the beautiful basilica of Sacré-Cœur and offers great views across the city. It gets very crowded on weekends, so get there early if you want to secure a table in the Place du Tertre to watch the portrait artists at work. For most of us, attending fashion week is just a dream, but for a modest fee you can experience a fashion show while you're in Paris. Galeries Lafayette Haussmann host a Fashion Show most Friday afternoons, which you can book through their website. Food and Drink In Paris, the most important question of the day is where to eat. There's a high concentration of Michelin Starred restaurants, but also plenty of cosy bistros and cool bars. Les Deux Magots has occupied a prime corner in Saint-Germain-des-Prés since 1884. The outside seating area is the perfect spot for some people watching while you soak up the Parisian sunshine. Why not try a croque madame while you're there? Established in 1626, Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris. Open every day, it's packed with food stalls offering everything from cheese to couscous. It's a cheap and cheerful spot to stop for a bite to eat, or to grab the ingredients for a picnic. For a deliciously decadent afternoon, indulge in lunch or afternoon tea at Jardin d'Hiver at the five-star Hotel de Crillon. With chandeliers and velvet booths overlooking a charming courtyard, it exudes low-key opulence. You could almost walk past Arbane cocktail bar, but that would be a mistake. Behind an unassuming door lies an intimate bar that serves classic and signature cocktails with a daily happy 'hour' from 6pm till 8pm. A short walk away, tucked into Rue de la Huchette, you'll find Hestia. This warm and inviting restaurant serves delicious French dishes that perfectly blend tradition and modernity. For fabulous cocktails in an art deco setting accompanied by live jazz, pay a visit to Bar Josephine in the Hôtel Lutetia on the left bank. Opened in 1911, Harry's New York Bar is a Paris institution. This old school bar has served classic cocktails to glitterati like Coco Chanel and Rita Hayworth. The aesthetic is American vintage, and the cocktails are delicious but deadly. Perched on top of Printemps, Perruche restaurant offers Mediterranean dishes in a verdant escape from the hustle and bustle below, as well as some fabulous 360 views of the city. In the trendy Marais district, you'll find Habile restaurant. It's featured in the Michelin Guide, and it's easy to understand why. With a choice of a set or tasting menu, you'll be spoiled for choice. Dishes are prepared with care and precision, and you can peruse their extensive wine cellar to select the perfect pairing for your meal. For a special occasion, make reservations at Michelin-starred Le Tout-Paris. Le Tout-Paris is a French expression that roughly translates to 'the Jet Set', and a meal here will certainly make you feel like a VIP. Panoramic vistas across the city, delectable dishes, and impeccable service make for a truly memorable experience. You can also visit the bar for a sophisticated cocktail and access to the terrace for fabulous views. Shopping If you love labels, then Paris is the city for you. From Chanel to Hermes, Givenchy to Louis Vuitton, this is high-end shopping at its very best. If you're keen to do more than window shop, then it's worth noting some luxury brands require an appointment at busy times. Brands like Maje, Sandro and Claudie Pierlot exude the understated elegance that France is famous for. As well as high street boutiques, all three have outlet stores. You can find Sandro and Claudie Pierlot on Rue de Sévigné, and Maje on Rue des Martyrs. The selection is smaller, but the discounts are generous. A piece of jewellery is the perfect way to take a little Parisian sparkle home with you. Pop into BÔNEUR or Les Néréides for unique jewellery pieces that won't break the bank. No visit to Paris would be complete without a trip to Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. This shopping behemoth stretches across three buildings. The main Art Nouveau store is home to over 3500 brands and offers clothes, jewellery, cosmetics and accessories. There's an entire floor devoted to wellness, and another focusing on sustainable style. Shoe aficionados won't be disappointed; the fourth floor is the largest space dedicated to shoes in Europe. There are also dedicated buildings for menswear and home. Next door, you'll find Printemps, another fashion one-stop shop, housing hundreds of European and US brands. You can also pick up some mouthwatering macarons from their Maison Ladurée concession or grab a treat at Fauchon Paris. Established in 1886, Fauchon offers high-quality gourmet products like macarons, confectionery and foie gras in achingly chic packaging.
USA Today
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Gigi Hadid, Tyra Banks, more stars head to The Louvre for glam exhibit: See the photos
Gigi Hadid, Tyra Banks, more stars head to The Louvre for glam exhibit: See the photos Show Caption Hide Caption Kylie Jenner hits runway at Disneyland Paris to close out fashion week Kylie Jenner wore a black gown on the runway at the Coperni show at Disneyland Paris to close out Paris Fashion Week. If fashion is an art form, these stars may be walking masterpieces. A slew of A-list celebrities, from supermodels Gigi Hadid and Tyra Banks to fashion heavyweights Anna Wintour and Jean Paul Gaultier, descended on The Louvre in Paris on Tuesday for "Le Grand Diner du Louvre," a glamorous exhibition held at the iconic French art museum. The inaugural showcase was designed to highlight the "Louvre Couture: Art and Fashion — Statement Pieces" exhibit, Olivier Gabet, director of the decorative arts department at the Louvre Museum, told Women's Wear Daily in August 2024. The collection explores how "precious objects" across history have shaped the realm of fashion design. "This is really the first time that the Louvre has decided to create an exhibition about the relationship between fashion and its own collections," Gabet said at the time. Check out the stars who were in attendance. Gigi Hadid Hadid was a full-blown glamazon in an asymmetrical, off-the-shoulder gown. The floor-length frock was overlaid with a bewitching black and yellow patchwork print. Tyra Banks Banks is taking business formal to a chic new level. The model and TV personality rocked a flowy blazer with tassel embellishments and paired it with a black bustier. Anna Wintour Wintour is the reigning fashion queen for a reason, folks. The Vogue Editor-in-Chief looked elegant in a long-sleeved, floral-printed dress and sleek black coat. Jean Paul Gaultier If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The French haute couture designer stayed true to his signature style with a striped, navy-blue and white T-shirt, which he elevated with a crisp black suit. Michelle Yeoh Yeoh may be in her villain era, but there's nothing sinful about her Louvre look. The Oscar-winning actress and "Wicked" star captivated in a jet black, asymmetrical dress. Naomi Campbell Campbell can make anything a fashion statement. The model took a simple black dress and paired it with a vibrant hot pink coat and '60s-inspired hairdo for a casually glamorous number. Dev Patel Patel is a leading man on and off the screen. The "Monkey Man" director and star charmed in a trim navy-blue suit and white button-down shirt. Keira Knightley Knightley is a black dove in more ways than one. The Oscar-nominated actress and "Black Doves" star radiated in a whimsical black dress, which featured a jewel-studded and semi-ruffled bodice. Doechii Doechii was truly the belle of the ball. The Grammy-winning rapper sparkled in a sumptuous canary gown that glinted with the help of some reflective beading. Jisoo Jisoo is flying solo in style. The Blackpink star evoked old Hollywood glamour in a strapless black gown, which she accessorized with a dazzling, leaf-shaped necklace. Paris Jackson For Jackson, superstar style doesn't skip a generation. The model-actress and daughter of pop icon Michael Jackson wowed in a feathery, semi-sheer frock that belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ashley Graham If anyone can flip the fashion script, it's Graham. The model looked sharp in an all-black suit and tie, which she complemented with a bold red lip. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Huntington-Whiteley aced the first rule of model behavior: Always be runway ready. The model-actress sizzled in a sequined black dress, which she paired with a matching shawl. Joseph Quinn In the battle for fashion stud supremacy, Quinn is a clear victor. The "Gladiator II" star was a total knockout in a crisp black suit, which he topped with a wine-hued button-down shirt. Danai Gurira Only the fiercest of Wakanda survive, and Gurira fits that bill. The actress and "Black Panther" star popped in a showstopping halter gown. Gemma Chan Chan has us seeing red in the best way possible. The actress and "Crazy Rich Asians" star captivated in a floor-length scarlet gown.
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The Louvre in Paris needs a full upgrade – here's a list of its problems
Paris's biggest cultural attraction, The Louvre, needs a full upgrade, and a costly one. The most visited museum in the world is plagued with overcrowding and outdated facillities. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce on Tuesday possibly hundreds of millions of euros in renovation work. The museum takes more than double the number of people it was designed to hold each year. Macron's speech comes after the Louvre director Laurence des Cars expressed concerns over the 'very poor condition' of some of the museum's spaces. The Louvre's last overhaul dates right back to the 1980s, when the iconic glass pyramid was unveiled. Here's a look at what's at stake: Water leaks and other damage Louvre director Laurence Des Cars sent a note expressing a series of concerns to Culture Minister Rachida Dati earlier this month saying the museum is threatened by 'obsolescence'. According to the document, first released by French newspaper Le Parisien, she warned about the gradual degradation of the building due to water leaks, temperature variations and other issues 'endangering the preservation of artworks.' The pyramid that serves at the museum's entrance, unveiled in 1989 as part of late President François Mitterrand's project, now appears outdated. The pyramid is not properly insulated from the cold and the heat and tends to amplify noise, making the space uncomfortable for both the public and the staff, des Cars stressed. In addition, the museum suffers from a lack of food offerings and restroom facilities, she said. A costly and complex overhaul 'We're faced with a collective challenge,' an official at the French presidency said. 'That is, how can we adapt the Louvre to expectations, welcome visitors from across the world in comfortable conditions and also be leading a commitment for artistic and cultural education?' The official could not be named in line with the French presidency's customary practices. The financing needed for such a major renovation has not been specified, but any renovation work at the former royal palace is expected to be costly and technically complicated. The Pompidou Center, another major museum in Paris, is set to close to undergo a five-year renovation worth €262 million (£219 million), starting from the end of the year. Half the Louvre's budget is financed by the French state, including the wages of the 2,200 employees. The other half is provided by private funds including ticket sales, earnings from restaurants, shops and bookings for special events, as well as patrons and other partners. That includes the United Arab Emirates' financing for the right to use the brand for the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum. Questions about the display of the Mona Lisa? There have been multiple questions arise about how the Mona Lisa should be displayed in the museum. Des Cars asked for the issue to be 'reassessed,' suggesting a possible transfer of the museum's most popular attraction to another room that would be specifically dedicated to it. The Mona Lisa is now being shown behind protective glass in the museum's largest room, overcrowded with long, noisy queues of visitors eager to take a selfie with Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece. That makes some other paintings in the room by the greatest Venetian painters like Titian and Veronese go unnoticed by many. The museum's latest big renovation in the 1980s was designed to receive 4 million annual visitors. Last year, the Louvre received 8.7 million visitors, more three-quarters being foreigners mostly from the United States, China and neighboring countries Italy, the UK, Germany and Spain.
Washington Post
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Haute couture is in the spotlight at the Louvre
PARIS — The world's most visited art museum, the Louvre, is making history with its first exhibition on fashion since its creation 232 years ago. On Friday, 'Louvre Couture – Art and Fashion: Statement Pieces' opened with more than 100 couture pieces from over 45 of the world's top fashion houses, including Chanel, Hermès, Christian Dior, Jonathan Anderson, Iris van Herpen and Balenciaga. With this exhibition, Olivier Gabet, director of the Louvre Museum's Department of Decorative Arts, invites visitors to take a fresh look at its collections through the lens of contemporary haute couture designers, with a whirlwind tour through Byzantium, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Second Empire. 'Museums house knowledge but also enjoyment and delight,' Gabet said. Gabet's lighthearted curation places the spotlight on the convergence of haute couture and art. 'The Louvre is a giant mood board, an inexhaustible source of reference and inspiration,' Gabet said. 'As Paul Cézanne once said, 'The Louvre is the book from which we learn to read.'' With 8.7 million visitors in 2024, (averaging a colossal 30,000 per day), the Louvre doesn't need more visitors, but new ones. 'Fashion is very accessible, with no preconceptions. We all wear clothes; we all understand the meaning of a coat or a dress. We're using this accessibility to lead visitors towards other works,' Gabet continued. 'This is the idea behind the mood board, because art is present in couture.' This dialogue between masterpieces of contemporary couture and masterpieces of antiquity offers the visitor a fresh perspective. The seed for the exhibition was sown as long ago as 2009, when Pierre Bergé auctioned the collection of 733 art masterpieces that he and Yves Saint Laurent had jointly amassed over their 40 years together. 'As a museum curator, my background is in history and decorative arts, not fashion, but the more I delved into Yves Saint Laurent's biography, the more I realized how much he had in common with Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Jeanne Lanvin and Elsa Schiaparelli. They all shared an intense relationship with art and collecting. At that point, the societal impact of fashion began to intrigue me,' Gabet said. Sometimes a designer's inspiration is evoked subtly: Italian Renaissance for Christian Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri (a frequent Louvre visitor), suits of armor for Demna at Balenciaga, reliquary busts for Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli, Palissy ware for Matthieu Blazy and Alexander McQueen, medieval tapestry for Dries Van Noten, and its craftsmanship for Christian Louboutin. For others, it's more literal. Lagerfeld's obsession with the 18th century is well documented. For his last Chanel haute couture collection in 2019 — the year of his death — he attached a photo of Mathieu Criaerd's blue and white lacquered chest of drawers to his sketch with indications to Maison Lesage to reproduce it in embroidery on the jacket. 'This was a wonderful find from Chanel's archives!' Gabet said. 'It illustrates what I call the genealogy of taste, and this is exactly what we're trying to illustrate through this exhibition.' In the exhibit, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's Bambi tapestry mini skirt tailleur, accessorized with a fake-fur antler headdress from his 'Go! Go! Diva' fall-winter 2010 collection, is displayed against the deer-hunting backdrop of 'Le Mois d'Août,' one of a dozen medieval tapestries from 1528. 'Having the full suite of twelve 16th-century tapestries is rarissime,' Gabet said. That is the beauty of the Louvre, when a six-meter-wide piece of art is on display, you have the room to focus on it, without being distracted by other objects placed too closely. That's the signature of the Louvre.' 'There's nothing more beautiful than the encounter between a source of antiquity and a futuristic conduit,' de Castelbajac said. 'That's how I create, how I re-create.' In the exhibition, Roseberry's black wool suit worn with a hand-crafted patinated brass mask for Schiaparelli, Jonathan Anderson's sky-blue metal-studded top with copper wings, and Iris van Herpen's 3D Cathedral dress in laser-cut copper stand shoulder to shoulder before a tapestry paying homage to Dante. 'Museums are soothing, restful places,' said Van Noten, who has three pieces in the exhibition. 'One is often surrounded by absolute beauty, sorely needed in today's world.' Van Noten grew up in Antwerp, Belgium, where members of his family were drapers. His men's overcoat is printed with an adaptation of a 17th-century Flemish tapestry depicting Moses being rescued from the waters. It stands in front of a silk and wool tapestry from the Manufacture des Gobelins dated 1689. The pièce de resistance that encapsulates 'Louvre Couture's' concept is the set that unites two black silk-velvet ceremonial robes of the Order of the Holy Spirit, lavishly embroidered with real gold and silver, which are the only garments in the Louvre's collections. The order was established by King Henri III in the 16th century and then abolished by King Louis Philippe in 1830, who returned the objects to the Louvre. The robes are surrounded by three gold and black contemporary creations by Roseberry for Schiaparelli, Olivier Rousteing for Balmain, and Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Sartoria. The plaque of the order was a prestigious honor bestowed upon members of the French nobility. The star-shaped design was embellished with diamonds and the fleur-de-lis emblem of the French monarchy. In the centerpiece of this display is the version Lagerfeld created for Chanel in 1990, replacing the diamonds with rhinestones. The sumptuously decorated 19th-century red velvet and gilt Napoleon III Apartments provides the backdrop for the spectacular, sculptural, black-bonded velvet ball gown from Demna's Balenciaga 2020 spring-summer collection. 'Ball gowns take us back to the early days of Balenciaga, when Cristóbal started designing in Spain,' Demna explained in the exhibition's catalogue. 'He drew this type of silhouette, inspired by Spanish paintings. But we wanted to make sure they were wearable dresses: if you remove the crinoline, you are left with a kind of gothic dress.' A few weeks after the appearance of this piece on the runway, Demna announced Balenciaga's return to haute couture. Equally at home in the Napoleon III Apartments is John Galliano's crimson embroidered moiré and velvet ball gown with ermine trim for Christian Dior's fall-winter 2004 haute couture collection, inspired by the movie 'Sissi – The Young Empress.' 'There is no set itinerary to follow,' Gabet said. 'We wanted the exhibition to be a fluid, leisurely promenade, a kind of time-out for our visitors, just as it allows us to use fashion as a bridge to discovering our collections.'
