Latest news with #US4
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kim Kardashian's $148 pierced nipple bra is not a stunt – it's empowerment
Kim Kardashian's Skims clothing brand announced a new product last month, and it's pretty wild. The 'pierced nipple bra' has fabric nipples pierced with a barbell so that, under a close-fitting shirt, it appears the wearer has very cold, prominent – and pierced – nipples. Skims' Instagram explained: 'Our sexiest bra gets even hotter with faux nipple piercing design so you can get the 'Ooo' without the ouch!' Following the marketing success of the original 'nipple bra' in 2023, this version has already garnered awe, cringe, and bewilderment. You've got to acknowledge Kardashian's prowess for seeing a gap in the market, filling it, and then piercing it. At $148, this is an investment bra for those likely to show it off on their socials rather than being an everyday basic. Like a Guerlain perfume, or Chanel sunglasses, it makes a statement about your school of style. What kind of statement does it make? While the average reader of this masthead would likely not wear skin-tight crop tops that bare their (seemingly highly aroused) nipples for a casual day out, it's no longer taboo (if a walk through Fitzroy is any indication) to go braless or expose underboob. In urban Australia – as much as Los Angeles, Berlin or London – porn, music videos, fashion advertisements, and reality TV now coexist in an 'anything goes' era. Women should have every right to modify our bodies and dress as we want, but we don't have the luxury of taking our choices for granted when men are still advocating for MAGA-inspired 'tradwives', the US Vice President J.D. Vance says women should stay in violent marriages to keep their families together and, according to a Harvard Institute poll from last year, 46 per cent of young Republicans believe 'women are too promiscuous these days'. You might scoff at the idea that Kardashian, an influencer and billionaire, is waving a feminist flag with a fake pierced nipple bra. But it fits perfectly with her push for women's autonomy and empowerment through products that occasionally provoke but also appeal to women's aesthetic and desire for comfort. Male designers have long commodified women's bodies with ill-fitting tat, so the argument that she's exploiting her name for profit doesn't wash with me. Yes, her advertisements are heavily airbrushed and her clothing is unaffordable for many of her followers, but Kardashian built her wealth through Skims (worth approximately $US4 billion) and other savvy investments, by serving women first. In March, she told Vogue Business that it matters to her to have shapewear and lingerie that cater to a broad range of body shapes, sizes (Skims go up to the equivalent of Australian sizes 20/22), skin shades and styles. These sculpted bras are not a mere novelty – the nipple bra was embraced by women who'd had a mastectomy, too. Kardashian built this empire all while completing six years of legal studies and advocating for criminal justice reform. At 44, Kardashian refuses to follow the safe marketing route in showcasing Skims lingerie only on 20-something, skinny, white girls. Her models are diverse, and her grey, brown and beige designs are not created predominantly for the male gaze, but for women's comfort. That's radical in itself. So, to the pierced nipples. This bra design is close to my heart (boom, tish!) because in my late teens, nipple piercings were a trend among the cool girls in university. I didn't dare. Then, about six years ago, when the cool girls of Hollywood (Kendall, Miley, Bella Hadid, etc) were all baring their pierced nipples in paparazzi photos, I decided to join the crew.
The Age
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Kim Kardashian's $148 pierced nipple bra is not a stunt – it's empowerment
Kim Kardashian's Skims clothing brand announced a new product last month, and it's pretty wild. The 'pierced nipple bra' has fabric nipples pierced with a barbell so that, under a close-fitting shirt, it appears the wearer has very cold, prominent – and pierced – nipples. Skims' Instagram explained: 'Our sexiest bra gets even hotter with faux nipple piercing design so you can get the 'Ooo' without the ouch!' Following the marketing success of the original 'nipple bra' in 2023, this version has already garnered awe, cringe, and bewilderment. You've got to acknowledge Kardashian's prowess for seeing a gap in the market, filling it, and then piercing it. At $148, this is an investment bra for those likely to show it off on their socials rather than being an everyday basic. Like a Guerlain perfume, or Chanel sunglasses, it makes a statement about your school of style. What kind of statement does it make? While the average reader of this masthead would likely not wear skin-tight crop tops that bare their (seemingly highly aroused) nipples for a casual day out, it's no longer taboo (if a walk through Fitzroy is any indication) to go braless or expose underboob. In urban Australia – as much as Los Angeles, Berlin or London – porn, music videos, fashion advertisements, and reality TV now coexist in an 'anything goes' era. Women should have every right to modify our bodies and dress as we want, but we don't have the luxury of taking our choices for granted when men are still advocating for MAGA-inspired 'tradwives', the US Vice President J.D. Vance says women should stay in violent marriages to keep their families together and, according to a Harvard Institute poll from last year, 46 per cent of young Republicans believe 'women are too promiscuous these days'. You might scoff at the idea that Kardashian, an influencer and billionaire, is waving a feminist flag with a fake pierced nipple bra. But it fits perfectly with her push for women's autonomy and empowerment through products that occasionally provoke but also appeal to women's aesthetic and desire for comfort. Male designers have long commodified women's bodies with ill-fitting tat, so the argument that she's exploiting her name for profit doesn't wash with me. Yes, her advertisements are heavily airbrushed and her clothing is unaffordable for many of her followers, but Kardashian built her wealth through Skims (worth approximately $US4 billion) and other savvy investments, by serving women first. In March, she told Vogue Business that it matters to her to have shapewear and lingerie that cater to a broad range of body shapes, sizes (Skims go up to the equivalent of Australian sizes 20/22), skin shades and styles. These sculpted bras are not a mere novelty – the nipple bra was embraced by women who'd had a mastectomy, too. Kardashian built this empire all while completing six years of legal studies and advocating for criminal justice reform. At 44, Kardashian refuses to follow the safe marketing route in showcasing Skims lingerie only on 20-something, skinny, white girls. Her models are diverse, and her grey, brown and beige designs are not created predominantly for the male gaze, but for women's comfort. That's radical in itself. So, to the pierced nipples. This bra design is close to my heart (boom, tish!) because in my late teens, nipple piercings were a trend among the cool girls in university. I didn't dare. Then, about six years ago, when the cool girls of Hollywood (Kendall, Miley, Bella Hadid, etc) were all baring their pierced nipples in paparazzi photos, I decided to join the crew.
The Age
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Musk leaves Trump administration after criticising president's ‘big beautiful bill'
Washington: Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading a tumultuous efficiency drive, during which he upended several federal agencies, but ultimately failed to deliver the generational savings he had sought. His 'off-boarding will begin tonight', a White House official said late on Wednesday, Washington time, confirming Musk's departure from government. Musk earlier took to his social media platform X to thank US President Donald Trump as his 130 days as a special government employee with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency draws to an end. While the precise circumstances of his exit were not immediately clear, it came shortly after he criticised Trump's signature legislative priority to cut taxes and lift border security spending, saying it would increase the budget deficit and undermine the work of his DOGE team. Musk, a key Trump ally and until recently a constant presence in Trump's White House, also complained DOGE became a 'whipping boy' for other problems in the administration. The world's richest man has stepped back from Washington and returned to the Texas base of his SpaceX venture this week for another rocket test flight, which made it into space but sprang a leak and broke up on re-entry. Trump is seeking Senate support for his so-called 'big, beautiful bill', which passed the House of Representatives last week. It raises the US debt ceiling by $US4 trillion ($6.2 trillion), extends the tax cuts from Trump's first term that were due to expire at the end of the year, and eliminates tax on tips and overtime until the end of 2028 – a key election promise. The additional spending wipes out savings made by DOGE, which says it has found savings of $US175 billion – although its 'wall of receipts' amounts to less than half of that figure. On the campaign trail, Musk had said DOGE would be able to cut at least $US2 trillion in federal spending, though he later slashed that ambition. Earlier, Musk told CBS: 'I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Musk leaves Trump administration after criticising president's ‘big beautiful bill'
Washington: Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading a tumultuous efficiency drive, during which he upended several federal agencies, but ultimately failed to deliver the generational savings he had sought. His 'off-boarding will begin tonight', a White House official said late on Wednesday, Washington time, confirming Musk's departure from government. Musk earlier took to his social media platform X to thank US President Donald Trump as his 130 days as a special government employee with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency draws to an end. While the precise circumstances of his exit were not immediately clear, it came shortly after he criticised Trump's signature legislative priority to cut taxes and lift border security spending, saying it would increase the budget deficit and undermine the work of his DOGE team. Musk, a key Trump ally and until recently a constant presence in Trump's White House, also complained DOGE became a 'whipping boy' for other problems in the administration. The world's richest man has stepped back from Washington and returned to the Texas base of his SpaceX venture this week for another rocket test flight, which made it into space but sprang a leak and broke up on re-entry. Trump is seeking Senate support for his so-called 'big, beautiful bill', which passed the House of Representatives last week. It raises the US debt ceiling by $US4 trillion ($6.2 trillion), extends the tax cuts from Trump's first term that were due to expire at the end of the year, and eliminates tax on tips and overtime until the end of 2028 – a key election promise. The additional spending wipes out savings made by DOGE, which says it has found savings of $US175 billion – although its 'wall of receipts' amounts to less than half of that figure. On the campaign trail, Musk had said DOGE would be able to cut at least $US2 trillion in federal spending, though he later slashed that ambition. Earlier, Musk told CBS: 'I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.
Sydney Morning Herald
28-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Disappointed' Musk splits with Trump, says key tax bill undermines DOGE
Washington: Elon Musk has criticised Donald Trump's signature legislative manoeuvre to cut taxes and lift border security spending, saying it increases the budget deficit and undermines the work of his government efficiency team, DOGE. Musk, a key Trump ally and until recently a constant presence in Trump's White House, also complained his Department of Government Efficiency became a 'whipping boy' for other problems in the administration. The world's richest man has stepped back from Washington, and returned to the Texas base of his SpaceX venture this week for another rocket test flight, which made it into space but sprang a leak and broke up on re-entry. Trump, meanwhile, is seeking Senate support for his so-called 'big, beautiful bill', which passed the House of Representatives last week. It raises the US debt ceiling by $US4 trillion, extends the tax cuts from Trump's first term that were due to expire at the end of the year, and eliminates tax from tips and overtime until the end of 2028 – a key election promise. The additional spending wipes out savings made by DOGE, which says it has found savings of $US175 billion – although its 'wall of receipts' amounts to less than half of that figure. Musk told television network CBS in an interview: 'I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing. 'I think a bill can be big, or it can be beautiful, but I don't know if it can be both,' he said in an excerpt. The full interview will air on the weekend. In a separate interview with The Washington Post, Musk said the bureaucracy in Washington was worse than he realised and bemoaned the scrutiny DOGE came under as it made at-times sweeping cuts to federal agencies in the name of efficiency.
