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Fox Sports
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Last Night in Baseball: A Tigers vs. Rockies doubleheader is just cruel right now
There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves. That's why we're here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days' games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: Tigers vs. Rockies distilled The Tigers have the best record in the American League. The Rockies are on pace to obliterate the modern loss record. The two faced off this week, and because of a rainout, had to play a doubleheader on Thursday. We're going to break the entire doubleheader down into two separate but related pieces so you can easily understand MLB's equivalent of the hydrogen bomb vs. coughing baby meme given life. This is the kind of thing that's going right for the Tigers right now, and, on the flip side, going wrong for the Rockies. Tigers' backstop Dillon Dingler struggles receiving an 0-2 pitch, so when the ball flies away from Dingler, Kyle Farmer sees an opportunity to take second base and starts running. Dingler manages to catch the little accidental popup he created by missing the pitch, and then fires a laser beam directly to second, ahead of Farmer. The Rockies somehow turned what looked to be a passed ball into an out. Now here are the Rockies attempting to make a very routine play happen, one that involves their own catcher. It's the Rockies, though, so routine doesn't really play into it. A single to right, a throw that should have been quickly forgotten about, but because Jacob Stallings couldn't reel in the slow, dribbling, tail-end of the throw, instead the Rockies (and Javier Báez by extension) got… this. The third Rockies' error of the game, on a day in which they made five of them while allowing 21 runs and scoring 3. Or, to put it like MLB analyst Sarah Langs did: Not all history is good history, you know. Gabriel Moreno grand slam Diamondbacks' catcher Gabriel Moreno isn't much of a power guy. He came to the majors in 2022, and had played in 263 games there since, with just 13 homers to his name. He hit a pretty huge one on Thursday, though, as his first long ball of the 2025 season was a grand slam against Dodgers' starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The D-backs would go on to take the first game of this four-game set, 5-3, thanks to Moreno's slam. These are key games for Arizona to win, considering how packed the NL West is with contenders: they're already five games back of the Dodgers, and in fourth place, and 2.5 games behind a wild card spot, too, in no small part because the other two NL West teams ahead of them in the standings, the Padres and Giants, hold two of the three spots. It's a little early to worry about that, sure, but it's never too early to try to rack up dubs against divisional opponents. Phillies sweep amid Schwarber's on-base streak Thanks to a ninth-inning single, Kyle Schwarber's on-base streak was extended to 43 games, which is notable for two reasons. First, it gave the Phillies a baserunner in a game against the Rays in which they were down 5-4. Schwarber was lifted for pinch-runner Johan Rojas, who would come around to score on a groundout, tying the game, and the Phillies would then win it in 10 courtesy a double by Brandon Marsh and a single by Trea Turner that would score him, putting the Phillies up 7-5. They'd hold on to win, 7-6, their third win in a row, and one that helped them keep pace with the Mets in the NL East. Second is that 43 games puts Schwarber more than halfway to Ted Williams' record on-base streak of 84 games. Forty three games sounds like a ton — and it is — but Williams is far and away the leader here. The longest streak of the modern era is Orlando Cabrera back in 2006, so Schwarber still has a long way to go to reach even that level. Still! Impressive work so far, and he has the patience and pop to keep it going for some time. The rest, as with so many things in baseball, is luck. Bobby Witt Jr. has 4 hits, 2 steals Bobby Witt Jr. had himself a game against the White Sox. He had a fly out in his first at-bat, and then it was success from there on out. A pair of doubles and two singles, and both times he singled, he also stole second. Witt is now batting .325/.392/.530 while leading the majors in doubles, all good for a 159 OPS+. And he hasn't even started hitting for his usual home run power yet. He ended up being lifted for a pinch-runner before he could cause any more damage, but it's not like the Royals needed his bat in the lineup by this point, anyway. Kansas City took down Chicago 10-0, and while a lot of that damage was later in the game, that they scored in the first inning at all was enough to call it a day. Not all the news is bad, though, White Sox fans. And that's because… The new pope is a White Sox fan A new pope, Leo XIV, was chosen by the conclave on Thursday. He's an American — the first — which leads us to why it's being mentioned here in this space. The new head of the Roman Catholic Church is a baseball fan, and specifically of the Chicago White Sox thanks to being a south sider himself in his days before life at the Vatican. If the White Sox haven't considered prayer for guidance yet, well, they've got a direct line now, maybe it's time to give that a shot. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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Tom's Guide
05-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Tom's Guide
Massive running shoe sale from Hoka, New Balance, Nike and more — 25 deals I'd shop now from $30
With spring in full swing, outdoor runs are back on the daily agenda. Therefore, it's time to ditch those old, tired and smelly sneakers and opt for a sparking new pair. The good news is, there's plenty of high-quality sneaker options on the market that won't break the bank. Right now, we're seeing huge discounts on some of the best running shoes we've tested. A few of our favorite deals come courtesy of top brands like Hoka, Asics, New Balance, Adidas and more. Plus, with deals starting at just $30, there's a pair to fit just about every budget. So don't wait — check out these sneaker deals that will have you bidding farewell to your old, run down pair. The Adidas EQ21 are comfortable enough to rack up easy miles and are good for beginners — or anyone looking for running shoes they can wear on the treadmill and in the gym. After this discount, they're an even better value. The Adidas Runfalcon 5 is an entry-level running shoe that offers a high level of comfort thanks to the Cloudfoam midsole. Keen runners will be better off with something like the Adidas Supernova Rise or Ultraboost 5X, but the Runfalcon 5 are a great budget option for occasional runners, and they look good for casual use as well. Score a discount on the Adidas X_PLR Path sneakers. With a flexible upper and grippy, durable outsoles, these are the perfect workout companion. The midsole features a hybrid of Adidas' Boost and Bounce tech, giving a springy and responsive feel underfoot. The Ultraboost Light are our favorite running shoes from Adidas. Our Adidas Ultraboost Light review says these are stylish, fit well and are lighter than the previous Ultraboost 22. They're usually a bit more expensive than other models on the market, but this is an amazing discount you shouldn't miss. Designed to help runners go further, this shoes is made with a bouncy midsole that offers a cushioned underfoot feel. It also has a super breathable mesh upper and helps keep your feet cool. Save $15 on the already-affordable Asics Gel-Excite 10 Running Shoe. They feature AMPLIFOAM PLUS cushioning and rearfoot GEL technology for ultra comfort as you run. Grab a pair of lightweight, cushiony GT-1000 12 running shoes for just $79 in multiple colors. With its modern shape, a soft mesh upper, and LITETRUSS tech on the midsole's inner angle to reduce pronation, these shoes are a great choice for running or gym-based workouts. For those looking for a bouncy response from their running shoe, the Dynablast 5 may be right up your alley. With FF Blast Plus cushioning in the midsole and an Ahar Lo outsole rubber, the shoes are very responsive with every step and provide cloudlike comfort from start to finish. The Kawana 2 is a versatile and comfortable shoe that provides solid support for different types of movement, whether you're running, walking, or training in the gym. Its cushioned sole helps absorb impact, while the secure fit keeps your feet stable and comfortable. The men's version is also on sale in the Alabaster/Oat Milk color. I'd move fast on this shoe since only two colors of the Mach 6 is reduced for the women's and men's shoe, and some sizes are already sold out. That's not a surprise given the quality of the Mach 6, which is one of the best shoes we've tested in 2024 thanks to the versatile ride of the shoe that delivers both comfort and speed for training runs, or even races. 2025 might be the year you're planning on hitting the trails and the Challenger 7s are a serious choice for mixing up your terrain. There's protective cushioning for when you want to go faster and a reimagined outsole design means you can use them as all-terrain running sneakers. You'll need to act fast though, as this pair is selling out fast in most sizes. From walking to work to running at the track, this crossover shoe is up for pretty much anything. Stylish enough for casual everyday wear, the sneaker is also speedy enough to pick up the pace. They feature a propulsive carbon fiber plate, responsive midsole foam and a smooth-riding rocker for effortless heel-to-toe transitions. Pick up a pair of New Balance shoes for under $50? Don't mind if I do. No-sew construction and an adjustable lace closure makes for a snug fit. And, if you're worried they won't match your running gear, there are 25 different color options on Amazon. These flexible shoes offer plenty of support, thanks to an incredibly cushiony Fresh Foam X midsole, a TPU heel clip and a wrapped rubber outsole that looks great. With a synthetic and mesh upper and knit mesh covering the shoe's outer layer, it's also comfortable and breathable. The Propel is a great value running shoe at its full price, so to get the latest version of it for just $52 in the sale is a snip. Make sure to act fast if your size is in stock at this discount. A solid day-to-day shoe, the Cruz v3 boasts Fresh Foam and an integrated rubber outsole for the ultimate support. There are a bunch of colors to choose from, but I especially love the Inkwell/Blue Agate/Ginger Lemon colorway. The New Balance Fresh Foam ROAV V1 Sneaker is a seriously popular purchase on Amazon, with a 4.4 star rating based on over 22,000 reviews. Their casual athletic style makes them look unique and they're also super comfortable for runs thanks to their cushioned Fresh Foam Midsole. For new and long-time runners alike, the Air Pegasus 2005 is an excellent pick. Equipped with Nike Air technology for impact absorption, a waffle-inspired outsole with great traction, and a foam midsole, these shoes will give your feet the reliable support they need on long runs. We voted the Nike Structure 25 as one of the best Nike running shoes for stability, thanks to its sturdy and comfortable design. An especially good buy for runners with flat feet or a tendency to overpronate due to the extra support around the arch. We can't quite believe it's running a discount, considering we thought it was good value to start with. With a versatile design, the Nike Pegasus 41 performs well for daily runs, long-distance training, and even casual wear. We rate them as the best Nike running shoes for beginners. If you're looking for a breathable, supportive running shoe, you've found it. With Air Zoom cushioning and plastic caging on the side, there's plenty of support and a responsive feel, and with mesh panels and ventilation ports on the heel, air can easily flow through and keep your feet cool. We're shocked by how many of Nike's best running shoes are in the sale, and the Nike Invincible 3 boast an incredible $63 off. If you're after max-cushioning, this is the shoe for you. They're best for recovery and the solid wedge of ZoomX foam will ensure you get a soft and supported step. There's something quite enticing about the name Ultra Glide for a running shoe, and this pair are designed to make sure you do just that. Best for trail running, they'll carry you over a variety of terrain without skimping on comfort, thanks to max cushioning and a 6mm drop. These shoes are built to please and you'll reap the rewards of the Glide name as you run, no matter where. The Saucony Peregrine is one of the best trail-running shoes you can get, and also great for hiking. The women's shoe is under $70, while you can get the men's Peregrine 13 for just under $90. The Saucony Tempus is one of the best stability running shoes available, and some colors and sizes of the men's shoe are available for less than half price.
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
What Chipotle's Burrito Vault Reveals About the Gamification of Fast Food
We don't just eat. We interact. Chipotle's Burrito Vault is back with more than $1 million of free ... More burritos ahead of National Burrito Day. Today is National Burrito Day, and across the country, brands are doing what they do best: trying to get our attention. Some offer freebies. Others drop deep discounts. But then there are the campaigns that go for something different—something a little more playful. Chipotle's Burrito Vault is back this year, a Wordle-style guessing game tucked inside a loyalty app. Players try to crack the code for a free burrito, rack up reward points, or even win burritos for a year. It's clever, sure. But it also taps into something deeper: the sense of satisfaction we get from interacting, checking in, and being in the know. Chipotle's Burrito Vault game goes beyond burrito promos—it's about the experience of trying to ... More unlock something that feels personal, even playful. This isn't just about driving clicks or downloads. The Burrito Vault works because it invites people to do something—to play, to try, to check back in. It's part of a bigger shift in how we engage with food: ordering becomes layered with participation. In 2025, fast food doesn't just feed us. It gives us something to be part of. Last year, the Vault drew over two million plays and helped Chipotle hit its biggest digital transaction day on record. This year, they've raised the stakes: a new code drops every hour, and players get four chances to guess the exact burrito combo. Win, and you get a free entrée. Be the first? Free burritos for a year. And even if you don't win, there's still something in it—25 bonus points, a little dopamine hit, maybe even a screenshot to post. That's the rhythm: open the app, take a shot, try again. Over time, that loop stops feeling like a promo. It starts to feel like a ritual. From checking in for stars to hunting for the Chipotle Vault answer this year, we've built daily ... More habits around our food apps—and the Vault fits right in. And that ritual? It's a reflection of how we already interact with food in 2025. We open our go-to coffee app each morning and trade dollars for coffee and stars. We wait for the limited-edition cereal drop. We collect cups, points, and proof of participation. The Vault simply brings that behavior into the burrito space—playful, quick, and surprisingly satisfying. But these behaviors aren't just habits—they form emotional bonds. According to a 2023 study published in the Academic Journal of Business & Management, brand rituals—those interactive, repeatable actions between consumer and brand—play a powerful role in shaping brand attachment. These rituals foster what researchers call a 'psychological contract': a blend of functional value (you get your free burrito) and emotional engagement (you participated in something bigger than just lunch). The act of showing up, even digitally, builds loyalty—not just through points, but through presence. The more we show up for something—even something small—the more it starts to matter. It's not just about free food. It's about the connection that builds when we keep coming back. Whether you're after the burrito vault answer or just trying to stay in the loop, food as play is ... More becoming a defining part of fast food culture. That instinct to 'check in just one more time' isn't a coincidence. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour found that gamified food experiences build emotional connections and create reward loops similar to mobile games. It's not the prize that keeps us coming back—it's the interaction. In that way, Burrito Vault doesn't just function as a loyalty tool. It becomes part of a broader movement toward what some are calling 'eatertainment'—a blending of engagement, ritual, and delight. It's what McDonald's leaned into with its Minecraft Movie Meal and what brands like Starbucks have mastered through seasonal app challenges. We're in a moment where food lives alongside digital experiences. A burrito can be a menu item or a mechanism. The Vault works because it recognizes that the pleasure of play has become part of how we consume. You don't just order a burrito—you unlock it. You play for it. You check the vault. Burrito Vault doesn't reinvent fast food. It reimagines how we engage with it. It turns the act of eating into something participatory. Something playful. Something that, for a moment, makes fast food feel like a win.
New York Times
05-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Dodgers' Mookie Betts spent offseason honing his craft at shortstop: ‘A game changer'
Last spring brought Mookie Betts to an emotional state he hadn't encountered in over a decade. His unease while manning shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers reminded him of how he felt at 20 years old, when he contemplated ending his baseball career before it even took off. This time, even as one of the most decorated players in the majors, he again felt lost. Advertisement 'For me to go and be embarrassed on a baseball field, it took a lot, man,' Betts said. The Dodgers had moved him from right field to shortstop just two weeks before Opening Day. It was a rude reintroduction to the position he had played for a grand total of 31 games as a professional — and a spot he hadn't permanently called home since he was a teenager. An 18-year-old Betts started his first game as a pro at short in the Boston Red Sox system in 2011. He committed three errors in just six innings. Two years later, in the midst of a slump, he signed up for the ACT college admissions test. He was going to quit. 'I hadn't been embarrassed like that since then,' Betts, now 32, said. When the Dodgers tried to turn him back into a starting shortstop again, he'd lie in bed at night and rack his brain for memories of Overton High, the last time he'd played short with any regularity. Betts was back at shortstop full-time in 2024 after Gavin Lux, the club's primary choice at the position, struggled defensively in spring training. Betts had dabbled at the position in 2023, but before that hadn't played a single inning of shortstop since the 2013 Arizona Fall League. The early months of last season tested Betts' stamina, as he spent hours before games looking to bridge a gap more than a decade long at the position. This is what had him tossing and turning. Betts recalled spending nights awake, thinking through plays he believed he should have made. Betts broke his wrist in June, seemingly ending his run as the Dodgers' everyday shortstop after a few unsteady months. Upon his return, Betts went back to right field. The Dodgers won the World Series. In retrospect, the rush job last spring might have been too much to ask. 'No successful person came from being thrown in the fire,' Betts said recently at his locker at Camelback Ranch, where the Dodgers opened spring training last month. 'I was expecting a lot out of myself in a situation that, now that I step back and look at it, there was no real way to succeed in that. Not really. I tried it, I give myself credit for trying.' Advertisement Now, he and the Dodgers are trying again. Betts has expressed a desire to prove people wrong. He's appeared enlivened by the challenge. But more than anything, Betts, one of the more accomplished players in the sport, is putting his pride on the line again. The Dodgers have spent more than any team in baseball over the past few seasons, but not at shortstop. Instead, they'll put a $365 million outfielder in one of the game's most critical defensive spots. It's an audacious experiment, but he and the Dodgers are banking on a one-of-a-kind talent to overcome it. Betts' competency at shortstop last summer, he said, was the equivalent of a player in A-ball. All Betts needed to prove himself right, he said, was time. 'Anything you do in life takes preparation,' he said. So, two weeks after winning his third title in 11 big-league seasons and second in five years in Los Angeles, Betts got to work. First, Betts needed to solidify who would help him cram years' worth of shortstop education into a four-month offseason. Chris Woodward, the Dodgers' infield coach who returned to the organization last year after managing the Texas Rangers, rejoined the coaching staff this winter. He served as the center of communication, managing phone calls and going through video with Betts on a near-nightly basis. Ryan Goins, a former big-league infielder who is one of Betts' longtime friends in the game, and is now an infield coach for the Angels under Ron Washington (who Betts consulted early in his transition last spring), lent his voice, reinforcing positivity with his friend while adding some in-person insights as he traveled around with Betts. Pedro Montero, one of the Dodgers' video coordinators, met with Betts throughout the winter to hit him countless ground balls and log video to send to everyone else. Advertisement Next came finding places to work. With Dodger Stadium under renovation this winter, that largely meant scouring Los Angeles-area high schools and colleges for a place to continue Betts' education. That also involved a brief trip to Austin, Texas, where Betts flew around New Year's Day with Goins to work with former All-Star shortstop and current University of Texas assistant Troy Tulowitzki. Then came refining Betts' routine. His laborious pregame work sessions spanned hours and hundreds of ground balls before regular-season games. He shrugged off the idea that it wore him down. But avoiding fatigue remained a concern. 'He's obviously built up stamina to be able to handle a lot of this, but I do worry about it,' Woodward said of Betts' daily routine. 'I don't want the workload to be too much to where he's physically deteriorating as a season goes on. Because the mental wear is enough.' So Betts went about paring down the routine this winter, initially on calls with Woodward in Arizona and sometimes on three-way calls with Montero to ensure the ideas were consistent. The hours-long sessions ranged from three days per week in November to five and six times a week as the Dodgers prepared to report to spring training in early February. In the week before heading to Arizona for spring training, Betts and Montero met each day. Each day would start with barehand drills. That progressed to Betts working from his knees, where he handled short-hops, back-picks and added quick work with his hands using gloves varying in shapes and sizes. Then Montero would grab a fungo bat from near the lip of the grass in front of the dirt at shortstop and hit sets of grounders to Betts' right, left and right at him. They focused on Betts' hands at first, then on nailing down his footwork before getting into what had been Betts' primary issue during his first foray as the Dodgers' shortstop — he committed nine errors at the position, with all but one coming on a throw. Advertisement Then Montero would back up to around the pitcher's mound and repeat the process, incorporating 'random' instructions and live reps — with situation, runners on and pitch types and locations — to help Betts simulate game speed. 'It was definitely not just me whacking groundballs,' Montero said. 'There was a purpose behind everything.' The aim, Woodward said, was to make all of the intricacies about the position — the footwork, the angles, the routes, the fundamentals — automatic. If Betts was going to be thinking out at shortstop, it was going to be about the situation and not where his hands would be positioned if a ball spun in his direction. If he could master the base skill set, he could make the position his own. For years, Betts patrolled right field much like an infielder would, from his ability to read bounces to his quick-firing hips and fluid motions. Now was his chance to similarly make shortstop into something unique to him. 'That's where the confidence comes from,' Woodward said. 'Not everybody plays the same at shortstop.' Years ago, in Woodward's first stint with the Dodgers, the coach brought along another budding shortstop with real concerns about his eventual fit at the position. Corey Seager, who is listed at 6-foot-4, felt pushback for wanting to remain a shortstop despite his large frame and the limited track record of full-time players that size at the position. So Woodward was tasked with finding a way to make the position work for the budding top prospect. For Seager, it meant usually fielding grounders with one hand instead of two, and often attacking the baseball rather than waiting for it to come to him. Woodward's mission for Betts, he said, did not involve showing him tape and insisting he mimic the actions of a Dansby Swanson or a Ezequiel Tovar or even his opponent in the World Series, Anthony Volpe. Instead, it was about finding something that worked for Betts — even if it didn't quite fit what Tom Emanski advised for the position. Advertisement Montero described Betts' defensive style as 'downhill,' as the shortstop used his unique athleticism to make plays on the ball and rely on preternatural instincts. And even if the specific way Betts handles the position is his own, there's consistency in the underlying fundamentals. That includes Betts' footwork, which has looked notably more consistent this spring as he's allowed his athleticism to make plays, much like he did in right field. He can charge a baseball without hesitation, giving himself more time and not feeling rushed on throws. After soliciting advice from the likes of Tulowitzki, a two-time Gold Glove winner, and trying out an array of options, he and the Dodgers settled on an arm slot that works for him. Betts starts his throw with his hand near his right ear, even when throwing from different angles and speeds across the diamond. This slot keeps Betts' fingers on top of the ball rather than to the side of it, giving his throws carry on the way to first base without sacrificing accuracy or creating a moving target. It didn't take long for people to notice this spring. 'He's understanding now that you need a slot to throw the ball to first base, you need a slot to throw the ball to second base, you need a slot to throw the ball home and from the side,' said Miguel Rojas, a veteran shortstop whom Betts relied upon often early last season. The results are noticeable. 'Having the entire offseason to work on it is gonna be a game-changer for him,' Kiké Hernández said. Betts and the Dodgers insist they are trying this preposterous idea because they believe it will help them win. 'I think the scarcity of shortstop is underappreciated,' Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. '(Along with) the fact that he was the only right fielder that could do that and a guy who really wants to do it.' Advertisement Advanced metrics weren't all that favorable to Betts. And yet, at the time Betts landed on the injured list on June 17, only Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. and Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson had generated more FanGraphs WAR among shortstops. The dearth of offense at the position makes Betts an incredibly valuable player, even if his defense never creeps above average. At the time of his injury, he was a top-10 bat in the game, with a weighted runs created plus of 153 (53 percent above league average) and 10 home runs to go with his .304 batting average. The Dodgers let Seager walk after the 2021 season and had Trea Turner leave via free agency the winter after that, and really never settled the position after the two $300 million-plus shortstops went elsewhere. Lux tore his ACL in 2023, leaving the position to Rojas — a veteran who is a whiz with the glove but whose highest single-season OPS outside of 2020 is .748. When Lux's defensive woes became too much to handle last spring, the Dodgers pivoted to Betts. Betts' potential surplus value at a premium position impacted how the Dodgers approached their roster this winter. Betts going to shortstop allowed the Dodgers to have right field open to re-sign Teoscar Hernández, even after giving Michael Conforto a one-year, $17 million deal to be their everyday left fielder. It allowed the Dodgers to maintain flexibility with Tommy Edman, who started at shortstop the night the Dodgers won the World Series but has played almost everywhere around the diamond and could be the Dodgers' Opening Day starter at center field or second base. The Dodgers still have alternatives at shortstop. Edman is a logical fallback if needed. Rojas just turned 36, but can be called upon in a pinch. Hernández has some experience at the position. And while Hyeseong Kim has struggled at the plate this spring in his first taste of facing major-league pitching, he too has experience at shortstop. Of course, Betts is planning on not needing a contingency. 'You hear noise, you see noise, you get people asking you why you're doing this and all this other stuff,' Betts said. 'I'm not oblivious to it. That's not the driving force. The driving force is to win. I feel like this is something that we talked about that would help us win. I'm just doing that.' The plan is not to be just average, or not to be embarrassed. Advertisement 'Mookie's different,' Max Muncy said this spring. 'I think this kind of challenge is really fun for him. … When you look at how he approaches it, he's having so much fun trying to get as good as he can be. There's not really any question in anyone's mind in here that he's going to be a very good defensive shortstop.' Earlier this spring, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Betts has looked 'two grades better' at the position. He contrasted that to last year, when he saw Betts as 'an elite athlete playing a premium position.' This year? Said Roberts: 'I see a shortstop.'
New York Times
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Can Calvin Klein Reinvent ‘Sexy'?
Veronica Leoni, the new creative director of Calvin Klein Collection, has been thinking a lot about sex recently. Or not sex, exactly, but the attitude of being comfortable with sex, and your own sexuality. What she calls 'sexitude.' A few weeks before her debut show, which happens to be the most anticipated show of New York Fashion Week, she was standing at a table in the Calvin Klein archive in Long Island City, on the south end of Queens, talking about sexitude. The archive, a 5,000-plus-square-foot storage unit, contains nearly every Calvin Klein runway garment ever created from the first show until now, as well as such relics as Mr. Klein's 1996 Barbie doll and his original Rolodex, complete with notes on his famous clients and what discount they each received (Bianca Jagger, no charge; Meg Ryan, 25 percent off wholesale), as well as all of the outtakes of his old ad campaigns. She was flipping through some photos from the first CK One ad campaign, shot by Steven Meisel in 1994 — the one with a gang of disaffected girls and boys, including Stella Tennant, Jenny Shimizu and Kate Moss, in various states of grungy undress: topless, dropping trou, otherwise exposed. The images, Ms. Leoni said, had sexitude. So did a slithery slip dress from around the same era, hanging on a rack nearby. That was the era when Calvin Klein, which Mr. Klein had founded in 1968, turned into a global juggernaut, built on the foundation of a hedonistic minimalism. His clothes were stripped down, because, they suggested, that made it easier to strip down. No one else was as good at turning sportswear into provocation. Jeans and underwear may have been the popular extensions of that idea, the pulse-raising ad campaigns its overt expression, but neither offered anything near as subtle a come-on as the clothes. It made a seat at his show … well, the hottest ticket in New York. It's that sexitude, as far as Ms. Leoni is concerned, that has been missing from the New York runaways for a while now. And not just because Calvin Klein has been missing from the New York runways for over six years, when Raf Simons, the last creative director, was fired and the company announced it was abandoning the high-end collection to focus on jeans and influencers. Rather, it's missing because ever since 2002, when Mr. Klein sold his company to PVH and retired, the sense of unapologetic hunger that suffused his provocative ad campaigns as thoroughly as it did a tailored coat, had faded away. The designers who designed for the brand after him focused on a more minimalist elegance (Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli, 2004 until 2016) and a dark mirror take on the American dream (Mr. Simons). The lust was left to the infamous traffic-stopping underwear billboards. Ms. Leoni, who will be the first woman to lead Calvin Klein, wants to see that sense of libido in a sensuous pair of trousers or a pencil skirt. To do that, she wants to take it back to the source. To 'glue myself to Calvin's last day of work,' she said, but then to 'flip the perspective.' 'Most of the time, we see women as objects of desire,' she said. 'But what if they become the people who desire?' Riding on her ability to answer that question is both the future of Calvin Klein, a $4 billion brand that once helped define American fashion, and, in some ways, the future of New York fashion (or at least New York Fashion Week). Originally anchored by the big brands of the 1980s that took American fashion global — Calvin, Ralph, Donna — New York Fashion Week has struggled in recent years as those brands dropped off the official calendar and went their own way or shuttered entirely. Promising new generations of designers have yet to achieve the mass success of those mega-brands. Calvin Klein is a powerful enough name (with editors, retailers, influencers, celebrities) and a big enough company to change all of that. If it has a hit collection. 'It could be a magnet for the eyeballs of the world,' said Steven Kolb, the chief executive of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which administers New York Fashion Week. 'I hope it works.' Growing Up Calvin Ms. Leoni, who is Italian, 41, about 5-foot-4 and looks like a sprite with a penchant for rockabilly on her way to an architecture convention, was not the obvious choice to be the new mastermind of Calvin Klein. Though she had stints at Jil Sander (under Jil Sander), Celine (under Phoebe Philo), Moncler and the Row; started her own brand, Quira, in 2021; and was a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2023, she had never run a major international house. Outside the fashion world, she is relatively unknown. And though she had impeccable minimalist credentials, she hadn't exactly demonstrated a fluency with the racier side of dress. 'It was my biggest reservation,' said Karen Harvey, the founder of a namesake consulting firm and the headhunter who had recommended Ms. Leoni for the job. 'Could she bring that sexuality? Because we couldn't leave that out. And I came to think she would actually reinvent it. So she was a risk, but Calvin was known for being bold.' Ms. Leoni understood the hesitation. 'A European project would have been a more obvious match,' she said, 'but this is more twisted.' She likes twisted. Besides, she is a child of the 1990s, which means she identifies as a child of Calvin Klein. 'In a sense, Calvin was always with me,' she said. 'I'm the CK One generation.' As a girl, she said, 'I really felt that Calvin Klein, especially from the European point of view, was this major fantasy of a faraway world where everybody was cool and, you know, so Calvin.' Ms. Leoni grew up in Rome. Her parents had a coffee shop that her grandparents founded, on the outskirts of the city. Her younger brother is a butcher. It was her grandmother Quirina who taught her to sew and crochet. (Ms. Leoni named Quira in her honor.) Ms. Leoni always thought she would be a designer, even though she studied literature rather than attending traditional fashion or art school. She learned the trade by interning for a family-run fashion brand in Le Marche, Italy. After she graduated, she talked her way into Jil Sander. 'I remember her studio in Umbria, where everything was white — no chairs, we needed to stand,' Ms. Leoni said. 'I really feel that she taught me design, honestly.' It was her stint at Celine with Ms. Philo, however, that taught Ms. Leoni that a designer could become the personification of a brand. She was there at the same time as Matthieu Blazy (the incoming creative director of Chanel), Daniel Lee (now creative director at Burberry) and Peter Do (the designer of his own label in New York). They worked like 'crazy,' she said, but none of them minded because they were so committed to Ms. Philo. They are all still friends. Mr. Blazy was, coincidentally, at Calvin Klein when Mr. Simons was in charge, but Ms. Leoni said they had not discussed the brand. He did, however, recommend his favorite Smashburger place in New York. In 2023, Ms. Leoni married Sara Casani, a film casting director. They have been together 12 years. When she is home Ms. Leoni describes herself as 'a first lady.' She is commuting between Rome and New York, hotel-surfing her way through Manhattan, though she hopes to get a pied-à-terre in the city. Even though Calvin Klein's management has somewhat hedged its bets — Ms. Leoni is in charge only of Collection, the high-end, runway part of the business, rather than the Jeremy Allen White jeans part of the business — and even though she has to produce only two collections a year, for spring and fall, she is beginning to feel the pressure. The idea, said Eva Serrano, the global brand president of Calvin Klein, is to have Ms. Leoni's work trickle down to set the pace and direction for everything else. 'The chance to have my vision of life on such a huge platform is actually thrilling,' Ms. Leoni said. 'I want to own the black turtleneck business.' A Litany of Desire When Ms. Leoni arrived at the Calvin Klein headquarters in New York's garment district for the first time last fall, Frankie Perdomo, the doorman who has worked in the building since 1997, greeted her with a hug. 'You're here!' she recalled him crowing, just before he bestowed upon her the honor of her own elevator. He does it every time she enters the building. 'It's always so embarrassing,' she said, somewhat ruefully. She is not a demand-her-own-elevator kind of person. She works in a tiny office on the ninth floor next to the studio, which is full of mood boards with David Byrne and Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt in the '90s, when the latter were a couple and Ms. Paltrow was wearing a lot of Calvin. (Mr. Klein's original office is preserved one floor up.) The studio is in turn next to the workroom, which is full of patternmakers and seamstresses. Though it is a lot smaller than it was in the early years — five sewers and three patternmakers instead of the high of 50 and 30 — there are still employees who have been there since the Calvin days. Hardeo Samaroo, a tailor, is one of them; he joined the company in 1996. Ms. Leoni, he said, 'is obsessed with details. She checks everything. It's the same as what Calvin was doing.' It feels, he said, as if 'the brand we had in the '90s is coming back to us.' Still, other than a shoe design from 1999 — a square-toe silk ballerina flat with the tiniest elastic sling-back strap — that Ms. Leoni has reproduced almost exactly for her debut, there is very little that is overtly taken from the past. It's more of a mood. She said she is in search of the kind of 'monumental minimalism' Calvin Klein had at the end of the last century. (She has been in touch with Mr. Klein, who lives in California, via letter, and has been in contact with his former wife, Kelly.) Ms. Leoni is trying to ignore the expectations. 'I feel people are just putting together the pieces of my C.V. to predict the first outfit in my show, almost like an A.I. situation,' she said with an implicit eye roll. 'But I am really trying to surprise myself. It would be too easy to just do tailoring. Sex is maybe a little bit less predictable.' She will show both men's and women's wear, but the collection is not unisex. 'I really feel that unisex is just sloppy fitting,' she said. 'Bodies are different.' It also does not involve street style or oversize silhouettes. 'It's very scary to strip back,' she said, 'because the king is naked when it's just about clothes. You really have to have confidence to let people hear the noise of the fabric when they walk, and see the inside of a jacket.' But it also creates the sense of intimacy she wants, the bit of implicit peekaboo. Corsets and push-ups and (ahem) visible packages are not the only things that suggest physical hunger. 'It is more about finding a certain posture, a certain body attitude,' Ms. Leoni said. 'There are no shoulder pads. Sometimes tailoring shapes the body, but I wanted the body to shape the tailoring.' She is comfortable expressing her wants. She wanted, for example, clothes that seemed easy for anyone to shrug on and off. Like a pencil skirt with no side seams, so it can be wiggled into; a sheer spaghetti-strap top with straps that are mere filaments, so it almost seems suspended on the torso. She wanted material that felt good sliding around on the skin, like 'silk that is smooth and super peachy.' Above all, she said, she wanted 'Calvin to be the magnet the conversation revolves around. I want it to become an adjective,' she said. ''It's very Calvin.' That's the goal.'
