
Pharrell Williams makes his Louis Vuitton debut in star-studded Paris show
Pharrell Williams showcased his debut collection for Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2024 at Paris’s Pont Neuf bridge on Tuesday (20 June). The star-studded show kicked off the 50-year-old record producer’s tenure as Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director. The show – themed “lovers” – consisted of “printed leather jerseys and rugbys, quilted denim, Mao-neck blazers and ghillie camo with LV logo cutouts.” In an interview before the show, Williams spoke about his role, which he has held since February 2023. “I’m the second Black man to ever experience this on the planet, the biggest fashion house in the world,” he said. “My brother Virgil [Abloh] was the first. “He made so many strides for the house and did so many things. He brought skate culture into this world – while being an American Black man. It’s unreal the fact that I get to do this as well.” Pharrell’s show was attended a number of celebrities, including music power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z, rapper and actor Jaden Smith, his sister and fellow artist Willow Smith, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Spider-Man star Zendaya, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, Kim Kardashian, rappers Tyler, the Creator and A$AP Rocky, and pop star and business mogul Rihanna. During the show, Williams also premiered new songs, including an unreleased track with longtime collaborator Clipse. Footage of a song featuring Pusha-T and No Malice has since gone viral on social media. To celebrate Williams’s achievement, Jay-Z also delivered a surprise performance consisting of hit tracks such as “N***as in Paris,” “Frontin’,” “Public Service Announcement (Interlude),” “Change Clothes,” “F***WithMeYouKnowIGotIt,” and so on. Speaking to The New York Times about his post at LV, Williams said: “I am a creative designer from the perspective of the consumer. “I didn’t go to Central Saint Martins, but I definitely went in the stores and purchased, and I know what I like.” Williams said he wants to give the consumers “that same experience that you get when you go to Canal Street, a place that has appropriated the house for decades, right? “Let’s reverse it. Let’s get inspired by the fact that they’ll make some colourways that the house has never made. But then let’s actually make it the finest of leather.” Williams initially teased his menswear collection with a billboard featuring a pregnant Rihanna. Louis Vuitton confirmed the appointment of Williams as the late Virgil Abloh’s successor in February 2023. “Louis Vuitton is delighted to welcome Pharrell Williams as its new men’s creative director,” the fashion house said in a statement at the time. “His first collection for Louis Vuitton will be revealed next June during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris. The brand described Williams as a “visionary whose creative universes expand from music to art, and to fashion”. Read More I couldn’t climax, so I let ‘big testosterone’ take me for a ride ‘What in the wingardium leviosa?’: Emma Watson stuns fans with ‘levitating’ dress John Goodman reveals he’s lost 200 pounds as he makes red carpet appearance Oscars 2023: Why was Morgan Freeman wearing a single glove? Kim Kardashian reveals why she didn’t speak out on Balenciaga backlash Shania Twain rocks 1990’s music video look at People’s Choice Awards
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Shein Deal to Re-Enter India Comes With Strict Licensing Rules
Chinese-founded online fast-fashion giant Shein won approvals to re-enter India only after agreeing to a stringent licensing deal
1970-01-01 08:00

US president Joe Biden calls Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a dictator day after Blinken’s meet
US president Joe Biden labelled Xi Jinping a dictator during a political fundraiser in California on Tuesday night. The comments came a day after US secretary of state Antony Blinken visited Beijing to stabilize bilateral relations, that China said was at its lowest point since formal ties were established. Mr Biden also said Mr Xi was very embarrassed when a suspected Chinese spy balloon was blown off course over the US airspace early this year, making the remark about the Chinese leader when Mr Blinken said on Monday the "chapter" should be closed. It was, however, unclear why Mr Biden made the comment about his Chinese counterpart. "The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it was he didn’t know it was there," Mr Biden said. "That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened. That wasn’t supposed to be going where it was. It was blown off course," Mr Biden added. Mr Biden also said China "has real economic difficulties". While Mr Xi, who met with US’s top diplomats on Monday, has not publicly responded to Mr Biden‘s comments, but they are unlikely to go down well in Beijing and could jeopardise efforts by both countries to bring their relationship back to a more stable footing after the balloon incident. Earlier, Mr Blinken and Mr Xi agreed in their meeting to stabilize the intense rivalry between Washington and Beijing so it did not veer into conflict, but failed to produce any breakthrough during the secretary of state’s rare visit to China. Mr Biden however, praised Mr Blinken’s work in attempting to repair the relationship between the two countries, adding that it would take time. Mr Biden told the fundraiser that US climate envoy John Kerry may go to China “pretty soon”. Mr Biden said he thought relations between the two countries were on the right path, and he indicated that progress was made during Mr Blinken’s trip – the first such visit by the US secretary of state in the last five years. “We’re not going to have success on every issue between us on any given day, but in a whole variety of areas, on the terms that we set for this trip, we have made progress and we are moving forward,” Mr Blinken said in Beijing on Monday. A day later, Mr Biden said that Mr Xi had been concerned by the so-called Quad strategic security group, which includes Japan, Australia, India and the United States. The US president said he previously told the Chinese counterpart that the US was not trying to encircle China with the Quad. "He called me and told me not to do that because it was putting him in a bind," Mr Biden said. “We’re just trying to make sure the international rules of air and sea lanes remain open.” Later this week, Mr Biden will meet Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and China is expected to be a topic of discussion between the two leaders. Additional reporting from the wires Read More Why haven't China and the U.S. agreed to restore military contacts? Modi US visit: Amnesty calls for human rights to be central in talks with Joe Biden Biden-Modi relationship built around mutual admiration of scrappy pasts, pragmatic needs US and China hold top-level talks, but their rivalry remains unchecked Biden is ready to fete India's leader, looking past Modi's human rights record and ties to Russia
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Plunging Solar Stocks Fly in Face of Booming Panel Demand
In many ways the solar power industry has never been better, as the race to slow the pace
1970-01-01 08:00

Li Cunxin, 'Mao's Last Dancer,' to step away from ballet due to 'serious health concerns'
Li Cunxin, who found international fame for his remarkable rise from rural China to become one of the world's leading ballet dancers, has announced his retirement as the artistic director of Queensland Ballet due to health issues.
1970-01-01 08:00

Canal+ to Buy Minority Stake in PCCW’s Viu Unit for $300 Million
Canal+, the French broadcaster owned by billionaire Vincent Bollore’s Vivendi SE, has agreed to buy a significant minority
1970-01-01 08:00

China Stimulus Calls Mount From State Media, Top Advisers
Chinese policymakers are facing growing calls for economic stimulus, this time from several prominent state media and top
1970-01-01 08:00

Trump news – live: Judge sets Mar-a-Lago classified papers trial date as Hunter Biden reaches plea deal
Judge Aileen Cannon has set a date for the trial in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. The Trump-appointed judge has signed a court order listing the trial as starting on 14 August of this year in Fort Pierce, Florida. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden has reached a plea deal with the Justice Department over three federal charges. The news comes the morning after the former president denied that he ever possessed a secret document about attacking Iran despite the fact a recording exists that had him discussing a document he kept from his presidency. Mr Trump spoke in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier at his property in Bedminster, New Jersey less than a week after he pleaded not guilty to 37 charges in a federal court in Miami at his arraignment. A federal grand jury had indicted him for allegedly willfully mishandling classified documents, obstruction of justice and making false statements. The former president was also confronted by Baier over his insistence that he won the 2020 election — which he did not, as the Fox News host made clear in a testy exchange. Read More Trump calls Fox News ‘hostile’ as he declines to commit to first GOP debate on network Trump staffers are using the rat emoji to describe Mark Meadows amid testimony rumours Democrats downplay Hunter Biden's plea deal, while Republicans see opportunity to deflect from Trump Trump claimed the Durham report would uncover the ‘crime of the century.’ Here’s what it really found
1970-01-01 08:00

European Firms Grow More Pessimistic on Doing Business in China
A record share of European companies say doing business in China is getting more difficult, with some already
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Modi in US: Elon Musk says Tesla to come to India 'as soon as possible'
The Indian prime minister met Mr Musk on Tuesday during his three-day state visit to the US.
1970-01-01 08:00

Singapore Defends Climate Commitment After Kempen ESG Exclusion
The government of Singapore has defended its commitment to climate action following a decision by Van Lanschot Kempen
1970-01-01 08:00

Intl community must reassess fundamental approach to Myanmar - UN expert
JAKARTA The international community must reassess its fundamental approach to the crisis in Myanmar, a United Nations expert
1970-01-01 08:00