The Metropolitan Museum of Art announces theme for 2024 Costume Institute exhibit and gala
Extra, extra: ‘the first Monday in May’ is on the horizon again. The Met press office today announced that the theme for next year’s Costume Institute exhibit and associated gala will be Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Despite its connotations of fairytales and Disney princesses, though, the curation will examine notions of rebirth and renewal, nodding to the cycles of nature as a metaphor for fashion. The highly-attended gala ushering in the exhibit will take place on May 6. Presented at The Costume Institute from May 10 to September 2, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion will enlist Nick Knight as a creative consultant, and support will come thanks to Loewe and TikTok (and, as usual, Condé Nast). Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu Curator in Charge, explained in a release that “the exhibition endeavors to reanimate [pieces of museum-owned garments] by re-awakening their sensory capacities through a diverse range of technologies, affording visitors sensorial ‘access’ to rare historical garments and rarefied contemporary fashions.” Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO, added that “Sleeping Beauties will heighten our engagement with these masterpieces of fashion by evoking how they feel, move, sound, smell and interact when being worn, ultimately offering a deeper appreciation of the integrity, beauty and artistic brilliance of the works on display.” The statement further elaborated that 250 garments and accessories spanning four centuries will be on view, with viewing enhanced by augmented reality, artificial intelligence, computer-generated imagery, x-rays, video animation, light projection, and soundscapes. Ooooh!
Irina Shayk is Elle’s November cover star
Russian supermodel Irina Shayk is gracing the cover of Elle’s November issue, in an editorial styled by Alex White showcasing giftable trinkets for the holiday season like jewelry, accessories, and more. The mom-of-one also gives a rare, tell-all interview to writer Mattie Kahn about her humble upbringing, her defiance against industry norms when she started her career, perseverance, her approach to motherhood, and more. Shayk reveals she never wanted to be a model, and when her father passed away when she was 14 and she needed to help her family, she put her mind to anything that would support the household. At 20, when a scout noticed her, she took them up on their offer to go to Paris. “I had agents who said, ‘You have to cut your hair, lose 20 pounds, and become blonde,’” she says of this time, when she was making €60 a week. “And I was like, ‘Absolutely fucking no.’” She adds that she’ll never differentiate between a job that’s considered ‘too commercial’ as ultimately, she’s supporting her own daughter now. “It doesn’t matter even if I’m doing it now,” she says. “I have to pay my bills. I don’t have a rich husband. I don’t have a sugar daddy, so I have to pay.”
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- (Dan Jackson)
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- (Dan Jackson)
Valentino opens major new flagship on Madison
Maison Valentino cut the ribbon on its chic new digs today, at 654 Madison Avenue. The three-floor, 1,142 square-meter boutique is a traffic-stopping building with colossal windows looking out on the corner of 60th Street. Each floor incorporates different visual narratives, with frequent use of the luxury brand’s signature red shade evident throughout. Guests enter through a pair of grand double doors with sculptural marble handles, with the same shape being echoed throughout the space made in ceramic by the artist Massimiliano Pipolo. On the ground level, you’ll find seven meter high ceilings, exposed steel columns, retro Mario Bellini sofas and poufs, illuminated shelving, marble, carpet, and more across areas divided for different functions including accessories and footwear. A staircase leads upstairs to Valentino womenswear, where clients can experience Italian hospitality-inspired services in the plush VIP areas which are accentuated with bespoke furniture and contemporary chandeliers. Downstairs from the ground level, the Valentino menswear space is defined by an abundant use of chrome, concrete, black parquet, and mirrored columns, as well as playing backdrop to an iconic 1970s DeSede Snake sofa. The flagship will also host temporary art displays, beginning with a selection of Mario Schifano’s large-scale paintings, thanks to a partnership with New York gallery Magazzino Italian Art. Plan your visit from today!
Hearst asks editors to sign new social media guidelines
According to the Hearst Magazines Media Union X (Twitter) account, the publisher has asked its staff to adhere to a new social media policy. On Monday, the company issued said policy to staffers which the Union alleges “restricts [their] speech on private social channels.” The Union urged members not to sign the document until it could be reviewed by independent lawyers. The policy comes amid a fraught and divisive time globally, with conflict in the Middle East and upcoming political elections. According to a source cited by Fashionista.com, the policy “requires that personal social media accounts not be used to express personal political views” and adds that “political posts (with a candidate or opinion) must first be reviewed by a supervisor before posting.” The source added that staff who do not follow the policy are subject to being fired or disciplined, and the policy also encourages Hearst employees to report co-workers for posts they deem “inflammatory.”
Samira Nasr, editor in chief at Hearst-owned Harper’s Bazaar, has not posted on social media since October 12. Nasr issued a public apology on that date after sharing words on her Instagram Stories a day previous calling Israel’s move to cut power and water for civilians in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas attacks the “most inhuman thing” she’s “ever seen.” Hearst sent a statement to staff in the wake of the social media posting, stating that the post, “expressed views that do not represent Hearst’s values and [we] know that it offended and upset many of our colleagues, partners, and readers. We are horrified by the brutality of the terrorist attacks by Hamas on the people of Israel.” The company also confirmed in the memo: “As Steve Swartz and Jordan Wertlieb shared with everyone yesterday, Hearst will be donating $300,000 in equal parts to three organizations working on the ground to help those in the affected region.”
Nasr’s apology, on which the comments remain turned off, reads: “I have no hate in my heart for any people, and I am not in any way sympathetic to a terrorist group that just murdered thousands of innocent Israeli civilians. I am a firm believer that words matter, and I was careless with mine. My most sincere apologies.”
Hearst
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