Janne Kreimer’s vest to help people suffering from anxiety, which received this year’s Rimowa design prize. Image courtesy of Rimowa…
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Rimowa has awarded its second design prize, which aims to spotlight young German design talent with a focus on mobility. From the twenty-one finalists who showcased projects at Berlin’s James-Simon-Galerie, Janne Kreimer won the top prize for a therapeutic waistcoat designed to alleviate anxiety through soft robot-induced acupressure, tailored via a 3D digital model to individual anatomical specifications. Additional awards included a special mention prize to Daniela Lindenberga and further prizes awarded to five other projects.
Visitors often leave the Louvre feeling underwhelmed by the Mona Lisa’s viewing experience, leading to the painting being named the “most disappointing viewing experience” according to an external review by CouponBirds, which analyzed 18,000 online reviews. In response, the Louvre plans to relocate the painting to a new, large basement gallery designed to alleviate the cramped conditions, as revealed by Louvre director Laurence des Cars. This change is part of a broader renovation strategy that includes creating a new museum entrance, with an anticipated cost of around $536 million, a challenging figure given upcoming government spending cuts.
Vertikal Nydalen. Photography by Lars Petter Pettersen…
Snøhetta has unveiled the Vertikal Nydalen building in Oslo, which features two distinct towers with an angular design. The 18-storey structure combines restaurants, offices, and residences, employing sustainable technologies like geothermal wells, photovoltaics, and a low-energy heating and cooling system that negates the need for external energy. The building’s design not only supports environmental goals but also creates public spaces intended to serve as a town square for the Nydalen neighborhood.
As President Joe Biden signed a law classifying TikTok as a “foreign adversary controlled application” and initiating steps towards a possible ban, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty was engaging with TikTok through a pink-themed pop-up store collaboration with TikTok Shop on Melrose Avenue. Despite the looming threat of TikTok’s closure, brands are still leveraging the platform for e-commerce, proving its impact on sales and marketing in the digital era. “Brands are still pumping money into it,” Jess Hunichen, the co-founder of influencer talent management agency Shine Talent Group, told Business of Fashion. “We’ve not seen a shift in strategy yet from brands. [The ban] feels far off.”
Pope Francis recently made history by visiting the Holy See pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the first time a pope has attended the exhibition, where he met with Biennale officials and praised the works of artists like Corita Kent. Arriving by helicopter, the 87-year-old pontiff addressed the importance of art and urged artists to envision inclusive cities aligned with the Biennale’s theme “Foreigners Everywhere.”
