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Coach Serves Up a New York Fever Dream in Jakarta
The latest pursuit from Coach creative director Stuart Vevers isn’t a new collection, but a restaurant and coffee shop designed in collaboration with Studio Sofield. Despite the unexpected location, both concepts are rooted firmly in the label’s New York City origins. The coffee shop’s interiors draw from the diners that have all but disappeared from the streets of Manhattan. A stainless steel pastry case holds dessert pies and pizzas, and a soft serve station offers visitors a sweet treat to enjoy while shopping at the Coach boutique just outside.
The restaurant channels a kind of surreal vision of erstwhile Americana with a vintage taxi suspended above the dining room and the kind of white tablecloth and bone china dinner service that patrons of the city’s bygone power-lunching scene would likely be well familiar with. The menu takes more than a few cues from the city’s status steakhouses, offering throwbacks like seafood towers and oysters Rockefeller with wagyu strip steak and no fewer than six martinis. For dessert, order a handbag tableside to savor for long after the meal ends. —Jenna Adrian-Diaz
Matchesfashion’s townhouse on Carlos Place in London. Photography by Shaun James Cox, courtesy of Matchesfashion…
Matches, a prominent British retailer recently acquired by Frasers Group, has abruptly closed, prompting administrators to initiate a search for potential buyers. Matches will continue operating its online platform and three London stores, but 273 employees, primarily from the London head office, face immediate layoffs. Frasers Group’s acquisition in December aimed to revitalize the struggling brand, but dwindling sales and mounting losses led to administration. The future of Matches remains uncertain, with speculation surrounding potential buyers, including Next plc, known for its capability to acquire distressed assets and revitalize them.
Ingrid Pollard, a photographer linked to the British Black Arts Movement, has received the Hasselblad Award and a cash prize exceeding $196,000. Pollard also secures an exhibition at the Hasselblad Center in Gothenburg, set to debut on October 11. Hailing from Guyana and based in Britain, Pollard is celebrated for her evocative photographs that illuminate the interplay between British landscapes and Black individuals positioned within them, offering a nuanced exploration of Black British history often concealed from view.
Zaha Hadid Architects’ proposal for a waterfront development in Muscat, Oman. Image courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects …
Zaha Hadid Architects, in collaboration with Oman’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, is spearheading a transformative development on the waterfront of Muscat, Oman. The project encompasses a marina, cultural precinct, and recreational amenities within its footprint, aiming to redefine urban living for an estimated 64,500 residents. The masterplan integrates climate resilience strategies, including stormwater management and renewable energy sources. Scheduled to commence construction later this year, the Al Khuwair development aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040 envisioning a sustainable, diverse, and prosperous future for the country.
American weaver Diedrick Brackens and Lebanese artist Mounira al Solh, among others, have demanded the removal of their artwork from the Barbican’s “Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art” exhibition in protest against alleged censorship. The controversy started after the Barbican canceled a lecture by Pankaj Mishra addressing Israel’s conflict with Gaza. That led to protests by collectors Lorenzo Leviste and Fahad Mayet, who withdrew quilts they lent for the exhibition, prompting further withdrawals by Cian Dayrit and Yto Barrada. Expressing solidarity with those opposing the censorship, Brackens demanded the closure of the exhibition. The Barbican has acknowledged the concern over artistic freedom but maintains the exhibition will not be closed prematurely.
Two art collectors, Nicky Katz and Ray Howse, are pursuing legal action against Banksy’s company, Pest Control, for refusing to confirm the authenticity of a print titled Monkey Queen. The dispute arises from Pest Control’s delay in verifying the artwork despite the collectors’ three-year-long efforts. The collectors argue that an authentication certificate from Pest Control is crucial for maximizing the value of Banksy’s artwork in the market. The legal row may finally force Banksy, who has long remained anonymous, to finally reveal his full identity.
Still from “Secret Mall Apartment.” Image courtesy of SXSW…
