Gucci’s New London Boutique Dials Down the Volume, and Other News

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Gucci’s New London Boutique Dials Down the Volume

Gucci is embracing change. Besides welcoming a new creative director in Valentino alum Sabato de Sarno, the Italian label has relocated its London outpost into a converted Grade II–listed structure on New Bond Street imbued with touches of restrained minimalism. That translates to parquet wood floors, restored classical columns, and marble fireplaces—a departure from the maximalist leanings of previous creative director Alessandro Michele. Then there are the clothes. Gucci’s raucous A/W 2023 collection currently takes pride of place while an upstairs room evoking a historic railway carriage houses Gucci’s Valigeria collection of suitcases and travel accessories. 

Discerning sartorialists may instead opt for the Gucci Salon, an invite-only private room where they can browse apparel hand-selected for each visitor. It’s essentially a portal to the Gucci Galleria that opened above the Beverly Hills boutique and was once called “perhaps the most luxurious place to shop in the entire world.” The revamp also allows Truls Blaasmo’s curation of Italian artworks by Liliana Moro, Franco Mazzucchelli, Matilde Cassani, and Massimo Uberti to shine, nodding to the storefront’s origins as an outpost of Colnaghi. Much like a gallery, the artwork will evolve. Don’t miss Concetto Spaziale, a series of slashed canvases by Lucio Fontana that will go on display during Frieze week in October. —Ryan Waddoups

Saudi Arabia is planning to pitch Neom as a potential host city for the 2034 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia is planning to bid for hosting the 2034 football World Cup, with a focus on utilizing the Neom mega-development as a potential venue. The decision comes after abandoning plans to co-host with Egypt and Greece in 2030, opting instead to host the tournament solo in 2034. Saudi Arabia intends to hold matches within Neom, including the Trojena ski resort, which is set to host the 2029 Winter Games, indicating a possibility of a summer or winter tournament. Despite its sports investments, the country could face scrutiny over human rights issues, similar to Qatar’s experience hosting the 2022 World Cup.

A new lawsuit claims Brita is misleading customers about the contaminants it filters.

A California man has launched a class action lawsuit against Brita, a popular water filtration system manufacturer, alleging the system fails to effectively remove hazardous substances as claimed on its packaging. Nicholas Brown, who purchased a Brita Everyday Water Pitcher based on packaging claims, contends the system doesn’t meet its advertised contaminant reduction standards. Brown’s lawsuit seeks to include other consumers who bought Brita products in the past four years, accusing the company of violating laws against false advertising and unfair competition.

Seoul prepares to host another art and design fair owned by the owners of Art Busan.

Seoul is preparing to host a new art and design fair called DEFINE Seoul in November, organized by the company behind the Art Busan fair. This event will feature about 35 exhibitors and take place in the Seongsu design district, showcasing what the organizers describe as an “Eastern aesthetic and Korean heritage.” The expansion comes as Korea’s art and cultural scene is gaining global attention, with Art Busan already having staged a design section at its Busan fair in 2020 as a precursor to this fair in Seoul. The event marks a major move for the Art Busan brand, which has been planning expansion both digitally and offline.

Thousands of Burning Man–goers faced a weekend of stranding due to heavy rains.

Thousands of Burning Man festival-goers in Nevada’s desert faced a weekend of stranding due to heavy rain on Friday night, which prompted the closure of the entry and exit road from the makeshift town. Festival organizers reported the road’s reopening on Monday, with the “exodus” starting as the ground dried up. Attendees were advised to conserve resources temporarily, and the festival’s central event, the burning of a humanlike sculpture, was delayed twice before occurring on Monday night. A police investigation was ongoing into a festival-related death, apparently unrelated to the weather.

Repairs are wrapping up at Salisbury Cathedral a staggering 37 years after they began.

After 37 years of restoration, almost mirroring the original 12th-century construction timeline, Salisbury Cathedral’s arduous repair project will conclude with a “topping out” ceremony to celebrate the end of a restoration effort that began in 1986. The cathedral’s clerk of works, Gary Price, expressed his honor to have participated in the substantial repair program. The restoration involved replacing approximately 1,100 stones, cleaning windows, restoring wooden frames, and other necessary repairs. Following the ceremony, a six-week process of dismantling scaffolding will commence, revealing restored rooftops and parapets.

Today’s attractive distractions:

This beautifully illustrated book reveals the wonders awaiting in mushrooms.

Letters that Ernest Hemingway penned after surviving plane crashes sell big. 

Scientists are using AI to track air pollution wafting from open-top coal trains.

Marvel at this photograph of a peregrine falcon tackling a nosy brown pelican.