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The latest fragrance from Hermès’ Parfums-Jardins serves as a portal to a dry, barren land devoid of vegetation. In-house perfumer Christine Nagel envisioned Un Jardin à Cythère with notes of crisp sun-dried grass, nutty olive wood, and fresh pink pistachios that captures “fields of olive trees and high grasses blowing in the wind” that she first spotted from the sea upon first visiting the Greek island of Kythira. Thanks to her cinematic approach to perfumery in which she painstakingly recreates the “color, texture, and sounds” of an image in her mind, Un Jardin à Cythère captures that alchemy. It evokes nostalgic feelings of dry grasses underfoot, being drenched in sunlight, and the smoky cereal scent of caramelizing oats, resulting in a distinctive scent that feels both familiar and entirely new. —Ryan Waddoups
Image courtesy of Disney Parks…
Disney reveals a slate of updates for its planned “Storyliving” community in California.
Cotino, Disney’s “Storyliving” community located in Rancho Mirage, California, is slated to open next year and is offering amenities inspired by Disney Imagineers. The development includes 1,700 midcentury-inspired homes, a town shopping center, a grand man-made water feature, and two member clubhouses that overlook the surrounding mountains. Although the community does not feature costumed staff, the Parr family clubhouse named after The Incredibles franchise will serve as the development’s centerpiece.
Tickets for the Rijksmuseum’s Vermeer retrospective are being resold at high prices.
The Vermeer retrospective at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum has become a major success, with tickets selling out within days. The museum marketed the show as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see 28 of the Dutch Golden Age master’s 37 known paintings in one location, leading to a hot resale market on eBay, where tickets are being sold for hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Despite the museum limiting the number of tickets to ensure a pleasant visit, markups continue to spiral out of control, leaving many art enthusiasts disappointed.
LVMH announces plans to relaunch the legendary Gérald Genta watch label next year.
LVMH has announced plans to relaunch the Gérald Genta brand, a legendary watch designer who created some of history’s most covetable marques, including the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. It’s a major move by LVMH, which owns several of the world’s most prestigious watch labels, including Tag Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith. The new Gérald Genta watches are expected to feature designs that pay homage to the brand’s rich history while incorporating modern innovations and materials. Julien Tornare, the CEO of Zenith, is overseeing the launch, which will be based in Le Sentier, Switzerland, the same location where Genta established his workshop in 1969.
Image courtesy of PepsiCo…
Pepsi rebrands with a digital-friendly logo that attempts to distance itself from sugar.
As Pepsi seeks to distance itself from sugar, the beverage brand has unveiled its first rebrand in 15 years featuring a black wordmark and outlines. Pepsi’s rebranding incorporates several visual changes in an attempt to cut through social media oversaturation. The biggest change involves the brand’s wordmark being reintegrated into its globe logo which was popular in the ‘80s and ‘90s.Pepsi has also incorporated black into its red, white, and blue color scheme. The black outlines the globe and the wordmark and creates a rippling pulse that animates to any background beat. The result is a bold animation that can mix graphics and photography, literality and abstraction, and turn just about any added element into an instant brand collab.
The Davidson Prize names a longlist of design projects that tackle homelessness.
The Davidson Prize has announced a longlist of 16 architectural projects aimed at providing new kinds of home communities to address housing insecurity. Proposals include secure housing for domestic abuse survivors, a self-build community envisioned with refugees, and care-leaver housing to prevent homelessness. Architects including Sadie Morgan and Charles Holland served as judges and will select three finalists for the prize. The winner, which will be announced in June, will receive £10,000 ($12,347).
After a decade of losses, The RealReal reveals new plans to help achieve profitability.
Luxury consignment retailer The RealReal is planning to focus on several key areas to drive growth, including expanding its digital footprint and investing in technology to improve the customer experience. The company is also looking to increase the efficiency of its operations by improving its supply chain and inventory management processes. Additionally, the platform is exploring new revenue streams, such as offering its authentication services to third-party sellers and partnering with luxury brands to launch exclusive collections. Overall, these strategies are aimed at driving long-term growth and profitability for The RealReal as it looks to solidify its position as a leading player in the luxury consignment market.
Images of Adreanna Alleyne’s Crocs collection. Via Instagram/@crocthegram…
Today’s attractive distractions:
People started buying Crocs during the pandemic and never quite stopped.
