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Kerby Jean-Raymond will be the first Black designer to show at Couture Week in Paris.
Now that Couture Week in Paris has been given the green light for physical shows, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has announced that Pyer Moss has been invited to present during the FW21 schedule. That makes founder Kerby Jean-Raymond the first Black designer to show during the event—a revelation that’s causing hype given the label’s inclination toward monumental, big-budget productions that include performances from a full choir. The Pyer Moss show will take place sometime between July 5 and 8.
NASA selects three projects from RISD’s Space Design club to enter into development.
Three projects from RISD’s Space Design club will receive backing to enter NASA’s development programs, meaning the work may one day be tested in space. Among the innovations selected from the BIG Idea Challenge are a space-dust repeller, an augmented reality headset, and a wearable container for rock samples. Previously, the club was known as the RISD Rover Club, which had to disband since building and racing vehicles as a team wasn’t feasible during the pandemic.
Kelly Wearstler for Farrow & Ball…
Farrow & Ball gets acquired by Danish coatings manufacturer Hempel for $607 million.
The Danish paint and coatings manufacturer Hempel has acquired Farrow & Ball in a deal valued at $607 million. The legacy British brand, which specializes in vibrant, low-VOC water-based paints and recently debuted a collaboration with Kelly Wearstler, was previously acquired by Ares Management Group in 2014 for $330 million. “As part of the Hempel Group, we have an exciting opportunity to extend our brand in new markets through a strong global distribution network and longstanding trade relationships,” Anthony Davey, CEO of Farrow & Ball, said in a statement. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2021.
Muji comes under fire for continuing to source cotton from Chinese forced labor.
Since it was uncovered that Xinjiang, a major cotton-producing region in China, was connected to forced labor—since 2018, it’s estimated the Chinese government has coerced upward of 570,000 ethnic minorities to pick cotton by hand—brands such as H&M, Nike, and Burberry have pledged to discontinue sourcing material from that part of the world. Now observers are questioning why Muji, the internationally beloved Japanese fashion and home goods brand, is not only continuing to source cotton from Xinjiang but openly advertising it online. Not surprisingly, connecting the dots leads to money. Half of Muji’s revenue outside of Japan comes from China, and the brand is expected to have more than 300 stores in the country by August.
343 Madison Avenue by KPF…
KPF unveils another supertall in Midtown Manhattan with a sky-high green space.
New renderings reveal the full extent of 343 Madison Avenue, a supertall building near Grand Central in Midtown Manhattan designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. The 1,050-foot tower will create 750,000 square feet of office space and become one of the neighborhood’s tallest, joining a roster that includes One Vanderbilt, the Empire State Building, and 200 Park Avenue. Perhaps the building’s standout feature is the load transfer floors outfitted with greenery and other amenities. Construction is expected to finish sometime in 2026.
Winthrop Center, the world’s largest Passive House office tower, is on the rise in Boston.
The 690-foot-tall Winthrop Center will be the largest Passive House-certified office building in the world when it’s completed in 2022. The Millennium Partners Boston development, designed by New York–based Handel Architects, will comprise 812,000 square feet of office space and 321 ultra-luxury condominiums. The project is estimated to use 65 percent less energy than similarly-sized projects in Boston and deliver 30-to-50-percent more fresh air than comparable buildings, earning it the coveted energy-efficient designation first started in Germany. (The Passive House certification applies only to the office portion.)
The Vine collection by Forust and Yves Béhar…
Today’s attractive distractions:
These hypnotic photographs show the swirling patterns of crystal chemistry.
