The first official image of the Broderick family’s latest arrivals has made it here: pictured are Sarah Jessica Parker holding daughter Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick, the couple’s son James Wilkie Broderick, and Matthew Broderick holding Tabitha Hodge Broderick. We wish them well.
Today’s news that Tamsin Cooper and the Royal New Zealand Ballet have entered into a collaboration for a fashion accessories’ line has been one of those items we’ve known about for a while, but had to respect an embargo. Now revealed, it’s one of those unexpected tie-ups, but one which makes sense. Both organizations get to extend their brands, and try their hands in a new market. And being someone who knows full well how tricky co-branding efforts can be, this one certainly has more up sides and than down ones.
Above are Kevin Mazur’s photographs of Michael Jackson’s last rehearsal at Staples Center in Los Angeles, which should put paid to rumours suggesting the King of Pop had no intention to carry out his concerts.
Mazur, who had photographed Jackson on numerous occasions, says, ‘When he hit the stage at rehearsal, I was thrilled that the magical Michael Jackson was back! I felt the same adrenaline rush as when I photographed him the first time moonwalking. I was so looking forward to shooting the O2 Arena performances with the amazing production that Kenny Ortega and AEG put together with Michael for his fans.’
AEG Live (UK) Ltd. has announced that full refunds will be available to fans who purchased tickets through authorized agents for any of the 50 Michael Jackson This Is It concerts which were to take place at the O2 Arena in London.
[Cross-posted] One of the topics raised by Summer Rayne Oakes, author of Style, Naturallyand a scientist and strategist in her own right—not to mention Lucire’s editor-at-large—was why chat rooms fell out of favour this century. During the last week, Summer Rayne and I had plenty of good chats, but this is probably one that relates directly to some of the issues I discuss on this blog.
The obvious answer is all the odd people who used to venture into these chat rooms, often wanting to get on to a sexual topic. I’ve encountered my share, and it seems that women are targeted even more. These were always at non-sex spaces, and even they would attract those looking to get off on discussing these topics.
But that can’t be it. This is partly my memory giving chat rooms a bad name. The overwhelming majority of conversations I had on them were productive and only a handful had visitors whose minds were on sex.
Yet in the last 10 to 20 years we’ve also seen the rise and fall of the email and online discussion group. Spam may have had something to do with that. But the newsgroups also seem to be less well frequented: in fact, I found it very odd when someone referred me to a newsgroup earlier this month on, of all things, Karl Malden’s nose. A newsgroup? Do people still use those?
There have been the rise and fall of MySpace, and the rise and seemingly continued rise of Facebook and Twitter.
Anyone who has been on Twitter for a little while can see that many people out there have their own websites now. The blogging revolution that people such as Helen Baxter predicted has come to pass: people are expressing themselves, and everyone is vying for their share of the internet audience. Some do it by being sarky (some of the celebrity gossip sites come to mind), others by being deceptive (a few so-called news sites attacking people), and, hopefully, the majority are there just trying to get by with some honest reflection and communication.
But in this quest for self-expression, the victim seems to have been communicating in a common space. We bloggers still want to share, but we expect readers to come to our space to do it. The chat room, which worked on the idea of a central location that was common to one’s interest, has given way to everyone playing host to a variety of subjects, and netizens pop by to the one that suits their subject area. Ultimately, they are found on a search engine, not at something as neutral as Egroups.
In other words, we no longer go to the community centre, we play guests at people’s homes. Except this is done virtually. And the relationships, seemingly, are more shallow.
Unless it’s a blog that I have great affinity with, I’m unlikely to visit again. Last week, Ashes to Ashes finished its second series on BBC1. I frequented blogs that reviewed the finalé. I might leave a comment. But they are unlikely to be places I’d revisit, certainly not till the next series begins in 2010. By then I am likely to have forgotten who they were.
There have been some wonderful readers on this blog whom I have come to admire and respect. But there are also many whom I do not know beyond their single comment.
I’m wondering whether the blogosphere has given rise to the sort of deep connection that one can form personal or professional relationships on, because our contact is more fleeting. Certainly it cannot work alone: something must complement the blogosphere if two people are to form any sort of relationship. In that vein, the old discussion groups seem to be more self-contained.
When I look back at my dozen or so years managing discussion groups and blogging, many of the strongest bonds are still with people I met on discussion groups. Someone like Simon Young falls into that category. Others I know in person, before they even became bloggers, such as Johnnie Moore.
The blogs have opened the door to my meeting other people. I’m sure Cat Morley, whom I met on the blogosphere, and I, would get on famously if we met face to face. Jim Donovan falls into that category. But Jim and I meet almost monthly, and we’ve opened the door to that more extensive contact.
Maybe I’m not one of those “celebrity bloggers”, so blogging has not resulted in a rise in my work. It has helped a bit with my profile. But it is a surface medium, one that hasn’t supplanted the chat room or email group. It is a very wordy business card or a calling card.
Yet we humans still seek those deeper relationships. They are not to be found on Facebook groups, because at the end of the day, Facebook is about keeping in touch with those one already knows. It is a social network in the literal sense: people are there with brains switched off (I know I am), socializing. While I have met people through it, I am not convinced that it is a medium where one can espouse those deep thoughts in a group, the same way some of us used to on email groups. There are so many people there that it lacks the feel of a chat room or a discussion group, where there were regulars. Its one great benefit, as far as I can tell, has been the fact that the majority of the conversations have been clean and so far, no one has engaged me in a discussion about sex on a Facebook group about, say, freeing a jailed journalist.
So the answer to Summer Rayne’s question may be that we have ventured too far into becoming talkers and not listeners. The shift to the blogosphere has allowed us to come forth overwhelmingly, because we could, all of a sudden. For those of us not wishing to write posts as long as this (1,000 words and counting), Twitter has become that great substitute, where 140 characters are all that are available. Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame, and since few of us wish to debase ourselves on reality television, the blogosphere and Twitter allow us to control the message.
I somehow think we will congregate again. I know some people who have set up Ning groups, to some success. A friend of mine, and a former Lucire beauty columnist, frequents one devoted to young mothers. We must get to a point where everyone who wants one has their own blogs or Twitter account, and we get sick of talking without any certainty over whether anyone is listening.
People are creatures who wish to communicate, and that implies a two-way dialogue. Blogs were meant to deliver just that, but I’m waiting for the next online revolution that restores that two-way street.
I was chatting to Cassius Eyewear’s Jason Ng, who has seen his company grow very quickly in a short space of time. Not surprising to see why: Cassius’s range has some cool oversized styles, plus the campaign has been very nicely shot. The interesting thing is that Cassius is getting more press outside New Zealand than inside—a very familiar phenomenon to us.
Jason is also keeping a blog for his company, at cassiuseyewear.blogspot.com, which previews some of the company’s next moves.
We know this is one Lucire team member talking to another, but considering the subject is Summer Rayne Oakes and her fantastic new book, Style, Naturally, it’s certainly worth it. Fashion editor Samantha Hannah speaks to Summer Rayne, filmed by Snap Star.
It’s been a wonderful few days chilling out with our ed.-at-large, Summer Rayne Oakes, in Lucire’s home country of New Zealand to promote her book, Style, Naturally.
Summer Rayne was out this way to attend Greenfest in Brisbane, Queensland, and decided that she should venture to New Zealand to see us and to give Style, Naturally, which launched here earlier this year, a push.
Summer Rayne interviewed by National Radio’s Jim Mora, broadcast live on June 9.
With David Farrier for TV3’s Campbell Live, which aired June 11.
Checking out Trade Aid on Victoria Street, Wellington, with Carolyn Enting; and Summer’s subsequent interview at Mojo Coffee on Bond Street.
Barbora Hromadova of Southern Publishers Group, which distributes Style, Naturally here, did an incredible job of arranging the Auckland media. While I cannot mention who has interviewed Summer until their pieces run, some of you will already have seen her story in The Dominion Post and Campbell Live, as well as on two radio stations, including Radio New Zealand National.
I flew up on Sunday, a few hours ahead of Summer, to collect her from Auckland Airport. We’ve been seeing the journalists that Barbora arranged initially, and thanks to Mark Patterson at Volvo, had a very comfortable ride in the form of the XC60 diesel SUV.
We had plenty of comedies of errors with the keys at the Cintra Lane Apartments, my regular haunt, which are too plentiful to list here.
I introduced Summer to Bridget Saunders and Miss New Zealand Katie Taylor, both of whom have interests in sustainability, during the evenings, and spent quite a bit on food to boost the Auckland economy.
Here in Wellington, I was adamant that I would at least show Summer Rayne a bit more of this part of the island than the central city, and got to drive her around our south coast.
She mastered the use of the Kiwi superlative suffix (the use of as at the ends of adjectives) and the distinctively odd ‘Flag it’ (‘Ignore it’), and I admit I was more liberal with the former than I otherwise would be.
But the highlight was probably dinner with fashion editor Samantha Hannah and some of our crew on Wednesday night. We invited Laurie Foon of Starfish, whose label was featured in Style, Naturally. Laurie had bought the book many months before without knowing Starfish was in it. She had it for two months before getting to the references’ section; and was further surprised when I called her to ask if she wanted to meet the author.
Earlier today, Samantha filmed an interview with Summer Rayne for both Snapstar and Lucire TV.
After her final Style, Naturally interview on this leg, Summer Rayne relaxes with the Lucire crew in Wellington and at Te Papa Tongarewa.
Summer Rayne Oakes at the Bush City trail at Te Papa Tongarewa—before the joke that the water could be from the toilets.
Afterwards, we hung out at Te Papa before I drove Summer to Wellington Airport as she left our shores, only to be dicked around by Air New Zealand over an error in her ticketing, which spoiled an otherwise enjoyable tour.
The error seemed to emanate from the Brisbane end, when the booking was originally done, and some of the Air New Zealand staff here tried their best to remedy the situation.
These five days in Auckland and Wellington were thoroughly enjoyable. We’re looking forward to seeing more of the press that Summer Rayne deservedly received during her time here; and needless to say, we recommendStyle, Naturally wholeheartedly as the definitive guide to sustainable fashion and beauty.
Above: Doutzen Krœs remains in fifth place in 2009, with US$6 million earned between June 2008 and June 2009, says Forbes.
Forbes this week released its list of the world’s top earning models, estimating their income earned between June 2008 and June 2009.
The magazine notes that the recession has hit earnings. While Gisèle Bündchen remains in the top spot with US$25 million earned, it’s US$10 million down from her 2008 figure. While Victoria’s Secret is no longer part of Bündchen’s deals, she still has Versace, True Religion, Dior and Ebel. She added Rampage to her brands.
Heidi Klum retains her number-two spot, this year at US$16 million, thanks to her endorsement deals with Diet Coke, Volkswagen, McDonald’s and LG, and programmes such as Project Runway and Germany’s Next Top Model. Klum improved on her 2008 figure by US$2 million.
Kate Moss remained at third with US$8·5 million, with Versace, Longchamp and Topshop among the brands using her face.
Adriana Lima stayed at fourth, half a million dollars behind at US$8 million. Victoria’s Secret is her most popular endorsement deal.
Both Moss and Lima increased their earnings by around US$1 million since 2008.
Doutzen Krœs remained in fifth with the same figure as 2008, at US$6 million. Forbes notes that while her de Beers contract ended, she replaced it with one for Seven for All Mankind.
She was joined in fifth by Alessandra Ambrosio, buoyed by a Victoria’s Secret contract. Ambrosio was not in the top 10 last year.
Natalia Vodianova remained seventh (US$5·5 million) and Daria Werbowy came up one place to eighth (US$4·5 million). Australian Miranda Kerr also went up one place, to ninth equal (US$3 million). Carolyn Murphy fell one spot to equal with Kerr.
New Victoria’s Secret face Emanuela de Paula is new to the list, with US$2·5 million. Forbes did not list to the 16th place this year.
While the political media were either praising or criticizing US President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in office, IMG Publishing has published a collectible called Michelle Obama: 100 Days of Style. The new 116 pp. volume details every outfit worn by the First Lady from the Inaugural Ball to her high-profile trip to Europe. The edition is available at newsstands, major bookstores in the US and online at fashionweekdaily.com.
Ginger & Smart were all about kites and it was beautiful. As the statement kite-bearing model chasséd down the runway, a frenzy of clicking from the photographers’ pit could be heard.
Silk featured prominently, and the bold and bright colours stood out against a background of black. Silhouettes flowed like the silk they were vastly made of, but nicely juxtaposed with heavy hardware and skin-tight leggings.
My favourite piece by far was the body jewellery. Give thanks to Alexander Wang who sent this down the runway last year—what a genius.—Bronwyn Williams
Today’s news that Tamsin Cooper and the Royal New Zealand Ballet have entered into a collaboration
Ginger & Smart were all about kites and it was beautiful. As the statement kite-bearing model chasséd down the runway, a frenzy of clicking from the photographers’ pit could be heard.
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