CNN style Fashion | What does American fashion mean in 2021?

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and unprecedented political, social and environmental crises, culture in the United States has been swayed by extraordinary forces in recent years.

As a result, the fashion industry — one of the country’s largest creative sectors (apparel and footwear was valued at $1.9 trillion in the US in 2019) and among its most powerful mediums of expression — has been forced to take stock.

The industry has, of course, grappled with Covid-19’s impact on its ability to make, present and sell clothing. But designers and labels are also attuning themselves to less tangible complexities.  —read more— 

CNN style Fashion | Fashion designer called out for cultural appropriation over its $1,190 pants

A prominent fashion designer behind a $1,190 pair of sweatpants has been lambasted by some fashion and Black history experts for what they say is cultural appropriation.

The gray Balenciaga sweatpants, which feature what looks like the top of a pair of boxers peeking out from the waistband, sparked controversy after a TikTok user posted a brief video on September 2 of the pants at what appeared to be a store.

“This feels racist,” one individual said on the video posted by Tiktok user @mr200m__ as they grabbed the Trompe-L’Oeil pants. “They’ve woven the boxers inside the trouser.”  —read more— 

F1 | Ricciardo leads stunning McLaren 1-2 after Verstappen and Hamilton collide at Monza

A dramatic crash between title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that took both drivers out of the race cleared the way for Daniel Ricciardo to claim a sensational victory in the Italian Grand Prix, giving McLaren their first race win since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix – and a one-two to boot, as he led home team mate Lando Norris, with Valtteri Bottas taking third, in a thrilling race at Monza.

Hamilton was exiting the pits on Lap 26 of 53 when he arrived alongside Verstappen, the pair going side by side through the Variante del Rettifilo, but making contact, with Verstappen flying through the air and coming to rest on top of the Mercedes. Both drivers were unhurt, but out of the race, with the stewards set to investigate after the Grand Prix.

Ricciardo was a deserving winner, however, having passed Verstappen for the lead at the race start from P2 on the grid, before Verstappen and Hamilton’s clash cleared the way for him to control the race to sweep home to an eighth career victory. Lando Norris secured his best ever race finish with P2, having been told to hold station behind his team mate in the final moments of the Grand Prix.  —read more—

watch: Race Highlights | 2021 Italian Grand Prix

CNN BUSINESS | America to Wells Fargo: This is unacceptable

New York (CNN Business) – Federal regulators slapped Wells Fargo with yet another fine for failing to move fast enough to compensate customers who were victims of the bank’s “unsafe or unsound” practices.`

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the banking regulator within the Treasury Department, told the scandal-plagued bank it must pay $250 million because it couldn’t -— or wouldn’t — make good on its promises. The punishment stems from a 2018 order that found problems with the bank’s auto and home lending operations, including insufficient risk-management practices and improper fines imposed on customers.  —read more— 

CNN style Fashion | New York Fashion Week: Highlights from the Spring-Summer 2022 shows

New York Fashion Week is back, with designers Christian Siriano, Brandon Maxwell and Gabriela Hearst among those showcasing their Spring-Summer 2022 collections.

Covid-19 restrictions forced recent editions online, but the majority of this season’s shows will take place in-person. Attendees will, however, be required to show proof of vaccination, according to organizers.

Although several labels have nonetheless stuck with virtual showcases, others are opting for the grandest of real-world locations: Ulla Johnson is taking over the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and LaQuan Smith is hosting his show at an American landmark, the Empire State Building.  —read more— 

CNN style Arts | Vermeer’s ‘hidden’ Cupid is the enigmatic artist’s latest mystery

For around three centuries, the girl reading a letter in the dimly-lit solitude of a Johannes Vermeer painting gave no indication of what the message contained.

Facing an open window, her figure gently curved as she scanned the note in her hands, her body appeared slight against the vacant wall behind her. But last week, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany, where she’s been housed for most of her long life, has finally unveiled an amorous secret, hidden long ago beneath layers of paint.  —read more— 

CNN entertainment | Beyoncé and Jay-Z team with Tiffany & Co. for HBCU scholarships

Beyoncé and JAY-Z for the Tiffany & Co. in the “About Love” campaign.

(CNN) – The Carters are bringing some love to five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)

Following the launch of their “About Love” campaign, it’s been announced that Beyoncé and Jay-Z have partnered with Tiffany & Co. for the Love Scholarship program via BeyGOOD and the Shawn Carter Foundation.  —read more—

CNN politics | Biden administration says solar energy has the potential to power 40% of US electricity by 2035

Westlands Solar Park in the San Joaquin Valley of California is the largest solar power plant in the United States.

(CNN) – A new report from the US Department of Energy shows that solar energy could play a massive role in transitioning the United States’ power sector to clean energy.

The new DOE Solar Futures Study, released Wednesday, shows that by 2035, solar energy has the potential to power 40% of the nation’s electricity and create up to 1.5 million jobs — without raising electricity costs for consumers.

“The study illuminates the fact that solar, our cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, could produce enough electricity to power all of the homes in the US by 2035 and employ as many as 1.5 million people in the process,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.  —read more—

CNN BUSINESS | Wall Street’s hottest investor is betting big on a handful of stocks. Critics say she’s playing with fire

New York (CNN Business) – At a time when many investors are content to follow the crowd and buy top techs like Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, Cathie Wood is looking for the next big innovators in buzzy fields like robotics, fintech and space exploration.

It’s a high-flying, high-risk, high-reward tier of investing. And it’s put Wood’s fans on a white-knuckle ride in 2021.

Last year, Wood’s strategy paid huge dividends for investors in her flagship Ark Innovation (ARKK) exchange-traded fund. It surged nearly 150% in 2020 and helped turn her into a Wall Street superstar — sort of the Warren Buffett of momentum investing.  —read more—  

CNN style Architecture | Plans for $400-billion new city in the American desert unveiled

The cleanliness of Tokyo, the diversity of New York and the social services of Stockholm: Billionaire Marc Lore has outlined his vision for a 5-million-person “new city in America” and appointed a world-famous architect to design it.

Now, he just needs somewhere to build it — and $400 billion in funding.

The former Walmart executive last week unveiled plans for Telosa, a sustainable metropolis that he hopes to create, from scratch, in the American desert. The ambitious 150,000-acre proposal promises eco-friendly architecture, sustainable energy production and a purportedly drought-resistant water system. A so-called “15-minute city design” will allow residents to access their workplaces, schools and amenities within a quarter-hour commute of their homes.  —read more—