“Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows” Exhibit Arrives At Four Seasons Hotel London At Ten Trinity Square

The Runway Afternoon Tea, Inspired By The Exhibition “Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows,” Launches At Four Seasons Hotel London At Ten Trinity Square

The Exhibition Offers An Access All Areas Experience Of Karl Lagerfeld’s Most Influential And Monumental Fashion Shows Will Exhibit For The First Time In The Uk At The Forbes 5-Star Hotel

Widely regarded as one of the most outstanding photographers of his generation, Simon Procter’s exhibition features images captured backstage at Lagerfeld’s shows, providing a glimpse through his lens into the inner world of Chanel and the celebrated designer.

Following the Fall 2020/Winter 2021 shows at Paris Fashion Week, Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square and Art Photo Expo will present the UK debut of Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows – an exhibition of photographs by renowned British artist Simon Procter, celebrating the work of the late Karl Lagerfeld. The exhibition will launch on March 18, 2020, and will be on display in the Rotunda Bar and Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square.

Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows – an exhibition of photographs by renowned British artist Simon Procter, celebrating the work of the late Karl Lagerfeld will launch on March 18, 2020, and will be on display in the Rotunda Bar and Lounge (seen above) at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square.

Widely respected in today’s contemporary art scene and acclaimed as one of the most outstanding photographers of his generation, Procter was also one of Karl Lagerfeld’s most trusted documentary photographers, having been granted unprecedented backstage access at the Chanel shows. For more than a decade, Procter’s daring camerawork captured the energy and essence of the Chanel shows, visually recreating the epic sets. From a luscious forest scene to a rocket launch, Procter combines multiple photographs to illustrate in a single image the many perspectives of the intense but fleeting spectacle. Procter also captured images of Lagerfeld preparing models backstage, a privilege afforded to few, offering a unique glimpse into the inner sanctum of the fashion house.

Following Lagerfeld’s death in 2019, Rizzoli devoted a book comprising Procter’s photographs and candid never-before-seen images of Lagerfeld backstage entitledLagerfeld: The Chanel Shows.

The Rotunda Bar and Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square.

Bringing the book to life, the large-scale photographs will line the circular perimeter of the Hotel’s Rotunda Bar and Lounge, and the exhibition will include some never-before-seen artworks. Guests will be offered an unparalleled look into the wide-ranging creativity of one of history’s most respected and iconic designers, making it essential viewing for all lovers of fashion and admirers of Chanel and Lagerfeld’s incomparable legacy.

In addition to the works showcased in Rotunda, limited edition artworks will be available to view and purchase in an adjacent gallery for the duration of the exhibition, with prices starting from GBP 5,500. The Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows books will also be available for purchase in the gallery, including a limited number of copies signed by Procter himself.

Running until June 30, 2020, visitors can also enjoy The Runway Afternoon Tea inspired by Lagerfeld: The Chanel Shows by Simon Procter and a cocktail crafted by Director of Mixology Harry Nikolaou in celebration of the exhibition.

The American Society Of Magazine Editors Announce Finalists For 2020 National Magazine Awards

The New York Times Magazine, New York, National Geographic Top List With Most Nominations For Coveted Ellie Awards;

Annual Awards Show To Be Held At Brooklyn Steel On March 12

Former Esquire Editor-In-Chief David Granger To Receive Magazine Editors’ Hall Of Fame Award

Pamela Colloff Ties Record For Most Nominated Female Writer In Awards History

The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) today announced via Twittercast the finalists for the 2020 National Magazine Awards for Print and Digital Media. ASME will celebrate the 55th annual presentation of the Ellie Awards and honor the 112 finalists on Thursday, March 12th, at Brooklyn Steel, a music venue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) logo. Provided by ASME

This year, the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame Award will be presented by journalist Tom Junod to David Granger, former editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine. Junod previously wrote for Granger at GQ and Esquire, where his work included the cover story on Fred Rogers that inspired the movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

Winners receive “Ellies,” the elephant-shaped statuettes modeled on Alexander Calder’s stabile “Walking Elephant” that give the awards their name.

The evening reception will include the presentation of the 2020 ASME Award for Fiction to The Paris Review, as well as honors for the five winners of the 2020 ASME Next Awards for Journalists Under 30. More than 500 magazine editors and publishers are expected to attend the annual event.

Other highlights in 2020 include Pamela Colloff, ProPublica senior reporter and The New York Times Magazine staff writer, receiving her seventh nomination with “False Witness.” Colloff now ties the overall record for most nominated female writer in awards history with The Atlantic’s Caitlin Flanagan.

The New York Times Magazine led the nominations with 10, the most in its history, with three nominations (General Excellence, Podcasting, Public Interest) honoring The 1619 Project, which “aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative,” according to the magazine. Rounding out top finalists were New York magazine and National Geographic with nine and eight nominations respectively.

Titles with multiple nominations also included Bon Appétit and The New Yorker with six each, and SELF and Texas Monthly with four.

Sixty-two titles were nominated in 22 categories. Twenty publications were nominated for the most prestigious honor, General Excellence. Nominees include large-circulation titles such as Cosmopolitan (which also received its seventh-consecutive nomination in Personal Service), regional titles like Atlanta, special-interest magazines like National Parks, literary journals like Oxford American and digital-first publications like The Trace.

Bon Appétit was nominated for the ninth consecutive year in General Excellence, the most consecutive nominations in that category in the history of the awards. Aperture and New York magazine received their fifth-consecutive nominations in General Excellence, while The Marshall Project received its fourth-consecutive nomination in General Excellence.

Ten media organizations were first-time finalists in any category: 1843, Catapult, the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Emergence, Gimlet, National Parks, Quanta, Stranger’s Guide, Vox, and The Washington Post Magazine for its “Prison” issue featuring the work of currently and formerly incarcerated Americans.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner received her first nomination for Feature Writing with “All That Glitters,” a piece featured in The New York Times Magazine on gender discrimination and sexual harassment at Sterling Jewelers. Jia Tolentino is also a first-time finalist in Columns and Commentary for her work in The New Yorker.

New York magazine and The Cut writer Rebecca Traister received her fourth nomination in six years for her profile of Elizabeth Warren.

“This year’s finalists for the National Magazine Awards showcase an incredible range of innovative, inspiring journalism from 62 magazines and websites,” said Sid Holt, executive director of ASME. “Columbia and ASME join me in congratulating the many writers and editors nominated today—their work underscores the power of magazine journalism to entertain and challenge readers and listeners both in print and online.”

National Magazine Awards 2020 Finalists

General Excellence, News, Sports and Entertainment

• The California Sunday Magazine
• ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Cover Story
• The Marshall Project
• New York
• The New York Times Magazine

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year 2020: PANTONE® 19-4052 Classic Blue

A Reassuring Presence Instilling Calm, Confidence, And Connection

Tapping into sight, sound, smell, taste, and texture Pantone makes PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue the first multi-sensory Color of the Year in the company’s history.

Pantone, provider of professional color language standards and digital solutions, today announced PANTONE 19-4052, Classic Blue, as the Pantone® Color of the Year for 2020; a timeless and enduring hue elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation from which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year 2020: PANTONE® 19-4052 Classic Blue

“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Imbued with a deep resonance, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”

The Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even up-coming sporting events that capture worldwide attention. For 21 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. Past selections for Color of the Year include:

• PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral (2019)
• PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet (2018)
• PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery (2017)
• PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity and PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz (2016)
• PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala (2015)
• PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid (2014)
• PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald (2013)
• PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)
• PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
• PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)
• PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa (2009)
• PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (2008)
• PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper (2007)
• PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar (2006)
• PANTONE 15-5217 Blue Turquoise (2005)
• PANTONE 17-1456 Tigerlily (2004)
• PANTONE 14-4811 Aqua Sky (2003)
• PANTONE 19-1664 True Red (2002)
• PANTONE 17-2031 Fuchsia Rose (2001)
• PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean (2000)

The color selected as the Pantone Color of the Year 2020 was taken from the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standards system for fashion, textile, home, and interior design.

Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser-like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.

As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052, Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced.

“The Pantone Color of the Year highlights the relationship between trends in color and what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time, a color that reflects what individuals feel they need that color can hope to answer.” added Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions, designers and brands should feel inspired to use color to engage and connect. The Pantone Color of the Year selection provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Color Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands.”

To fully bring to life the true meaning of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, Pantone has translated PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue into a multi-sensory experience. By extending the sensory reach of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, Pantone is hoping to reach a greater diversity of people to provide everyone with an opportunity to engage with the Color of the Year 2020 in their own unique way.

“As we all head into a new era, we wanted to challenge ourselves to find inspiration from new sources that not only evolve our Color of the Year platform, but also help our global audiences achieve richer and more rewarding color experiences,” added Pressman. “This desire, combined with the emotional properties of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, motivated us to expand beyond the visual, to bring the 2020 Pantone Color of the Year to life through a multi-sensory experience.”

Classic Blue in Fashion

PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a poised and self-assured blue hue elegant in its simplicity. Genderless in outlook and seasonless in endurance, this foundational anchor shade enables color mixes throughout the spectrum, as well as making a strong statement on its own. Emblematic of heritage but at the same time highly contemporary, versatile PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue takes on distinct appearances through application to different materials, finishes and textures from shimmering metallics, lustrous sheens and high-tech materials to hand crafted looks and more fragile fabrics.

Classic Blue in Beauty

In the ultimate display of personal expression, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue makes a dramatic statement for eyes, nails and hair in a variety of finishes from glittery and glam to dusty matte.

Classic Blue in Home Décor

Offering the promise of protection PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a pervasive favorite for home. Creating a stable foundation from which to build, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue injects creative confidence into interiors, transforming a space through unique color combinations and tonal statements. Easily applied across so many different materials, textures and finishes, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a dependable blue that can take you in different directions expressing tradition and elegance as well as unexpected boldness.

Classic Blue in Graphic Design and Packaging

Because of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue’s relation to the sky at dusk, something we see every day, it maintains a perception of dependability and constancy. A color we respond to viscerally as being trustworthy, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is an ideal shade for many applications of graphic design. This is especially true for packaging where PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue conveys the message of honesty, credibility and reliability that today’s consumers are connecting to.

50 Best Launches ’50 Best Discovery’, the World’s Most Exciting Gastronomic Map of More Than 1,600 Expert-approved Dining and Drinking Destinations

Explore the Best Restaurants and Bars Around the World

50 Best, the brand behind The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars annual ranking and awards, announces the launch of 50 Best Discovery.

For 17 years, 50 Best has been compiling authoritative rankings based on the votes of its extensive international network of experts. Until today, 50 Best only revealed the restaurants and bars which received sufficient votes for them to be ranked. With the launch of 50 Best Discovery, the organization now provides a deeper, richer library for people to draw on for eating and drinking inspiration as they traverse the world.

50 Best Logo

50 Best Discovery is the world’s most exciting database for eating and drinking and operates as an unranked extension of the annual 50 Best rankings of restaurants and bars. The venues featured on 50 Best Discovery have all received votes from the experts who create the rankings of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, as well as Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s 50 Best Bars and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants. The digital collection is compiled from the results of these five annual 50 Best rankings but extends far beyond the elite establishments celebrated in each list. The result is a more diverse range of expert-recommended restaurants and bars across the world, offering everything from emerging talent and local favourites through to fine dining and fine drinking establishments. To qualify, a restaurant or bar needs to receive a significant number of votes in the most recent round of polling for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants or The World’s 50 Best Bars, or appear on one of our other annual rankings. Restaurants and bars cannot apply to be part of 50 Best Discovery.

50 Best Discovery gives discerning diners and drinkers the chance to explore restaurants and bars that have received votes from 50 Best experts across the world, featuring more than 1,600 reviews of venues in 75 countries. The library combines destinations from all the lists’ rankings and other far-flung locales to comprise a diverse and tempting range of restaurants and bars, empirically recommended by its Academy. This 1,700-strong Academy comprises the world’s leading food and drink writers, chefs, restaurateurs and bar owners, global gastronomes and regional cuisine specialists.

A new website features a powerful search engine, which allows users to search by city, town and region to find restaurants and bars in a destination they may be travelling to, or to look for a reliable new dining or drinking experience closer to home. Locations and reviews sit side by side to allow easy-to-navigate functionality with each entry displaying location, price, contact details, imagery and a bite-size profile.

Whether searching for the hottest back-street ramen bar in Tokyo, boundary-pushing fine dining in San Francisco, or the best martini in Madrid, 50 Best Discovery allows adventurous gourmets to explore hidden gems, secret spots and timeless classics, providing a unique itinerary for culinary and cocktail adventures.

William Drew, Director of Content for 50 Best, says: “This exciting new way to explore the world is completely guided by the recommendations from the 1,700-plus independent expert voters behind the 50 Best restaurant and bar rankings. Never before have the best local and international destinations in which to eat and drink been featured in one place, on one intuitive website. We are confident that it will become a go-to resource for anyone looking for a reliable gastronomic experience almost anywhere in the world.

“When The World’s 50 Best Restaurants was established in 2002, it started a journey that would see us showcase the very best places to eat and drink. Gastronomic tourism has become a cultural phenomenon in recent years, evident in the rapid expansion of our social media followers to more than two million and the continued growth of our global events. For the first time, we are now able to offer a comprehensive library featuring a vast number of restaurants and bars. For food and drink lovers this is the ultimate map of the world; essential for planning gastronomic adventures.“

To see more details on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants voting process, visit www.theworlds50best.com/the-academy/manifesto

To see more details on The World’s 50 Best Bars voting process,
visit www.worlds50bestbars.com/voting.php

The 50 Best family includes The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, The World’s 50 Best Bars, Asia’s 50 Best Bars and the #50BestTalks and 50 Best Explores series, all of which are owned and run by William Reed Business Media. Since 2002, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has reflected the diversity of the world’s culinary landscape. The annual list of the world’s finest restaurants and bars provides a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique dining and drinking experiences, in addition to being a barometer for global gastronomic trends.

The Museum Of Modern Art Announces Publication On The History Of MoMA PS1

This long-awaited book captures the spirit of a legendary institution through the words of those who made it New York’s most vital venue for contemporary art.

This fall, The Museum of Modern Art will release the first publication on the history of MoMA PS1, which traces the institution’s evolution from the 1970s to today through interviews, ephemera, never-before-seen images, and an extensive exhibition history. Since 1976, MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens, has been a crucible for radical experimentation, engaging artists from a range of disciplines. Structured around interviews with Alanna Heiss, PS1’s founder and director of more than three decades, MoMA PS1: A History (published October 22, 2019) offers a vivid chronicle of the extraordinary history of New York’s premier venue for contemporary art. The publication also features contributions by artists and curators who have been closely associated with PS1—including James Turrell, R. H. Quaytman, Kevin Beasley, Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, and Martha Wilson—supplemented by excerpts from previously unpublished interviews from the 1970s and statements from numerous figures who helped shape the institution.

Batya Zamir, Airlines, Batya Zamir: Dance Performance, May 20–21, 1977. Courtesy Batya Zamir. Photo: Richard Van Buren.

P.S.1 1977 A Painting Show Lee Krasner: Lee Krasner, poster for A Painting Show, May 1–29, 1977. © 2019 The Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

This publication was edited by Klaus Biesenbach, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and former director of MoMA PS1 and Chief Curator at Large, The Museum of Modern Art, New York; and Bettina Funke, art historian, editor, former head of publications for Documenta 13, and co-founder of The Leopard Press.

Dennis Freedman Named Consulting Creative Director Of Surface Media

Diane Solway, Editor-in-Chief of Surface Media, announced the appointment of Dennis Freedman as Surface Media’s Consulting Creative Director, effective immediately. In his new role, Freedman will work closely with Solway as Surface Media re-imagines and expands its dynamic engagement with design, art, architecture, fashion, and travel. Freedman’s deep and far-ranging experience and creative vision will help shape the evolution of Surface Media’s magazine, digital platforms, live experiences, and strategic partnerships.

Dennis Freedman

Freedman was the founding Creative Director of W Magazine, where he and Solway collaborated for many years, and where Solway most-recently served as Features and Culture Director until the magazine was acquired by Future Media Group earlier this year. After leaving W, Freedman served as Creative Director of Barneys New York where he pioneered new ways to connect with customers, including the shopable video and collaborations with Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Baz Luhrmann, Miuccia Prada and John Galliano. Freedman also brought a new level of interactivity to its windows, working with artists and photographers, among them the Louise Bourgeois estate, Alex Katz, Juergen Teller, and Mario Sorrenti.

“Dennis’ groundbreaking creativity and influence in the visual world is legendary and I am excited to be collaborating with him again in bringing Surface’s brand and platforms to a new level of performance,” said Solway. “Design is his passion and he will be instrumental as we expand our communities and dynamically connect our audiences with the innovators featured across our platforms.”

“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Diane and, together, we have curated some of the most dynamic stories and programming that I’ve done in my career,” said Freedman. “I am looking forward to collaborating with her on the realization of her vision for Surface Media and its unparalleled ability to engage its audiences with the leading creatives of our time.”

At W, Freedman spearheaded W’s transformation from a fledging newsprint tabloid to a leading creative showcase for some of the foremost fashion photographers of the day, among them Philip Lorca di Corcia, Steven Klein, and David Sims. He is also one of the world’s foremost collectors of modern and contemporary design. In February, a show of nearly 70 pieces from Freedman’s collection of Italian radical design will open at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Titled “Radical: Italian Design 1965-1985, the Dennis Freedman Collection,” the show will subsequently travel to the Yale School of Architecture Gallery.

Future Media Group Logo

Surface Media is owned by Future Media Group (FMG), the company that recently acquired W Magazine from Condé Nast. Diane Solway was named Editor-in-Chief of Surface in September 2019.

Future Media Group, formed as the holding company during the acquisition of W from Condé Nast, also encompasses Surface and Watch Journal. It is committed to developing legacy media brands and delivering them into the future.

Since 1972, W has been an escape from the ordinary. Unbound by convention, W sees the world through the lenses of fashion, art and film. Across platforms, W celebrates the unexpected and sparks cultural conversations with provocative stories, addictive videos and distinctively curated social feeds featuring iconic celebrities such as Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett and Rihanna.

Since 1993, Surface has been the barometer for what’s new and what’s next in the worlds of contemporary global design, architecture, art, fashion, and culture. With special access to tastemakers including Thom Browne, Delphine Arnault, David Adjaye, Nobu Matsuhisa, Kanye West and more, Surface is a compass for today’s creative leaders that boasts a circulation of 100,000 with in-room distribution at top hotels including The Edition, The Nomad, and The Gramercy Park Hotel.

Since 1997, Watch Journal is the category leader in fine watches and living well, pairing a love of fine timepieces with fashion, art, travel, sports and architecture. Readers of the publication have an average net worth of $4.4 million. The magazine is distributed as the exclusive trade media outlet at over 250 private air terminals across the United States and as the only in-room American publication at Les Trois Rois in Basel, Switzerland.

Rihanna’s First Visual Autobiography Featuring Intimate Moments From Her Life And Creative Journey To Be Published By Phaidon

A Large-Format, Lavishly Produced, 504-Page Book With More Than 1,000 Photos, Many Never Seen Before

Rihanna has conquered numerous arenas: Music, Beauty, Fashion, the Movies, just to name just a few. And she’s still conquering mountains, this time in the publishing industry. This first book by Rihanna is an exclusive, inside look into her world. Rihanna (the book), a stunning visual narrative from the international cultural icon, is to be published by Phaidon. From her childhood in Barbados to her worldwide tours, from quintessential fashion moments to private time with friends and family, the book showcases intimate photographs of her life as a musician, performer, designer, and entrepreneur.

Rihanna, the large-format trade edition book (12-5/8 x 16-1/2 inches) includes more than 1,000 photographs, many being published here for the first time. (PRNewsfoto/Phaidon)

“I am so excited to share this collection of incredible images. I’m very grateful to the talented photographers and artists who contributed. We’ve been working on the book for over five years and I’m really happy to be able to finally share it with everybody,” said Rihanna.

Phaidon’s CEO, Keith Fox, said of the project, “We are excited and proud to publish this incredible book by this extremely talented and influential woman. Rihanna is such an important and groundbreaking artist, style icon, and entrepreneur and we are looking forward to sharing her fascinating life with a larger audience.”

The large-format trade edition book (12-5/8 x 16-1/2 inches) includes more than 1,000 photographs, many being published here for the first time. Impeccably produced, this sumptuous 504-page book also contains 11 special inserts, including a removable poster, and 7 gatefolds. The cover features a stunning color photograph and wrap-around cloth binding. Weighing in at 15 pounds, the book comes in a printed black carrying case and is available wherever books are sold.

The Rihanna: Fenty x Phaidon edition featuring “This Sh*t Is Heavy” is published on October 10 ($175 USD). This version includes a copy of the book with a unique cover by Barnbrook that features two black and white photographs and a cloth binding, as well as a Haas Brothers designed, steel tabletop bookstand inspired by Rihanna’s hands and finished in matte, powder-coated green and mirrored silver chrome. It’s available here. (Courtesy: Phaidon)

Haas Brothers designed, steel tabletop bookstand inspired by Rihanna’s hands and finished in matte, powder-coated green and mirrored silver chrome. (Courtesy: Phaidon)

In addition to the large-format trade edition of Rihanna ($150 USD, October 24, 2019), Phaidon and Rihanna have collaborated with The Haas Brothers on three limited editions. “This Sh*t is Heavy,” the Rihanna: Fenty x Phaidon edition ($175.00 USD, October 10, 2019), includes a copy of the book that features a cover with two black and white photographs, a cloth binding, and a custom-designed tabletop bookstand inspired by Rihanna’s hands.

A third and very limited edition of the book, Rihanna: Luxury Supreme featuring “Drippy + The Brain” edition will be published on November 20 ($5,500) is signed and numbered by Rihanna and The Haas Brothers. The book for this edition is bound in a custom-made black fabric with an inset, matte black, laser-cut steel logo inset into the front cover and completed with a cast-resin tabletop bookstand covered with a bespoke black vermiculated fabric. The book and stand together weigh 126 pounds. (Courtesy: Phaidon)

The Luxury Supreme edition ($5,000.00 USD, November 20, 2019) is signed and numbered by Rihanna and The Haas Brothers. The book for this edition is bound in a custom-made black fabric with an inset, matte black, laser-cut steel grille, completed with the “Drippy + The Brain” stand, a gold toned, cast-resin tabletop bookstand covered with a bespoke black vermiculated fabric. The book and stand together weigh 126 pounds.

These editions are exclusively available at TheRihannaBook.com. The three artists also collaborated on an Ultra Luxury Supreme edition, entitled “Stoner,” a custom-sculpted marble pedestal to showcase the Luxury Supreme book. Each pedestal, in the edition of ten, is exclusively designed to cradle the book and is hand carved in Nazaré, Portugal from a unique piece of solid Pele de Tigre marble, with a soft eggshell finish.

Rihanna (b. 1988, Barbados) is a nine-time Grammy Award–winning recording artist, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. She has sold 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks worldwide, making her the top-selling digital artist of all time. Rihanna launched her beauty line Fenty Beauty in 2017, her lingerie line Savage X Fenty in 2018, and most recently her luxury fashion line FENTY in 2019.

Phaidon is a global publisher of books on art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, and popular culture, as well as cookbooks, children’s books, and travel books. The company is based in London and New York City, with additional offices in Paris and Berlin. With over 1,500 titles in print, Phaidon books are sold in over 100 countries and are printed in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, and dozens of other languages. Since the publisher’s founding in Vienna in 1923, Phaidon has sold more than 42 million books worldwide.

Publishing Giant Condé Nast Announces New Global Leadership Structure

U.S./New York-based Condé Nast and London-based Condé Nast International Are Integrated as One Global Team. New Consumer Marketing Function to Bring Focus on Direct-to-Consumer Efforts With Unified Commercial Team to Better Serve Global Clients’ Holistic Needs

New Leadership Structure is Expected to Help Further Turn the Financial Ship Around As Company Moves Beyond Closing and Selling Off Magazine Titles, Layoffs and Consolidation of Workforce Across All Titles

Long expected, Condé Nast yesterday appointed a new global leadership team designed to accelerate the company’s evolution into a 21st-century media company. The new organizational structure, which combines Condé Nast and Condé Nast International into a unified global team, was created with several guiding principles in mind, including the preservation of local editorial voice and authority, an enhanced focus on the consumer, unification of the company’s ad and commercial sales functions to reflect clients’ local and global needs and the development of new ways to share capabilities and best practices across the company.

Condé Nast is a global media company, home to iconic brands including Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, Glamour, AD, Vanity Fair, and Wired, among many others. The company’s award-winning content reaches 84 million consumers in print, 367 million in digital and 379 million across social platforms, and generates more than 1 billion video views each month. The company is headquartered in London and New York and operates in 32 markets worldwide including China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico & Latin America, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, the U.K., and the U.S., with local license partners across the globe. Launched in 2011, Condé Nast Entertainment is an award-winning production and distribution studio that creates programming across film, television, social and digital video and virtual reality.

“One of my top priorities has been to define our organizational structure so that we can take full advantage of our unique growth opportunities and exceptional content around the world,” said the recently-appointed CEO of Condé Nast, RogerLynch “I’m confident that our new global structure will better enable us to collaborate across teams and markets and, ultimately, deliver unparalleled experiences for our consumers and clients.“

The new structure is as follows:

Global Content Functions:: Anna Wintour, U.S. Artistic Director, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue U.S. and (newly-appointed) Global Content Advisor, will continue in her role as U.S. Artistic Director and Editor-in-Chief of Vogue U.S., and will add Global Content Advisor and oversight of Vogue International to her responsibilities. In her expanded role, Wintour will advise the executive leadership team on global content opportunities and act as a resource to editors-in-chief and editorial talent worldwide.

Oren Katzeff, President of Condé Nast Entertainment (CNE), will expand the company’s digital video, film and television operations to create best-in-class video content experiences for audiences worldwide. The company has been increasing its focus on video content and currently generates 1.1 billion video views per month. Under Oren’s leadership, CNE will now be the core of our global network of video teams, supporting the growth of our video businesses in all markets.

David Remnick, Editor-in-Chief of The New Yorker, will also continue to report directly to Lynch.

Global Operations Organization: Wolfgang Blau, President, International & Chief Operating Officer will oversee all non-U.S. markets, as well as selected global strategic functions, including Product & Technology, Data, Licensing, Global Editorial Operations, Business Development, and Delivery & Business Transformation. This organization will ensure day-to-day operational excellence and capability sharing across the business.

Global Commercial Organization: Pamela Drucker Mann, Global Chief Revenue Officer & President, U.S. Revenue, will lead a new global revenue organization that brings together the company’s U.S. and international ad sales, creative and agency, B2B marketing and client service capabilities. Jamie Jouning, promoted to Chief Client Officer, will report to Drucker Mann and oversee key global accounts, multi-market deals, and central digital ad operations. Drucker Mann will define ad sales and ad product strategies globally, and work closely with Jamie and the central team and commercial leads in the company’s worldwide markets to drive overall ad, agency, and B2B revenue and share best practices.

Consumer Marketing Organization: Condé Nast is creating a new consumer marketing organization that will be led by a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and will bring added focus to the company’s direct-to-consumer efforts. As the company expands its consumer offerings, this team will be charged with developing best-in-class capabilities and consistency across consumer experiences on every platform. The team will also be responsible for consumer revenue, with a core focus on subscriptions and memberships. In addition, the team will have responsibility for global brand management, consumer research, and insights and global audience development, ensuring a data-driven approach to the company’s efforts. The search for a CMO to lead this new organization will begin immediately.

Corporate Functions: The company is also globalizing its three corporate functions to leverage skills, expertise and standardize processes and best practices: People, Finance and Communications. The company will begin an immediate search and selection process for these and other open roles. Until new leaders are identified, teams will maintain their existing reporting lines and responsibilities.

“We’re bringing added focus to our direct-to-consumer efforts and will build a new consumer marketing function that will be charged with developing best-in-class subscription and membership capabilities, and maintaining the authenticity of our iconic global brands,” Lynch continued. “And by transforming our sales organization into a unified global team, Condé Nast will be better positioned to serve the holistic needs of our clients around the world and make it easier for them to do business with us.“

The new structure and appointments take effect immediately.

National Geographic Launches ‘Starstruck,’ A Yearlong Celebration Of Space Across Its Global Networks, Magazines, Books And More

Starstruck Kicks Off With Second Season of Critically Acclaimed Series MARS and Fifth Season of Emmy-Nominated Series STARTALK With Neil deGrasse Tyson

Event to Also Include Two New Specials: MARS: INSIDE SPACE X and MISSION TO THE SUN, Plus Fall Book Releases “Space Atlas” and “Apollo to the Moon“

Starstruck Continues Into 2019 With a New Season of COSMOS and Weeklong Celebration of the 50-Year Anniversary of Apollo 11 Lunar Landing in July

Visit New Starstruck Portal for All Things Space, Including National Geographic Space Photography and In-Depth Reporting on the Latest Space News

For 130 years, National Geographic has been helping people explore the unknown, from the deepest oceans to the farthest reaches of the universe. Today, National Geographic announced that it will embark on a new storytelling odyssey, exploring the past, present and future of space across its vast media and entertainment platforms with Starstruck: National Geographic’s Yearlong Celebration of Space.

From the very dawn of the space age, National Geographic has covered the science, mystery and adventures of space exploration with unrivaled access, in-depth news reporting and cutting-edge science and technology.

National Geographic logo. (PRNewsfoto/National Geographic Society)

In 1935, National Geographic and the U.S. Army Air Corps jointly launched aeronauts into the sky in the Explorer II Stratosphere Balloon, helping to pave the way for the space program and marking a manned altitude record that lasted for 21 years. Later, in recognition of National Geographic’s contributions to space research and photography, astronaut John Glenn carried the National Geographic flag on the first U.S. manned orbital space flight in 1962. And on July 16, 1969, a National Geographic flag was again vaulted into the sky on the 238,000-mile voyage to the moon, with Neil Armstrong observing to his team that it was a privilege that the flag that had “accompanied every major recent expedition,” should also accompany the first one ever to set foot on the lunar surface. In 1977, National Geographic was part of the curation of the Golden Record, and more recently, presented the first-ever Instagram Live from the International Space Station with Will Smith in April 2018.

National Geographic Launches ‘Starstruck,’ A Celebration Of Space Across Its Global Networks, Magazines, Books And More

With Starstruck, National Geographic aims to once again inspire people to “look up” by bringing the awe and wonder of space to audiences around the world.

The yearlong commitment to presenting the best of space content kicked off this past week with the launch of the Starstruck Space Portal, as well as the recent release of National Geographic’s updated “Space Atlas.” The celebration continues Nov. 4 with an all-day marathon of the critically acclaimed series One Strange Rock beginning at 10 a.m., and with new seasons of MARS and STARTALK with Neil deGrasse Tyson in an intergalactic block of programming that premieres Monday, Nov. 12.

Additionally, two new specials will air this fall: MARS: INSIDE SPACE X also on Nov. 12, and MISSION TO THE SUN on Nov. 19.

Culminating with the 50^th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing next July and a coinciding week of blockbuster Apollo programming on the National Geographic channel, Starstruck will rally National Geographic’s unrivaled portfolio of storytelling platforms around the spirit of space exploration and the nostalgia, curiosity, and feeling of limitless possibility that it brings.

With this announcement, Natgeo.com/Starstruck will be National Geographic’s one-stop digital hub for all things space.

Highlights of the content across all platforms include:

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD TV PROGRAMMING:

• Season 2 of Nat Geo’s groundbreaking, genre-busting, hit docudrama MARS premieres Nov. 12 at 9/8c.
  

  A scene from the first episode of Season two of Mars.

• A new season of the award-winning STARTALK with Neil deGrasse Tyson debuts Nov. 12 at 11/10c.

  

  MARS: INSIDE SPACE X, premiering Monday, Nov. 12, at 8/7c, is an unprecedented glimpse into one of the world’s most revolutionary companies’ plan to make Mars home.

• MARS: INSIDE SPACE X, premiering Monday, Nov. 12, at 8/7c, is an unprecedented glimpse into one of the world’s most revolutionary companies’ plan to make Mars home. Filmed over the course of three years, this journey will take viewers behind the scenes with Elon Musk and his engineers as they persevere amid both disheartening setbacks and huge triumphs to advance the space industry faster than thought possible.
  

  Mission To The Sun: The United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket is seen in this long exposure photograph as it launches NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to touch the Sun, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first-ever mission into a part of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. Here it will directly explore solar processes that are key to understanding and forecasting space weather events that can impact life on Earth. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

• MISSION TO THE SUN, debuting Nov. 19 at 8/7c, goes behind the scenes as NASA preps for the launch of the Parker Probe, a historic quest to explore the last great frontier of our solar system — the sun. The special will feature new NASA footage, interviews, and animations to further capture this groundbreaking mission, and a behind-the-scenes look at the exclusive team of NASA scientists who have made this skillfully planned endeavor a reality.
• A brand-new season of EXPLORER programming will launch Nov. 12 at 10/9c, with a special Starstruck episode featuring space lemurs, flat-earthers and real space cowboys, premiering Dec. 10.
• Following a wildly successful run in 2014 as the most-watched series ever on National Geographic Channels internationally — seen by more than 135 million people worldwide on National Geographic and FOX — the highly anticipated Emmy award-winning worldwide phenomenon COSMOS returns this spring with COSMOS: POSSIBLE WORLDS. Neil deGrasse Tyson, the famed pop-culture icon, astrophysicist and host of the Emmy-nominated StarTalk, returns as host of COSMOS.
• A special week of Apollo programming in July shines a light on the grit and glory of the Apollo missions and a look at the new era of space travel and exploration.

LATEST SPACE NEWS, SKY WATCH GUIDES, AND STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY:

• Up-to-the-date reporting from National Geographic’s prize-winning editorial team on the Starstruck news page, including live news coverage of the NASA InSight Mars landing (Nov. 26) and the NASA Kuiper Belt flyby (set for Jan. 1, 2019), the latest insights on the upcoming blood moon eclipse, and more
• Exciting National Geographic magazine space content, debuting in various issues over the next year, including an essay from November guest contributor Bill Nye on space sailing, and future features celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing
• Monthly sky-watching guides, best space pictures of the month and a spacecraft love letter series (featuring first-person essays written by journalists, scientists, educators and enthusiasts who have a personal connection with the space probe), starting this month on the Starstruck portal.

Condé Nast Traveler Announces The Winners Of The 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards

The World’s Best Hotels, Resorts, Cities, Islands, Airlines, Airports and Cruise Lines Ranked

Condé Nast Traveler has unveiled the winners of its 31st annual Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking the best hotels, resorts, cities, islands, airlines, airports, and cruise lines in the world. The Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry. This year, we received a recording-breaking number of responses from nearly half a million readers who rated their travel experiences to provide a full snapshot of where and how we travel today.

Condé Nast Traveler November issue cover. Captured on a Google Pixel 3.

The full list of winners, including more than a dozen galleries and web-only exclusives of the 50 Best Hotels in the World and 50 Best Resorts in the World, can be found here.

The 2018 results are all about comfort. Readers stayed closer to home than ever before, pushing more cities like Chicago, Charleston, and Nashville to the top of our lists. They favored the Caribbean and domestic islands in the southeast, like Hilton Head, Amelia, and Kiawah. The properties that impressed them most were smaller and less flashy than in years past, and our small-cruise-ship list is longer than it’s ever been, suggesting that the right kind of less is more. The world has changed in ways no one could have predicted, and so it stands to reason that how we get away from it all would, too. 

The 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards are celebrated in Condé Nast Traveler‘ November issue on newsstands October 16 and on online at www.cntraveler.com/rca.

The Whitney To Present The First Andy Warhol Retrospective Organized by a U.S. Institution Since 1989

Andy Warhol—From A To B And Back Again, The First Major Reexamination Of Warhol’s Art In A Generation, To Open At The Whitney On November 12

Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again—the first Andy Warhol retrospective organized in the U.S. since 1989, and the largest in terms of its scope of ideas and range of works—will be an occasion to experience and reconsider the work of one of the most inventive, influential, and important American artists. With more than 350 works of art, many assembled together for the first time, this landmark exhibition, organized by The Whitney Museum of American Art, will unite all aspects, media, and periods of Warhol’s forty-year career. Curated by Warhol authority Donna De Salvo, Deputy Director for International Initiatives and Senior Curator, with Christie Mitchell, curatorial assistant, and Mark Loiacono, curatorial research associate, the survey debuts at the Whitney on November 12, 2018, where it will run through March 31, 2019.

 

While Warhol’s Pop images of the 1960s are recognizable worldwide, what remains far less known is the work he produced in the 1970s and 80s. This exhibition positions Warhol’s career as a continuum, demonstrating that he didn’t slow down after surviving the assassination attempt that nearly took his life in 1968, but entered into a period of intense experimentation, continuing to use the techniques he’d developed early on and expanding upon his previous work. Taking the 1950s and his experience as a commercial illustrator as foundational, and including numerous masterpieces from the 1960s, Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again tracks and reappraises the later work of the 1970s and 80s through to Warhol’s untimely death in 1987.

Andy Warhol (1928–1987), Self-Portrait, 1964. Acrylic, metallic paint, and silkscreen ink on linen, 20 x 16 in. (50.8 x 40.6 cm). The Art Institute of Chicago; gift of Edlis/Neeson Collection. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York

(Following its premiere at the Whitney, the exhibition will travel to two other major American art museums, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and The Art Institute of Chicago. Bank of America is the National Tour Sponsor)

“Perhaps more than any artist before or since, Andy Warhol understood America’s defining twin desires for innovation and conformity, public visibility and absolute privacy,” noted De Salvo. “He transformed these contradictory impulses into a completely original art that, I believe, has profoundly influenced how we see and think about the world now. Warhol produced images that are now so familiar, it’s easy to forget just how unsettling and even shocking they were when they debuted. He pioneered the use of an industrial silkscreen process as a painterly brush to repeat images ‘identically’, creating seemingly endless variations that call the very value of our cultural icons into question. His repetitions, distortions, camouflaging, incongruous color, and recycling of his own imagery anticipated the most profound effects and issues of our current digital age when we no longer know which images to trust. From the 1950s until his death, Warhol challenged our fundamental beliefs, particularly our faith in images, even while he sought to believe in those images himself. Looking in this exhibition at the full sweep of his career makes it clear that Warhol was not just a twentieth-century titan but a seer of the twenty-first century as well.”

Occupying the entirety of the Whitney’s fifth-floor Neil Bluhm Family Galleries, the adjacent Kaufman Gallery, the John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation Lobby Gallery, the Susan and John Hess Family Gallery and Theater, Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again will be the largest exhibition devoted to a single artist yet to be presented in the Whitney’s downtown location. Tickets will be available on the Whitney’s website beginning in August.

Through his carefully cultivated persona and willingness to experiment with non-traditional art-making techniques, Andy Warhol (1928–1987) understood the growing power of images in contemporary life and helped to expand the role of the artist in society, making him one of the most distinct and internationally recognized American artists of the twentieth century. This exhibition sets out to prove that there remains far more to Warhol and his work than is commonly known. While the majority of exhibitions, books, articles, and films devoted to Warhol’s art have focused on a single medium, subject, series, or period, Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again will employ a chronological and thematic methodology that illuminates the breadth, depth, and interconnectedness of the artist’s production: from his beginnings as a commercial illustrator in the 1950s, to his iconic Pop masterpieces of the early 1960s, to the experimental work in film and other mediums from the 1960s and 70s, to his innovative use of readymade abstraction and the painterly sublime in the 1980s. The show’s title is taken from Warhol’s 1975 book, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again), an aphoristic memoir in which the artist gathered his thoughts on fame, love, beauty, class, money, and other key themes.

Building on a wealth of new materials, research and scholarship that has emerged since the artist’s untimely death in 1987, as well as De Salvo’s own expertise and original research conducted by the Whitney’s curatorial team, the checklist of works has been carefully selected from amongst the thousands of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, films, videos, and photographs that Warhol produced during his lifetime.

Adam D. Weinberg, the Alice Pratt Brown Director of the Whitney, commented: “This exhibition takes a fresh focus, while continuing the Whitney’s decades-long engagement with Warhol’s work which we presented in 1971 in a traveling retrospective and in Andy Warhol: Portraits of the 70s, organized by the Whitney in 1979–80. Few have had the opportunity to see an in-depth presentation of his career, and account for the scale, vibrant color, and material richness of the objects themselves. This exhibition, to be presented in three cities, will allow visitors to experience the work of one of America’s greatest cultural figures firsthand, and to better comprehend Warhol’s artistic genius and fearless experimentation.”

Early Work

The exhibition covers the entirety of Warhol’s career, beginning with a concentrated focus on the commercial and private work he made between 1948 and 1960. Arriving in New York from his native Pittsburgh in the summer of 1949, Warhol began his career in an advertising world that was increasingly technological, and, concurrently, an art world obsessed with originality and the authenticity of the hand-made mark. The 1950s were a foundational period for the artist, a young gay man, beginning to find his way in the city. Though far less known than his later work, the commercial art that Warhol produced during his first decade in New York lays the groundwork for many of the themes and aesthetic devices that he would develop throughout the length of his career.

Reader’s Digest Reveals the 2018 Top Ten “Nicest Places In America”

Now America Votes to Decide Which Place Will be Featured on “Good Morning America” and the Cover of Reader’s Digest

Reader’s Digest has named the 10 finalists of its second annual search for “The Nicest Place in America,” a national crowd-sourced effort to uncover places where people are kind and treat each other with respect. In an era of cultural and political divides, “Nicest Places” is Reader’s Digest’s response.

The nationwide search received 450 submissions. The finalists were selected by Reader’s Digest editors along with input from a panel of guest judges from partner organizations, including Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America.“

Reader’s Digest “Nicest Places in America”

Here are the 10 Nicest Places in America:

Bothell, WA: In Bothell, every May 10 is “Cup of Kindness” day, when everyone is urged to share a good deed, a movement that was born from an unlikely friendship. The other 364 days are pretty special, too.  How do you celebrate a birthday in Bothell? Well, if you’re one local resident, you do it by collecting charity for those in the community who are less fortunate.

Ellijay, GA: Ellijay is the kind of town where locals make a seat at the table for you, whether they know you or not, and the infectious kindness of Ellijay makes it impossible not to be drawn in. Families stop into town for a day. Then for a vacation season. Then for a lifetime.

Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, MD: Come for the books, stay for the legal advice, job assistance, and other extras that make this public library system a haven in the heart of a troubled city. The Enoch Pratt Free Library is a place where lives are changed.

Kalamazoo, MI: The city has made a promise to all of its high-school students: If you get into a state college, it’s paid for – as long as you keep your grades up. It’s called The Kalamazoo Promise. After gun violence marred the city a few years back, the city gave itself a new motto as it supported survivors: “Kalamazoo Strong.”

Katy, TX: Hurricane Harvey couldn’t wash away the spirit of kindness in this Houston-area city—perhaps best exemplified by the owner of a fully stocked store awaiting its grand opening: he opened his doors and told first responders to come take what they needed.

Life Moves Yoga in Killeen, TX: Who says tough guys and gals don’t do yoga? Drop into the Life Moves Yoga studio in Killeen, Texas, just outside the gates of the nation’s largest army base at Fort Hood. There, you’ll find a healthy home away from home geared to soldiers, including wounded warriors, and their spouses facing long separations due to deployments.

Mower County, MN: Paying it forward is a way of life in Mower County, where one small plumbing business, built from the ashes of tragedy, has changed the lives of so many folks in the area who just need a little help. Even in a state known for “Minnesota Nice,” the people of Mower County stand out.

North Evergreen Street in Burbank, CA: Despite being smack-dab in the middle in one of the world’s most populated areas, this tiny enclave feels like a small town. Neighbors look out for one another, locking each other’s doors when one forgets, sharing vegetables from their gardens, and supporting each other in good times and bad.

North Riverside, IL: Is there a rule book for being nice? In North Riverside there is. The town has put together a 65-page manual on caring for each other that can be boiled down into one dictate: the Golden Rule.

Yassin’s Falafel, Knoxville, TN: Syrian refugee Yassin Terou couldn’t speak English when he arrived in Knoxville, Tennessee, seven years ago. Today, he is embraced by locals as a leader in the city for his charitable outreach, and his falafel restaurants are known as a safe place for all who enter.

David Wojnarowicz Retrospective At The Whitney Explores The Enduring Resonance Of An Artist Who Merged The Personal And The Political

This summer, the most complete presentation to date of the work of artist, writer, and activist David Wojnarowicz will be on view in a full-scale retrospective organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art. David Wojnarowicz: History Keeps Me Awake at Night is the first major re-evaluation since 1999 of one of the most fervent and essential voices of his generation.

David Wojnarowicz with Tom Warren, Self-Portrait of David Wojnarowicz, 1983–84. Acrylic and collaged paper on gelatin silver print, 60 × 40 in. (152.4 × 101.6 cm). Collection of Brooke Garber Neidich and Daniel Neidich, Photograph by Ron Amstutz. (The exhibition is organized by David Breslin, DeMartini Family Curator and Director of the Collection, and David Kiehl, Curator Emeritus, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.)

Opening at the Whitney on July 13 and running through September 30, David Wojnarowicz: History Keeps Me Awake at Night features more than a hundred works by the artist and is organized by two Whitney curators, David Breslin, DeMartini Family Curator and Director of the Collection, and David Kiehl, Curator Emeritus. The exhibition, which will be installed in the Museum’s fifth floor Neil Bluhm Family Galleries through September 30, draws upon the scholarly resources of the Fales Library and Special Collections (NYU), the repository of Wojnarowicz’s archive, and is also built on the foundation of the Whitney’s extensive holdings of Wojnarowicz’s work, including thirty works from the Museum’s collection. It will travel to the Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, in May 2019, and to Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg City, in November 2019.

Scott Rothkopf, Deputy Director for Programs and Nancy and Steve Crown Family Chief Curator, remarked, “Since his death more than twenty-five years ago, David Wojnarowicz has become an almost mythic figure, haunting, inspiring, and calling to arms subsequent generations through his inseparable artistic and political examples. This retrospective will enable so many to confront for the first time, or anew, the groundbreaking multidisciplinary body of work on which his legacy actually stands.”

Beginning in the late 1970s, David Wojnarowicz (1954–1992) created a body of work that spanned photography, painting, music, film, sculpture, writing, performance, and activism. Joining a lineage of iconoclasts, Wojnarowicz (pronounced Voyna-ROW-vich) saw the outsider as his true subject. His mature period began with a series of photographs and collages that honored—and placed himself among—consummate countercultural figures like Arthur Rimbaud, William Burroughs, and Jean Genet. Even as he became well-known in the East Village art scene for his mythological paintings, Wojnarowicz remained committed to writing personal essays. Queer and HIV-positive, Wojnarowicz became an impassioned advocate for people with AIDS at a time when an inconceivable number of friends, lovers, and strangers—disproportionately gay men—were dying from the disease and from government inaction.

After hitchhiking across the U.S. and living for several months in San Francisco, and then in Paris, David Wojnarowicz settled in New York in 1978 and soon after began to exhibit his work in East Village galleries. Largely self-taught, Wojnarowicz came to prominence in New York in the 1980s, a period marked by great creative energy and profound cultural changes. Intersecting movements—graffiti, new and no wave music, conceptual photography, performance, neo-expressionist painting—made New York a laboratory for innovation. Unlike many artists, Wojnarowicz refused a signature style, adopting a wide variety of techniques with an attitude of radical possibility. Distrustful of inherited structures, a feeling amplified by the resurgence of conservative politics, Wojnarowicz varied his repertoire to better infiltrate the culture.

His essay for the catalog accompanying the exhibition Witnesses: Against Our Vanishing (curated by Nan Goldin at Artists Space in 1989–90) came under fire for its vitriolic attack on politicians and leaders who were preventing AIDS treatment and awareness. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) threatened to defund the exhibition, and Wojnarowicz fought against this and for the first amendment rights of artists.

“Diane Arbus: A box of ten photographs” Opens April 6 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Exhibition Examines A Rare Portfolio Presented In Its Entirety For The First Time

Diane Arbus (1923—1971) was one of the most original and influential artists of the 20th century. “Diane Arbus: A box of ten photographs” forges new ground as the first exhibition to focus on the portfolio Arbus was working on at the end of her life. This heretofore missing piece from her biography was as important to her evolving artistic identity as it was to the broader public recognition of photography as a fine-art practice. Central to the transition Arbus was making away from magazine work at the time of her death, the portfolio bridges a lifetime of modest recognition with a posthumous career of extraordinary acclaim.

Photo Credit: Diane Arbus, A woman with her baby monkey, N.J. 1971, 1971, gelatin silver print, 14 7/8 x 15 in. Smithsonian American Art Museum; Museum purchase. © The Estate of Diane Arbus

“Diane Arbus: A box of ten photographs” is on view from April 6, 2018, to Jan. 21, 2019, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The exhibition is organized by John Jacob, the McEvoy Family Curator for Photography. The museum is the only venue for the exhibition.

Having started her career as a studio photographer with her husband Allan Arbus, Diane Arbus quit the studio in 1956 and later studied with Lisette Model at the New School in New York City. She became a magazine photographer, working on assignment for high-profile periodicals including Esquire and Harpers Bazaar. In 1963 she was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship for a project that focused on American customs. The Guggenheim was among the most prestigious of fellowships available to artists, including photographers, making it an important source of financial and artistic support for those like Arbus who sought to break free from the strictures of magazine photography. Her later work was emotionally complex and explored subject matter outside of the mainstream, such as portraits of individuals whose professional, personal or physical attributes deviated from what was considered normal or acceptable in Arbus’ time, and photographs that frankly captured sexuality or revealed underlying currents of domestic tension and dysfunction.

At the time of her death, Arbus was already a growing influence on the field of photography but not widely known to the larger public. It was her portfolio, A box of ten photographs, that initiated the transition, connecting her past as a magazine photographer with her emergence as a serious artist. The publication of six photographs from the portfolio in Artforum and the presentation of the complete portfolio at the Venice Biennale were the first steps toward the almost mythical status of Arbus today.

Stephen Frank, Diane Arbus with her photograph Identical twins, Roselle, N.J. 1966, during a lecture at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1970. © Stephen A. Frank

“This exhibition sheds new light on a crucial and often overlooked stage in Arbus’ career, as well as on a transformational moment in the history of contemporary photography,” said Stephanie Stebich, The Margaret and Terry Stent Director at the Smithsonian American Art. “The museum was an early champion of photography as an important art form reflecting the American experience. We’re proud of the role that SAAM played in bringing the work of Diane Arbus to wider recognition in the 1970s and are pleased to present A box of ten photographs in its entirety to a new generation.”

In late 1969, Arbus began to work on a portfolio. At the time of her death in 1971, she had completed the printing for eight known sets of a planned edition of 50 of A box of ten photographs, as she titled it, only four of which she sold during her lifetime. Two were purchased by photographer Richard Avedon; another by artist Jasper Johns. A fourth was purchased by Bea Feitler, art director at Harper’s Bazaar. For Feitler, Arbus added an 11th photograph, “A woman with her baby monkey N.J. 1971.” This is the first exhibition to focus exclusively on A box of ten photographs, using the set that Arbus assembled especially for Feitler. It was acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 1986, and it is the only one of the portfolios completed and sold by Arbus that is publicly held.

John A. Farrell To Be Awarded New-York Historical Society’s 2018 Barbara And David Zalaznick Book Prize In American History For Richard Nixon: The Life

$50,000 Prize and Title of American Historian Laureate to Be Presented at Weekend with History Friday, April 13, 2018

Pam Schafler, chair of New-York Historical Society’s Board of Trustees, and Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of New-York Historical, announced that author John A. Farrell will be honored with New-York Historical’s annual Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History for Richard Nixon: The Life (Penguin Random House, 2017).

The award recognizes the best book of the year in the field of American history or biography. Mr. Farrell will receive a $50,000 cash award, an engraved medal, and the title of American Historian Laureate, which will be presented on April 13, 2018. The ceremony is part of New-York Historical’s 13th annual Chairman’s Council Weekend with History, a two-day event featuring an array of speakers discussing important historical events that have made an impact on New York City and the nation.

New-York Historical Society logo

Selected by a prize committee comprising historians and New-York Historical leadership from a field of more than 136 submissions, Richard Nixon: The Life is a defining portrait of a man who led America in a time of turmoil and left the nation divided. We live today, Farrell shows, in a world Richard Nixon made. Within four years of his first political victory, Nixon was a U.S. senator; in six, the vice president of the United States of America. Nixon’s sins as a candidate were legion; and in one unlawful secret plot, as Farrell reveals, Nixon acted to prolong the Vietnam War for his own political purposes. Finally elected president in 1969, Nixon packed his staff with bright young men who devised forward-thinking reforms addressing health care, welfare, civil rights, and protection of the environment. It was a fine legacy, but Nixon cared little for it. He aspired to make his mark on the world stage instead, and his 1972 opening to China was the first great crack in the Cold War.

The British Library Exhibition, Harry Potter: A History of Magic, to open at the New-York Historical Society in October 2018

The British Library Is Bringing A Major Exhibition To The U.S. For The First Time

Harry Potter: A History Of Magic Will Be On View At The British Library In London, October 20, 2017 – February 28, 2018

The British Library and the New-York Historical Society are delighted to announce that Harry Potter: A History of Magic will open at the New-York Historical Society in October 2018, following its run at the British Library in London from October 20, 2017 – February 28, 2018.

The British Library Exhibition, Harry Potter: A History of Magic, to open at the New-York Historical Society in October 2018

The exhibition’s New York opening marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S. by Scholastic, following the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the U.K. in 2017.

Ahead of the U.K. opening in London, Harry Potter: A History of Magic has already sold over 25,000 tickets—the highest amount of advance tickets ever sold for a British Library exhibition. Tickets are available to buy from the British Library website.

The first book in the series of Harry Potter novels, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was originally published by Bloomsbury in 1997. Since then Bloomsbury has published all seven of the Harry Potter novels in children’s and adult editions, three charity books―Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and the ILLUSTRATED EDITION of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Bloomsbury is also the publishers for the physical audiobooks of the entire series.

The exhibition unveils rare books, manuscripts, and magical objects from the British Library’s collection, capturing the traditions of folklore and magic at the heart of the Harry Potter stories. Exploring the subjects studied at Hogwarts, the exhibition includes original drafts and drawings by J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter illustrator Jim Kay, going on display for the first time.

As it travels from London to New York, the exhibition will evolve to include U.S.-specific artifacts from New-York Historical’s collection and items from U.S. Harry Potter publisher Scholastic’s collection.

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world’s greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research, and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library’s collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilization and includes books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, photographs, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages. Up to 10 million people visit the British Library website―www.bl.UK ―every year where they can view up to 4 million digitized collection items and over 40 million pages. (See more at: www.bl.uk.)

Fiji Lands On All Three Covers of The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 Issue

Secluded VOMO Island Resort and the Idyllic Mamanuca Islands Serve as Backdrop

Tourism Fiji is proud to announce that selected islands of Fiji are featured on all three covers of the highly anticipated Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 issue. Hitting newsstands, the web and social platforms today, the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue has an unprecedented reach of over 60 million readers worldwide.

Kate Upton as photographed in Fiji. (Photo Credit to Yu Tsa/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED)

Nestled in the sparkling waters of the South Pacific, Fiji’s 333 islands are known for their endless stretches of white sand beaches, crystal-clear ocean waters, lush jungles and picturesque waterfalls. During the shoot, SI Swimsuit shot in locations including VOMO Island and Vomo Lailai (Little Vomo), situated between Fiji’s two western island chains called the Mamanucas and the Yasawas. Shoots also took place on Mana Island and Modriki Island in the Mamanuca island chain, places revered for their natural beauty and featured in previous film and television productions, including the iconic film “Castaway” and television show, “Survivor.” These locations were selected for their stunning landscapes, yet also for their secluded nature. The models on the shoot included Hannah Ferguson, Danielle Herrington, Bojana Krsmanovic, Ashley Graham and Kate Upton.

Kate Upton in the Fiji Islands for the Sports Illustrated 2017 Swimsuit Issue Photo Shoot. (Photo Credit: Yu Tsa/Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017)

“Fiji is your quintessential paradise, and rightly so!” said MJ Day, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Assistant Managing Editor. “Tons of tiny islands each with their own look and feel, gorgeous coral-lined beaches decorated with palm trees like it’s straight out of a postcard. VOMO Resort was the perfect base camp for our 2017 shoot. After arriving via helicopter, feeling like a royal, we were greeted by the most perfect beaches…and some black tipped sharks in the shallows (don’t worry, they’re harmless)! The crew enjoyed some of the freshest seafood we have ever had, one lunch eating sashimi from a fish that Hannah Ferguson caught herself. Fiji snagged the 2017 cover, so I think that speaks for itself.”

The models and crew were transported from Los Angeles (LAX) via Fiji Airways, who offers the only non-stop flights from the U.S. to paradise. After arriving in Fiji, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit crew focused its multi-day destination shoot on the exclusive, luxurious 225-acre-island escape that is VOMO Island Resort. The resort features a choice of four room types ranging from laidback beachfront cottages (or Bures as they are known in Fijian) to the sophisticated 4-bedroom “Residence,” which includes your own Fijian butler. Located only a five-minute boat ride off VOMO Island is Vomo Lailai (Little Vomo); a deserted island that can be rented out for a day of romance and privacy. Guests can indulge in a gourmet champagne picnic delivered to the island upon request.

“Fiji is much more than just its pristine beaches and idyllic tropical islands as showcased in SI Swimsuit 2017,” said Matthew Stoeckel, CEO of Tourism Fiji. “Fiji is world renowned for its authentic, friendly hospitality and it’s the interaction that visitors have with the Local Fijians that make Fiji such a captivating destination. At every resort, guests are always greeted by name and the small guest-to-staff ratio makes the interaction personal and memorable,” concludes Stoeckel.

These personal and heartfelt interactions with visitors further create the notion of Fiji as a transformational destination. Many visitors are highly impacted by the Fijian culture and experience a shift of perspective during their stay. Fiji provides visitors with the opportunity of self-reflection and the development of a deeper communion with nature and culture.

Those interested in learning more about Fiji’s islands, VOMO Island Resort and the places featured on the covers of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 are invited to click on www.fiji.travel/us/Swim2017.

You can also check out all photos from Swimsuit 2017 on si.com/swimsuit and to see additional images from SI Swimsuit 2017 on location in Fiji, click here: Swim Daily.

Join the conversation about the shoot with the trending hashtags across social media: #SISwim & #FijiNow.

Ed Nardoza To Retire, Miles Socha Named WWD Editor In Chief

Nardoza To Retire After 25 Years Leading The Legendary WWD Brand

Penske Media‘s Chairman and CEO Jay Penske has named Miles Socha Editor in Chief of WWD. Socha, a veteran journalist who has most recently served as WWD’s Executive Editor, Europe, will succeed Edward Nardoza, WWD’s longstanding Editor in Chief.

Nardoza’s tenure spanned three decades, during which time he became the heart of WWD, guiding the brand through a challenging industry climate while never relenting on the original mission tenets established by Fairchild. Nardoza’s announced retirement includes plans to spend more time with his lovely wife and family. He also plans to finally write a few books.

Nardoza will be stepping down to enter retirement after 25 years in his role and 32 years overall at WWD’s parent Fairchild Fashion Media. He will work closely with Socha through January to seamlessly transition the role and responsibilities.

“It is difficult to leave my WWD family, particularly at such an exciting time with momentum building across the entire WWD organization. However, the time has come for a plan I’ve discussed with Jay for a long time, and we’ve got the right leader in place for the future,” said Nardoza. “It feels good to leave my post in the hands of a journalist as capable as Miles, who I’ve worked with side-by-side for nearly two decades; I know he and the organization’s team of talented, dedicated journalists will successfully steer WWD for years to come.”

In his announcement to the WWD staff on Thursday evening, Penske stated, “Ed is one of the finest editors of his generation. As WWD’s Editor in Chief for the last 25 years, he has impeccably led and built the top news operation across fashion, beauty and retail.“

Penske continued to say, “With Miles, we could not have chosen a more capable, talented and innovative leader to continue Ed’s work. For those of you who know Miles, you absolutely understand my decision; and for those who have not yet met Miles, you will quickly learn why he is the right leader – he’s a smart, driven and fair journalist deeply entrenched in our industry who also brings with him a progressive digital perspective. I look forward to all we plan to accomplish.”

Originally launched in 1910 as a fashion industry daily, and for four decades under the pioneering stewardship of John B. Fairchild, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) has grown into “the fashion bible” for CEOs, business owners, designers and other thought leaders in the fashion, retail and beauty industries. Owned by Penske Media since 2014, the WWD brand boasts an award-winning weekly print product, a steadily growing Web site, and an innovative digital daily. The business also produces a highly profitable series of year-round global events, including its most recently launched WWD Global Fashion Forum in Asia.

As the WWD brand continues to expand globally, Socha’s experience with international leaders and audiences in the fashion, retail and beauty industries makes for a good fit. Beyond his role as European Editor for WWD, Socha brings to his Editor in Chief role extensive international experience that includes reporting, feature writing and editing for newspapers and magazines in his native Canada.

“WWD is the fashion world’s most vital and dynamic news organization and I feel privileged and honored to lead its global teams,” said Socha. “I look forward to extending this brand’s news leadership as well as its celebration of creativity, just as Ed has done so beautifully for the last 25 years.”

Socha joined Fairchild Fashion Media in 1995, initially covering the designer men’s wear market at DNR before taking on the designer and denim beats at WWD. He became WWD’s Paris bureau chief in 2000 and its European editor in 2008, A journalism graduate from Ottawa’s Carleton University, Socha began his career at the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, a daily newspaper. Socha will relocate to the publication’s New York headquarters from WWD’s Paris office, and will report to Penske Media CEO and Chairman Jay Penske.

Photography: National Geographic Announces Winners of the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Contest

Selected from thousands of entries, an underwater photo of sardine migration on the Wild Coast of South Africa has been selected as the grand-prize winner of the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest. The photo, titled “Sardine Run,” was captured by Greg Lecoeur of Nice, France. He has won a 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos with National Geographic Expeditions and two 15-minute image portfolio reviews with National Geographic photo editors.

Greg Lecoeur – 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year

The judges for the contest were National Geographic magazine’s senior photo editor of natural history assignments, Kathy Moran, and National Geographic photographers Joe Riis and Jim Brandenburg, both of whom have been widely published for their natural history photojournalism. Contestants submitted photographs in four categories — Action, Landscape, Animal Portraits and Environmental Issues — through National Geographic’s photography community, Your Shot.

Varun Aditya, of Tamil Nadu, India, placed first in the Animal Portraits category for a photo of a snake

Lecoeur took the photo in June 2015 after waiting two weeks to witness the natural predation on sardines captured in the photo.

Vadim Balakin, of Sverdlovsk, Russia, placed first in the Environmental Issues category for a photo of polar bear remains in Norway. “These polar bear remains have been discovered at one of the islands of Northern Svalbard. Unfortunately we do not know definitely whether the bear died from starving or aging, but more likely if we see the good teeth status – from starving . They say nowadays such remains to be founded very often – global warming and ice situation influence the polar bear population a lot. Svalbard, Norway, august 2014 Svalbard, Norway, august 2014“

“During the sardine migration along the Wild Coast of South Africa, millions of sardines are preyed upon by marine predators such as dolphins, marine birds, sharks, whales, penguins, sailfishes and sea lions. The hunt begins with common dolphins that have developed special hunting techniques to create and drive bait balls to the surface,” Lecouer said. “In recent years, probably due to overfishing and climate change, the annual sardine run has become more and more unpredictable.”

Varun Aditya, of Tamil Nadu, India, placed first in the Animal Portraits category for a photo of a snake; Vadim Balakin, of Sverdlovsk, Russia, placed first in the Environmental Issues category for a photo of polar bear remains in Norway; and Jacob Kapetein of Gerland, Netherlands, placed first in the Landscape category for a photo of a small beech tree in a river. Lecoeur’s photo won the Action category.

All of the winning photos, along with the honorable mentions, may be viewed at natgeo.com/photocontest.

Pantone Unveils Color of the Year 2017: PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery

A Refreshing And Revitalizing Shade, Greenery Is Symbolic Of New Beginnings

Pantone, an X-Rite company and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery as the PANTONE® Color of the Year selection for 2017; a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals individuals to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.

Pantone Unveils Color of the Year 2017: PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery

“While Serenity and Rose Quartz, the PANTONE Color of the Year 2016, expressed the need for harmony in a chaotic world,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute “Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the hope we collectively yearn for amid a complex social and political landscape. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate, revitalize and unite, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.

The Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even up-coming sporting events that capture worldwide attention. For 17 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. Past selections for Color of the Year include:

• PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity and PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz (2016)
• PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala (2015)
• PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid (2014)
• PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald (2013)
• PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)
• PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
• PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)
• PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa (2009)
• PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (2008)
• PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper (2007)
• PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar (2006)
• PANTONE 15-5217 Blue Turquoise (2005)
• PANTONE 17-1456 Tigerlily (2004)
• PANTONE 14-4811 Aqua Sky (2003)
• PANTONE 19-1664 True Red (2002)
• PANTONE 17-2031 Fuchsia Rose (2001)
• PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean (2000)

The color selected as the Pantone Color of the Year 2017 was taken from the PANTONE Fashion, Home + Interiors Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standards system for fashion, textile, home and interior design.

The more submerged people are in their own modern realities, the greater their innate craving to immerse themselves in the physical beauty and inherent unity of the natural world. This shift is reflected by the proliferation of all things expressive of Greenery in daily lives through urban planning, architecture, lifestyle and design choices globally. A constant on the periphery, Greenery is now being pulled to the forefront – it is an omnipresent hue around the world.

PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery, a life-affirming shade, is also emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality.

“The tangy yellow-green speaks to our desire to express, explore, experiment and reinvent, imparting a sense of buoyancy,” said Eiseman. “Through its reassuring yet assertive vibrancy, Greenery offers us self-assurance and boldness to live life on our own terms, during a time when we are redefining what makes us successful and happy.”

In this spirit of reconnection, exploration and belonging, Pantone has partnered with Airbnb – a community marketplace that provides access to unique accommodations and experiences around the globe – to bring Greenery to life through an experience in early 2017. The collaboration, a first of its kind, was inspired by Pantone’s vision for Greenery and Airbnb’s community that connects travelers to magical experiences.

GREENERY COLOR PAIRINGS

Nature’s neutral, PANTONE Greenery is a versatile “trans-seasonal” shade that lends itself to many color combinations. As displayed in the 10 palettes below, Greenery is paired with neutrals, brights, deeper shades, pastels, metallics and even the enduring presence of PANTONE Color of the Year 2016, Rose Quartz and Serenity. These palettes easily cross over fashion, beauty, product and graphic design applications.

A Color of Innovation:

While often associated with environmentalism and nature, Greenery is also a unifying thread in tech and innovation because of its association with boldness, vigor and modernity. Many new apps, animation iconography and digital-first startups express this energy by using the riveting and attention-getting shade of green in their logos. Conveying progression and a pioneering spirit, Greenery portrays an entrepreneurial essence that aligns with the industries that have embraced it.

Greenery for Fashion:

Greenery is nature’s neutral. A great harmonizer merging undertones of cool blues with vibrant yellows, the hue is a natural complement to a wide range of palettes. Like the spectrum of possibilities in colorful petals and blooms paired with lush green leaves, plants and trees, Greenery provides a pop of color in accessories and footwear, or as acts as a bold accent in a pattern. Prominent in fashion for men and women, as seen in the recent collections of Kenzo, Michael Kors, Zac Posen, and Cynthia Rowley, Greenery has also been shown in a variety of solids and prints in children’s wear.

Greenery blends fashion and tech as well, as a prominent color for wearables and activewear.

2017 Whitney Biennial, The First To Take Place In The Museum’s Downtown Building, To Open March 17

The formation of self and the individual’s place in a turbulent society are among the key themes reflected in the work of the artists selected for the 2017 Whitney Biennial, opening at the Whitney Museum of American Art on March 17, 2016 and running through June 11, 2017. Curated by the Whitney’s Nancy and Fred Poses Associate Curator Christopher Y. Lew and independent curator Mia Locks, this will be the first Biennial held in the Whitney’s (still new) home in the Meatpacking District. The country’s preeminent survey of the current state of American art, this is the seventy-eighth in the Museum’s ongoing series of Annuals and Biennials, initiated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1932.

Lew and Locks named the sixty-three participants (see complete list below), whose works will fill two of the four main gallery floors of the Whitney (including the 18,000-square-foot Neil Bluhm Family Galleries on the fifth floor) and numerous other spaces throughout the Museum. The participants range from emerging to well-established individuals and collectives working in painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, film and video, photography, activism, performance, music, and video game design.

Scott Rothkopf, the Whitney’s Nancy and Steve Crown Family Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Programs, said, “Since we opened our new building, we’ve reignited our emerging artist program with venturesome solo premieres and ‘snapshot’ shows of new tendencies. This Biennial, the largest ever in terms of gallery space, marks the capstone of these efforts. Chris and Mia have done an amazing job scouring the country to discover new talents, while creating lively connections to senior figures and our roiling social landscape.”

Lew commented that, “Throughout our research and travel we’ve been moved by the impassioned discussions we had about recent tumult in society, politics, and the economic system. It’s been unavoidable as we met with artists, fellow curators, writers, and other cultural producers across the United States and beyond.” Locks noted: “Against this backdrop, many of the participating artists are asking probing questions about the self and the social, and where these intersect. How do we think and live through these lenses? How and where do they fall short?”

Rothkopf is leading a team of advisors who are working closely with Lew and Locks to help shape the exhibition. They include: Negar Azimi, writer and senior editor at Bidoun, an award-winning publishing, curatorial, and educational initiative with a focus on the Middle East and its diasporas; Gean Moreno, curator of programs at the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami and founder of [NAME] Publications; Aily Nash, co-curator of Projections, the New York Film Festival’s artists’s film and video section, and Film and Media Curator at Basilica Hudson; and Wendy Yao, a publisher and founder of both the exhibition space 356 South Mission Road and Ooga Booga, a shop with two Los Angeles locations that specializes in independent books, music, art, and clothing. Nash, together with the curators, is co-organizing the Biennial film program, which will screen in the Whitney’s third-floor Susan and John Hess Family Theater.

The 2017 Biennial will be accompanied by an exhibition catalogue, designed by Olga Casellas Badillo of San Juan-based Tiguere Corp., which includes essays by the curators as well as Biennial advisors Negar Azimi and Gean Moreno, a conversation between the curators and Scott Rothkopf, and a roundtable with filmmakers moderated by Aily Nash. The book will also feature individual entries on each of the sixty-three participants in the exhibition along with reproductions of their work. It will be published by the Whitney Museum of American Art and distributed by Yale University Press.

The full list of artists are as follows:

Donald Trump Wins — Again! President-Elect Nabs Coveted Honor as Esquire Magazine’s 2016 ‘Dubious Man of the Year’

Surprise Future Chief Executive Bests Former Presumed President-Elect Hillary Clinton, Roger Ailes, Rudy Giuliani, Ryan Lochte, Creepy Clowns and Other Dubious Achievers

Extremely “Bigly” News Also Heralds the Triumphant Return of ‘Dubious Achievement Awards’ to Esquire After An Eight-Year Hiatus

Having been swept into the highest office in the land on November 8, President-Elect Donald Trump reached another pinnacle of achievement today, when it was announced by the editors of Esquire that he had been elected to the prestigious, hard-won title of “Dubious Man of the Year.”

The Dubious Achievement Awards (“an annual celebration of mendacity, mediocrity, and moronic behavior”) first appeared in Esquire in January 1962 as “a salute to those many whom the rest of us owe so little.” They ran in the magazine until 2008, when they were accidentally left behind in the coat room at Elaine’s restaurant for eight years.

“It was a crowded field,” said Jay Fielden, editor-in-chief of Esquire. “But very early in the running the rest of the year’s bad hombres – blue-haired prevaricator Ryan Lochte, greedy extortionist Martin Shkreli and all those creepy clowns hanging around schoolyards with hockey sticks – fell away and it was clear who was going to be the winner whichever way the Presidency went. Not since Richard Nixon became the annual patron saint of these awards in 1963 have we seen such a worthy and unanimous winner. We congratulate President-Elect Donald J. Trump, his family and his entire team on this historic effort, which almost transcends last week’s, in our opinion.“

December/January issue of Esquire Magazine (PRNewsFoto/Esquire)

In addition to the high honor accorded to Mr. Trump, the 2016 Dubious Achievement Awards in the new December/January issue are bestowed upon a host of other figures who have defined the outer limits of acceptable behavior during the calendar year, including Chappaqua resident Hillary Clinton, Libertarian spoiler and weed broker Gary Johnson, previously disgraced and upcoming Presidential advisor Roger Ailes, Blind Bill Cosby, and anyone who played Pokémon Go.

“When it comes to truly dubious figures, Donald Trump has stood hair and shoulders above everyone this year,” said Esquire Contributing Editor David Hirshey, who piloted the renewed awards this month as well as during the dubious heyday of Michael Jackson, O.J. Simpson and George W. Bush. “Without his contribution, it would have been a relatively normal year of stupidity and greed, but our ‘Dubious Man of the Year‘ elevated his game to a level so spectacularly dubious that it may have actually swept him into the Oval Office. We really had no choice but to award him this accolade for which he has so clearly been preparing for his entire adult life.”

Esquire is the most-honored monthly magazine in America, with 26 National Magazine Awards, including one for its iPad app, and 88 nominations. In its digital expressions, Esquire.com has an audience of 11.3 million (comScore, Sept. 2016), and a social media following of 2 million. In addition to its U.S. flagship, Esquire publishes 26 editions around the world. Esquire is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst, one of the nation’s largest diversified media and information companies. Hearst Magazines‘ print and digital assets collectively reach more than 128 million readers and site visitors each month, or 53 percent of all adults in the U.S.; nearly two-thirds of all women and 69 percent of all millennial women (source: comScore/MRI 9-16/S16).

The December/January issue hits newsstands on November 22.

U.S. News & World Report Releases the 2017 Best Cruise Lines Rankings

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today announced the 2017 Best Cruise Lines rankings, evaluating 15 top cruise lines across six categories. Twenty-four million passengers are expected to take a cruise this year and interest continues to climb. The rankings help travelers select the best cruise by brand, region, itinerary and budget.

U.S. News & World Report Logo. (PRNewsFoto/U.S. News Media Group)

For the first time, Celebrity Cruises is named the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for the Money and the No. 1 Best Cruise Line in the Mediterranean. Disney Cruise Line earns distinctions both as the Best Cruise Line for Families and the Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean for the fourth consecutive year. Crystal Cruises continues its reign as the Best Luxury Cruise Line and the Best Cruise Line for Couples.

“Cruise lines are going above and beyond to reach new audiences and keep existing customers happy by offering high-quality amenities, brand-new ships and updated itineraries – but that doesn’t mean choosing one is easy,” said Gwen Shearman, travel editor at U.S. News. “The Best Cruise Lines rankings help travelers sort through their options by showcasing the lines and ships that meet the high expectations of travelers and critics alike.”

The methodology for the Best Cruise Lines rankings factors in expert evaluations of cruise ship quality, reputation among travelers, results from health assessments conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other factors such as price class and itinerary offerings.

2017 U.S. News Best Cruise Lines Rankings
For the Money	For Luxury
1. Celebrity Cruises	1. Crystal Cruises
2. Royal Caribbean International	2. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
3. Norwegian Cruise Line	3. Oceania Cruises
For Families	For Couples
1. Disney Cruise Line	1. Crystal Cruises
2. Royal Caribbean International	2. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
3. Carnival Cruise Lines	3. Azamara Club Cruises
In The Mediterranean	In The Caribbean
1. Celebrity Cruises	1. Disney Cruise Line
2. Regent Seven Seas Cruises	2. Celebrity Cruises
3. Oceania Cruises	3. Crystal Cruise

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Presents New Art from Greater China That Explores the Concept of Place through Storytelling

Second Exhibition of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Chinese Art Initiative Features Works Commissioned for Guggenheim Collection

Exhibition: Tales of Our Time

Venue: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York

Location: Tower Levels 4 and 5

Dates: Now through March 10, 2017

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum presents Tales of Our Time, an exhibition featuring nine newly commissioned works by artists born in mainland China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan. This is the second exhibition of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Chinese Art Initiative, a long-term research, curatorial, and collections-building program at the Guggenheim Museum.

The exhibition’s title refers to the 1936 book Gushi xin bian (Old Tales Retold) by the influential Chinese modernist, social activist, and literary giant Lu Xun. In the book, Lu reinvents Chinese legends, as he considers these tales to be not only a literary genre, but also a strategy for critiquing social conditions and reconstructing history through storytelling.

Though diverse in subjects and strategies, the works are united by the artists’ use of storytelling to propose alternative ways of looking at place. Working in drawing, animation, video, photography, sculpture, installation, and participatory intervention, the artists in the exhibition address the concept of geography and territory in ways as specific as where they are based or as big as China itself, which they see as a concept constantly being questioned and reinvented. These artists freely cross divides to examine the tensions between past and present, myth and fact, reality and dreams, rationality and absurdity, and individuality and collectivity.

The artists represented in Tales of Our Time are Chia-En Jao, Kan Xuan, Sun Xun, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Tsang Kin-Wah, Yangjiang Group, and Zhou Tao.

Tales of Our Time is organized by Xiaoyu Weng, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Associate Curator of Chinese Art, and Hou Hanru, Consulting Curator, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Chinese Art Initiative. Kyung An, Assistant Curator, Asian Art, provides curatorial support. The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Chinese Art Initiative is part of the Guggenheim’s Asian Art Initiative, directed by Alexandra Munroe, Samsung Senior Curator, Asian Art and Senior Advisor, Global Arts. All commissioned works will enter the Guggenheim’s collection.

“Curators Xiaoyu Weng and Hou Hanru have taken a dynamic and collaborative approach, as they worked closely with the commissioned artists to explore the questions and insights that drive these art practices. We hope that these works will inform new understanding of global contemporary art through the lens of Chinese culture today,” stated Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. “The Guggenheim is grateful to The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation for its sustained commitment to this effort.”

Ted Lipman, CEO of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, congratulated the commissioned artists and noted, “Contemporary Chinese art, along with the dialogue around it, is a dynamic and increasingly important force shaping the global cultural landscape. The Chinese Art Initiative at the Guggenheim is designed to offer a fresh perspective on Chinese culture and its relationship with contemporary society. The Foundation hopes the impact of this initiative will be a lasting one.”

Chia-En Jao (b. 1976, Taichung, Taiwan). Arms no. 31, 2016. Cast aluminum, textile patchwork, display case with fabric swatches, and paper handout with text. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Collection. © Chia-En Jao. Installation View: Tales of Our Time. Photo: David Heald

“The artists represented in Tales of Our Time vary greatly in their practices and viewpoints,” says Xiaoyu Weng. “But they share a broad perspective, one that places China’s culture, history, and social reality in the context of the wider world. And like so many artists today, they register acute discomfort with the tension between the personal experiences of regular people and the dominant narratives and conventions of power.”

Sun Xun (b. 1980, Fuxin, Liaoning Province), Mythological Time, 2016 (details). Two-channel color HD animated video, with sound, and ink, graphite and acrylic on mulberry bark paper. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Collection. © Sun Xun

Tales of Our Time is installed on two Tower Levels of the museum. Visitors may enter Tower Level 4 through a passageway lined with fantastic visions inspired by the natural world, drawn in the classical Chinese style on traditional bark paper by Sun Xun (b. 1980). Sun’s installation Mythological Time (2016) centers on his hometown of Fuxin in northeastern China, a coal-mining town that was once the pride of modern-era Chinese industrialization, but which the artist portrays as merely a fleeting scene over many millennia. A second monumental wall-size painting by Sun Xun depicting a surreal prehistoric landscape is also on view. Two video streams are projected onto its surface, sending animated creatures cavorting next to those drawn on paper with ink and acrylics.

Chia-En Jao (b. 1976, Taichung, Taiwan), Taxi, 2016, Color UHD video, with sound. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Collection. © Chia-En Jao

Taxi (2016), a video installation, presents conversations conducted by the artist Chia-En Jao (b. 1976) with taxi drivers in Taipei. The artist asked drivers to take him to historically contested destinations in the city, such as a branch of Chang Hwa Bank where a mass protest was suppressed by Chiang Kai-shek’s military regime in 1947, the Presidential Office Building, the Grand Hotel, or the National Taiwan Museum. Recorded documentary style, the conversations meander through difficult memories of the Japanese occupation and martial law to present-day concerns. The artist has also created a flag for the installation, a traditional coat of arms representing many aspects of Taiwanese society, including its aboriginal communities. Through this investigation into the powerful connection between history and storytelling, Jao creates a mental map of Taipei that honors individual memory and experience.

Zhou Tao (b. 1976, Changsha, Hunan Province), Land of the Throat, 2016 Installation with two-channel color HD video, with sound. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Collection. © Zhou Tao

Nearby Taxi on Tower Level 4 is a futuristic, pod-like video installation by Zhou Tao (b. 1976). Land of the Throat (2016) evokes a phenomenon characteristic of China’s urbanization today: the construction of the new and the consequential transformation of the land. Two synchronized videos composed of footage recorded in Guangdong, China and Arizona are projected onto opposite sides of an enclosed structure in the gallery space. A cow chained to an abandoned industrial washing machine moos in an otherwise silent, desolate landscape; workers pour out of construction sites; children play aimlessly; dogs and rats roam near fishing holes; and rescue workers in Shenzhen care for survivors injured in the city’s 2015 landslide.

Latina Magazine Celebrates 20 Years of Progress in Hollywood with Platinum Anniversary Issue

Latina magazine— the first in its space and the number one destination for the 35 million acculturated, second and third generation American Latinas—celebrates 20 years with a look back at the progress Latinas have made in Hollywood over the past two decades.

Latina Magazine celebrates its platinum anniversary with a photomosaic of the legendary Selena Quintanilla

The magazine celebrates it’s platinum anniversary with a cover of the most influential Latinas (Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Gloria Estefan, Christina Aguilera, and Sophia Vergara, among others) that combined creates a photomosaic of the legendary Selena Quintanilla (www.latina.com/20years).

“We chose Selena because, unlike other Latino stars who at the time made it big by modifying their names and ‘passing’ as white, Selena turned to her culture first, rediscovering her roots to find her voice,” said Latina Editorial Director Robyn Moreno. “And through her voice, American Latinas found theirs and learned they didn’t need to change to make it big.”

The thought bomb of Christy Haubegger, Latina became a pioneering force for Latinas underserved by the general market and Spanish language media. Latinas were, for the most part, invisible to mainstream culture during most of the 80s and 90s. For the past two decades, Latina has played a central role in helping readers connect to their culture, while also helping shape and launch the careers of some of the biggest Latina stars.

Through the help of Latina’s covers, J.Lo became a queen, Christina Aguilera crossed over, and Selma Hayek gained A-list status and was the first Latina to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

In the words of some of Latina’s most influential celebrity cover interviews on the progress Latinas have made in the past 20 years:

“When Hollywood starts considering me for roles where ethnic background doesn’t matter, that’s an even bigger step in the right direction for me.” – Jennifer Lopez (Summer 1996)

“A lot of my fans are young girls, and they go ‘You’re someone young Latin girls can look up to’ because there really aren’t many.” – Christina Aguilera (December 1999)

“I want to empower young women like me to fulfill their dreams. I hope I can inspire somebody to get focused on what they want out of life instead of just taking what’s given to them.” – Jessica Alba (March 2008)

Playboy Magazine’s November Issue Unveils Winners Of The Best New Bars In America

Playboy magazine unveils this year’s winners of the Best New Bars in America in its November 2016 issue. After calling for nominations earlier this summer, Playboy readers, along with some of the nation’s best bartenders, drink writers and industry insiders, submitted 50 of the best new drinking establishments in the country. Now, the Playboy editors and readers have spoken and the results are in for the ten best new spots to have a cocktail.

Playboy magazine unveils this year’s winners of the Best New Bars in America in its November 2016 issue. Cover photo by Zoey Grossman/Playboy (PRNewsFoto/Playboy Enterprises, Inc.)

Playboy’s Best Bars 2016 include the most innovative watering holes that range from a bar that elevates the art of day drinking to an establishment that serves over 500 varieties of gin.

• Columbia Room in Washington, D.C.
• Dante in New York City
• Suffolk Arms in New York City
• Whitechapel in San Francisco
• Occidental in Denver
• Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu
• Sweet Liberty in Miami
• Compère Lapin in New Orleans
• Greenriver in Chicago
• Old Glory in Nashville

Additional highlights of Playboy’s November 2016 issue include:

• Miss November, Ashley Smith: the 25-year-old bombshell from Austin, TX, is November’s cover model with a pictorial and centerfold shot by the illustrious photographer, Zoey Grossman.
• 20Q with Jeffrey Dean Morgan: the man behind TV’s most riveting season finale discusses what it’s like to be Negan in “The Walking Dead” and how viewers reacted to the introduction of his character.
• No Filter with Bella Thorne: the 19-year-old starlet delivers a bold message
  

  Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (PRNewsFoto/Playboy Enterprises, Inc.)

  to her critics and how she feels about shaming a women’s sexiness.

• Politics: Playboy‘s political correspondent John Meroney shares two compelling features. The first observes how Donald Trump managed to silence the Republican call for war. The second is a powerful in-depth, 8-page interview with former CIA and NSA head Michael Hayden who frankly answers questions about being a spy, explains his stance on why Trump will “risk our country’s national security and well-being,” and voices his opinion on Secretary Clinton‘s emails.
• The White-Collar Future of Weed: a new generation of entrepreneurs aim to revolutionize America’s cannabis industry.
• Music: the best-kept secret in hip-hop and mastermind behind Drake, Jas Prince is today’s rap royalty.
• My Way: legendary fashion designer John Varvatos talks about how music impacted his career and style.
• Francofile: James Franco interviews hip-hop legend Method Man about acting and the future of the Wu-Tang Clan.
• Playboy Advisor: monthly advice columnist Bridget Phetasy explains how to move a fling into the friend-zone.

Additional content includes Fiction from Kevin Mandel‘s The Filmmaker and fantastical works of art by the Artist in Residence, James Jean.

Playboy‘s November 2016 issue is available on newsstands nationwide starting today, Tuesday, October 25, 2016, and for the first time ever, the iconic magazine is available to subscribers in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

2016 Holiday Gift Guide: Vera Bradley Coloring Books Add Beautiful Patterns to the Adult Coloring Book Craze

New Licensing Agreement Combines Iconic Vera Bradley Designs With Fox Chapel Publishing’s Coloring Book Expertise

Women who love the beautiful colors and playful patterns of Vera Bradley handbags will soon have a new way to enjoy their favorite designs. Adult coloring books featuring Vera Bradley’s iconic style will be available for the first time this holiday shopping season, produced under a new licensing agreement with Fox Chapel Publishing.

Vera Bradley is a leading designer of women’s handbags, luggage and travel items, fashion and home accessories and unique gifts. Founded in 1982 by friends Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the brand’s innovative designs, iconic patterns and brilliant colors continue to inspire and connect women unlike any other brand in the global marketplace.

“Vera Bradley’s distinctive patterns naturally lend themselves to coloring books,” according to Kati Erney, Editor at craft magazine DO magazine. “Their simple beauty just inspires you to get creative with gorgeous color,” said Erney.

The Vera Bradley Coloring Collection will offer four coloring books in an attractive boxed set.

Six coloring books will be released in the first stage of the new agreement. The Vera Bradley Coloring Collection will offer four coloring books in an attractive boxed set. Printed on heavy cardstock with satin ribbon bookmarks and foil-embellished covers, each book in the collection costs $10.00 and provides 20 coloring cards that detach easily to share with friends.

The Vera Bradley Coloring Collection will offer four coloring books in an attractive boxed set.

In addition to the boxed set, two full-size adult coloring books will also enable consumers to bring authentic Vera Bradley designs to life. Focused on floral and paisley patterns, these titles are priced at $15.00 each and include full-color instruction in coloring techniques, innovative craft ideas, selected color swatches, and detachable ready-to-color gift tags.

Vera Bradley Floral Patterns Coloring Book

Vera Bradley Paisley Patterns Coloring Book

“Coloring book consumers are seeking quality, and Vera Bradley’s exciting lifestyle brand will strongly influence their buying decisions,” noted Ray Wolf, Sales Director at Fox Chapel Publishing. “And we know that Vera Bradley’s target demographic closely matches the typical female coloring book consumer.”

The new Vera Bradley coloring books and gift sets will be available on a limited basis for holiday 2016 at Vera Bradley and Michaels stores, with a full rollout coming nationwide in Spring 2017. Select Hallmark Gold Crown stores will also have the Vera Bradley coloring products.

For more information about the new coloring books, visit www.verabradley.com and www.foxchapelpublishing.com.

Condé Nast Traveler Reveals The All-New 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards

The World’s Best Hotels, Resorts, Cities, Islands, Airlines, And Cruise Lines

Condé Nast Traveler today announced the results of its 29^th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking the best hotels, resorts, cities, islands, airlines, and cruise lines in the world. Over 300,000 dedicated readers – nearly twice as many as last year — cast votes for 7,394 hotels, 606 cities, 500 cruise ships, 236 islands, in an average survey time of 8.4 minutes. The result? The 1,402 best travel experiences in the world.

Conde Nast Traveler November 2016 (PRNewsFoto/Conde Nast)

THE 2016 READERS’ CHOICE AWARD WINNERS:

• Top Large and Small U.S. Cities: New York City for the second year in a row and Charleston, S.C., for the sixth year in a row!
• Top Hotel in the U.S.: Virgin Hotels Chicago
• Top Resort in the U.S.: The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming
• Top Island in the World: Boracay, Philippines
• Top Hotel in Europe: Ballyfin, Co. Laois, Ireland
• Top Hotel in Asia: Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
• Top Hotel in South America: Hotel Unique, São Paulo
• Top Safari Camp: Ulusaba Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand, South Africa
• Top Airline in the World: Singapore Airlines
• Top U.S. Airline: Virgin America
• Top Large Cruise Line: Disney
• Top Midsize Cruise Line: Crystal Cruises
• Top Small Cruise Line: Seabourn Cruise Line
• Top River Cruise Line: Grand Circle Cruise Line
• Top Beach Resort in Mexico: El Dorado Maroma, Playa del Carmen
• Top Beach Resort in the Caribbean: Le Sereno, St. Barths

HIGHLIGHTS

• 24 properties that appeared on our HOT LIST in May 2016 also made the RCA list: our readers are more engaged than ever.
• Smaller properties have grown their presence against the global hotel chains.
• The votes cast by leisure travelers outnumbered the ones by business travelers.

NEW TRAVEL TRENDS

• Luxury, all-inclusive resorts are for a wide cadre of travelers, not just couples.
• Caribbean properties are stronger than ever, despite recent health alarms.
• Italy cannot be beat.
• U.S. secondary cities are more popular than ever.
  

  Conde Nast Traveler Logo (PRNewsFoto/Conde Nast Traveler)

The Readers’ Choice Awards are announced in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler, on newsstands nationwide on October 25, 2016. The full list is published exclusively online, at www.CNTraveler.com/rca.

Fast Company Announces The Second Annual Fast Company Innovation Festival

Featuring Melinda Gates, Tim Armstrong, Cher, Samantha Bee, Danny Meyer, Joe Jonas And More

Fast Company announces its second annual Fast Company Innovation Festival, taking place November 1-4, 2016 in New York City. Over the course of the week, the festival’s theme of “Find Your Mission. Deepen Your Purpose” will bring together extraordinary personalities from the worlds of business, technology, design, and entertainment for bold conversations, hands-on workshops, and exclusive inside company tours. The festival will also feature an array of gatherings such as the social enterprise breakfast, where exceptional people from a diverse group of nonprofit organizations will network to discuss their shared goal of improving the world. To purchase tickets and to see complete festival information, go to www.fastcompany.swoogo.com/innovationfestival.

Innovation Festival attendees will design their own agenda, selecting from a series of high-level keynote conversations taking place at New York University‘s Skirball Center; intimate panel discussions and lively happenings at Civic Hall, a community center for civic innovators in the Flatiron District; and more than 100 Fast Tracks—behind-the-scenes tours of some of the most creative companies and institutions across New York City.

Fast Company is one of the world’s leading business media brands, with an editorial focus on creativity and innovation in technology, ethical economics, leadership, and design. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with its sister publication Inc. and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE:

• Melinda Gates, Philanthropist and Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and CEO, PepsiCo
• Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Chobani
• Tim Armstrong, CEO, AOL Inc.
• Neil Blumenthal, Cofounder and co-CEO, Warby Parker
• Samantha Bee, Host “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”
• Cher
• Joe Jonas, DNCE
• Kevin Jonas
• Phil McIntyre, Entrepreneur, CEO and Founder, Philymack
• Kimberly Bryant, Founder and Executive Director, Black Girls Code
• Hugh Evans, Cofounder, Global Citizen
• Lauren Bush Lauren, Founder and CEO, FEED
• Emily Weiss, Founder and CEO, Glossier
• Eileen Fisher, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Eileen Fisher, Inc.
• Princess Reema bint Bandar al-Saud, Founder of Alf Khair and Cofounder of the Zahra Breast Cancer Association
• Danny Meyer, Union Square Hospitality Group
• DeRay Mckesson, Activist
• Mike Krieger, Cofounder and CTO, Instagram
• Janet Mock, Author and TV Host
• Sam Kass, Food Entrepreneur

Fast Company is proud to welcome this year’s Festival sponsors from across the most innovative and forward-thinking industries, from automotive to biotechnology, who will be represented on panels, Fast Tracks, and on-site activations.

Audi of America is the Official Vehicle of the 2016 Fast Company Innovation Festival. Scott Keogh, President of Audi of America, will be joined by visionary industry experts across sectors to host a productivity-meets-creativity-themed Fast Track, moderated by a Fast Company editorial representative. The interactive experience will explore the challenge faced by truly disruptive products and services to gain widespread adoption.

Marriott International is the Official Hospitality Partner for the Fast Company Innovation Festival. Marriott International will create engaging experiences for attendees that highlight the lifestyle portfolio of brands including Autograph Collection Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott, Moxy Hotels, and Renaissance Hotels. In addition, this year’s annual Innovation By Design Awards will be presented by Marriott International including a celebration and reception hosted at the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel.

GE and Intel will host an interactive panel discussion on new Ecomagination research that explores how companies across sectors are using digital innovation to address big global issues such as water, energy and efficiency.

As one of the world’s leading and largest global communications agencies, Weber Shandwick has a pulse on the challenges brands face engaging with people in an interdependent world – and the opportunities for companies large and small to place purpose at the heart of their marketing approach. At Civic Hall, Weber Shandwick President Gail Heimann will join leading global brands and influencers in a conversation about what it takes to evolve a legacy brand for a new purpose-driven world.

Bristol-Myers Squibb presents a conversation on the Civic Hall stage with Chief Commercial Officer Murdo Gordon and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and leading cancer researcher, Siddhartha Mukherjee on the evolving nature of cancer treatment and its business impact.

CES® will offer a Recharging Coffee Bar and Charging Station, allowing attendees to connect over refreshments while learning about C Space at CES 2017, the program designed for advertising, content, entertainment and marketing professionals.

Fjord will host a partner Fast Track at their New York studio, demonstrating that there is no such thing as failure with a behind the scenes look at the tools, processes, and spaces powering the Fjord continuous design approach to rapid innovation.

Travel & Culture: All Eyes Are On The New Parisian Cultural Season

Get Out Your Diaries and Calendars, The List is Long!

New and Major Events are Always Synonymous With the New Parisian Cultural Season and Autumn 2016 has an Expected Stellar Line-up.

While it is true that Paris is gearing up for the Spring/Summer 2017 Paris Fashion Week Shows, The City is more than just about high fashion. It’s a foodie paradise, one of the top cultural centers of the world and one of the top tourist destinations in Europe and the world at large. From Rembrandt at the Musée Jacquemart-André to Hergé at the Grand Palais, the opening of new museums and celebrated shows, Paris pulls out all the stops to charm Parisians and visitors this fall and early winter. The following list was compiled and provided by The Paris Visitors and Convention Bureau (Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris) whose mission it is to welcome and provide visitors with information; to promote the capital’s attractions, in France and abroad; and to provide assistance to Paris tourism professionals.

Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris Logo (PRNewsFoto/Office du Tourisme)

OUTSTANDING EXHIBITIONS

From 14 September to 12 February, Henri Fantin-Latour has top billing at the Musée du Luxembourg – a retrospective that has been eagerly-awaited since the previous one in 1982. At the Musée du Louvre, the public can admire the sculptures, drawings and prints of Edme Bouchardon in a monograph exhibition. More contemporary, the Centre Pompidou will celebrate René Magritte around questions of likeness and realism (September 21, 2016 – January 23, 2017). Belgium will also be under the spotlight with the exhibition Hergé at the Grand Palais (September 28, 2016 – January 15, 2017).

Modern art fans should pencil in a visit to the Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville to see the Bernard Buffet exhibition (October 14, 2016 to February 26, 2017), to the Fondation Louis Vuitton for its key exhibition, Icons of Modern Art. The Shchukin Collection, from the Musée de l’Ermitage – Musée Pouchkine (October 22, 2016 – March 6, 2017), and Cy Twombly at the Centre Pompidou (November 30, 2016 – April 24, 2017). And the Espace Dalí presents a dialogue between the great artist Salvador Dali and Joann Sfar now through 31 March 31, 2017.

Herge exhibition :The Grand Palais pays tribute to Georges Remi, better known as Herge. Considered to be the father of the European comic-strip, the creator of Tintin sold some 250 million comic-strip books during his career and has been translated into one hundred or so languages.This retrospective exhibition with original plates is an opportunity to admire the work of the Belgian artist, but also to find out more about Herge the person, through the many archive images and testimonies. (PRNewsFoto/Office du Tourisme et des Congrè)

NEW CULTURAL VENUES

After 8 months of closure, the Musée Maillol is reopening, under the aegis of Culturespaces, with an exhibition by the famous artist Ben (now through January 15). This should renew the genre and attract a new public. Early October will see the opening of Art 42, the first museum of street art, which will be free and permanent, and which will bring together more than 150 works, in the 17th arrondissement. The opening is an important step towards the promotion of urban art, a subject dear to Parisians, which could gain recognition as a discipline apart.

MAJOR FESTIVE EVENTS 

Staple events of the autumn season unveil their new program and are set to win over numerous visitors again. Towards the end of September, there is the 6^th Fête de la Gastronomie which takes place from 23 to 25 September, and which offers a rich program of special events (cooking classes, walks, new meals, etc.). And on 25 September, the Car Free Day, launched in 2015, takes on a greater dimension this year with an area five times larger! The Grape Harvest in Montmartre livens up the streets of the Butte, from 5 to 9 October, for its … 83rd edition. Not forgetting Nuit Blanche which will celebrate its 10th anniversary on the theme of love on October 1^st. There will be a trail along the Seine with performance art and surprising artistic installations for the public.

Nuit Blanche in ParisAs the days shorten and autumn turns to winter, the Nuit Blanche event in Paris offers an opportunity to see the city in a new light. For once special night, the city’s streets are teeming with people of all ages, lit by moonlight and by strange lights, works of art become the focal point. (PRNewsFoto/Office du Tourisme et des Congrè)