Monthly Archives: June 2021

Acommon misconception among Americans: When weve got a lot to do, we just need to work harder.

But according to experts, working harder may possibly be the worst thing we can do, both for professional productivity and personal lives.

Overworking leads to burn out, and burn out is not good for productivity, creativity, physical or mental health.

Jory Bowen, a mental health practitioner and integrative health coach at MAP Behavioral Health Center, located in Duluths Medical Arts Building, sees the proof in the science and in her clients sitting across from her.

Working more goes against creativity, she says. Thats the nature of the problem. It seems logical to most people if I work more, if I work harder, I will get more results. But the research shows that having that healthy work life balance, not working too much, having a flexible work environment and partaking in recreation enhances creativity, energy, physical and mental health. Studies show that it actually makes people a more efficient and proficient employee.

Bowen names a long list of negative effects from overworking: poor physical and mental health, disturbed sleep, poor diet, anxiety and depression, obesity and diabetes, chronic pain and relationship issues. So many of those negative health outcomes have been tied to individuals working too much, not taking time off work. Our health suffers if we arent being accountable and conscientious about taking those breaks for ourselves.

In other words, recreation is good for us.

But to work better by working less, we have to go against our culture and maybe even our basic wiring. It may be human nature to believe that when we have a lot to do, the answer is to do more.

In apaper recently published in Nature, University of Virginia researchers show trends in how humans look at a situation or object that needs improvement. Overall, people believe adding an element is a better solution than removing one. However, the studys findings show, peoples compulsion to add can be so habitual its done to our detriment. We miss an opportunity to make a situation or object better by subtracting.

The benefits of subtraction can also apply to companies and organizations.

The pandemics forced pause has led many companies to re-examine their missions and priorities.

Like Duluths Zeitgeist Arts Caf. At a Greater Downtown Council Table Talk virtual discussion in April, Zeitgeist Business Director Sara Rolfson described how the pandemic has inspired some serious introspection for the local restaurant favorite.

Its been anopportunity for us to slow down and think about how we can best serve the community, said Rolfson. We never had the opportunity to slow down before.

Considering how to reinvigorate and do things differently has inspired Zeitgeist to change its model by opening its kitchen to successful restaurant pop-ups Gumbo Boi and Duluth HotBox. Currently, Zeitgeist is seeking community input on its future direction and has requested proposals from potential partners open to anyone with ideas for how they would want to serve the community through Zeigeist Arts restaurant, said Rolfson.

Even renowned workaholic Steve Jobs turned off his phone once in a while, according to his former assistant, Naz Beheshti, in the new book Pause. Breathe. Choose: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being. Jobs reportedly turned off his phone while hanging out with Apple design chief Jony Ive. Granted, he was looking at future Apple products mockups and models, which the tech giant called toys. But as Beheshti describes, His time with Jony gave him the space and occasion to laugh, imagine, create and feel a renewed sense of freedom. Beheshti also told CNBC that Jobs also meditated daily and had regular physical activity.

So its good business to take breaks. But if youre already over your head at work, how do you even begin making changes? Especially among the many employees sent home to work during the pandemic, who now find themselves checking email at 2 a.m. and working weekends since theyre home anyway?

Start small, said Bowen, with realistic, achievable changes. It all comes down to science. Its neuroplasticity, helping our brain to create new neuropathways in ways that are sustainable. In other words, dont set yourself up for failure by trying to do too much, too fast.

Bowen recommends her clients make changes on two levels.

First, find ways to take breaks while at work. Take a lunch break away from your workspace. Drink enough water, laugh, get some sunshine and fresh air. Build those into your workday without affecting your efficiency and productivity, she said. If youre working late until 8 oclock every night, set a goal to finish at 7 p.m., which is more manageable and less shocking than trying to finish at 3.

Second, look at your life outside of work. Are you eating healthfully, are you sleeping well, do you have social connections, are you getting fresh air on a daily basis, are you doing something that gets your mind off the hamster wheel?

For many, succeeding at small changes and seeing the results jumpstarts the trajectory.

Once that starts to feel a bit impactful, said Bowen, the domino effect takes place. People notice the discernable difference and they want to make these changes in life.

Most local businesses arent going to build nap rooms like a West Coast tech company might, but employers can follow the lead of innovative companies by thinking outside the box and making small changes.

I just spoke to a former colleague who started leading a very short mindfulness meditation in the middle the workday for her colleagues, said Bowen. Everyone had 10 to 15 minutes to step away from their desks and get off the hamster wheel.

And how about having a meeting while walking outside?

Outside recess works so well for kids and the same applies to adults. Taking a break outside restores focus and energy. One statistic Bowen repeatedly sees is that 20 minutes of outdoor movement can equal a cup of coffee for its energy boost.

Being outside in fresh air is possibly the best recreation of all, she said. If we look to the research and the statistics, the benefits abound. Usually if were outside were getting some kind of movement, theres often joy and laughter and activities with others that checks that social interaction box.

I often say if there is a miracle drug out there for every mental and physical health ailment, it is outdoor exercise. It is so powerful. The stats on helping to manage stress, improving mental and physical health it boosts energy, prevents burnout.

Bowen emphasized that living in the Upper Midwest, its important to find ways to get outside or get movement at all times of the year. Many individuals suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) because we have such long winters and lack of daylight, she said. It makes it doubly important to have that form of recreation and building blocks year-round, not just for the three nice months we have. We have to be intentional. We have to find what speaks to us and were motivated to do.

The pandemic has shown that some people may be more productive when working from home or with a more flexible work schedule.

Are there some of those concessions you can offer employees depending on what their personal life looks like? Bowen asked. It ends up being a win-win for the employer and employee.

Employers can also model the positive effects of downtime by practicing it themselves. Taking breaks, laughing and chatting at work, and taking vacations are all important ways to positively affect the workplace culture.

Employers fear should not be implementing these changes, said Bowen. It should be not implementing these. Overworking is whats contributing to undo stress and burnout.

Link:

Recreation is good for business | BusinessNorth Exclusives | businessnorth.com - BusinessNorth.com

Rihannas Pride party included drag queen Adore Delano singing in a red Savage x Fenty robe. She was surrounded by multicolored balloons and streamers in what looked like it could have been the auditorium of a high school prom.

The party also included musical sets by Saucy Santana and Taylor Bennett in different virtual rooms, along with dance classes led by CJ the Trainer, while the innerwear brands Pride campaign video played in the virtual lobby and guests from all over the world logged on for Thursday nights free digital event.

Check out the new Savage x Fenty drop, the host said, while wearing what looked like a Savage x Fenty mens robe, nothing on underneath at least from the waist up.

It was a fitting way to end the brands monthlong Pride celebration, one that started with the launch of Rihannas Savage x Fentys first Pride capsule collection, a dual-gender assortment that included things like mesh bras with rainbow embroidery, knee-high stockings, smoking jackets, jockstraps and kitty whips. It is all meant to empower women, and men, too.

This Pride Month, were celebrating every body, captions on Savage x Fentys Instagram read.

The collection and Pride party follow Rihannas popular Savage x Fenty lingerie shows, the third and most recent of which was streamed on Amazon Prime. The show featured a mix of real women and high-profile models some of whom also walked in Victorias Secret Fashion Shows rocking fishnet bodysuits, balconette bras and lots of neon. The event was widely hailed for its inclusivity, thanks to its use of men and women of all different shapes, sizes and ages, including pregnant women, models with disabilities and varying skin tones and waistlines.

Rihannas Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 2 was staged in Brooklyn, N.Y.Getty / Courtesy of Fenty

Of course, Savage x Fenty isnt the only lingerie promoting diversity and inclusion, nor is it the only intimates brand to throw some kind of fashion event to encourage variety. Kim Kardashian West arrived at Nordstroms Manhattan flagship in early 2020 for an impromptu fashion show, complete with a skin-toned colored carpet for the models of various shapes, sizes, skin tones and ages to show off the Skims brand. Shes also recently hosted a pop-up in Los Angeles.

Kim Kardashian Wests shapewear brand at its Nordstrom debut in Manhattan with models of all different sizes and shapes.Andrew Morales/WWD

American Eagle Outfitters Aerie has been boosting the intellectual merits of its Aerie Real role models a stark contrast from Victorias Secret Angels since 2016. These are seen as women other women and young girls can look up to. Events included dinners, free yoga classes hosted by the role models and the Aerie Real Summit in March 2020 all of which the role models were fully dressed.

Even Victorias Secret, after canceling its fashion show in 2019, has held other events and campaigns, like Pink With Purpose, an annual scholarship that awards financial assistance to young women and men making change in their communities. Its most recent efforts, the VS Collective, is meant to positively impact the lives of women, according to a company statement.

Aerie Real Role Models Beanie Feldstein, Hari Nef and Lana Condor at the January 2020 Aerie Real Role Model dinner in Manhattan.Nina Westervelt/WWD

All of these innerwear events, while packaged and promoted differently, are hoping to send the message that theyre empowering women. It drives the question, what exactly is empowering about buying underwear? And why did it take a revolution in the lingerie industry something worn underneath clothes to reshape the way fashion is presented to women?

I prefer to reframe the issue [to], Why in a world where the customer has so profoundly evolved both their values and their behaviors, have fashion and lingerie been so slow to change? Catherine Sadler, chief executive officer and executive creative director of Sadler + Brand, a branding strategy and consulting firm, told WWD. For years, the fashion and lingerie industries have resisted the very notion of diversity and inclusivity. Long before COVID-19 and the #MeToo movement, women were simply not seeing themselves represented their bodies, their color, their uniqueness, their abilities or disabilities. The model of womanhood basically overtly stated You dont belong, [and] If you dont fit this narrow ideal, then you arent sexy. The lens was narrow and decidedly male.

Savage x Fenty has understood the zeitgeist shift from the get-go, continued Sadler, who also served as global chief marketing officer at Banana Republic for more than five years. Their fashion shows are disruptive because they saw the white space and built their brand based on the belief that women want to be seen for who they are in all their glorious diversity and want to define sensuality on their own terms.

Rihanna has also always understood the power of a personal brand, so much so that it has caused envy within the lingerie world. After all, there are other brands that promote diversity and inclusion, using both a wide array of models and offering a more extensive size range: Aerie, ThirdLove, Adore Me and Playful Promises to name a few. There are many more.

But the multihyphenated pop star used her celebrity power to catapult the brand at a time when shoppers were hungry for something new.

Rihanna came through at the perfect time with Savage X, said Cora Harrington, founder and editor and chief of the Lingerie Addict blog and author of the book Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear and Love Lingerie. There was peak discontent with the lowest point with Victorias Secret.

Victorias Secret held its last Fashion Show in 2018 in New York City.Andrew H. Walker/WWD

Shes referring to the time around the last Victorias Secret Fashion Show, in November 2018, when Ed Razek, former chief marketing officer for Victorias Secret parent company L Brands, told Vogue magazine that Victorias Secret didnt have any interest in using plus-size or transgender models in the high-profile fashion show. Victorias Secret canceled the fashion extravaganza the following year.

Still, one could argue that Victorias Secret was also in the right place at the right time and benefited from it for decades. The Angels and star-studded fashion shows in the early 2000s came about pre-social media and pre-cell phones, when it was still easy to hold exclusive events that few people would see and images of beautiful women were not plastered all over the internet. These days, anyone with a smartphone can broadcast video or pictures worldwide.

Which is why, as Harrington pointed out, having a large marketing presence doesnt necessarily equate to more market share or brand success.

There are brands that are very large but that are not participating in this marketing scramble, Harrington said. For example, Hanes. Theyre a very successful intimates apparel brand and they dont do any fashion shows; they dont do any pop-ups. They dont do any dinners. They just sell lots and lots of underwear.

And we dont know what Savage Xs numbers are, as far as profitability, as far as how much underwear theyre selling, continued Harrington, referring to the private company co-owned by TechStyle Fashion Group. What we do know is that they have an outsized presence in peoples consciousness. That says a lot about how many people are paying attention to Rihanna and what people want to see from future fashion shows and future representation. They dont want a certain ideal forced onto them. They dont want to be told that this is what you should want and this is how you should want to look. Consumers want to be made to feel like theyre fine as they are.

Meanwhile, Victorias Secret still owns the biggest slice of the U.S. womens intimate apparel pie, (16 percent as of spring 2020, according to The NPD Groups consumer tracking service). They also have approximately 933 company-owned stores around the world, many in parts of the U.S. that are lacking other in-person lingerie shopping options, and sold more than $7 billion in 2019, pre-pandemic. In addition, L Brands recently updated its board to six out of seven female members.

All the more reason why the lingerie giant said it will likely come out with some sort of new, updated version of its annual fashion lingerie event in 2022.

When we do bring something back, its not going to be the show that was, because the world has changed and entertainment has evolved, Ral Martinez, creative director at Victorias Secret, told WWD earlier this month. The evolution of fashion shows in general, I think, everyone is trying to discover what that is, what that experience is. So, what that will look like is what were discussing right now.

Just what that will be is still unclear. Either way Victorias Secret is under immense pressure to rebrand itself in a more positive light.

Victorias Secret is going to need to find its own way, Harrington said. Rihannas fashion show and influencer campaigns are working really well for Savage X. Aeries Role Model program is working well for them. Kim [Kardashian Wests] pop-ups are working well for her. Victorias Secret doesnt know what they want to look like in the future. They dont have a cohesive brand vision right now. All they know is that theyre running away from what they were in the past.

And hiring more female founders wont necessarily solve the problem either.

As feminist and LGBTQ author and former Nylon editor and chief Gabrielle Korn wrote in her book, Everybody Else Is Perfect: How I Survived Hypocrisy, Beauty, Clicks and Likes, I dont think being woman-owned and -operated makes your company inherently feminist. Corporations have learned the language of contemporary digital feminism. Women every day are starting their own brands, using the language and aesthetics of empowerment in order to appeal to young, feminist-identified women, without ever making it clear what is so empowering about their product.

Sadler noted, in the end, what consumer really want is freedom of choice.

Diversity and inclusion are table stakes today, she said. But so is innovation and entertainment whether thats by going behind the scenes, simultaneously shopping on Amazon or through more artistic endeavors as weve seen recently. Bottom line: the customer will demand richer experiences [in the future] where they feel seen and heard in the moment.

It isnt really about sexy bras and panties, Sadler continued. But rather, how good you feel in your own skin and the confidence that enables you to feel and express your best self when and how you choose.

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The Evolution of Lingerie Fashion Events WWD - WWD

June is Pride Month, and industries across the world have been celebrating initiatives and individuals to mark the occasion, including esports. Its fair to say that the esports and gaming industry, like others, has at times divided opinion with the LGBTQIA+ community and also the wider community.Megalodontus speaks to five members of the UK & Ireland esports community on what their experiences are, LGBTQIA+ representation and how companies or brands can do better. Foreword by Megalodontus

To be of a marginalised group is not easy. In general, even if you are sometimes surrounded by comfortable company, you might still feel ostracised in a way. There is also the conversation about not being within familiar spaces and how people deal with discrimination that so often comes with being part of a marginalised group.

The answer, for me, is never just grow a thicker skin and shut up. Growing a thick skin is the practical adaptation in the face of constant adversity, a by-product of being at the receiving end. To encourage the victim to ignore what people say and keep quiet about it only exacerbates the issue and emboldens abusers. Difficult conversations are often the ones worth having, and Pride Month is no exception.

Perhaps, things could be looking up in recent times. Companies in esports and gaming have at times divided opinion with their actions around representation, and to be fair to some of them, there could be repercussions due to their gargantuan reach worldwide and the number of people they reach.

This year, some companies have put the LGBTQIA+ flag on their socials as usual, and Riot has also been publishing stories around the games lore, like this one involving in-game champions Diana and Leona.

As with topics like these, conclusions are rarely if ever black and white. So instead of talking to just one person, I reached out to five individuals to talk about their experiences. Here are their thoughts.

Tadhg CelticTiger Brennan, freelance esports commentator and analyst

My experience has varied a bit over the years. As a caster, most bigotry Ive seen has been through chat responses to me. Theres obviously the issue of the gaming space being generally unaccepting of others, and theres always that underlying feeling when passed over for work of whether I was simply not chosen for what I bring to the table, or for being considered too controversial. Id hope its the former.

I still remember making the conscious choice to be willing to mention my boyfriend in a cast, and the chat reaction to that being heavily mixed. Thankfully, it did seem to progress over the course of my career and during my latest international appearance, responses to such things were distinctly positive which is nice.

On the work side of things, anyone who knows me will know that I tend to make a conscious choice to make my LGBTQIA+ status clear, donning a rainbow bowtie and suspenders when I can. I also remember being told later by a co-worker that a producer had been worried about allowing me on in rainbow clothing. Nothing mentioned to me of course, probably realising how it sounded, but my concerns about production decisions remain firm with small snippets like this.

In a similar vein, I was once told that a co-worker had to be warned not to say slurs, especially around me. And instead of being removed on the spot, they simply continued on with that warning. I cant exactly call someone out for something I never saw myself, but the fact that it was considered something to be hidden from me, concerns me greatly. I guess my experience leaves me somewhat jaded but hopeful that progress is coming.

I think LGBTQIA+ representation is honestly pretty atrocious in esports right now. That is to say, LGBTQIA+ people both among players and casters seem incredibly sparse. People like to note that its simply a reflection of all media industries, as youll see the same across many sports. However, esports as a newer industry has a chance to be better and to me it seems lazy to just point at what other spaces do and say we tried as hard as they did. Well, try harder.

To me, the reasons for less representation in the communities are relatively obvious. Theres clearly going to be fewer LGBTQIA+ people in communities where bigotry is accepted. And online gaming communities, especially competitive ones, arent known for their progressive approaches. Id imagine there are likely many LGBTQIA+ players who dont come out for fear of the communitys reaction. I purposefully didnt come out in my all-boys secondary school because I knew it would at least cause awkwardness. I cant imagine a gaming house being a much better space for it. Hopefully Im wrong.

Now, Im incredibly happy with those who are the exceptions here: SonicFox blazing a trail as a player over in fighting games, Froskurinn having fought for better rep in LoL, and Fluke in Rainbow Six Siege has managed to be an excellent icon in that regard. It just shouldnt have to be a battle for people to exist as who they are in these spaces.

Corporate pride is something of a divisive topic in the LGBTQIA+ community. My stance is that its simply reflective of public opinion changing. It is becoming more profitable to be seen as an ally, than it is to be seen as uncaring. This is a positive change.

Id imagine there are likely many LGBTQIA+ players who dont come out for fear of the communitys reaction. I purposefully didnt come out in my all-boys secondary school because I knew it would at least cause awkwardness. I cant imagine a gaming house being a much better space for it. Hopefully Im wrong.

However, I also understand critics who note many companys approaches to this feel hollow. And I think its good to expect more, expecting more is what got us to this level of progress. For me, the best way for a company to get involved in Pride, is to put their money where their mouth is. Even if a company is supporting Pride for selfish reasons, money going to LGBTQIA+ charities is a win. On top of this, Id like to see companies actually advocate for LGBTQIA+ people using their resources.

I think that can be similar to things like this article, offering spaces for LGBTQIA+ people to speak out on topics important to them. And at the very least, companies should be consulting LGBTQIA+ people about their approach, internally or externally.

The best way for a company to help Pride and LGBTQIA+ people is to do so year round. Improve your representation, take a more active stance against bigotry in communities you foster, support LGBTQIA+ charities more than once a year. It comes across a lot more genuine when the rainbows dont just come out on June 1st to be quickly snuffed out come July.

Emi Fluke Donaldson, freelance Rainbow Six Siege caster

My experience has generally been very good! I think existing as an LGBTQIA+ person in any space is going to bring its fair share of challenges, and there are definitely some unique to esports so I came into it expecting challenges when I came out.

But outside of those expected bouts of strife Ive otherwise been very welcomed, both by my employers and colleagues behind the scenes, as well as the community itself generally at large. Its often very reassuring because these decisions, to come out and to live more honestly, they are never settled by just the action. It takes time to grow to understand yourself, and the love helps remind me that its the right positive movement to make.

I think that, compared to a lot of other industries, we have a growing scene of acceptance. It may be tough to see because the gaming sphere and the online world can at times be toxic, but those few loud voices are steadily being drowned out. Its always worth remembering that our industry compared to many others is young, and we are going through a rapid growth and transition. That comes with an explosion and over-extension on both sides.

Its a tricky dance for brands and corporations to judge who wears the rainbow for brownie points, and who makes brownies to fundraise for the rainbow. The cultural zeitgeist war means that often earnest attempts will still get slandered by voices that just want a fight.

Sure, there may not be a huge amount of LGBTQIA+ representation you can point to at tier-one at the minute, but a few years ago there wasnt any at all. From my position, as someone who is here now to see the responses to my posts and existence, and the amount of up-and-coming LGBTQIA+ talent in our scene, I have a lot of hope for the future.

Its a tricky dance for brands and corporations to judge who wears the rainbow for brownie points, and who makes brownies to fundraise for the rainbow. The cultural zeitgeist war means that often earnest attempts will still get slandered by voices that just want a fight.

For me, the golden rule is for a company to remember why the month exists, and to pay vast attention to not losing sight of that. Sure, you can wear a rainbow for a month, fundraise with something limited edition but you also have to make sure the morals you have for this month, you wear the whole year. LGBTQIA+ cant take off after the month, we dont disappear. Companies that pretend we do are the ones that paint the worst picture. It shouldnt be about them, but on raising attention and battling injustice.

Natacha Sunkern Jones, NUEL creative director & freelance esports broadcast producer

Im a genderqueer bisexual but Im very much cis/straight passing, so Ive not faced any discrimination or harassment due to my queerness in esports. I recognise that is a privilege that most others dont have. Ive faced more discrimination due to the fact Im femme-presenting than anything else.

I think esports is making steady progress. Seeing people like JessGOAT, Fluke and Froskurinn on tier one broadcasts is amazing, and I think esports is ahead of traditional sports and TV in its on-air representation of LGBTQIA+ folks. Off-air, I feel like theres less representation we dont see enough openly LGBTQIA+ people running esports companies or teams, speaking on panels or at conferences.

I think its easy to criticise companies for changing their logos to rainbow colours during the month of June. People will come out and scream VIRTUE SIGNALLING! but contribute nothing else themselves during Pride Month, when they could be putting their money where their mouths are and donate to a trans persons surgery fund, and Froskurinn did a great video about this.

To be honest, it gives me a small boost of serotonin every time I see a company with a rainbow logo and obviously it shouldnt stop with just a rainbow logo.

I want to see esports companies assessing who theyre hiring, who theyre promoting and who theyre putting on panels. If your panel has five cis-het white men on it, you should ask yourself why. Are they the only people you know with the expertise? Then you should probably get to know more people BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, women, all of the above. Having a diverse range of people in your company or on your panel will bring new ideas and a new way of thinking that you might be missing.

Having a diverse range of people in your company or on your panel will bring new ideas and a new way of thinking that you might be missing.

I want to see esports companies put LGBTQIA+ inclusion policies in their employee handbooks. I want them to support, pay and promote LGBTQIA+ people in their company. I want them to pay equality, diversity and inclusion consultants like Amanda Stevens to help them understand what steps they need to take to make the workplace safe for minoritised folks.

I want them to moderate their Discords and Twitch chats and take a zero tolerance approach to homophobia and transphobia. I want management of esports companies to undergo LGBTQIA+ awareness & sensitivity training, which we did at NUEL. I want to see companies boosting the voices of LGBTQIA+ people, like ENUK are doing with this article !

Alex Harris, head of marketing, London Esports

Its sad to say, but I would consider myself quite lucky, because Im able to pass as a straight cis white man very easily. I didnt talk about my sexuality or gender identity at all in the industry for many years and, to a certain extent, I still dont.

Its much easier to just hide it than attempt to have any sort of meaningful conversation on the topic, especially because Ive seen how disingenuously many support pride and other social issues. Ive seen businesses in the space support Black Lives Matter and Pride, and yet also support players and talent with vehement anti-black and homophobic attitudes.

I also really want to say that the LGBTQIA+ community is amazing and super resilient. Im very lucky to have so many great memories from events during some very difficult times in my life. They made all the difference.

I think as an industry, we are very lucky to have so many powerful LGBTQIA+ figures in the community, however the vitriol many of them deal with is unacceptable. We need to get to a point where homophobia and transphobia in this industry is such a shameful act, such an ostracising political opinion, that the social capital losses from it outweigh any gains. Unfortunately were just not at that point yet.

There are some badass gay people doing badass gay things, but thats more a credit to them, than to the industry or community as a whole. I also think its daft that nobody is talking about the intersectionality of many of the issues that esports faces.

Its no coincidence that esports falls behind traditional start-ups on all fronts: race, gender, socio-economic capital, class, sexuality and so forth but at the same time, has rampant sexual assault cases. These issues are perpetuated by anything not straight, western white male being seen as other. Its also no surprise that in an industry driven by cheap, passionate labour, that only those with the most privilege survive.

If I was from a non-white, low income household, how on Earth was I supposed to live and work full-time on a few hundred quid a month, in the manner that I did at the start of my career? I was lucky that my parents could give me a place to live, but many dont have that same privilege.

If I was from a non-white, low income household, how on Earth was I supposed to live and work full-time on a few hundred quid a month, in the manner that I did at the start of my career? I was lucky that my parents could give me a place to live, but many dont have that same privilege. These issues are intersectional and its a shame so little is done to treat the root cause.

If companies and brands were actually proud, they would be doing pride 365 days a year. If they were actually proud, theyd create working environments that put LGBTQIA+ individuals in positions of power, with salaries that rival their straight counterparts. If they were actually proud, theyd strive to make a difference, not just sell rainbow t-shirts.

I love Ateyo as a brand and seeing two very cool women build a leading apparel brand is awesome, but theyre one of very few projects Ive seen smash pride out of the park. For me personally, most of the projects Im involved in have a strong social justice stance, but 99% of organisations and businesses in the space run exceptionally superficial activations for one month of the year, and harbour homophobic and transphobic talent for the other 11 months.

Given about 20-25% of the population is LGBTQIA+, that means most start-up businesses should have at least two or three directors and managers that are LGBTQIA+. In esports, youll rarely get one. Id much rather we see more LGBTQIA+ people in positions of power, shaping businesses to be better in the long-run, than some sort of bullshit t-shirt.

In a recent interview withJames Stress OLeary, the former EU LCS caster and MAD Lions community manager shared some thoughts on LGBTQIA+ topics with Esports News UK as well.

Itd be a massive thing for a player to be openly LGBTQIA+, but with that comes a lot of pressure that theyd put on themselves, so its understandable why no European or LEC player to my knowledge has come out publicly.

Theres a big disagreement [on LGBTQIA+ representation and diversity] because some people lack the self awareness to realise that being angry about seeing someone who doesnt represent them, is the kind of feeling that underrepresented people feel day to day. If you believe two guys kissing on a TV show is an attack on you, imagine what it feels like to have just about every TV show lack any meaningful gay characters.

The anti-diversity arguments have grown so venomous that its raised the temperature for everyone involved, and at the heart of it, those pushing for equality will be on the right side of history. LGBTQIA+ people have existed forever, and will continue to exist, regardless of those who try to keep us hidden.

Its possible to be LGBTQIA+ positive for more than just pride.I think it can be difficult to come across as genuine regardless of if your intentions are sincere as a brand. Its about consistency in actions both behind the scenes and when the world is looking, and many social media teams are overworked and underpaid to also take on those responsibilities when theyre already swamped.

Many decision makers in esports will tick the box of doing pride because they are supposed to, but most of them arent actually a part of the community it supports. Until those decision makers are represented, thats not going to change.

Megalodontus is a miraculous survivor from the mass extinction and somehow learnt how to use his stubby fins to operate complicated mechanical equipment and drink tea. Worryingly for cryptozoologists, hes been writing League of Legends articles too.

A self-taught writer whos had the privilege to work with good editors who arent terrified of his pearly whites, Megalodontus is often seen writing either independently or for various websites such as this one. When not writing, he usually runs it down mid in real life and is fascinated with watching paint dry.

Read more:

Celebrating Pride Month 2021: UK & Ireland esports personalities share their view on LGBTQIA+ issues and representation within the industry -...

- First In Conversation episode launches on 23 June, Olympic Day in support of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020 who represent over 80 million forcibly displaced people around the world.

- Featuring Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Yusra Mardini with US Olympian and 5-time gold medallist Katie Ledecky.

- Future episodes in the build-up to Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to include refugee athletes Anjelina Nadai Lohalith and Alaa Maso, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors Nomzamo Mbatha and Alphonso Davies, and many more.

- In Conversation premieres on 23 June 2021 across Olympics.com, UNHCR and Discovery platforms, including discovery+ and Eurosport.com.

As part of 23 June Olympic Day celebrations and in the week marking World Refugee Day, an exclusive series of interviews will tell the inspirational stories of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Olympic Team athletes by bringing them together with big names in film, entertainment and sport.

Premiering in the build-up to Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the episodes feature members of the unique IOC Refugee Olympic Team that will bring together 29 athletes to compete at the Games this summer. Originating from 11 countries around the world, the team was created by the IOC and its President, Thomas Bach, ahead of Olympic Games Rio 2016. The series showcases the athletes stories to send inspiring messages of hope and resilience to the worlds 82.4 million forcibly displaced people.

Produced by Eurosport, Discoverys leading multi-sport brand and the Home of the Olympics in Europe*, in partnership with the IOC and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, In Conversation seeks to introduce new audiences to some of these inspiring Olympic refugee athletes. The conversations will provide new perspectives on refugees stories and raise awareness of the power of sport to help displaced people rebuild their lives.

In conversation: Yusra & Katie provides a unique perspective. The youngest ever UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, Yusra Mardini, who was a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Rio 2016 and will compete at Tokyo 2020 this summer, meets five-time Olympic Games gold medallist in swimming, Katie Ledecky. Also set to compete at Tokyo 2020 for Team USA, Ledecky is the most decorated woman in swimming history including 15 World Championship gold medals as well as her Olympic titles.

Later episodes will see UNHCR Goodwill Ambassadors such as actress Nomzamo Mbatha and footballer and former refugee Alphonso Davies paired with members of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, including Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, the South Sudan-born 1500M athlete, and freestyle swimmer Alaa Maso, originally from Aleppo, Syria. As each athlete and supporter become acquainted, intimate conversations follow and capture the compelling stories of the athletes, their challenging journeys, and how they have overcome adversity to compete at the worlds greatest sporting event. The series can be found across UNHCR, IOC and Discovery platforms, including discovery+ and Eurosport.com.

In Conversation follows the IOCs announcement of the Refugee Olympic Team headed to Tokyo 2020 earlier this month. A campaign to further support for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020 will be launched by Eurosport, in partnership with the IOC, in July.

-ENDS-

*Excludes Russia. Official Broadcaster in France and the U.K for Tokyo 2020.

Notes to Editor

Episode 1 (In conversation: Yusra & Katie):

Link to episode and embed:https://www.eurosport.co.uk/swimming/tokyo-2020/2021/in-conversation-olympic-swimmers-yusra-mardini-and-katie-ledecky_vid1495306/embed-video.shtml

Transcript and assets available: HERE

About Yusra Mardini:

Syrian refugee and Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini was appointed the youngest ever Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in April 2017, aged just 19. She advocates for refugees globally through sharing her own inspiring story and has become a powerful voice for the forcibly displaced across the world and an example of their resilience and determination to rebuild lives and positively contribute to host communities.

Yusra was selected to compete at Rio 2016 as part of the first ever Refugee Olympic Team. She was catapulted on to the worlds stage and subsequently went on to address world leaders at the UN General Assembly, meet the Pope and be honoured with several awards. Yusras incredible story is told in her memoir Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian - My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph which is currently being adapted into a film.

Yusra has spoken on behalf of UNHCR at Google Zeitgeist, WE Day, the World Economic Forum in Davos and many other global stages. She also supports UNHCR campaigns and events and fundraising activities. Yusra will compete at Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 this summer.

About Katie Ledecky:

Katie Ledecky is a 5-time Olympic Gold medalist and 15-time World Championship Gold medalist who will be competing at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Katie has dominated on the world stage since the age of 15 where she was the youngest athlete on Team USA at the 2012 London Games, winning her first Olympic Gold medal. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Katie was the most decorated female athlete winning four Gold medals, one Silver medal, and breaking two world records.

As the granddaughter of a Czech migr who defected to the US in 1947, Katie continues to spread awareness about the plight of refugees around the world through her involvement with the UN Refugee Agency. Katie is a recent graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Psychology and is passionate about the importance of education, especially STEM and leadership programs for girls.

Press Contacts:

UNHCR:

Sarah Epstein epstein@unhcr.org + 44 7572601088

Alicia Hosking hosking@unhcr.org +1 917 565 3025

IOC:

IOC Press Office

pressoffice@olympic.org

Discovery:

James Hillier

E: James_Hillier@Discovery.com

M: +44 7778 129 413

About the IOC Refugee Olympic Team:

At the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in October 2015, confronted with the global refugee crisis that has seen millions of people in the world displaced, IOC President Thomas Bach announced the creation of the Refugee Olympic Team the first of its kind to take part in the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Ten months on from the announcement, 10 refugee athletes, were competing alongside 11,000 fellow athletes in Brazil, sending a message of hope and inclusion to millions of refugees around the world and inspiring the world with the strength of their human spirit. Following the success of the Refugee Olympic Team Rio 2016, the IOC decided in 2018 that there would be an IOC Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020. On 8 June, the IOC announced that 29 athletes competing in 12 sports will take part in the Games this summer. This unique project demonstrates the IOCs commitment to stand with refugees and support them through sport, and it also shows how Olympic Solidarity, through its Refugee Athlete Support Programme, helps refugee athletes not only to train with the aim of qualifying for the Olympic Games but also to continue their sporting career and build their future. A IOC Refugee Olympic Team is planned for both the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.You can follow and support the IOC Refugee Olympic Team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About UNHCR:

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and people without a nationality. We deliver life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. We are in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions. http://www.unhcr.org

About IOC:

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organisation made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.4 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

About Discovery:

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as discovery+, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discoverys portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Network, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

About discovery+:

discovery+ is the definitive non-fiction, real-life subscription streaming service. discovery+ will launch with a landmark partnership with Verizon that gives their customers with select plans up to 12 months of discovery+ on Verizon. At launch in the United States, discovery+ will have the largest-ever content offering of any new streaming service, featuring a wide range of exclusive, original series across popular, passion verticals in which Discovery brands have a strong leadership position, including lifestyle and relationships; home and food; true crime; paranormal; adventure and natural history; as well as science, tech and the environment and a slate of high-quality documentaries. For more, visit discoveryplus.com.

About Eurosport:

Eurosport is the number one sport destination in Europe, unlocking the power of sport through localised content from the worlds greatest sporting events. As the Home of the Olympic Games in Europe, Discovery is bringing Eurosport to discovery+, the real-life direct-to-consumer streaming service, starting in a range of international markets during 2021. Firmly established as the Home of Cycling, Grand Slam Tennis and Winter Sport, Eurosport channels Eurosport 1, Eurosport 2 reach 246 million cumulative subscribers across 75 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Eurosport.com is Europes No 1 online sports news website with an average of 30 million unique users per month. Eurosport Events specializes in the management and promotion of international sporting events. More information is available by visiting corporate.eurosport.com.

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.

Your best source of news about the Olympics is http://www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only

See original here:

IOC, UNHCR and Discovery Unite Talent from the Worlds of Sport and Entertainment 'In Conversation' with the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020 -...

by Sam Manzella 6/24/2021

Britney Spears is begging a judge in Los Angeles to free her from a longstanding conservatorship that has granted her father full control of her life, and LGBTQ+ Twitter users and fellow celebrities have her back.

On Wednesday (June 23), the beloved pop singer gave a rare and gut-wrenching testimony detailing how the 13-year conservatorship has traumatized her. As The New York Times reports, Spearss father, James P. Spears, was granted legal authority over Britneys life in 2008 after she was involuntarily hospitalized for mental health issues. More than a decade later, the conservatorship is still in place, meaning Britney has virtually no autonomy in her day-to-day life.

During her emotional, uninterrupted 20-minute statement, Britney spoke at length about how her father has used his legal authority to keep her heavily medicated, compel her to work against her will, and force her to keep her IUD inserted, preventing her from having any more children. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive, she told the court. I dont feel like I can live a full life.

Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images

The fan-led movement to #FreeBritney from her conservatorship has been ongoing for years and reentered the cultural zeitgeist after the premiere of the documentary Framing Britney Spears earlier this year. But Britneys testimony on Wednesday marked a turning point in how the 39-year-old singer has publicly discussed the matter.

Its embarrassing and demoralizing what Ive been through, and thats the main reason I didnt say it openly, she added. I didnt think anybody would believe me.

Needless to say, Britneys LGBTQ+ fans across social media believe her and are standing with her as she battles to end the conservatorship.

Britney also got messages of support from fellow celebrities, including Mariah Carey, Halsey, and even her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake.

Bless Britney and I hope with my whole heart she is awarded freedom from this abusive system, Halsey tweeted on Wednesday. She deserves it more than anything. I admire her courage speaking up for herself today.

Find a transcript of Britneys full testimony here.

Brooklyn-based writer and editor. Probably drinking iced coffee or getting tattooed.

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Activists, Celebs Rally to #FreeBritney After Her Heartbreaking Testimony - NewNowNext

In conversation with Awards Dailys Shadan Larki, Halston costume designer Jeriana San Juan offers an extensive look into her designs for the Netflix series highlighting the work of the iconic American designer. San Juan details designing upwards of 1,000 pieces for the 5-episode, Ewan McGregor-starring series, and reflects on Halstons reverberating legacy.

Its become something of a writing cliche to say that costumes serve as a character in a story, but in the case of the Netflix series, there is no Halston without the clothes. The show takes you inside the designers genius. Halston is the artist and clothes is his medium. His iconic Halstonettes draped in hammered silk and one-seam caftans that danced across runways in the 70s.

Halston, the series, which chronicles the rise and fall of the mononymous designer, is a fashion-lovers paradiseHalstons penchant for bright, bold colors on full display. Costume designer Jeriana San Juan was tasked with studying Halstons extensive body of work and choosing touchstone moments to display in the five-episode series. From designs on his iconic muses like Liza Minnelli (Krysta Rodriguez) and future Tiffany & Co. designer Elsa Peretti (Rebecca Dayan), tolavish parties at Studio 54, and Halstons own changing wardrobe, every frame features stunning clothing. San Juan has lost count of the number of pieces she designed for the seriesa true tour de force of costume design that helped shape McGregors performance in the series as a whole. Halston is the ultimate love letter to the brand and the man behind it all.Read more from Jeriana San Juan below:

Awards Daily: I wanted to start with the striking use of color in the series. How did you use color to tell Halstons story?

Jeriana San Juan: I think it was important to visually anchor the story. Doing so many different time periods and spanning his life, it felt to me that we needed some sort of visual anchor to guide the audience through that.

One of the signatures to his body of work is his use of colorbright, bold colors. It felt honest in some ways to do the story in that way and to move his particular journey, costume-wise, through different periods of color. Colors that would sort of echo his life at that time and the mood of our story and create symmetry between the colors of his environment and what he was wearing.

Halston was such a world builder as a designer. He was always painting the canvas, so to speak. When he designed his townhouse with Paul Rudolph and designed these gray carpets and these steely gray couches, I wanted to echo that in the costumes. As we moved into a fiery and tumultuous period of his life, he moved into the Olympic Tower, which is very famously carpeted in this red colorhe loses himself in the brand identity of it.

I wanted to blur the lines where the Halston the man ended and the brand began. As things dissolve, and ultimately the name of his company gets taken away from him, he is left without an identity, visually. Color is a device I use all the time as a costume designer, but I think I used it in a very identifiable way in this show where it really pops onto the screen and connects the audience to his emotional journey.

AD: You did have to take some liberties with some of the designs for the series. For example, the fashion show at Versailles. Liza Minnelli is wearing a different dress. You have spoken about how you designed the European dresses based on the sensibilities of the time period and your knowledge of fashion history. How did you decide when and where to make those changes?

JSJ:I think how it lends itself to the story is how I always operate. I always root everything in a tremendous amount of research. Everything from Bill Cunninghams photos, observations to everything at theVogue archives at Cond Nast,Womens Wear Daily. I always root everything as truthfully as I can in research and create that textbook for my mind to work from. But ultimately, it is always in support of the story.

For example, in doing Versailles, we werent going to be doing hundreds of models on stage and even presenting the performance as it actually was. It really was just in support of, How can we celebrate each different designers voice? And also anchor it in the truth of what they were doing at that time. And celebrate the differences between those voices and contrast them to the European collections, which were generally inspired by what Givenchy and Dior were doing at that time. Again, taking artistic license to heighten the contrast between that and the American collections, makes it feel more fantasy, more fairy princess, and makes it a little more corseted, almost traditionally feminine. And it helped to highlight the modern energy of the American collection.

I take those artistic licenses throughout the show. But I always root it in something real and tactful, whether it was a color story that Halston was doing at the time or using the truthful textiles and working in hammered silk. But also, always taking a bit of artistic license to create and hype the energy and mood. I have often said that because we are talking about Halston, who has a tremendous body of work, it was a practice of editing and figuring out what important touchstones we had to represent his work. And also, highlight those pieces creatively in a very calculated way to help enhance the energy and magic.

In doing a collection that is only ultimately five pieces represented on camera, it was really about conveying the mood and energy of those clothes. Sometimes that involved adding capes, which I did for his collection at Versailles, to see the fabric move through the air with carelessness and freshness. It feels like magic when you see these dresses dance. I knew that the way we would shoot it, we would always want to see models and have movement up by the face, so I just added these capes to have a little bit more fabric moving up in the air to create that magic. And to also fill the stage.

The same thing happened with the rouge dresses and the collections that we show at the Olympic Tower where its all of these silk jersey, very early disco, glamour dresses. I found an image of Pat Cleveland, it wasnt necessarily from that collection, but it was just an image of her with a sheer scarf she was dancing with on the runway. I just felt like that was a wonderful way to echo that color and to fill the spaces with those beautiful colors and get a sense of that freedom and movement.

AD: I read you created 1,200 pieces for the show. Is that correct?

JSJ:It is actually more than that. It is so funny because people always want to know the exact number, and I always lose count. The volume keeps growing, and we were keeping up with production. I think it was ultimately much more. I know its over 1,000, maybe even over 2,000. There are so many costumes between the number of huge parties and the background actors we had. The principle characters have so many changes because they are such fashion plates, so they changed all the time. There are musical numbers, there are fashion shows, and the audience at the fashion shows. Its just a massive volume.

AD: What was your approach to that? You mentioned editing through Halstons career and choosing those key touchtone moments. For you, what were those touchstone moments, and how did you land on those?

JSJ:It was really a matter of studying his body of work and understanding which pieces in his body of work are the most critical in terms of revolutionizing modern American sportswear and evening wear.

Whether it was the introduction of, for example, the single-seam caftan. The caftan alone is a signature of his. But the singe-seam caftan is infamous in fashion history because it is perceivably a very simple garment, but it is constructed in a very complicated, almost origami way. For me to highlight that piece, I found a marker of time for that in our story the beautiful hammered silk, sarong dress. Its the dress that Elsa Peretti wears as a guest to Liza Minnellis wedding to Jack Haley Jr. I really wanted to incorporate that because it was an absolutely revolutionary idea. This careless idea of wrapping a towel around you, but as the most exquisite evening wear. It felt like I had to include it. I had to include the cashmere twinset dress.

Also, all of the Elsa Peretti jewelry that was so iconic and pivotal to creating that look, whether it was the equestrian belt, the bone cuffs, the diamonds, the scorpion necklace, all of her creations helped anchor the story, visually and timewise.

For example, I found a way to coincide the single-seam caftan with the story; it became this Zoar blue and diamond printed caftan created on Elsa Peretti at the end of episode one. I knew that we were going to create a boutique collection. In the script, its written that he creates a dress and ultimately ends up on the runway. It just felt like a perfect moment to educate an audience on the bias he used quite frequently, which that single seam caftan uses. It starts as one singular piece of fabric. What a wonderful way to see a garment be formed from one piece of fabric, live on a model, in real-time. It was a place where I married a bit of fashion history with something real, which was his tie-dye collection. I am not actually certain that there was ever a single seam caftan that was also a tie-dye piece. That was a total invention. I wanted to marry all of the concepts that felt so signature to Halston.

AD: Are there other signature pieces you would like to highlight that I havent ask you about from the show?

JSJ: There are so many, and each one of them is my baby [laughs]. I will say, I did map out Halstons career alongside the script to find those moments where we could potentially highlight with some honesty in terms of dating pieces appropriately, or we could highlight pieces from his body of work. There are other pieces, of course, like this coat that Halston wears that is a double-faced wool coat. He wears it in black at the start of Episode 2. There is an image of him wearing this long black coat sitting over all these rolled-up carpets before they have actually built the Olympic Tower and decorated it. It is like his initial walkthrough of the space. That was a coat that felt so dramatic, and he looked so elegant sitting there, kind of hovering over New York City. In this photograph, you see him in front of the skyline, sitting in front of big windows, and he looks like Batman or something, looking over New York City. I thought what a wonderful image and how powerful he felt. I wanted to do that coat and I wanted to do the perfect weight of double-faced wool, so as he walks through Central Park, as he does at the top of the episode, the air would sort of catch it and you would see it fly around a bit.

That coat came to life again, in white, in the show, as we enter his white period, and then ultimately in red. It became kind of a signature piece, and I think in part because of the way Ewan reacted to it. The way he responded to it. He loved wearing it. He loved feeling it. He loved the elegance and the cleanliness of the lines. The gravitas of walking into a space and having more fabric around you to manipulate, kind of toying around. I think he loved that. It helped him inhabit Halston more. That is my job as a costume designer, ultimately. That was a piece that was rooted from real history that we definitely took creative license with.

There are so many more. Every single costume of this show has a story behind it, whether its about trying to find a way to highlight a real Halston piece or trying to find a way to highlight a color, or a recreation of something that Liza Minnelli actually wore, like the bugle-beaded jumpsuit. I really wanted to do the particular bugle beads because I knew they would come alive in the lights ofStudio 54. I actually found designer Naeem Khan, a former assistant of Halstons. His father was the beader for Halston and actually got him the job with Halston. Naeem still had the beading patterns to those jumpsuits and the jacket, so he helped me recreate that exact beading pattern for that look. I took some liberties with the color to help highlight Krysta, our Liza, in that scene. Generally, there is a story behind every costume (laughs). I could go on.

AD: I could talk to you for two hours just about theStudio 54aesthetic.

JSJ:[Laughs].

AD: I am curious; Halston is not a part of the cultural zeitgeist, at least, not anymore. As a student of fashion, what has stood out to you? What do you consider to be his greatest legacy?

JSJ:I think the great gift of having done this show is just the insight into the creative process behind an artist. This particular artist, his medium, happened to be clothing. Reading the script initially, just to see insight behind a creative mind. That is not a story that gets told very often, so it was really exciting for me to be a part of.

I think in terms of Halstons own legacy, the essential DNA of Halstons aesthetic is truly about taking complicated ideas and conveying them simply and visually creating a look for women that was simultaneously liberating, freeing, and also elegant and timeless, and not very trend-driven. And that is what is so magical about his pieces is that they still feel so timeless and modern. That is the thing I always personally appreciated about his clothes.

I have an appreciation of his use of color. I can be very reserved with color, just in my own life. I felt like just doing this project has made me feel freer about color because he celebrated color. And it really does; I saw it with my own eyes, bring people to life in a fitting room, trying on bright, bold color made everybody happier. I took away so many things from this project in terms of just studying his eye and his aesthetic, and also all the creatives that he surrounded himself with and being able to immerse myself in researching Joe Eula (David Pittu), Elsa Peretti, Liza Minnelli, Andy Warhol all of the characters, all of the synergy of these artists, who were all very different from one another, but together created this unique culture. I think that is something I absolutely will take away from this forever.

AD: Halston was famously a huge inspiration for Tom Ford. Who do you think is the modern-day Halston? Who do you think is carrying on his legacy in fashion today?

JSJ: That is interesting. I mean, its hard to even distinguish at this point because his thumbprint is on everything! [Laughs]. Part of what Halstons legacy is, is the democracy of fashion, the accessibility of fashion. The fact that he bought a 5th Avenue label to J.C. Penny was sort of gauche at the time. It was unheard of. Now it is celebrated for high-end designers at Bergdorf Goodman to also have diffusion lines at Target. It feels like he was the pioneer of that, and the fact that it is now so celebrated to have a J.C. Penney line or a Target line, that is what is so amazing.

Also, one of the most exciting things in doing this story, and in this time, was how he used models and muses of all colors and shapes, and sizes. It was never a matter of being a certain type of woman to wear Halston successfully and beautifully. It was about celebrating women of all shapes and sizes and colors, which echoed through fashion, especially today. That whole idea of feeling very individual and very free and beautiful no matter what you look like and that was a beautiful message.

Halston is streaming on Netflix. Read more coverage of the show here.

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'Halston' Costume Designer Jeriana San Juan: "There is a Story Behind Every Piece." - Awards Daily

CONSERVATIVE POLITICS in New Zealand is running out of puff. Both National and Act are struggling to offer voters much in the way of new political insights. The radical right-wing ideas that swept all before them in the 1980s and 90s have solidified into a pallid orthodoxy: one increasingly at odds with observable reality. The Churches political influence in New Zealand has been in steady decline since the 1970s. Robust though it may be in caucus, Nationals right-wing Christian faction merely testifies to the growing distance between their party and the electoral mainstream.

When a political party is fortunate enough to possess a charismatic leader, such ideological frailty counts for much less. Absent such a leader, however, philosophical cluelessness constitutes a formidable barrier to electoral success. Unfortunately for their respective parties, Judith Collins and David Seymour cannot be included in the same company as Sir John Key and Jacinda Ardern. It remains to be seen whether Winston Peters still possesses the power to harness the political zeitgeist to NZ Firsts battered chariot.

If Peters has spent the last few months scouring the conservative landscape for an ideology to match the temper of the times, then it is likely he will already have encountered the most radical right-wing movement since the rise of fascism, almost exactly a century ago. Although Traditionalism predates fascism by at least two decades, it shares the latters comprehensive rejection of Enlightenment values, liberal capitalism, scientific rationalism and democratic politics. When one considers that the leading promoters of Traditionalism in the world today are Steve Bannon formerly Chief Strategist to President Donald Trump and Aleksandr Dugin long-time behind-the-scenes adviser to the Kremlin any temptation to dismiss the movement as something wacky from the fringe should be resisted.

Like so many of the reactionary creeds emanating from fin-de-sicle Europe, Traditionalism fetishized what it considered to be the core values of the pre-modern era: hierarchy, spirituality and the (now very rare) ability to live honourably in the moment, unburdened by the weight of material concerns. The two individuals most closely associated with the early Traditionalist doctrine were the Frenchman, Ren Gunon, and the Italian proto-fascist, Julius Evola. Their Traditionalist utopia combined theocratic government with what amounted to a socio-economic caste-system. Cloaked in this antique guise, the doctrines prospects of political success in the Twentieth Century were slim. As modified by Bannon, however, Traditionalism has the capacity to act as an extremely powerful solvent of the electoral status-quo all over the Western World.

Bannons Traditionalism imputes to what New Zealanders would call the ordinary Kiwi bloke (or, in colloquial American, the average working stiff) the core definitive values of the nations character. It is in such folk: most particularly in their faith, generosity and resilience; that the nations ability to endure and triumph over all manner of adversities is located. They are the bedrock: the best; the people without whose support nothing of any lasting worth can be accomplished.

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In the unanticipated triumph of Brexit and Trump, the world witnessed the extraordinary political resonance of Bannons version of Traditionalism. It had the power to mobilise electorally groups which had, for decades, been disengaging from their traditional electoral champions Labour in the UK, the Democratic Party in the USA. It was Bannons strategic, and Trumps performative, genius that caused these disillusioned and disgruntled citizens to reassess, at a personal level, the costs and benefits of political engagement. Hillary Clinton may have dismissed them as deplorables, but Trump transformed her insult into a badge of honour: convincing them that they were the only people who could make America great again.

To be politically effective, however, Traditionalism needs a special kind of enemy. In this regard, an elite layer of effete professionals and managers, who look down with disdain upon ordinary people and their beliefs, and who react with abject horror at the very thought of these usually biddable yobbos intervening decisively in the political process, is exactly what Traditionalists are looking for.

In the eyes of the elites, this ignorant lumpen element presents itself as an army of terrifying zombies. Civilly dead, but now, by the power of Bannons weird political voodoo, electorally re-animated, they represent the very deepest fears of the people in charge. Shuffling menacingly towards them, their arms outstretched for ballot papers, these possessed political corpses must be cut down where they stand. Under no circumstances can general elections be turned into re-runs of The Night of the Living Dead.

A less tendentious presentation of Traditionalism may be found in the television series Yellowstone. In their sprawling Yellowstone ranch, set in the Republican stronghold of Montana, live the Duttons a powerful family in whom the best constitutive elements of the American character are embodied.

On every side, however, a hostile world is pressing in upon them. From the adjoining Native American tribal reservation in which an even older embodiment of America is stirring to the avaricious development buccaneers poised to turn the Dutton patrimony into ski resorts and casinos. Interestingly, those best constitutive elements include a willingness to defend the familys interests with deadly, and usually illegal, force. (Which is, at least, an honest admission of core American values!)

In the lead character, John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) the viewer is frequently presented with something approximating that Zen-like ability to live in the spiritual moment which the original Traditionalists prized so highly. The series general contempt for the democratic process, and its clear preference for maintaining the established hierarchy of natural leaders, similarly echoes the ideas of Gunon and Evola.

New Zealand political leaders as different as Rob Muldoon and John Key have secured lengthy stints of political power on the strength of elevating ordinariness into something very special. Muldoon pitted his ordinary blokes (aka Robs Mob) against the hapless Citizens For Rowling whom he successfully portrayed as an ineffectual collection of over-educated snobs who thought they were better than everybody else. Keys trick was to convince nearly half the electorate that they were already the ones in charge; and all they had to do to prove it was make an ordinary millionaire their Prime Minister.

Few conservatively-minded New Zealanders would admit to feeling in charge of very much at all at the moment. Quite the reverse, in fact. In Traditionalist terms, all the worst elements of modernism are in the saddle and riding New Zealand hard. Even worse, no political party of the Right is currently willing (or, seemingly, able) to swing the axe in defence of the values of Real New Zealanders, or even explain, in simple terms, what those real values are. While this remains the case, the conservative cause will continue to languish.

What Bannon and his Russian equivalent, Dugin, understand is how quickly Democracy exhausts the ordinary man and woman. How ready they are to put their faith in those they recognise as belonging to the natural hierarchies of wisdom, strength and power. And how angry they become when those they trust to lead them prove unequal to the task.

In order to restore the natural balance of society, the Traditionalists argue, it is necessary to look deep into the heart of the ordinary people whose daily labours keep society going. Only when guided by the simple but durable virtues of those at the bottom of society, they argue, will those positioned at the top re-discover the wisdom, strength and power required to restore their nation to greatness.

This is, indeed, a step backward into pre-modernity. What Bannon and Dugin are describing is the enduring political alchemy of leaders and followers: that allegedly sacred bond between sovereign and subject which owes nothing to the intervention of elite interests, or, at least, not to those elite interests who fail to make their first two priorities the protection of the leader and the welfare of the people. Bannon and Dugin may call this Traditionalism, but a better name for their system might be Monarchical Socialism.

Think, the King and the Commons, without the Barons and the Bishops: the doomed dream of the Peasants Revolt. Or, the Fuhrer and the Volk, without the Capitalists and the Jews: the murderous dream of Hitlers stormtroopers.

Originally posted here:

Of Commoners And Kings: Steve Bannon's New Traditionalism - thedailyblog.co.nz