The Daily Valet. - 2/15/23, Wednesday
✔️ Fashion's Top Job Is Filled
Wednesday, February 15th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
We’ve got a real mixed bag today … so buckle up.
Presented by
Today’s Big Story
Pharrell Gets Fashion’s Top Job
The celebrity producer and fashion oracle will succeed the late Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton
It's official. After some whispers Tuesday morning, Pharrell Williams was named the next men's designer of Louis Vuitton. In a move that will shake up the luxury menswear landscape, and mark a new era of celebrity fashion designers, the global celebrity and fashion aficionado will take over the job held by Virgil Abloh before his death in late 2021.Vuitton's CEO, Pietro Beccari, characterized the appointment as a homecoming. “I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton... his creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”There has been a lot of speculation about who might be appointed with names like Grace Wales Bonner, Martine Rose, and Jonathan Anderson going through the rumor mill. And some might not see Pharrell as a traditional designer. But as The Cut's Cathy Horyn points out, he's a master creative director: “Williams has long been a catalyst in fashion at a number of levels. He founded, with Nigo, the apparel brand Billionaire Boys Club. He's been associated with Chanel ... and he continues to be involved in film and television projects as well as a company related to well-being and a hospitality partnership in Miami.”According to GQ, he's articulated a “hyper-modern sense of style that now resonates deeply with a new generation of fashion fans.” And installing Pharrell at Vuitton Men’s would be “the denouement of the LVMH strategy to turn its luxury brands into global pop cultural movements.”Fusing heritage and hype has been a successful play at the brand for several years now, reports the Wall Street Journal. It collaborated with cult streetwear label Supreme in 2017, and hired Abloh as its menswear designer the following year. He melded dramatic, avant-garde tailoring with high-end hoodies and sneakers. That same year, LV became the luxury industry's first $10 billion brand. Then it doubled that figure in just four years. So to say that Pharrell has been promoted to one of the most visible roles in men's fashion is no understatement.
FYI:
Pharrell collaborated with Louis Vuitton in 2008 on a series of jewelry and sunglasses and said it was like “going to school.”
New Banksy Was Quickly Dismantled
The Artwork comments on violence against women
A Banksy artwork appeared in Margate, England, on Valentine's Day. But just a few hours after the elusive artist claimed the piece was his, it was dismantled by the local council.At first glance, she could be a prototypical 1950s housewife, wearing an apron over a gingham dress, complete with dish washing gloves. But a closer look at the mural shows that she's sporting a swollen eye and missing a tooth—and apparently shutting a man in a freezer. And that's where the title comes in: “Valentine's Day mascara,” according to Banksy's Instagram account.The piece incorporated a real freezer and broken chair—both of which were soon removed. The Thanet District Council told the BBC, “A fridge freezer which is believed to have been part of the installation has been removed by council operatives on the grounds of safety as it was on public land.”
Yay or Nay?
Like most of Banksy's work, it quickly attracted both praise and criticism for it's statement on violence against women.
Partner
Contemporary art has demonstrated strong appreciation, even in high inflation periods like right now.
Men Are Getting Bigger ...
Penile length has grown 24% in recent decades
A collection of 75 studies conducted between 1942 and 2021 show that the overage erect human penis length increased by 24% over 29 years. How? Is it somehow tied to all the junk food we eat? Do those gas station pills really work?In any case, while it might sound like good news, some male fertility experts are actually concerned. “The million-dollar question is why this would occur,” said Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a urologist and fertility specialist at Stanford Medicine, who led the research, published Tuesday in The World's Journal of Men's Health.Length may not be directly related to fertility, but the docs feel that anything that changes the reproductive system is “something we should pay attention to and try to understand why.” Especially when other research has shown that both sperm count and testosterone levels are falling. And because I know you're curious, the average length (across all regions and decades) was about 5.5 inches, the study found.
Really?
In some unfortunate news, scientists officially link sports car purchases to smaller penis size.
Hyundai Gets Into Subscriptions
The all-in-one subscription includes insurance, maintenance, and of course an EV
Hyundai is jumping into the vehicle-by-subscription game, with the announcement of its new Evolve+ EV service. It's particularly good for those who are curious about making the jump into electric vehicles.As Autoblog explains, the program lets drivers rent a Kona EV for $699 per month, or an Ioniq 5 for $899 for the same period. Roadside assistance and insurance are also included in the package, along with up to 1,000 miles each month. It's currently available in six states across the country, though the automaker hasn't specified which states.Like most thigns these days, there's an app for the service. Subscribers can go in the app, find a car, and pay online. No pesky human interactions needed until you pick up and drop off the car at your local dealer.
Dig Deeper:
CNET has a guide to the best vehicle subscriptions, a modern alternative to leases and loans.
In Other News
Plumes of smoke, questions about dead animals and the drinking water.
Have you heard about ...
Partner
Invest in Blue-Chip Art
Masterworks is democratizing the art market for everyday investors
While many financial markets tanked in 2022, there was one market that saw its best performance in 277 years. The blue-chip art market. It hauled in nearly $18 billion. Millionaires and billionaires love this market, of course, because it’s always shown strong appreciation—even in high inflation periods. In fact, contemporary art prices outpaced the S&P 500 by 131% from 1995 to 2021. And now you don’t need to be a member of the 1% to get access.Masterworks is an award-winning fintech investment platform that allows people to invest in shares of multi-million dollar art by names like Banksy and Picasso. The innovative investment platform offers an intriguing opportunity to get into the market or diversify your portfolio. What’s more, the whole process is streamlined and the platform is easy to use so that you can add shares of valuable artwork to your portfolio in just a few steps. Ready to get started?(Note: IRR may not be indicative of Masterworks paintings not yet sold and past performance is not indicative of future results. See important Regulation A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.)
Get Access:
Shopping
What We’re Buying
Quality Sunglasses Under $100
An aviator-shaped sunglass frame for under $100 is always a steal. Akila handcrafts all of their glasses, and this pair features sturdy reinforced rivets and scratch-resistant lenses.
Get It:
Jive sunglasses, $130 / $84 by Akila Eyewear
Morning Motto
Don’t give up without a fight.
▾
Follow:
Share today’s motto:
