The original Birkin—the all-black prototype created for Jane Birkin by Hermès—is up for auction.
The all-black Hermès Birkin created for Jane Birkin in 1984—a one-off prototype with seven singular design details—will headline Sotheby’s Fashion Icons auction in Paris this July. Delivered to Birkin in 1985 and never replicated in production, the bag marks the genesis of what would become the most coveted handbag in fashion history. Sotheby’s will preview it in New York before the sale, timed to coincide with Paris Haute Couture Week.
Luca Guadagnino is reportedly in talks to direct a drama based on OpenAI.
Luca Guadagnino is in talks to direct Artificial, a drama centered on the 2023 ousting and swift reinstatement of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The film, scripted by Simon Rich and fast-tracked at Amazon MGM, is expected to begin production this summer, with Andrew Garfield, Monica Barbaro, and Yura Borisov circling key roles. If finalized, it would mark Guadagnino’s third collaboration with the studio.
Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal superfund site will get a flashy new residential tower by BIG.
Bjarke Ingels Group has released plans for a stepped, sculptural tower along Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal, part of a broader push to redevelop the Superfund-designated zone into a residential hub. The 27-story structure will include 1,000 apartments—250 of them affordable—as well as a public park, artist spaces, and elevated ground floors designed to mitigate flood risk. The project follows the 2021 rezoning that cleared the way for large-scale development in the once heavily industrial neighborhood.
After years of missteps and scandals, Nike appears to be hitting its stride with women.
After years of false starts and cultural missteps, Nike has begun to show signs of real traction with women, driven by a new leadership slate, athlete-led product design, and high-profile campaigns like A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe. The brand is pairing marketing muscle with structural shifts—including its partnership with Skims and the elevation of Amy Montagne to brand president—to reframe its relationship with female consumers. Success still depends on long-term follow-through, but for the first time in decades, Nike’s women’s business feels less like an afterthought and more like a center of gravity.
Lionsgate is eagerly exploring applications of AI editing software on its post-production processes.
Lionsgate is actively testing AI tools to streamline post-production, slash costs, and repackage existing films for new audiences. Studio vice chair Michael Burns described scenarios ranging from converting live-action blockbusters into PG-13 anime to swapping costly battlefield shoots for AI-generated visuals. While the tech raises questions about artistic integrity, Lionsgate sees it as a way to green-light projects that would otherwise be financially out of reach.
Today’s attractive distractions:
A ‘Wicked: For Good’ trailer is here—and so are Ariana and Cynthia’s new little outfits.
Loved Luna Luna? This playable mini-golf course in Melbourne is for you.
Beat the summer heat in Marseille with a visit to Le Corbusier’s “urban utopia.”
In preparation for the latest, look back on 25 years of Serpentine Pavilions.
