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27th May 2019

Rihanna’s current quest for world domination means she needs a good team by her side. And believe it or not, there are a lucky, hard-working few out there, who have been plucked from obscurity and placed into the world of Fenty by the singer herself.

Hector Espinal, is one such human.

A former Sephora Pro make-up artist, Espinal worked his way up from the cashier to Global Artist for the beauty giant. Eight years later, Espinal found himself at Paris Fashion Week, where he met Rihanna and the rest, as they say, is beauty history.

“We met, and it was a crazy connection, and from there I was asked to do Fentybeauty.com on a super confidential contract, because nobody knew Fenty was coming out,” Espinal tells Vogue from inside Bondi’s Hotel Ravesis, where the brand launched its Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer into the Australian market.

Espinal’s relationships with Rihanna snowballed from there, auditioning for the role of Fenty Beauty’s Global Makeup Artist, being hand-picked by Rihanna herself in 2017 after a grueling selection process.

“Then I auditioned for her position, and that was truly the one moment where I felt like I was a make-up artist, because I’m like, ‘how did I: one, get here, and two, I can’t believe that I auditioning to be Rihanna’s make-up artist!’”

The last hurdle in the auditioning process was to paint Rihanna’s face and interpret her signature look, the ‘Fenty face’.

The ‘Fenty face’, for those keen to emulate Rihanna’s signature look, involves Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Instant Retough Primer, Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer, Match Stix Matte Skintick and the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder.

But on that fateful day, Rihanna also wanted the artists to include a classic red lip and then “on top of that, you had to do your signature look, like ‘who are you as an artist’,” Espinal recalls, adding, “Just the fact that she let us play with her face was rewarding at that, and that was it.”

Espinal’s red lip was a success with the singer choosing him, alongside fellow make-up artist Priscilla Ono, for the role of Global Makeup Artist. And now, Espinal has, quite literally, got skin in the Fenty Beauty game, having been deeply involved in product development.  

“I think what makes it important is because as artists, we understand what the woman needs, or the client in general,” Espinal says of his role in product development.

“For me, it’s one of the best parts of my job, especially when I see it coming alive I’m like anxiously waiting for the reveal,” Espinal says of the process, noting he often hops online to read reviews straight after a product is launched. 

And how involved is Rihanna in her game-changing beauty brand? 

“She’s extremely one-hundred and a thousand-percent involved in this brand, so when we did the bronzers, one of the reasons why we kept on sending them back was because she didn’t feel like the formula was perfect, or she thought it was too red, or too neutral, or whatever the case was,” Espinal reveals, adding the whole process is all about teamwork.

“She would always give her honest feedback. She’s heavily involved in everything!”

It’s this attention to detail and yearning to give her Fenty acolytes only the most perfect product that meant the brand’s first bronzer took two years to get right. 

“Two intense, long years in the making and I’ll tell you why: one, because we really wanted to master a formula that did not show up muddy, or blotchy. Two, the colour range,” Espinal divulges, adding it’s impossible to produce 50 bronzers to match the brand’s foundation offering.

“How can we target the four families: light, medium, tan, deep? So we created two bronzers per family, one on the neutral side, one a little bit warm. It took two years because we needed to stabilise a formula, make it easily buildable, and then transfer-resistant, and make the tones right so that anyone could find a bronzer,” Espinal reveals.

Thoughtfully, Rihanna has also produced two new brushes to sculpt and dust on the Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer – she’s really thought of everything. 

“After I got the job, she’s always said like, ‘I love how precise you are’,” Espinal recalls of his boss, Rihanna. 

And if Rihanna thinks Espinal’s hands are the best to be involved in creating Fenty, then we do too. 

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Photographer: Getty Images

Buy One, Get One Free isn’t the sort of sales incentive you’d expect to find in a luxury fashion boutique. Yet in the last few years, one would be forgiven for thinking there are bargains to be found in the form of two-for-the-price-of-one luxury goods that bear the branding of not one, but two monolithic brands.

Fashion – or luxury, rather – has caught the collaboration bug. Look no further than Louis Vuitton and Supreme, which sold out at eight dedicated pop-ups around the world and has rocketed in resale value on platforms such as Grailed and eBay – you can currently buy a red keepall for just under £14,000 on the latter, almost six times the original retail price. Elsewhere, there’s also been the unexpected combinations of Fendi and Fila (above), Polo Ralph Lauren and Palace, JW Anderson and Converse, Burberry and Gosha Rubchinskiy, and Vetements and just about everyone.

In February 2018, Moncler launched a dramatic new business structure entirely centred on multiple collaborations with a diverse range of designers, such as Valentino’s resident couturier Pierpaolo Piccioli, lauded London designers Simone Rocha and Craig Green, buzzy streetwear label Palm Angels, and cult Japanese designers Hiroshi Fujiwara and Kei Ninomiya. The Italian brand put its 27 per cent jump in revenue in the first half of 2018 down to its Genius project, which has already lived up to its name.

Tod’s has also launched a similar initiative titled Tod’s Factory, a non-seasonal collaboration in the form of a capsule collection, the first of which is designed by Alessandro Dell’Acqua. Last year, Burberry dropped a capsule collection designed by Vivienne Westwood – just in time for a collaboration-friendly Christmas.

If it all sounds familiar that’s because it is – albeit at a much more accessible level. Limited-edition collaborations are nothing new. In fact, they’ve always been a mutually beneficial trade-off for catwalk designer and mass-market retailers or sportswear giants.

Just look at H&M’s ambitious partnerships with just about every monolithic fashion designer – from Karl Lagerfeld and Martin Margiela to Rei Kawakubo and Donatella Versace. This year, the Swedish fashion label’s buzzed-about partnership is with Paris-based couturier Giambattista Valli. The collaboration was announced at the 26th annual amfAR Gala, with Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Bianca Brandolini, Chris Lee [Li Yuchun], H.E.R., and Ross Lynch turning the red carpet into a veritable runway. For the first time, the retail giant will do a double drop: a limited edition collection launching in stores on May 25, and a second (larger drop) in November, as per tradition.

Indeed, making catwalk fashion available to a wider audience is a central tenet to H&M’s approach. Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s creative advisor, points out that when the first collaboration (with Karl Lagerfeld no less) was launched, it was expected to be on the rails for weeks, but completely sold out. “The word collaboration is now part of fashion’s everyday language,” she says. “With each of the collaborations, the aim is to pinpoint the essence of the brand. It is all about capturing the designers’ or the brands’ DNA and offering it to the world."

At the height of H&M’s collaborations – which have arguably waned over the years, according to media impressions – it was the blue-chip designers who were in feverish demand. In 2018, the tables have turned with Jeremy Scott’s Moschino [tv] H&M. Now, it’s the cheap-but-cool streetwear and sportswear labels that really matter – and the luxury brands are the ones eager to get in on the action.

For younger designers, collaborations with mass-market retailers can be a lifeline. In New York, designers such as Prabal Gurung, Jason Wu and Proenza Schouler have partnered with Target. In London, runway stars Christopher Kane, Ashish, House of Holland, Charles Jeffrey and the now-defunct Meadham Kirchhoff have relied on collaborations with Topshop to bolster business.

“We have to keep it interesting and keep the momentum going, and I have to keep challenging myself, otherwise I would still be making ruffled shorts,” Jonathan Anderson said at the launch of JW Anderson’s collaboration with Converse (above). “Sometimes you have to change the fundamentals of what you’re into, which takes a lot of energy. You have to question yourself and think of how you keep your brand moving forward.”

Anderson has collaborated with several brands including Uniqlo (above), Sunspel, Topshop, Converse and even Diet Coke, and has acknowledged that collaborating with flagship brands is an essential part of growing a fledgling label. “Converse or Uniqlo serve an incredible purpose to me,” he says. “They are universal and I would love JW Anderson to be that universal, but we don’t have that [production] volume.”

“Collaborations are not going away soon — they are a much needed marketing tool to assist institutions with cutting through the massive amount of noise which is disseminated through owned, earned, and paid-for media every single day,” says Marc Beckman, CEO of DMA United, an advertising and talent agency that has brokered deals with Target for several designers, as well as deals between Jeremy Scott and Pepsi and the NBA. “North of seven digits is not uncommon now,” adds Beckman, who points out that pre-recession a designer could earn as little as US$20,000 to participate in a mass market collaboration. Today, Beckman says that fees continue to increase exponentially. “If properly executed, this can bring [designers] significant brand awareness, exposure to new audiences, and of course, meaningful revenue.”

So why are established luxury brands tapping into collaborations right now? As creative directors continue to play musical chairs, coming and going at an unprecedented speed, collaborations provide a sense of security for fashion executives and allow brands to tap into the non-seasonal ‘drops’ that have been popularised by streetwear labels, such as Palace and Supreme. Collaborations are no longer just celebrity lines for mass-market retailers or designers creating cheaper facsimiles of their most recognisable designs or looks. Right now, it’s about high-low, hype-slow, luxe-street juxtapositions.

“Fashion collaborations are one of the levers that brands are using to surprise consumers, get their attention and drive traffic to stores,” explains Luca Solca, head of luxury goods at Exane BNP Paribas. “We are living in an era of abundance, with many brands competing for the consumer wallet. Surprise – with new products, new communication, new stores – is of the essence and that’s the main reason behind pop-up stores and collaborations.”

It’s no coincidence that Off-White, which is known for its relentless collaborations, was named by Lyst as the “hottest brand on the planet” last year, according to the inaugural Lyst Index. Part of the brand’s meteoric success, according to Lyst, is Virgil Abloh’s collaboration with Nike. However, there’s also his hook-ups with Ikea, Rimowa, Levi’s, Dr Martens, Byredo, Jimmy Choo, Kith, Moncler, Warby Parker, Umbro and Champion to name a few.

What once would have been considered brand dilution for a luxury brand is now seen as brand enrichment. If there was ever any doubt, in March 2018, Abloh was named the new artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton, a brand that has a long history of collaborations with artists and designers, and recently experienced blockbuster success with its logo-heavy Supreme collaboration, which sold out at pop-up locations around the world.

For the customers who queued and were limited to purchasing only a few items, it all came down to one thing. Well, two things, really.Click Here:

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27th May 2019

It’s the opening night of Sydney’s Vivid and the Opera House has transformed into a shimmering show of colourful projections creating a magical setting for this year’s most anticipated gig, the world premiere of the 30th anniversary of The Cure’s seminal 1989 album, Disintegration. 

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A major coup for the Vivid Festival trumping other major cities to host the anniversary gigs, this show was going to be special, but for devoted Cure fans, the lead up to this moment has been intense.  

A ballot system randomly selected the few who would land a seat in the intimate concert hall venue. Among the disappointed fans who missed out there were frenzied messages: Who secured tickets? Who had a spare? Was there any other way to get a ticket? There was a glimmer of hope when a fifth gig was announced and then another roller coaster of joy and sorrow as less than 10 per cent of over 100,000 hopefuls were allocated a ticket.  

So here we are, the chosen ones, fully hyped and waiting patiently. Through the smoky haze appears the familiar silhouette of Robert Smith, all in black, big teased hair and this supposedly seated gig erupts into a standing ovation before the first note has been played. The audience is committed, devoted and the atmosphere is electric.

Opening with the majestic melancholy of Plainsong, followed by Pictures of You, we are launched into a journey through Disintegration in its entirety, an album that has often been described as The Cure’s masterpiece. Nostalgia takes me back to of a time when we listened to albums from beginning to end, over and over, falling in love with some songs instantly and allowing the growers to gradually embed in our consciousness, often becoming favourites. Today, we are more likely to cherry-pick our top tracks into playlists or lazily leave it to our apps to tell us what we should be listening to. Back then we invested the time to get to know the music and allowed ourselves to be taken on a journey – a wonderfully gloomy journey in the case of Disintegration.

The crowd is standing and swaying as we hear the beautiful simplicity of Lovesong, the churning bass of Fascination Street, the dramatically disturbing Prayers for Rain. Smith’s vocals are powerfully haunting and pitch perfect as if no time has passed.

An encore of rare B-sides heightens the feeling of intimacy, as if the band has invited us back to theirs for a private after-party.

Looking at the joy-filled faces in the crowd bellowing out Smith’s elaborately poetic lyrics, it’s clear that The Cure still mean so much to so many. Their unique brand of gloomy pop is profoundly moving, almost hypnotic. It seeps deep into your heart and bones and tonight’s performance of Disintegration is a triumph.

While the music conjures a slightly confused feeling of being sadly uplifted, one thing is clear – it is a true privilege to be in this room.

The Cure’s final Vivid Live show on 30th May 8pm (AEST) will be streamed live on The Sydney Opera House Facebook page and YouTube channel for fans worldwide.

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27th May 2019

Less than 12 months after 24-year-old Hayley Raso, a winger for Brisbane Roar in the W-League and Portland Thorns in the NWSL, broke three of her vertebrae in an on-field collision, the Australian footballer is gearing up to represent the country at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France this June.

The injury that left Raso questioning whether she’d ever be able to walk again, let alone play football, occurred during a game in Washington while playing for Portland in August 2018. The impact of the high-speed knee to the back left the winger confined to a hospital bed for weeks and in rehab for months. 

“That was obviously the lowest point in my career and I think in my life in general. It was really tough and it was a really hard time for me,” she told Vogue. “I was in hospital for a month and then I rehabbed for six months, learning to walk again, to basically do everyday activities.”

Six months after the incident, Raso made a triumphant return to the pitch for the Matildas in the Cup of Nations, scoring a goal against New Zealand just minutes after making her long-awaited debut.  

“When I ran for the first time and played for the first time it was pretty overwhelming for me and so exciting after everything I’d been through,” she explained, enduring what was nothing short of a gruelling rehab and recovery process. 

“I’ve had a lot of setbacks and a lot of people who said I wouldn’t make it,” Raso continued. “It’s just about continually proving yourself and working hard. If you have a dream you can reach it,” she added.

Raso joined Australia’s national women’s football team in 2012. While she did in fact travel with the Matildas to Canada in 2015 for her first world cup, she enthuses that she’s eager to represent the country at her second in France this June, given that she didn’t get the chance to play any minutes on the pitch. 

“It’s a dream for most people to represent their country so, to me, living it, it’s just an incredible experience really,” she told Vogue. “I think being a part of a team and working as a team makes it that extra bit special. Having your friends around you with training and playing week in, week out, just makes it a lot more enjoyable.”

As for how Raso managed to go from rehab to representing Australia in less time then we’d imagined physically possible, the sports star explains it’s all about rest, recovery and remembering to put in the hard work in order to reap the benefits. 

“It’s training every day, it’s recovering right, it’s making sure your body is fuelled with the right foods so you can train and perform at your peak,” she says. Emphasising the importance of setting goals, she adds, “even on those bad days you know you’re working towards something that’s going to be so big and so special.”

Raso is also studying to be a paramedic, a profession she’s aspired to since she was a child. “For me, playing soccer that’s a dream, but then knowing that once my soccer career is over I have something to look forward to and a job that I’ll be set up with, it’s great,” she shares. 

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With the FIFA Women’s World Cup around the corner, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics firmly in her sights, and a rewarding career as a paramedic in her incredibly bright future, we’re pegging Hayley Raso as one to watch. 

For more, catch up on all you need to know ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup here. 

Image: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Instagram.com/tomarcherphoto

One of the most rewarding things about travelling is stepping out of your comfort zone, experiencing an entirely foreign landscape and community. However, too often, travellers are unknowingly disrespectful in their approach to people and the environment. Responsible travellers should consider skipping all-inclusive resorts and support local-run businesses instead, as well as consider the environment when commuting short distances, and respect local customs and traditions. For those seeking an education in awareness, try a tailored tour with the aim to support communities and the environment. Tours that give back – such as those listed below – will benefit the destination you’re visiting, while simultaneously showing you remarkable parts of the world.

Image: Luang Prabang, Laos. Instagram.com/johan_drone_adventures

Teach English to disadvantaged women in Laos
The ancient city of Luang Prabang in Laos is an UNESCO World Heritage Site full of Buddhist temples and stunning river scenery – but it’s also a place where many women have hard lives and limited educational opportunities. Responsible Travel offers programs where you can help by teaching English, among other subjects (like health and small business).

Visit: responsibletravel.com

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Image: Gunlom Falls, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory. Instagram.com/elliotgrafton

Kakadu & Arnhem Land safari
Embrace the indigenous culture of Australia on a tour of Kakadu and Arnhem Land, with permission from the traditional owners. The tour involves visits to arts and crafts centres owned and operated by local artists. You will also have the opportunity to discover Australia’s wildlife, including native birds and saltwater crocodiles.

Visit: lords-safaris.com

Image: Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand. Instagram.com/mllevalomolo

Environmental conservation in New Zealand
Experience the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand while helping to conserve them. The program includes costal restoration, tree planting and surveying of flora and fauna.

Visit: twac.com.au

Image: Flamingos, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Instagram.com/daveburnsphoto

Travel with purpose in Tanzania
Embark on a humanitarian journey through the heart of Africa. The tour starts in the pretty town of Arusha, where you will meet disabled workers who created recycled glass products, before moving to Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. Throughout the tour you will interact with local villages (including the famous Maasai village), while being educated on conservation and community development in the region.

Visit: andbeyond.com

Image: Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa. Instagram.com/andbeyondphinda

Wildlife conversation in South Africa
Guests will experience the scenic landscapes and wildlife of South Africa including Phinda Game Reserve, Cape Town and Hermanus. The tour has a focus on wildlife conservation, giving travellers the opportunity to help park management individually notch, tag and collect DNA from rhinos in the wild whose livelihoods are under threat due to habitat loss and poaching.

Visit: andbeyond.com

Image: Caye Caulker, Belize. Instagram.com/ninifeh

Marine conservation in Belize
For travellers wanting to take their philanthropic journey to new dimensions, consider a diving experience in the Caribbean. This tailor-made tour is open to all volunteers interested in diving and caring for the environment, and is a step towards helping conserve the Belize Barrier Reef. Throughout the tour you will join a marine conservation team observing whale sharks, conducting reef health checks and hunting invasive species.

Visit: responsibletravel.com

Image credit: Getty Images 

“I’m a Scorpio who gets ghosted by Aries.” Not your average lunchtime conversation starter, but this one-liner is from Diana Silvers, the straight-talking 21-year-old turning heads in two of this month’s big movie releases: (Tate Taylor’s new-wave horror flick) and (Olivia Wilde’s fêted directorial debut).

Armed with intuitive comic timing and a cosmic Julia Roberts-esque smile, Silvers is new-school Hollywood. She isn’t about to refrain from discussing the pitfalls of modern dating, or the times she’s cried during SoulCycle. Today, she’s ridden a Citi Bike in the early summer heat from her home in Williamsburg to meet at Dimes, the Canal Street hangout that counts photographer Petra Collins as a regular.

Lunch itself unfolds like one of Silvers’ self-penned skits – she hopes to take her ‘Children of Serial Killers Support Group’ sketch to one day (“I mean, I live in New York, you know, I’m just putting it out there…”). After three attempts to interrupt her flow, the waiter finally secures her order; a roasted salmon steak, ‘well-done’. Then she returns to sharing her mother’s Nineties passport photo via AirDrop – it’s a Winona-style pixie haircut reference – and discussing the books she currently can’t put down.

Image credit: Francois Duhamel/Annapurna Pictures

“I’m reading this right now,” she says, pulling Eve Babitz’s out of her denim sling bag, pretending to present it to an audience. “This is my book recommendation, world.” Joan Didion, a fellow Californian, is her other favourite female author.

Silvers grew up in Los Angeles in a shambly home originally built by the actor and comedian Joe E Brown. “I think my parents got it at a teardown price,” she says. The fifth of six children, she is the first in her family to go into acting. “Yep, I have a lot of siblings, it was a house full of chaos.” There’s a pause while she stirs the few remaining cubes in her iced coffee. “If I think about it, I can tell you how old they all are.”

At 12 she decided she wanted to act after watching . “I was going through my ‘Oh my god, Leonardo DiCaprio is so hot’ phase,” she says, both hands planted palm down on the bib of her thrifted Calvin Klein overalls. “And then that film changed the way I thought about the world and how I treat people, and I knew what I want to do.” Around the same time she began writing scripts and skits, finishing her first screenplay aged 13, “during the summer that we didn’t have internet”.

Image credit: Getty Images 

By 17, Silvers had been scouted by IMG, just after she’d been accepted into NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, which she funded through modelling jobs when her studies would allow. “It was good timing, NYU is expensive. I’m a public school child by the way,” she says. “I wanna make that v-e-r-y clear.”

Her break came with , M. Night Shyamalan’s fantasy thriller where she played “cheerleading girl number two” and got to work with James McAvoy and Bruce Willis.

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After that it was . And after was . While her arrival in Hollywood seemingly happened overnight, she’s mindful about pacing herself and staying selective over the roles she takes on. “There’s a lot of stuff that I didn’t audition for, because I felt in my gut that it would be jumping the gun. I was always picky even though there was nothing in my career that warranted me to be picky. I was just fortunate that I had modelling as a means to pay for life.”

These days fashion is about red-carpet appearances or prepping for a role, rather than modelling. The actress is fresh from a week-long LA press junket for , in which she plays Maggie, a teenager caught in a partying spree that goes fatefully wrong, alongside Octavia Spencer and Juliette Lewis Stylist Chloe Hartstein texts her to say they’d made it onto American ’s best-dressed list in the sequinscattered Miu Miu gown she wore to the film’s premiere a few days before.

Image credit: Anna Kooris/Universal Pictures

“I never thought I was a fashionable person! This is Diana,” she says, before re-routing the conversation towards Lewis, who plays her mother in the movie. After their second day of rehearsal, Silvers plucked up the courage to talk to her idol. “Juliette, I have a confession,” she told Lewis. “Your character in and how kind she was to Arnie, changed my life and made me want to become an actor.’ Lewis’ reaction was characteristically cool. “‘And now we’re now working together. The universe kind-of worked it out that way.’”

Was she nervous going into the project? “I got nervous a week before we had to do all the intense stuff and called my manager and said ‘I don’t know if I know how to act, tbh’. Then the next day we were on set and I was like ‘, you this’. It’s in me, I know how to do this.”

The career highs are something she puts down to feeling “emotionally available” right now, which doesn’t mean she isn’t immune to moments of unsureness. “The other week I had to turn off my phone and listen to The Paper Kites. Then I got to LA and was like, ‘ohhhhh, you were nervoussss’. Also, ‘you were on your period’. But those will be the days when you have your best auditions. And also the days when you’ll cry in an exercise class. Preferably SoulCycle.”

Image credit: Getty Images

Silvers is part of an evolving Hollywood that is about building a supportive, creative, community. Olivia Wilde’s is the product of an all-female writing team and reads as a of emerging actors aged between 20-25 years old, that aren’t only about making movies. “Everyone in the cast has a side hustle,” she says. Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon and Beanie Feldstein are seasoned Broadway actors; Kaitlyn Dever has a band with her younger sister; Nico Hiraga and Victoria Ruesga are skaters. “Edouardo Franco has his music project ,” Silvers reminds me. “And his majestic locks.”

Diana’s character Hope is framed in the eyes of the film’s co-star Amy (played by Dever) as “the basic hot girl who’s going to peak at high school”, before swooping in for the third-act plot twist.

Wilde personally nurtured the young cast, playing both director and “mom”. “There aren’t  enough synonyms for ‘lovely’ and ‘great’ that I could spew out to describe how wonderful she is as a person and a director,” says Silver, as the waiter swoops in during a rare pause in the conversation. Outside, the city’s afternoon heat is still raging and she has plans to cycle uptown, to read and people-watch in Central Park.

The approach to her future is just as meditative. “I think with anything career-related there really is no rush. I’ve just started, needs to give themselves a break,” she says.“It can be bewildering and discouraging when you see Hollywood royalty doing the stuff you want to be doing, but there’s always the Brad Pitts who come from nowhere and fucking make it.”

When it was revealed that Paris-based, Italian couturier Giambattista Valli had collaborated with H&M on a must-have collection of designs inspired by his signature tulle-layered styles, we had to know more. Now thankfully, we have the answers. To find out what you can expect from the collaboration, when you can shop it and how much it will cost, keep reading. 

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Giambattista Valli,” said H&M creative advisor, Ann-Sofie Johansson. “He is the undisputed master of haute couture with a knack for the memorable silhouette.” And now you, too, can nab one of his famed styles for yourself. 

H&M has joined forces with couturier Giambattista Valli for its 19th annual clothing collaboration with a designer label. The Swedish high-street fashion chain, has revealed the limited-edition collection titled #Project?will be made up of a series of picture-perfect party dresses, as well as a number of tailored pieces for men. This marks Valli’s first foray into menswear. 

“The idea is to bring the Valli DNA of extraordinary, of one-of-a-kind, of uniqueness, of couture” Valli told US Vogue. “We have our fans and they see all these beautiful moments on the red carpet, Valli girls at official events. It’s a nice way to share this flavour with them.”

While Jeremy Scott opted to reveal his 2018 collaboration with H&M during his annual Coachella party, Giambattista Valli chose to announce his collaboration during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival at the 26th annual amfAR Gala. The likes of Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, Bianca Brandolini, Chris Lee [Li Yuchun], H.E.R., and Ross Lynch turned heads in the collection, as Valli debuted his designs for the fashion retailer on the red carpet. 

“I am excited about this collaboration,” said the designer. “H&M gives me the opportunity to bring my vision of style and my celebration of beauty to a wider audience. The goal is to share my love for beauty and to be able to be a part of everyone’s ‘happy moments’, to help create love stories around the world.”

In a first for the fashion chain, Giambattista Valli’s collaboration with H&M will be available to shop in two separate drops. The first, a limited-edition collection, will be available for purchase from May 25, while the second, a larger collection, will makes its way to stores on November 7. 

Both Giambattista Valli x H&M drops – the limited edition collection available on May 25 and the larger collection set to be released on November 7 – will be available from 12 select H&M stores around the world. 

While the price of Giambattista Valli gowns average thousands of dollars, thanks to the designer’s collaboration with H&M, you can get your hands on one of his coveted styles for far less. Prices start from US$18 (AU$26), and reach up to US$649 (AU$938). 

The Swedish high-street fashion chain began collaborating with renowned designers in 2004 when it decided to join forces with Karl Lagerfeld on a must-have collection. Following that successful collaboration, H&M collaborated with between one to three designers each year. Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf and Roberto Cavalli in the years 2005, 2006, and 2007 respectively, and in 2008 and 2009, Comme des Garçons, Matthew Williamson, and Jimmy Choo. Labels Lanvin, Versace, Marni, Maison Martin Margiela, and Isabel Marant have also collaborated with H&M, as have Alexander Wang, Balmain, Kenzo, Erdem and Moschino. 

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Click:best place to sell gold Auckland
There’s no denying the power of a great burger. Whether its the perfect patty (from classic beef to chicken or vegetarian), to the extras like crisp lettuce or pickles, there’s more to a good burger than meets the eye. As International Hamburger Day approaches, we’ve rounded up our favourite 20 burger places in Sydney and Melbourne. Tracking down the juiciest, most mouth-watering burgers, these are
team’s picks for getting your burger fix this weekend.

Sydney

Chicken Confidential, CBD

Chef Luke Mangan is behind these mouth wateringly good burgers. Top chefs doing fast food is officially a trend, but who’s complaining? 

Image credit: Instagram/chicken_confidential

Rockpool Bar and Grill, CBD

Fancy, and definitely a burger for a special occasion, the Rockpool burger is a Sydney staple.

Image credit: Getty Images 

Soul Burger, various locations

Entirely vegan, Soul Burger will delight even those who cringe at the idea of no meat — trust us, you won’t want to have it any other way.

Image credit: Instagram/soulburgerau 

Ume Burger and Bar Ume, Barangaroo and Surry Hills

Japanese-inspired burgers from Kerby Craig, and with kewpie mayo and plenty of chicken katsu, you’re going to want to get yourself there, well, yesterday.  

Image credit: Instagram/umeburger

Burger Project, various locations

Neil Perry’s go at fast food, Burger Project is fast food done the Neil Perry way, aka the best way. 

Image credit: Instagram/burgerproject

Chargrill Charlies, various locations

Confirmed by Justin Bieber. 

Image credit: Instagram/chargrillcharlies

Jack’s Newtown, Newtown

Making waves for all the right reasons, Jack’s cool-kid burgers are great prices. 

Image credit: Instagram/jacksnewtown

Mary’s, Newtown and CBD

Name a more iconic Sydney burger place, we dare you. 

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Image credit: Instagram/marysnewtown

Mister Gee Burger Truck, check their Instagram for locations

Find out what night the Truffle Burger is being sold and get around it, ASAP.

Image credit: Instagram/mistergeeburgertruck

Rascal Burger, Newcastle

It might be out of the city, but Newcastle’s favourite burger deserves a mention. 

Image credit: Instagram/eatrascal

Melbourne

1090 Burger, Richmond

Chili mayo, bacon and cheese are just a few of our favourite ingredients. 

Image credit: Instagram/1090burger

Fat Bob’s, Moorabbin

Finding it is all part of the fun. 

Image credit: Instagram/grillchillwill

Juanita Peaches, Brunswick

If you like fried chicken, you’ll love Juanita Peaches. 

Image credit: Instagram/JuanitaPeaches

Burger Project, CBD

Like we said, Neil Perry’s version of fast food is one to watch. 

Image credit: Instagram/burgerproject

Danny’s, CBD

Since 1945 Danny’s has been doing a great job of being an ultimate destination for burger lovers.

Image credit: Instagram/dannysburgers

Rockpool Bar and Grill, CBD

Never fails.

Image credit: Instagram/the_burger_beer 

Rockwell and Sons, Collingwood

Including ketchup mixed with mayo, these burgers are something else. 

Image credit: Instagram/rockwellandsons

Royale Brothers, Brighton

The best hole in the wall burger joint you’ll find in Melbourne.

Image credit: Instagram/theroyalebros

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28th May 2019

Full House actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, have been front and centre of the largest college admissions scandal in U.S. history involving a number of parents who have been accused of securing their children places in prestigious colleges by admissions fraud.

In the case of Loughlin and Giannulli, the couple have, per The Cut, pleaded not guilty to the charges they’ve been indicted for — “charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering”.

The couple allegedly paid US$500,000 to William ‘Rick’ Singer to secure places for their two daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella, at the University of Southern California by having them designated as “crew recruits”, despite the fact neither girl is a rower.

actress Felicity Huffman has also been caught in the college scandal for allegedly helping her daughter, Sofia Grace Macy, get into college via Rick Singer’s scheme, but has agreed to plead guilty to the fraud charges and in a statement said her daughter knew nothing about her actions.

Until now it was uncertain if Loughlin and Giannulli’s daughters knew of their parents’ alleged actions to secure admission to college. However, according to a new source, Olivia Jade, who is a beauty influencer, knew all about the scam.

“Olivia fully knew what her parents did to get her into USC, but didn’t think there was anything wrong with it,” a source told Us Weekly. “She didn’t get into any other California schools.”

Olivia Jade, 19, has been the most visible of the college kids caught up in the scam thanks to her social media profile, and the influencer even lost a number of sponsorship deals over the scam, including a Sephora deal. But, Us Weekly  reports Olivia Jade is keen to get back to her life as an influencer. “Olivia has been emotional in the midst of all this and definitely wants to make a comeback and still wants to be a beauty influencer,” Us Weekly reports a source said.

But, getting back to her life as an influencer may not be happening any time soon if it turns out that Olivia Jade and/or her sister, Isabella, knew about the scheme. reports a lawyer revealed to the publication that the girls may be “forced” to testify in court against their parents if they were aware of the alleged bribes.

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There are models wearing clothes you can never afford, there are models wearing clothes you want… and then there are models wearing local designer pieces that you can pick up after work. There’s no doubt that seeing your favourite street style star wearing a homegrown Australian label is exciting — it’s sort of like a shared success between the Australian people and the designer themselves, right? So when we spot the likes of Gigi and Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin and Kaia Gerber representing local labels we can’t help but be excited. Below, we’ve rounded up the times when our favourite models wore Aussie labels, because there’s nothing wrong in being a little bit proud every now and again.

Above: Hailey Baldwin wearing
Bec and Bridge’s CoCo Cabana mini dress.

Kendall Jenner wearing Bec & Bridge

Taylor Swift wearing Lover’s
Mimosa Mini Dress

Kendall Jenner wearing Bec & Bridge

Kylie Jenner wearing Johansen’s The Corset Jumper dress

Jessica Alba wearing C/Meo Collective’s Petition dress

Bella Hadid in Sol Sana’s Ezra boot.

Kaia Gerber in Realisation Par’s The Emilie dress in Shanghai Nights.

Gigi Hadid in Manning Cartell’s About A Girl pant.

Kendall Jenner in Bec & Bridge top.

Selena Gomez in Realisation Par’s The Bianca top in Summer Loving Blue.

Bella Hadid in Sol Sana’s Ezra boot.

Kaia Gerber in Alice McCall’s There She Goes Flares and Dream Big Crop.

Sofia Richie in Sol Sana’s Teresa slides.

Kendall Jenner in Bec & Bridge.

Hailey Baldwin in Acler’s Orson Obi Corset Blazer.

Gigi Hadid in Adam Selman x Le Specs ‘The Fugitive’ sunglasses.

Helena Christensen wearing Alice McCall’s Bluesy Jeans.

Taylor Swift wearing OneTeaspoon’s Organic Trucker Shorts.

Billie Eilish wearing an assortment of Heart of Bone jewellery.

Kendall Jenner wearing Peony swimwear. 

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