Reebok Classic is taking it back to the ‘90s with the launch of the new Pyro, the first sneaker silhouette to be highlighted as part of the brand’s all new ‘Ready Now’ campaign. The 90s was a time when individuals dared to challenge the sartorial status quo, pushing creative expression to new heights in order to express their identity. ‘Ready Now’ embodies the bold creative expression of the 90s.
The ‘Ready Now’ campaign launches with Kabrina Adams, style outlier and frontwoman of the all-female skate crew The Skate Kitchen. Throughout the campaign imagery, Kabrina showcases how she brings her singular, downtown, non-conformist style to the Pyro. “I don’t like being labeled,” Kabrina says, “I don’t wanna do what I’m supposed, to do I want to do what I want to do.”
Tapping into Reebok Classic’s unparalleled heritage, the Pyro is a true original. Rereleased for the first time since its launch in 1992, the runner enables the creative freedom of the wearer, with an unapologetic design that represents a striking vision of retro sports style. From the same running family as the Aztrek, the Pyro is known for its notable circular design details and was one of the first models of the 90s to feature Hexalite technology in the heel, offering maximum cushioning and shock absorption-without adding weight.
Pryo is available now on Reebok.com and retails for $80.
Knowing where to go in Europe for a leisurely cycling vacation can be tricky. It helps to have good advice from the experts. Freewheel Holidays, the international specialist in self-guided bicycle vacations in Europe, suggests three routes for those new to multi-day bicycle touring who may prefer routes without steep climbs or descents.
UK-based Freewheel Holidays arranges bicycle vacations along mainly traffic- and challenge-free routes. Because guests cycle across mostly flat terrain, the fatigue and frustration factors of challenging inclines are kept out of the equation.
Following are Freewheel Holidays’ suggested itineraries for newbies in Spain’s Catalonia, along the Danube in Austria and in the Loire Valley of France. As with all of its self-guided vacation programs, rates (per person, double) include lodging with breakfast, detailed route notes, point-to-point luggage transfers, 24-hour emergency support, complimentary bike rentals and suggested attractions along each route. E-bike options are available on all of these itineraries. For additional vacation-by-bicycle suggestions see: http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/.
The 7-day Catalonia Greenways itinerary begins with an exploration of a preponderance of extinct volcanoes in Garrotxa Natural Park in the Girona Pyrenees. After wandering the streets of the 13th century market town, Olot, and sampling the local goat cheese, Garrotxa, it’s on to a disused rail line, the traffic-free Carrilet Olot cycle path, downhill through the wood countryside in the mountains, destination the medieval town of Girona. The beach on the Costa Brava awaits, with perhaps a dip in the sea on the northeastern tip of Spain. The per person double rate is from £789 with departures beginning in early January and continuing through end October 2019. See: http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/cycling-holidays/all-cycling-holidays/family-cycling-holidays/catalonia-greenways
The 8-day Danube Cycle Path – Passau to Vienna itinerary explores an ancient military and trading route on paths along the Danube River once traversed by Romans, the legendary Nibelungs (think Wagner) and even Europe’s powerful kings and emperors. The adventure begins in the baroque town of Schärding or in Passau, the town of three rivers, before moving on through Upper and Lower Austria and finally to Vienna. The per person double rate is from £549 with departures beginning in early April and continuing through mid October 2019. See: http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/cycling-holidays-austria/passau-vienna-danube
A 7-day Loire Valley Castles itinerary guides guests through the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage region, that is also known as “garden of France.” Here is a display of one-time wealth and imminence as reflected in the more than 200 castles. Among these is the Clos-Luce manor in Amboise where Leonardo lived for three years (and died) and where some of his remarkable inventions are on display. Cycling through this luxuriant countryside rife with fields of wheat and barley, poppies and centennial oaks is joy in and of itself, with opportunities aplenty to sample the wines of this renowned food and wine region. Concluding the tour is one of the most famous and majestic of all Loire castles, Château de Chambord, that lends its name to a liqueur and that after 288 years in construction, served as a royal hunting lodge. The per person double rate is from £609 with departures beginning late April and continuing into mid September 2019. See http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/cycling-holidays-france/loire-valley-castles
A photographic tale of the aspirations of four women and their determination to achieve their goals, each one pursuing her own dreams and passions. This is “Dreaming”, the 2019 Pirelli Calendar, now in its forty-sixth edition, shot by Albert Watson in April in Miami and New York and unveiled today at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan.
A sequence of forty shots tells the stories of characters portrayed by Gigi Hadid with Alexander Wang, Julia Garner, Misty Copeland with Calvin Royal III and Laetitia Casta with Sergei Polunin. The photographs, in colour and black and white, are in the cinematic 16:9 format, inspired by Albert Watson’s passion for the art of film.
“When I approached this project,” says Watson, “I wanted to do it in a way that was different from other photographers, and I wondered what the best way would be. In the end, I looked for pictures that were of beautiful quality, with depth to them, and that had some kind of narrative. I wanted to create something that was more than just a portrait of somebody – I wanted it to look like a film still. I wanted people looking at the Calendar to see that my aim was photography in its purest form, exploring the women I was photographing and creating a situation that would convey a positive vision of women today.”
Telling the story of how he came to make the Calendar (see the interview below), the photographer talks of his own dreams, and of the efforts and sacrifices that they entailed.
“To make a dream come true, you have to work hard. I’ve always taken it step by step, reaching one goal at a time, without wanting to get immediately to the top of the ladder. Even though I sometimes think this ladder could go on up forever, with the top rung ever-further away, I think it’s always worth giving yourself increasingly ambitious goals and dreams.”
He said that each of the four women focuses on the future and “has her own individuality, her own particular purpose in life, and her own way of doing things. So the underlying theme is that of ‘dreams’, but the basic idea behind the whole project is that of telling a story in four ‘little movies’. What I wanted to convey were the protagonists’ hopes and their way of thinking about the future, in a way that would bring with it the aspect of dreaming.”
An example of this is the character played by Gigi Hadid, he explained. She has recently separated from her partner, lives alone in a glass tower and has Alexander Wang as her only friend and confidant: “I think there’s a degree of angst in these images. With Hadid’s character, I wanted to convey the sense of a woman thinking about her future, but also showing her in a situation of loneliness. We see her thinking about where she is going to go in life, what she will be doing tomorrow. I wanted it to be much more minimalistic than the other women and settings I photographed.”
Julia Garner plays the part of a young photographer who loves nature and solitude. Of her, Watson says; “Julia’s a very, very accomplished actress and she got straight into the character. She played a botanical photographer who dreams of putting on successful exhibitions. We were in a beautiful tropical garden in Miami, which turned out to be the perfect place for us to work.
Misty Copeland, whose partner in the Calendar is Calvin Royal III, also looks to the future, fantasising about making a name for herself in the world of dance. “Trying to be successful is her driving force,” said Watson. “Copeland’s character earns her living by dancing in a club, but at the same time she has also put up a little stage in her garden, where she practices dancing in order to become a star, sometimes with her boyfriend, played by Calvin Royal III.”
Lastly, Laetitia Casta is a painter who lives in a studio apartment with her partner, played by Sergei Polunin. They both dream of success: she as an artist, he as a dancer. “What’s interesting”, says Watson, “is that, in real life, Laetitia really does do a lot of sculpting and creates artwork in her spare time. This worked out very well and helped her get into character. We decided to shoot outside, to give the scenes some added natural brightness. The tropical atmosphere of Miami is a key component in this picture.”
***
See the stories and stars of the 2019 Pirelli Calendar, and the history of over 50 years of The Cal™, at www.pirellicalendar.com .
PHOTOGRAPHER: ALBERT WATSON
ARTISTIC DIRECTION: BARON & BARON
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: STEVE KIMMEL
CAST
LAETITIA CASTA
MISTY COPELAND
JULIA GARNER
GIGI HADID
SERGEI POLUNIN
CALVIN ROYAL III
ALEXANDER WANG
Q&A WITH ALBERT WATSON
How did you approach the Pirelli Calendar project?
The Pirelli Calendar is a unique project for any photographer. When I first took it on, I wanted to do it in a way that would be different from that of other photographers, and I wondered what the best way would be. In the end, I looked for pictures that were of beautiful quality, with depth to them, and that had some kind of narrative. I wanted to create something that was more than just a portrait of somebody – I wanted it to look just like a film still. I wanted people looking at the Calendar to see that my aim was photography in its purest form, exploring the women I was photographing and creating a situation that would convey a positive vision of women today.
How did you formulate the project?
I wanted to ensure there would be a strong narrative, so I thought: “Let’s try and make the shots look like film stills.” Quite a lot of it was shot in widescreen format. And that was quite challenging. Each of the four women has her own individuality, her own particular purpose in life, and her own way of doing things. And they are all focused on their future. So the underlying theme is that of “dreams”, but the basic idea behind the whole project is that of telling a story in four ‘little movies’.
Could you tell us about the stories that bring your Calendar to life?
Each character has a part to play in the 2019 Pirelli Calendar. In some cases, the role was close to what the actress does for a living, but here they were certainly all acting a part. Not themselves. And that’s what I wanted.
The woman played by Gigi Hadid has just split up with her companion. She has a confidant, not a boyfriend, played by the designer Alexander Wang. He is helping her get over this difficult time. I think there’s a degree of angst in these images. With Gigi Hadid’s character, I wanted to convey the sense of a woman thinking about her future, but also showing her in a situation of loneliness. We see her thinking about where she’s going to go in life, what she’ll be doing tomorrow. I wanted her to be much more minimalistic than the other women I photographed, and I wanted her to be reflected in the settings I portrayed her in. The settings of the other protagonists are pretty crowded, and there’s action in almost all of them.”
Julia Garner’s character is a botanical photographer who dreams of putting on successful exhibitions. Julia’s a very, very accomplished actress and she got straight into the character. We were in a beautiful tropical garden in Miami, which turned out to be the perfect place for us to work.
Misty Copeland and Calvin Royal III, on the other hand, play the part of two dancers who want to become famous and live in an Art Deco house. She’s dreaming of dancing in Paris. She is looking to the future and has ambitions. Trying to be successful is her driving force. Copeland’s character earns her living by dancing in a club, but at the same time she has also put up a little stage in her garden, where she practices dancing in order to become a star, sometimes with her boyfriend, played by Calvin Royal III.
The artist played by Laetitia Casta lives in a studio apartment, which she shares with her partner, played by Sergei Polunin. They are both dreaming of success: she as an artist, he as a dancer. We decided to shoot outside, to give the scenes some added natural brightness. The tropical atmosphere of Miami is a key component in this picture. What’s interesting is that Laetitia told me that, in her spare time, she really does do a lot of sculpting and creates artwork. This worked out very well and helped her get into character.
What was the role played by light in this project?
When I was young, the first famous person I photographed was Alfred Hitchcock. He said: “My dear boy, once you’ve finished the storyboard, the movie is finished – all I have to do is shoot it.” There’s a certain amount of his message that has stayed with me. The 2019 Calendar is like a cinematic storyboard. I was very lucky because I trained as a graphic designer for four years and then I went to The Royal College of Art Film School for three years and I came out as a director. I never trained as a photographer and, from that point on, I had to learn to be a photographer and know about lighting. As a photographer, the technical things for me were very difficult, it wasn’t natural. Intuitively, a cinematic aesthetic was quite natural for me to follow. A lot of my work is based on graphics and film or sometimes on a combination of the two. It was quite easy for me to drop into this for the Calendar and produce images like film stills. It was a matter of making all these different elements come together and make a strong narrative. The common denominator is that these people are all active: they’re thinking of their future and they’re dreaming of where they might be in five, ten, twenty years…
Did you like working on the set?
I know some people work well with a lot of tension on set, and part of their creativity comes from this, but I’m actually the opposite of that. If I’m having fun with people, if I’m enjoying being with them and playing around, I get a lot more out of them. I sometimes say to young photographers that it’s ‘location, location, location’. But in a case like this, it’s more ‘preparation, preparation, preparation’. The more you prep for the job, the more creative it will be. It’s thinking and planning, planning, planning. That’s what’s really important.
I had a tremendous amount of support when creating the vision for the Calendar. Steve Kimmel was the art director, along with Arnold Barros and Belinda Scott, and they did a brilliant job. Thanks to their dedication, it all went perfectly. James Kaliardos did our make-up. He did a fantastic job, beautiful, invisible, but yet there. The hair, by Kerry Warne, was always natural for each of the women. He’s had a lot of experience in film work, so he was perfect for this project.
Julia Von Boehm did the styling and fashion editing. On top of that, I had my own team of assistants and digital editors, Taro Hashimura and Emi Robinson, as well as Adrian Potter. All these people contributed in a great way, so this was definitely much more like a film project than a photography one.
Have you fulfilled your dreams?
To make a dream come true, you need to work hard. I’ve always taken it step by step, reaching one goal at a time, without wanting to get immediately to the top of the ladder. Even though I sometimes think this ladder could go on up forever, with the top rung ever-further away, I think it’s always worth giving yourself increasingly ambitious goals and dreams.
On January 1, 2019, American Honda will ring in the New Year and its 60th anniversary celebration with the lead float in the 130th Rose Parade® presented by Honda. The company’s float entry, “Celebration of Dreams,” will pay tribute to Honda’s heritage in the U.S. and its dreams for the future.
The 25-foot tall float will be shaped like a giant birthday cake to mark the occasion, complete with special “candles”—60 members of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands. The band members’ schools recently participated in the Honda Battle of the Bands, an annual showcase created by Honda as part of the company’s commitment to the HBCU community and music education.
The floral confection will also feature a re-creation of the company’s first Los Angeles storefront. The float will be punctuated by vibrant color, music and video, with screens that share the story of American Honda’s commitment to the community.
“For 60 years, Honda has celebrated the power of dreams and has been committed to making the communities where we live and work better places for future generations,” said Steve Morikawa, vice president of Corporate Relations & Social Responsibility, American Honda. “We look forward to celebrating this anniversary with our customers while continuing to provide products and services that will bring them joy for years to come.”
The main float will be surrounded by five satellite units, each dedicated to Honda products, themes and milestones:
Honda Super Cub. The product that marked American Honda’s debut and represents Honda’s motorcycle heritage.
Environment. This unit will showcase a floral re-creation of the 1975 Honda Civic CVCC, the vehicle that was the first to satisfy U.S. Clean Air Act standards without the use of a catalytic converter. It serves as a reminder of Honda’s mission to reduce the impact of its products and operations on the environment.
Safety. Honda believes in Safety for Everyone. To visually demonstrate this, the float unit will feature crash test dummies surrounded by an arch with five stars. The arch symbolizes the top crash safety rating available in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s NCAP program, which top rating has been earned by many Honda and Acura vehicles.
American Manufacturing. Focused on American Honda’s manufacturing presence, this float will highlight the 25 millionth vehicle built in the U.S.—and one of the best-selling vehicles in its vehicle lineup—the Honda Accord*.
Future. Honda believes in the Power of Dreams and is fulfilling its dreams of flight on the wings of HondaJet.
In keeping with Honda’s commitment to the environment, the float will be powered by a specially configured low-emission, Honda hybrid powertrain. The Parade’s theme banner float will also be powered by Honda hybrid technology.
In addition to the float, the 2019 Honda Insight will be the Parade’s Official Pace Car. The Insight offers exceptional fuel economy ratings and advanced standard safety features and joins the Clarity series and Accord Hybrid as the fifth Honda electrified vehicle introduced in the past year. The 2019 Acura RDX will serve as the Sound Car. This third-generation RDX is the first to be designed and engineered in America, with styling design conducted in the Acura Design Studio in Los Angeles, California, and development and manufacturing conducted in Ohio.
The 130th Rose Parade® presented by Honda will be broadcasted at 8:00 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.
Maison Perrier-Jouët presents EDEN by Perrier-Jouët: an ephemeral, immersive experience, taking place at Faena Hotel, in parallel with Design Miami/, the contemporary art fair that the House has collaborated with for the past seven years. On 5th December, the biggest names in Miami came together to discover Art of the Wild, the extravagant universe as seen by the House to re-enchant the everyday through the presence of unbridled nature. It continues to enchant Miami with a packed programme of events.
Maison Perrier-Jouët is taking over Miami, where it unleashed EDEN by Perrier-Jouët: an invitation to delve into the House’s relationship with art and nature that spans back to its foundation. It was the ideal setting for spreading Art of the Wild, the House’s vision of an unexpected and joyful world, where nature reveals itself in all its liberty and exuberance. Reflecting this vibrant spirit, Winnie Harlow hosted a party on 5th December where people from all horizons were brought together for a unique champagne experience.
The House spread Art of the Wild by setting up this space on the beach. It was fitted with graphics created by Luftwerk, a creative duo commissioned by the House last year to interpret its cultural heritage, in particular the anemone motif designed in 1902 by Emile Gallé – one of the masters of Art Nouveau – that adorns bottles from the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque collection. The immersion continued with a virtual reality journey that began in the heart of the magnetic nature of Art of the Wild and took guests on an exploration of the House’s cellars in Epernay, Champagne. Rounding things off, a photobooth in the same style was set up to capture highlights of the festivities.
Created for the House by British designer Bethan Laura Wood, HyperNature takes the form of a tree with an extravagant, intense presence. It proposes a new, whimsical champagne experience where flutes can be “plucked” directly from the branches, as a grape might be plucked from a vine. It is also on display in the Collectors Lounge of Design Miami/ throughout the fair.
EDEN by Perrier-Jouët presents two packed days and nights of Art of the Wild events, during which guests can taste a selection of Maison Perrier-Jouët’s cuvées. On the 5th, the House hosted a talk with Bethan Laura Wood, organised by Dazed Arts. On the 6th, Maison Perrier-Jouët is welcoming a creative brunch with food designer Laila Gohar and sunset cocktails to accompany a private trunk show presenting the new jewellery collection by Jade Jagger. Rounding off the residency will be the launch of the CR Fashion Book Calendar with Estee Lauder. A complete schedule covering lifestyle, fashion, food and design, reflecting the House’s openness to all forms of creativity.
At the EDEN by Perrier-Jouët, just as at Design Miami/, the House shares its approach to champagne that stands apart from customary codes, stemming from its creative freedom and unconventional observations of nature, supported by a community of free spirits who share its values. These “Artisans of the Wild” come from a variety of creative fields, including design, fashion and gastronomy – represented by Bethan Laura Wood, Winnie Harlow and Laila Gohar, respectively – as well as art and hospitality. Along with its Artisans of the Wild, the House is writing a new chapter in a story that has been unfolding for over 200 years.
Just recently, the 25-year old rapper-singer-songwriter and Broward Country native Jordan Hollywood releases his music video for “Finally,” which is the title track off his Quality Music Control Music debut EP FINALLY.
In “Finally,” Jordan continues his trend of having cinematic visuals working with his longtime video director Christian Breslauer. The opening scene finds him in the center of a storm. This symbolizes Jordan’s feelings about people who betrayed him. He was hurt but instead of dwelling he channels that energy into hustling harder. The final scene displays half the room waking up from a slumber, which symbolizes people are finally starting to notice Jordan Hollywood.
“Finally” has so many different emotions for me. These built up emotions turned me into a new person. People counted me out. People turned their backs on me. People have been sleeping on me my whole career. Now people are finally waking up,” said Jordan on the video.
Jordan also recently released the music videos for “Leave Me” and “Let Me Find Out” which features Lil Baby. The video gained over a million views within a week of its release and now clocks over 7.5 million views. “Let Me Find Out” is also impacting airwaves as the second most added song at urban radio.
Jordan has been in the game as a co-writer for French Montana, Jason Derulo, and more. He spent time ghost writing for different rappers. Jordan has been releasing music since 2011 as a teenager and has collaborated with Yo Gotti, Lil Baby, Ronny J, Tory Lanez,Lil Durk, Hitmaka, and longtime producers SkipOnDaBeat (G-Eazy, Kodak Black) and platinum record making producer Smash David (Big Sean, Khalid, Chris Brown). Jordan comes from the diverse Broward County, the same area that spawned a slew of rappers from Kodak Black, Smokepurpp, Lil Pump and the late XXXTENTACION.
Today, Ella Mai is releasing another Ellasode for her recently unrolled YouTube series. This Ellasode contains never before seen footage of the 24k Magic World Tour. After recently appearing in the lineup for NBC’s Christmas In Rockefeller Center show, Ella will be performing on Good Morning America this Friday. She is also preparing to kick off The Debut Tour on January 8 in Birmingham, UK at O2 Institute 2.
1 Set Micro Goals: Break your large goals into smaller steps. If you’d ultimately like to lose 100 pounds, start 10. If you’d like to cut out sugar, cut it out at a few meals first. If you’d like to make it in the gym 5/6 days a week over the next year, focus on making it 5/6 a week for the next month. Not only do micro-goals make your larger goals more manageable, they also give you a psychological confidence boost by achieving them.
2 Don’t Over Complicate Things: There’s keto, cardio timing, CrossFit, paleo, HIIT, classes, Powerlifting, gluten free, bodybuilding, macro counting… there are a million different buzz words in the fitness industry. Keep it simple when you’re starting out.
3 Focus on the FOUR Pillars: There are four pillars – nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and stress. Focus on eating a nutrient rich diet that puts you in a caloric deficit (and drinking about a gallon of water), moving more than you normally would through exercise or activity, getting better, longer sleeps, and making efforts to reduce your stress. As you move closer to your goals and get a handle on those four basic tenants, you can start to focus on other variables. Nail the basics. THEN upgrade
Dunton Hot Springs, the iconic 19th-century ghost mining town turned luxury resort in the Colorado Rockies, has introduced a brand-new winter activities program for the 2018/2019 ski season.
Guests at Dunton can choose from a selection of guided outdoor adventures this winter, which are now included in the nightly rates. For the non-skier looking for a great workout, Dunton offers snowshoeing, the perfect way to explore the more than 1,600 acres of private snowy wilderness area of the San Juan Mountains, to which Dunton Hot Springs is home. At Dunton River Camp, the summer-only tented camp just four miles down river from Dunton Hot Springs, guests can now explore this area in wintertime with the new Winter Wonderland experience, featuring a day of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating and horse-drawn sleigh rides pulled by the resort’s beautiful Percheron horses, with time to relax by the fire with a hot beverage in the farmhouse. And for guests seeking a more “elevated” experience, Dunton can take them out on a Nordic Ski Adventure on the High Meadows, which starts with an exciting Snow Cat ride up to 10,000 feet for an exhilarating day of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
The winter experience at Dunton also offers the option to book a wealth of private, a la carte activities, from snowmobiling and ice climbing to heli-skiing and backcountry skiing. And for a more intimate evening for couples, Dunton now offers a Sleigh Ride & Dine experience, which takes guests out as the sun sets on a private sleigh ride, followed by dinner for two in the original 19th-century farmhouse at Dunton River Camp, capped off with a bonfire and cocktails under the stars.
A winter stay at Dunton Hot Springs can also be paired with a stay at Dunton Town House, the collection’s five-bedroom luxury inn in Telluride, which was just named #1 on the “Top Hotels in Colorado” list and #4 on “The Best Hotels in the U.S.” list in the 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards from Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Guests who book a wintertime stay of at least two nights at both Dunton Hot Springs and Dunton Town House (and at least two of the properties, including Dunton River Camp, in summertime) will receive a 15% discount off their entire stay.
