All posts tagged: designer

How Designer Bags Became the New Male Status Symbol

How Designer Bags Became the New Male Status Symbol

Published by Jenni Sidey

This summer’s FIFA World Cup yielded some of the most cutthroat competition the sports world has ever seen. I’m speaking, of course, about the global battle for bag supremacy. Star footballers Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Virgil van Dijk stepped off planes with luxury bags costing more than most mortgage payments. Spanish wunderkind Lamine Yamal strolled through stadiums carrying an all-star lineup, including a Dior Archie and an enormous tweed Chanel shopping tote. But it was Erling Haaland, Norway’s Viking-like striker, who stole the golden man bag (and blew up social feeds) for his rotation of rare Hermès HACs, the French house’s elongated predecessor to the almighty Birkin. Together, these men pushed the Age of Bag Enlightenment to new heights. To put it another way: Guys are into bags. Luxe bags. Sumptuous bags. Rare unicorn bags. For a subset of fashion-aware men, they are the equivalent of collecting watches or vintage Porsche 911s: a hobby, a reason to nerd out, a statement, and a flex all in one. For a few years now, famous faces …

Wokwi vs Circuit Designer: Top Free ESP32 Simulators

Wokwi vs Circuit Designer: Top Free ESP32 Simulators

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Free ESP32 simulators have become an integral resource for developers, allowing project testing and prototyping without the need for physical hardware. According to ToP Projects Compilation, platforms like Wokwi, Circuit Designer and Vexlio stand out for their distinct functionalities. For instance, Wokwi includes pre-built templates for ESP32 S3, C6 and H2 models, along with a […] The post Wokwi vs Circuit Designer: Top Free ESP32 Simulators appeared first on Geeky Gadgets. Source link

Bob Mackie, Designer to Divas, Dies at 87

Bob Mackie, Designer to Divas, Dies at 87

Published by Sam Flores

Mackie grew up in California and told Vanity Fair last year about his start in the industry. “I was only 22 when I quit art school and went over to Paramount and got the job, and [Academy Award–winning costume designer] Edith Head asked me—she says, ‘Do you know how to do strippers?’” he said. “The ladies who drew for her only drew little costumes, which would be a coat and a dress that matched, or a suit. Those women were beautiful artists. They just didn’t do that.” He married in 1960, soon became a father, and got divorced a few years later. In 1963 he met Ray Aghayan, a costume designer for The Judy Garland Show. The two remained partners in work and life until Aghayan’s death in 2011. Mackie’s career was not without scandal. In June 1993, when Mackie was 53, Nikki Finke published “Trouble in the House of Mackie” in Vanity Fair. “When I’m working, I don’t want any distractions. They disrupt my creative flow,” Mackie said in an interview for the article. …

Legendary fashion designer for Cher and Diana Ross dies

Legendary fashion designer for Cher and Diana Ross dies

Published by Sam Flores

Legendary fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie, whose sequined gowns for Cher, Diana Ross, Tina Turner and other stars dazzled red carpets for decades, has sewn his final stitch. Mackie died Monday at 87, according to a post on his Instagram account. “He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do,” the post read. “His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.” His longtime publicist Jenelle Hamilton confirmed that he died of pneumonia Monday morning in Palm Springs, California. Known as the “sultan of sequins,” Mackie dressed some of Hollywood’s biggest names over more than 50 years. His creations for celebrities like Carol Burnett, Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand stunned both performers and fans alike and remain some of the most iconic costumes ever worn. “Every time I put something on that Bob made, I felt very, very special,” Sir Elton John said on social media Monday. “His costumes were …

How designer Bryan Hearns mastered leather, lace, and hardware

How designer Bryan Hearns mastered leather, lace, and hardware

Published by Sam Flores

This story is part of Image’s August Adornment issue, which dives into loud, expressive and distinctive accessories. On the seventh floor of a building in the Fashion District, Bryan Hearns shows me to his studio, where containers brim with colorful rhinestones, walls are adorned with zippers, chains and pliers, and rainbow fabrics and leathers pile on the floor. Hearns describes the space to me as “reflecting the chaos.” Hearns has been creating stylish looks with hardware for more than 15 years. He’s the face behind many celebrity looks, including those of Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner and, most notably, Cardi B, whom he started working closely with in 2017 during her “Motorsport” music video, for which he designed a patchwork motorcycle-inspired outfit. Since then, Hearns has become a key collaborator in Cardi B’s fashion image, creating custom looks for performances, red carpet moments and, most recently, her Met Gala after-party look, which was a sheer illusion gown with a sculpted corset bodice embellished with lace detailing, a piece taken from his new collection. For …

What makes PowerWash Simulator so compelling? We asked a designer

What makes PowerWash Simulator so compelling? We asked a designer

Published by Daniella Wilson

A few years ago, pitching a game where you simply power wash dirt for fun would have elicited confusion from almost anyone who heard it. Indeed, even now, when non-gamers hear the idea – as evidenced by those in our very office – you get the exact same reaction. Fast forward to 2026, and PowerWash Simulator is one of the most successful indie games of the decade, spawning two standalone titles, multiple crossovers and seemingly endless Twitch streams. So, what makes a game about power washing so enthralling? Ahead of the For One Night Only showcase, PowerWash Simulator 2 designer Dan Berrecloth said simply that “it just scratches that itch for people. “One of the biggest indicators that this was maybe something we should explore was the subreddit r/powerwashingporn, where it’s just got ridiculous numbers of people every day in there, just watching people power wash. “And then it’s just a case of honing in on making that a full mechanic, and the rest is kind of history really, because it just blew up from …

Chiang Mai designer restores a heritage home in Wat Ket

Chiang Mai designer restores a heritage home in Wat Ket

Published by Sam Flores

They are also among Watananun’s favourite neighbourhood spots. Others include Zinme Teahouse, which serves Burmese food in an old teahouse; Khna Coffee Brewers; and Baan Orapin, a Lanna-style heritage bed-and-breakfast that she often recommends to visiting friends. “There are also small textile and craft shops nearby like Karma Local and Nusara that I really love because they reflect a side of Wat Ket that still feels tactile, local, and quietly creative,” said Watananun. She also enjoys walking across the pedestrian bridge towards Warorot Market. “The view from there, looking across to the market and the older commercial part of town, always feels like a particularly Chiang Mai moment to me.” Wat Ket rewards those willing to explore it slowly. For Watananun, however, its lanes are also filled with childhood memories. “I used to spend a lot of time around the land where Little House Chiang Mai now sits. I’d run around with my cousin, play explorer, cycle through the small lanes, and stop at a small neighbourhood shop for sweets and lollipops. It still exists, …

Why your bargain designer perfume might not be worth the discount

Why your bargain designer perfume might not be worth the discount

Published by Daniella Wilson

Perfume (emotional sniff) has become astronomically expensive over the last decade. The same scent I used to wear as a university student in 2014 has now almost doubled in cost, with 100ml of the sea salt-scented fragrance now sitting at over £120. Simply put, it’s out of my price range. My phone, like most things about me, knows this. As such, my targeted social media ads aggressively point me towards bargain fragrance sites that claim to offer a dupe of the same coastal aroma for around a fifth of the price. Except, (big shock here) they’re so weak that the smell is only detectable for roughly five milliseconds, which is how I took to browsing for real bottles of the stuff on second-hand sites and cheaper, lesser-known – and less reputable – online cosmetic stores. Now, imagine my shock and horror when Helen Barnham, head of enforcement campaigns at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), warned shoppers that these cheap products may not only be fake, but could also contain wee. Yes, that’s p*** perfume. “Cosmetics …

The Designer Miguel Adrover Has A Few Things to Say

The Designer Miguel Adrover Has A Few Things to Say

Published by Sam Flores

You have a monopoly that shuts the doors to everyone else. Even in fashion schools now you are training young people to be creative servants. Their biggest hope is to get hired by a corporation like LVMH. I went to fashion school. You are trained to want one of those jobs. So much in fashion has changed… They study John Galliano and all those designers and then when you look at the runways you see copies. That’s how they [corporations] maintain the structure that supports them. I think I was a sort of spice in the salad of fashion. You need to be careful, because they also need someone that sows some discord, because it makes everything more exciting now that everything has been bought off. But in the end, you also become part of it because they take advantage of you. What’s also tough today is that there are no more critics. I remember back then, Cathy Horyn and Suzy Menkes… criticism was very different then. Now Cathy Horyn walks the runway for Demna …

Designer Pieces That Work Anywhere

Designer Pieces That Work Anywhere

Published by Akaay Pradhan

Half the battle of building a sublime seasonal wardrobe comes down to versatility. Nobody wants to suffer from decision fatigue every time they come to get dressed. We’re busy people, we travel a lot, and our days are socially and culturally transient. Our clothes need to keep up, especially in the spring and early days of summer, when menswear shifts to a lighter, more mobile aesthetic. Your wardrobe should function like a neural net, each element speaking to another in the same design language. The folks at MR PORTER have always curated their collections with this ethos, understanding the central tenets of considered menswear and then finding the world’s best brands to uphold them. From Whitstable to Oaxaca, these are the garments that are going places this season… Spring Tailoring (CITY) Auralee Double-Breasted Wool, Cotton And Linen-Blend Oxford Blazer NN07 Kay 10027 Straight-Leg Pleated Linen and Wool-Blend Suit Trousers It wasn’t that long ago that the suit was mere corporate uniform, but in 2026, tailoring is a different beast. The suit’s revival is marked by …