Major news in fashion today – Grace Wales Bonner has been named the new creative director of menswear at Hermès, succeeding Véronique Nichanian who has held the post since 1988. Grace’s first Hermès collection will debut in January 2027, over a year to wait, but still… this is historic. She is now the first Black woman to head design at a luxury fashion house and it just happens to be the highest luxury right now, as Hermès earlier this year surpassed LVMH to become the most valuable fashion group in the world. These rankings change all the time but the point is… Hermès makes big bank and they are obviously confident that she is the right person to continue that tradition while updating the brand vision. 

 

What makes this even more interesting is that there’s a related scandal here, sort of. It was exactly 20 years ago in 2005 when Oprah made headlines when she was refused entry at Hermès. According to reports,  Oprah showed up without makeup and she was denied at the door and supposedly told that they’d been "having a problem with North Africans lately”. 

 

This was a huge deal when it happened. Like mainstream news, everyone was talking about it, there was such a storm that Oprah brought the Hermès boss on her show to admit they f-cked up and apologise. Remember this was the height of monoculture, in the age of the internet but before social media exploded so access to everything was faster but most of us in the west were consuming the same stories. 

 

Now, two decades later, Hermès is making history by appointing Grace Wales Bonner to such an important position. And it’s been such a great year for her. For those of you who may not know her work off the top of your head, she co-chaired the Met Gala this year and Sir Lewis Hamilton was one of the people she dressed. 

 

What else happened today…

Jennifer Lawrence has been a Dior ambassador for a long time and this is her first red carpet Dior since Jonathan Anderson took over. The Fug Girls aren’t into but I LOOOOOOOOVE it so much. And I think JLaw does too. (Go Fug Yourself)

Adam Driver really wanted to do more Star Wars and Steven Soderbergh wanted to do it with him but the galaxy far, far away wasn’t down with their story. (Pajiba)

Everyone is obsessed with the jewel heist at the Louvre because, of course, there’s a cinematic element to it, right? Please don’t be mad at me for saying this but do we think the real thieves are as hot as the movie ones? (Celebitchy)

 

Apple Martin, the daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris of Coldplay, is singing now in addition to modelling and studying at university. And she doesn’t just get it from her dad either. GP sings too, in case you’ve forgotten. Apple actually sounds like Gwyneth. (NME)

I tried for World Series tickets today and for game two I started at 220,000 in the queue. The resales prices are ridiculous. My point is I probably won’t get to go but I will read the f-ck out of everything that’s reported and, of course, watch every pitch. Even though I have plans on Friday night and am so stressed about how I’m supposed to make it all work. Anyway, here’s The Athletic’s lover’s guide to the 2025 World Series. (The New York Times)

Photo credits: Bre Johnson/ BFA.com/ Shutterstock

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