New Zealand's Ladyhawke is the latest popstrel in what has become a welcome onslaught of talented, chart-topping, impossibly cool musicians from Down Under. The blonde Kiwi's self-titled album draws heavily from her '80s childhood, evoking a youth spent listening to music and getting lost in dreamy reverie.



 read more »

What's hot right now:
"What I truly like are people who care, people who do things from the heart, people in restaurants who treat regulars as they would newcomers..." read more »

The Stella Fashion Night in Zurich, Switzerland, saw the distribution of two huge fashion prizes. The prestigious Swiss Textiles Award went to the Mulleavy sisters of American label Rodarte, while Judith Klingenfeld won the Annabelle Award and will spend one year working with the Missoni team in North Italy.
 read more »

As a classically trained musician, a pitch-perfect soprano and an architect of sound as a spatial experiment, Bora Yoon brings an unusual set of skills to music making. ( (( PHONATION )) ), her latest album, mines centuries of music in single songs. Opening cut, "Sons Nouveaux," for instance, juxtaposes plucked violin and soaring vocals reminiscent of choral music with subtle static fields and rhythmic samples.



 read more »

The avalanche of models strolling back and forth in nothing but petit summer ensembles during Claro Rio got us wondering about—and hypnotically admiring—Brazilian body shapes. Far from the whole anorexia polemic, street and runway body aesthetics reveal the city's hedonistic lifestyle, in which the body is used as an important tool to enjoy the carioca routine of sun-and-fun.
 read more »

What's hot right now:
"Besides my girlfriend and the first issue of The Last Magazine, I would say the New Museum's Elizabeth Peyton show..." read more »

Raf Simons' two flagships boutiques opened in Tokyo and Osaka back in September, but he only just made it to the island nation's capital to celebrate. Amid the eager fans and well-wishers, JC Report grabbed a few moments with Simons, who told us about his stores' layouts, as well as his own lifestyle essentials and industrial design inspirations.

JC Report: What do you think about your shop, and tonight?

Raf Simons: It's great! At first I was concerned that it wasn't as big as the Osaka store, but I love these big windows that look over the main street here. And it's quite crowded tonight! Nice to see everyone came.  read more »

Beyoncé Knowles is on her way to world domination. The über-star, multi-Grammy winner is about to release her third album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, and is set to star as Etta James in the new film Cadillac Records. Knowles spent more than a year putting together the new, two-disc album, which, as usual, was made in tight collaboration with her father/producer/manager. I Am...Sasha Fierce shows the Beyoncé we know today: a radiant, sophisticated newlywed, beautifully matured since her early days with Destiny's Child.



 read more »

The shows have yet to start at Claro Rio, but last night's opening events—including an intimate and hypnotic concert by Caetano Veloso on the Fasano rooftop—hinted at the extravagance that's in store for the next few days.
 read more »

The Six Scents Fragrance Initiative reaches beyond sensory enlightenment by giving back to those in need. Born from a collaboration between fragrance supplier Symrise and creative consultancy Metaproject, the Initiative is an annual and ongoing charity-based project that brings together six perfumers and artists to create limited edition, original fragrances.
 read more »