Borkowski Media Trends: American Pope Elected, Beckham versus Peltz & MORE
PLUS: Was this year's MET gala a telltale sign of a recession?
Beckham vs Beckham/Peltz: Why we Love a Family Feud
Why are we (or at least the tabloids) so obsessed with family feuds? Maybe because it makes celebrities appear more human. This week, family drama has dominated the headlines, with another round of Prince Harry v the Royal Family, and more notably, Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz Beckham v the Beckhams. The alleged feud ignited after they were noticeably absent from David’s 50th birthday celebration.
Rumours have circulated for years suggesting that Nicola Peltz can be difficult to work with, And this week, an explosive report claimed that Brooklyn and Nicola’s absences from the photos from David’s 50th were due to ongoing family tensions. Drawing a parallel to Meghan and Harry’s relationship with the Royal Family, Mark Borkowski told The Telegraph, “Brooklyn clearly loves his wife, just as Harry loves Meghan, but it’s similar to how people feel Meghan is this disruptive influence in his life. There are no compromises there.”
Whilst there is no conclusive evidence that Nicola is to blame, she has made it easy for the public to cast her as the villain. Sympathy is in short supply for a billionaire heiress who “refused” to wear her mother-in-law’s couture designs on her wedding day.
One possible way to salvage Nicola’s tattered reputation would be for the couple to release a positive, clarifying statement and pivot attention toward wins and goodwill stories, rather than leaving space for speculation and negative headlines to fill the void.
Abracadabra Copacabana!
Put your paws up, Lady Gaga has just made history yet again with a concert at Brazil’s famed Copacabana Beach with a record-breaking crowd of an estimated 2.5 million (yes, million) people, or Little Monsters, as they are affectionately known. And the best part? The concert was completely free.
Lady Gaga is renowned for her versatility, and her recent performances at Coachella and now Copacabana mark a striking return to her roots; dark pop anthems, high-concept theatrics, and, a whirlwind of costume changes. At a time when the world feels especially heavy for many, even those who aren’t die-hard fans can recognize the power of seeing such an immense crowd gathered to dance and celebrate an artist they love. As clips of the concert spread online, the global reaction was one of collective awe and pride.
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Incredibly, the euphoric energy of the Copacabana show came just hours after authorities thwarted a bomb plot targeting the concert. The operation, dubbed "Fake Monster," was coordinated by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro in collaboration with the Justice Ministry. Police operations across Brazil led to arrests and the seizure of evidence, all while millions unknowingly gathered in celebration on the beach.
Despite the chilling threat behind the scenes, the concert unfolded without a hitch, and the performance felt like a bold act of resilience (even though Gaga only learned of the plot after).
Habemus…Bob?
After one of the shortest conclaves in modern history, we have a pope. Not merely a pope, either, but the first ever American Pope, as well as the first Peruvian. Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, has made history that almost no one other than the most seasoned Vatican watchers expected him to make.
While the 2025 Conclave was not the first of the Internet age, the unique context of it’s happening has certainly made it more closely watched than any before. Hot on the heels of Oscar season favourite Conclave, which generated an unexpected online fandom, social media was besieged by memes about the papabile, the expected frontrunners, and endless posts drawing comparison between the film and its real-life counterpart. Cardinals Luis Tagle and Matteo Zuppi, two of the more liberal contenders, emerged as online favourites and were subject to various jokes and fan edits, while Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa also amassed a significant following.
But the unexpected selection of Prevost has changed the narrative. The men who occupy the Bishopric of Rome have long held a mysterious air of intellectualism, as well as spirituality, and while Prevost, a polyglot with a sterling record of missionary work and scholarship, is no doubt equal to the job, the absurdity of Bob From Chicago being the head of the Catholic Church provided much fodder for the online commentariat.
Leo faces a number of challenges, both internally in the Church and in global politics. Conventional wisdom holds that he was chosen as a moderate, a man to bridge the growing gaps amongst Catholics while hewing relatively close to the legacy of Francis, a man with whom he was close. But the breathless coverage of the conclave does seem to make one thing certain – all eyes will be on Leo, particularly as he navigates a relationship with his home country.
Tailored, Timely, and Telling: Recession Indicators at the MET Gala
For an event that trades in extravagance, this year’s Met Gala struck a more deliberate note. The 2025 theme "Tailored for You" celebrated Black tailoring, dandyism, and archival elegance, offering rich material for subversion, flourish and historical homage. But even with all of its potential for opulence, the red carpet told a more nuanced and subdued story.
Tulle still flowed, celebrity stylists still toiled, but there were whispers in the shadows of the carpet about who wasn't there. Several major fashion houses opted out of buying tables, including Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, and Chloé, a move interpreted by some as a sartorial recession indicator.
The hemline index, the slightly tongue-in-cheek economic theory that skirt lengths fall in downturns may be experiencing a revival. High necklines, muted palettes and structured silhouettes dominated. Even PrettyLittleThing, spiritual home of clubwear and cut-outs, is pushing a more conservative image, swapping thigh-splits for midi skirts and sober shades.
Compared with 2019’s “Camp: Notes on Fashion”, which was a riot of pastiche and theatricality, this year’s interpretations felt less about maximalism and more about meaning. Who What Wear consulted Instagram trend analyst @databutmakeitfashion, who suggested the restraint wasn’t dullness, but a reflection of both the theme and the times. With arts funding slashed and Trump-era tariffs looming, there’s only so much room left for fashion as fantasy.
Whether the Met’s tonal shift signals an economic downturn or simply a recalibrated red carpet is still up for debate. But even the most exclusive event of the year can’t fully escape the mood of the moment.