The Coronation | Nuclear Wintour Is Here To Stay | Election Aftermath

And...The Kar-Jenners Bring Back the PR Relationship

The Cognitive Dissonance of the Coronation

It has taken questioning only a small sample of friends and colleague as to how they intend to spend this long coronation weekend to realise we’re a country of two halves. On one had, are those utterly bemused by the country losing its damn mind over union jack bunting and broad bean quiches. On the other, a sparkly eyed crowd is looking forward to witnessing history over a glass of Pimms, and perhaps forgetting briefly the recent humiliating news stories that have beleaguered the UK’s reputation on the world stage. In true British fashion, the one thing everyone does seem able to be able to agree on is the excellent opportunities for day drinking and that the weather will probably be rubbish.

From the moment the flood of flags started appearing over Oxford Street and the Strand, there has been an inescapable tension between the sense of jubilation these sorts of spectacles should bring, and the doubtless struggles so many in the country are currently experiencing as a result of the cost of living crisis. The same dichotomy permeated a lot of the build up The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. But, thanks to some sunshine, Paddington bear and a general reluctance to spew hate at little old ladies, we embraced the Platty Joobs, street partying our way through a much needed weekend of frivolity.

But with a strong willed, articulate and tabloid plagued King Charles at it’s centre, instead of the nation’s favourite silent Granny, this national moment presents a more difficult hurdle for Buckingham Palace to surmount. On one hand, the stories of neighbours gathered around the street’s one black and white television to watch a beautiful young Queen crowned seem like stories from a far away fairyland that can’t possibly be repeated in a world weary 2023. On the other, one only needs to take a brief stroll down the Mall in recent days, where Commonwealth flags fly as far as the eye can see, enormous seating and screens have been rigged and an unmistakable frisson is in the air, one that can’t possibly be manufactured by a palace PR machine. Of course the scenes of 1953 are unlikely to be repeated, but it is undeniable that whatever your thoughts on the institution of monarchy, this is an important moment for modern Britain – one who’s true significance only time will tell. 

Nuclear Wintour Is Here To Stay

The ‘First Monday In May’ has been and gone with surprisingly little fanfare. For those not in the know, the First Monday in May is synonymous with the Met Gala - a glitzy affair to raise funds for The Costume Institute of New York’s Metropolitan Museum. The night is the equivalent to ‘fashion’s Oscar’s’, according to its organiser (Anna Wintour) or ‘a jerk parade’, according to its detractors (Tina Fey).

Each year is themed around the exhibition, and this years’ was themed around the enigmatic/problematic, late designer, Karl Lagerfeld, of Chanel fame. In contrast to previous years, the red (cream) carpet was a much more subdued affair of blacks, whites, tweed, and pearls, in keeping with the House’s codes. So whilst previous years have produced such viral moment as Beyoncé’s nude look, Rihanna’s Pope serve and Kim Kardashian’s Marilyn moment, this years’ theme led to some actually rather boring looks.

In fact, the biggest headline of the event was probably the choice of the theme itself.

Largerfeld’s career was without parallel. As head of both Chanel and Fendi, and later his own eponymous label, Lagerfeld was putting out more than 16 headline making shows a year, including couture, cruise and ready to wear. His headship at Chanel, which transformed the brand into the definition of luxury, often saw the Grand Palais transformed into a supermarket, beach and even a Swiss mountainside for different shows. Karl also pioneered the idea of multi-hyphenate designer, paving the way for Virgil, Pharell and Kanye. To summarise, his career is undeniably worthy of a retrospective.

But alongside his career, his personal life and off-the-cuff comments were also often headline-grabbing. He famously caught flak for calling vocal powerhouse Adele “too fat” with a “pretty face” and claimed “no one wants to see curvy women.” More controversial still, he incited the holocaust in an attack in Angela Merkel’s migrant policies. “One cannot – even if there are decades between them – kill millions of Jews so you can bring millions of their worst enemies in their place, I know someone in Germany who took a young Syrian and after four days said: ‘The greatest thing Germany invented was the Holocaust”.

Interestingly, the career retrospective that the whole event was raising money for doesn’t make any mention of this side of him.

In today’s world, celebrities can barely write a tweet, without having to apologise to someone, yet alone run a career retrospective. Further, in a world where designers often are the brand (Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, Miuccia Prada), Wintour’s decision to isolate the art from the artist is even more conspicuous.

Therefore, whilst the whole event is an annual reminder of the chokehold Wintour holds on the world of fashion, she demonstrated that power this year even more. After 35 years as Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief, she used Monday night to signal she really isn’t going anywhere. After all, there really isn’t anyone else who could skirt over holocaust references, and not even care to comment.

The 2023 Election season is over: What does it tell us?

The 2023 local election results have delivered a fascinating turn in British politics, with Labour edging ahead of the Conservative Party in the number of seats won.

Local elections have their own set of issues and concerns that can influence the outcome, which may differ from the national picture. In this case, however, Labour's gains can be seen as a reflection of the public's dissatisfaction with the Conservative government's handling of critical issues and self-inflicted crises.

However, the projected outcome on the back of the local election results of a hung parliament in the next General Election presents its own set of challenges, with no single party holding a majority and making the formation of a stable government a difficult prospect - taking us back to some of the chaotic years which have not long past us.

The lack of movement in some key areas in the North and Midlands shows the red wall just isn't crumbling how Labour may hope, and the next election is still very much up for grabs by either side.

Both Labour and the Conservatives can benefit from the lessons learned in the local elections and modify their strategies accordingly if they want to spare the country from years of a divided Westminster.

The Kar-Jenners Bring Back the PR Relationship

Oh, to be a fly on the wall inside the Kardashian PR machine. Since the dust has settled over the Kanye scandal, it seems like the momager Kris Jenner decided to roll up her sleeves and get back to work. Over the past two months, not one, but two new Kardashian-Jenner relationships have been rumoured. First is Kendall Jenner and the reggaeton star Bad Bunny. Second, Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet. Both, unsurprisingly, caused an uproar online.

Bad Bunny has been claimed as somewhat of a collective boyfriend of Latina women by his female fanbase, as he himself is Puerto Rican. The situation isn’t helped by the fact that Kendall has been called out for appropriating Mexican culture since she launched her tequila brand, ‘818’. The criticism of the couple therefore seems to follow some sort of logic, even if stretched. For Kylie and Timothee the common reservations are less nuanced. The Internet tends to assume that a reality TV beauty mogul, LA personified, would have absolutely nothing to speak about to an Oscar-nominated, broody and seemingly intellectual Chalamet. Both pairings are perfect in a way; just as if they were carefully designed to antagonise some of the most engaged of fanbases…

A PR relationship is a stunt so classic that one often wonders if there is a single relationship among Hollywood A-listers which didn’t at least start through this ‘arranged marriage’ of sorts. Even if the Jenners don’t manage to reform their reputations through association – a bit like their sister Kim did with Kanye – the spite might still drive even more people to their social media accounts and their reality show, so it really is a win-win tactic.