Pitti Uomo, a men’s fashion trade show and event, took place this week. The show is known for its emphasis on refined menswear and über dapper street style, but organizers have incorporated various elements to round out the offering. This year, Wales Bonner was the guest designer, a niche previously filled by designers such as Telfar, Virgil Abloh and Glenn Martens of Y/PROJECT. Belgian designer Ann Demeulemeester, one of the ‘Antwerp Six’ who retired from her line in 2013, was the guest of honor and Pitti exhibited looks from her archives as well as new creations from the current team.

During the show, which was themed around Pitti Island, organizers held special sections dedicated to sustainability, Ukrainian fashion designers and an unexpected activation of Juicy Couture. Traditional streetwear didn’t feature heavily at the show, but many collections are infused with the category’s sporty appeal, including Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning’s collaboration with Scandinavian brand Soulland.

While the men’s and women’s division guides retail buying teams and is still present in most stores, Pitti’s brands featured men’s and women’s looks that felt easily interchangeable without labeling the line as unisex. . And as the pandemic and dress-at-home begin to become less of a concern, brands are helping consumers embrace real clothes with soft, refined, yet comfortable and well-made tailoring. Here are some highlights of Pitti Uomo 102.

MILAN, ITALY, June 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nature has always been an eternal subject throughout human history. Harmony in nature and life is also a conception of beauty and love. As an essential part of life, the kitchen also extends the conversation with nature, and different brands also have their unique styles of interpreting kitchen, nature and love. From June 7 to 12, with the common ambition to create a meaningful and comfortable setting around well-being, ASKO and Norm Architects, two leading Scandinavian brands, came together to create a stimulating setting for this year’s Salone del Mobile EuroCucina. year in Milan, and made a perfect collaboration on the interpretation of nature.

The first sight of the setting is the long communal table in the middle, which attracted countless attentions during the presentation days. With a minimalist design table, he explained the meaning of the house: the lively guests who gathered to identify the design atmosphere of ASKO, listened to the introduction of Michelin chefs and designers. Like the subject “Scandinavian Moment”, the setting captured the moment with the nature-focused collaboration of ASKO and NORM.

ASKO and NORM collaboration showcased the beauty of Scandinavian living

Gather experts in the kitchen, achieve delicacy with ASKO

ASKO brought together many Michelin-starred chefs and collaborated with sommeliers from all over the world during the exhibition. With delicate wine and food as the medium, ASKO intends to explore the endless possibility of the best kitchen equipped with excellent skills, to realize the perfect fusion of ASKO Scandinavian design and high-end kitchen.

Exquisite cuisine from ASKO chefs, durable feature of ASKO dishwashers

ASKO head chef Tim Delissen and chef nutritionist and food writer Anastassia Khozissova embraced the culinary skills of Scandinavian nature spirits, explored the potential of the kitchen of the future, and conveyed the ASKO philosophy to the guest.

The ASKO dishwasher also showed its high efficiency after entertaining the guests. Holding the eco-friendly and people-oriented concept, as ASKO’s brand new product which received the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022, it was constructed with more steel and less plastic and comes with multiple features smart and sustainable, saving water and energy. environment.

State-of-the-art technology, strong collaborations

Michelin-starred chef UrošFakuc and Jonas LagerstrÖm also used the precise temperature control system of the ASKO Elevate™ induction cooktop to cook in the best conditions. With a unique tower that brings the extraction surface closer to the pans, the technology can translate into high extraction performance and more delicious, healthier cooking. As a result, the Elevate™ induction cooktop offers the perfect solution for an open kitchen space.

The innovative ASKO Elevate™ induction hob with integrated extraction also received the iF DESIGN AWARD 2021 for Celsius°Cooking™ technology. It helps avoid undercooking and overcooking which can affect the nutritional value of food and pose health risks and brings a convenient and healthier approach to cooking.

The secrets of the ASKO Air Conditioned Wine Cellar

Besides delicious food, wine is also a necessity. In the exhibition, ASKO invited the world’s professional sommeliers Andreas Larsson together with Michelin starred chef Jonas LagerstrÖm to explore the precious wine. In addition, sommelier Valentin Bufolin innovated by taking the history of wine as a common thread to encourage visitors to taste wine throughout the days of the exhibition.

The wine collection is particularly “refined and elegant”, requiring the combination of technology and art. Sommeliers understand the importance of caring for wines, viewing taste as an introduction to show the need for conservation. The ASKO Wine Climate wine cellar is capable of storing up to 190 bottles. It also has three individually controlled temperature zones for different types of wine, clean charcoal-filtered air, virtually vibration-free compressors, and humidity monitoring. Additionally, Wine Climate Cabinet energizes guests with the Connect Life companion app which is connected to Vivino. The application can be used to catalog wine bottles to enable simple and smart management of a wine collection and provides useful information about it.

Symbiosis in cooperation: harmony with nature and sustainability

The exhibit products also applied the brand new ASKO color “Peral Grey”. The color is a soft gray painted glass, which has a subtle metallic touch – a unique combination designed to add warmth, understated elegance and originality to any kitchen, further emphasizing Scandinavian roots. The roots reflected in volcanic rock and the majestic fjords that Pearl Gray represents bring the endless design of the people-centered spirit of Scandinavia.

The collaboration of ASKO and NORM, starred chefs, helps more people to experience the design concept of ASKO high-end products, present the perfect solution to design the kitchen with art and full exposure advanced industrial technology. Scandinavian design aesthetics deliver high-end kitchen products that are humanized and offer an inspiring narrative of home life, underlining ASKO’s purpose to exist.

About ASKO

Since 1918, ASKO has been the leading Swedish brand in the Scandinavian market. Inherited from a Scandinavian design built on a proud heritage of almost 100 years, ASKO pays attention to the combination of beauty and functionality, considering the human-centered minimalist design. ASKO is the only home appliance brand to receive the Nordic global energy efficiency label “Swan” by 2022. ASKO aims to create high-end professional kitchen, laundry and appliances.

Company: ASKO Electric (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Contact person: Gemma.ma

Website: http://www.askochina.cn/

Phone: 400-889-9988

Hyderabad: Beautiful Mangalore roof tiles have dominated Indian roof designs for decades. Tell us, don’t you pass by the tile-roofed houses of Mangalore just to breathe nostalgia? What if we said, “You can have such a roof for yourself too?” Well, Nuvocotto is the brand that brings you the most popular and premium Mangalore tiles (as well as other tiles).

Although Nuvocotto offers many types of floor and ceiling tiles, this one has its own charm. The universal availability of Mangalore tiles makes them the preferred choice of designers, fabricators and end customers. Nuvocotto has a range of Mangalore tile patterns, and we’ve noted each one for you.

They offer six different designs for this tile, namely, Mangalore tiles: these are the classic, natural red Mangalore tiles, with a size of 10×16 inches; Mangalore Tiles-Smart: These are the evolved versions of the classics, but they look even more authentic. Its size and color are the same as the previous ones.

Now, if you are looking for something undeniably extraordinary, Nuvocotto also offers Mangalore full glass tiles and semi-glass tiles. These tiles will give your roof a magical look by reflecting the sky. Besides these four, Nuvocotto also has Mangalore Penta and Ridges roof designs which come in natural red as well as transparent patterns.

All of these Mangalore tiles from this exceptional terracotta brand look like a work of art. They will not only enhance the beauty of your home, but also make it stand out from the crowd. Mangalore tiles have a long lifespan. They can stay for up to fifty years unless outside forces break them.

But why Mangalore tiles?
These tiles from Nuvocotto have good ventilation and provide natural insulation, making your summers more joyful. They are aesthetic. There is no doubt that clay tiles are also best for coastal areas where heavy rains crush the roofs, but Mangalore Sloped Roof Tiles are made to survive that.

Made from premium quality materials, Nuvocotto’s Mangalore tiles are durable, sturdy and long lasting. Whether it’s your homes, commercial shops or villas, Nuvocotto tiles can beautify them all. The elegant and nostalgic feel of the Mangalore tile is unmistakable. As this is the most common tile, experts for the installation and maintenance of these tiles are commonly available.

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There’s no better way to beat the heat than cracking open an ice-cold drink that will quench your summer thirst. Coca-Cola is gearing up for the season by launching new drinks, but of the 200 brands it has worldwide, the company also plans to phase out other flavors by the end of the year. Yet there is no shortage of new or classic products that have been building customer loyalty for decades.

The company that brought us beloved brands like Minute Maid, Simply Lemonade and Sprite is adding more beverages to its product assortment while cutting others that haven’t quite made it. Keep scrolling to find out which drinks are coming or going.

RELATED: These Are Costco’s Hottest Items Right Now

Fans of the Simply Lemonade brand will be delighted to hear that a new ready-to-drink fortified seltzer is in development. This summer, the canned concoction is set to debut 4 flavors made with lemonade, including Signature Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Watermelon Lemonade, and Blueberry Lemonade. Each 12-ounce slim can contains 5% alcohol by volume and contains 170 calories per can.

The brand’s parent company, Coca-Cola, has teamed up with Molson Coors to bring the fortified lemonade products to life, first announcing the planned January release. As part of the collaboration, Molson Coors will produce, distribute and market Simply Spiked Lemonade, which will hit store shelves by summer.

Since its launch in 2006, Simply Lemonade has become “The Coca-Cola Company’s second-largest brand by net revenue in the United States, behind Coca-Cola, and Simply® beverages are found in half of all American homes,” according to a January 2022 press release.

Time is running out for Coca-Cola’s HONEST Tea line, which is expected to be discontinued by the end of the year. The company cited ongoing supply chain challenges as the reason for terminating the product after nearly 25 years. With flavors like Half Tea & Half Lemonade, Honey Green Tea, Peach Tea and Pomegranate Blue, Coca-Cola has announced that HONEST bottled tea will be phased out while the company instead focuses on other products like cans and HONEST Kids juice packets.

A press release revealed that HONEST tea was “negatively impacted by lower immediate consumption sales and limited glass supplies”. However, Gold Peak and Peace Teas will also remain available for purchase, and the company says there is often consumer overlap between the two.

Minute Maid’s new drink aims to target the Gen Z crowd. Aguas Frescas or Minute Maid AF features the “refreshing AF” slogan as a double meaning and comes in flavors like hibiscus, mango and strawberry, as well as two other flavors, Limonada and Strawberry Limon, both available at Coca-Cola Freestyle fountains. .6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Traditional agua fresca is a light, non-alcoholic drink popular in Mexico and made of water, fruit, sugar, and lime juice. The Minute Maid version contains real fruit juice and natural flavors. Each 16-ounce can contains less than 100 calories.

A press release from Minute Maid AF noted that the fruit-based waters “will fill a void for Gen Z, who so far have not found a brand of juice to quench their collective thirst for diverse options and adventurous”.

Along with new drinks hitting grocery store shelves soon and others coming to a halt, a classic Coca-Cola brand is about to get very different.

Sprite fans, listen up! The classic, fizzy lemon-lime soda gets a makeover and wants customers to refresh from the inside out. Coca-Cola’s new ‘Heat Happens’ campaign features resigned logo and packaging with a strong focus on ‘keeping a cool head’ this summer despite life’s daily challenges, big and small (like queuing or losing your wifi connection).

The campaign announcement also mentioned that “Sprite’s packaging graphics will retain their recognizable green hue, while a clean look for Sprite Zero Sugar…[and] features a bold, black font and logo. The first-ever global platform will also have a “Recycle Me” message to support sustainability efforts.

What about the nutritional content of these drinks and others? Here are 5 brands of soda to avoid right now.

Alex Perry

A screen in the floor of George Freeman’s house displays memorabilia from the monastery.

Boom. Boom. Boom. The roar of a helicopter rotor slices through the air, disrupting the night sky above the brown wooden church on Boren Avenue. A disc jockey in a monk’s robe waits to emerge as the chopper lowers to land. The spotlights radiate upwards. Somewhere in the cavernous depths of the building, Mozart Fugue in D minor filters down the street to the line of people snaking up the block.

With all of this, on May 13, 1977, one of Seattle’s most controversial dance clubs opened its doors.

The monastery has attracted enduring devotion and seething disdain during its tumultuous eight-year run. What started as a nightclub for all ages, especially young gay men, later turned into a church and a de facto homeless shelter. Then, in 1985, at the direction of King County Attorney Norm Maleng, Seattle officials issued a civil relief against the monastery, alleging drug use, prostitution, and underage drinking as reasons. to close it. The building was demolished and the city passed the Teen Dance Ordinance the same year to deter imitators from pushing back.

Monastery regulars, however, remember the club as a haven for the queer community, a family, a place to be yourself. “The monastery saved my life,” more than one told me at a 45th birthday party. “Georges saved my life.”

This “George” is George Freeman, now 83, of the Universal Life Church and the “Science is God” house. At the time, the nightclub owner and event planner had just moved from New York to Seattle when he came across an empty Methodist church on the corner of Boren and Stewart. It had a steeply pitched roof, stained glass windows and an imposing bell tower. “There was a big sign: ‘For Rent,'” Freeman explains. “You know exactly where I went after that.”

Lease in hand, Freeman transforms the place of worship into a dance church. Flashing lights and disco balls. A huge dance floor with “the best sound system you can find”. A hot tub and a tiny 30-seat movie theater.

“The last time we closed was at 9 a.m.,” Freeman says. “These people were going out, sweating, their clothes were messy, their hair was dripping. They partied all night and had a wonderful time. They became family.”

The history of the church was an accident. People saw the building, Freeman said, assumed it was a real church and knocked on the door for help. “We ended up with homeless people. We ended up with homosexuals. They were kicked out of their homes, excommunicated from churches, beaten by friends and family, and on the verge of suicide…TThat’s how we evolved into a church where gay people had the right to be who they were.”

In May 1979, he made it official by becoming ordained and obtaining a certificate of association with the Universal Life Church. But the troubles, which started shortly after the club opened, only got worse from there.

In October 1977, police raided the monastery and arrested Freeman, alleging he was selling liquor without a liquor license and serving minors. Further raids in the years that followed led to a back-and-forth of charges, arrests, denials and appeals. After the monastery became a church, Freeman claimed, it was authorized to administer sacramental drinks to the congregation. Officials saw it as a way to evade state liquor laws; he saw it as targeted discrimination. “The problem is, I’m black and queer,” Freeman said in a 1983 Seattle Daily Times article.

Then in 1985, Norm Maleng played his ace. The prosecutor filed a civil action for damages to permanently close the monastery. Plainclothes police alleged “gross drug dealing, liquor code violations and licentious conduct involving primarily underage patrons,” the official said. Seattle Times communicated on April 29, 1985.

Freeman denies many of these claims as hearsay, noting that the most damning charges have always been dropped. “In those days, you would go to the Colosseum, Paramount, any concert, and everyone was stoned,” he says. “It was targeted prosecution. They never went after straight nightclubs.”

After a 10-day trial, Superior Court Judge Gerard Shellan granted a permanent injunction against Freeman and the monastery, calling it a public nuisance. The building was torn down and the Teen Dance Ordinance stifled Seattle’s burgeoning youth dance scene for the next 17 years – it was eventually replaced by the All-Ages Dance Ordinance in 2002.

Freeman continues to uphold the monastery’s legacy to this day. “Nobody death at the monasteryery. NOTo no one has been cut at the Monastery. We’ve been here for eight years, and that family is still alive today.”

On May 13, Freeman hosted a monastery 45th anniversary party at his Capitol Hill home. There was a check-in desk, paid security, and cases of Kirkland champagne (Freeman’s favorite brand). The all-white dress code was followed until abandoned or completely abandoned. And at 10 p.m. the music was pounding, every space packed with people.

Old monastery regulars chatted and danced alongside newcomers, many of whom had heard about Freeman and the evenings from a friend. Who, like so many in the generation before them, just wanted a place where they could finally belong. Who, here with these people, could finally be.

Monday night isn’t usually date time, but on June 6, Kylie Minogue brought a double dose of her effervescent energy to Manhattan’s intimate Café Carlyle. Not only has the Aussie pop icon reinvented a handful of her dance-pop classics for the chic, stripped-down cabaret setting, she’s officially popped the cork in the US on Kylie Minogue Wines, which is now hitting the markets. Americans after causing a sensation in Great Britain

If the crowd of friends and fans (including Lucy Liu, Christian Siriano and Dion Lee) were a bit stunned to be steps away from Ms Minogue when she started cooing the familiar la-la-la’s of the signature hit “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”, Kylie herself was a bit in awe of the whole experience.

“It was a real pinch moment for me,” she says Billboard the next day, relaxing on a sofa at the Carlyle Hotel in an elegant floral-print dress (as she offers guests wine, her glass – with a Watch what’s happening live guest place at a few hours – is filled with water). “I have these moments where I think, ‘you’re just this little boy from Melbourne who fantasized about doing something, anything in the industry one day.'”

Minogue, of course, has enjoyed quite a varied career, acting in everything from hit soap operas to red Mill while racking up sales to the tune of 80 million records worldwide and earning 14 No. 1s on Dance Club Songs. And like any self-respecting pop star, she’s dabbled in the world of branding — though she’ll readily admit that not all partnerships are created equal.

“I won’t say (what), but some things that I did, at that time, it made sense or I had to do it. But – if i could turn back timeshe sings, putting some Kylie flair on the Cher classic. “But hey – you win some, you lose some.”

In the winning category, indisputably, its association with London’s Benchmark Drinks on its own rosé. In less than two years, she has sold five million bottles, seen her prosecco rosé become the UK’s best-selling branded prosecco rosé and won a Golden Vine Award for her entrepreneurial spirit. She credits the brand’s meteoric success – which first crossed her mind when a ray of sunshine caught a glass of rosé she was enjoying in Nashville while taping 2018 Golden — to the fact that this partnership taps into his genuine affection for the drink in question.

“It’s not just a collaboration with anything. We believe in growing this brand,” she says. “People can smell authenticity. They just know it. It wouldn’t have been any use doing it if I wasn’t really invested in it and felt like it could do something and touch people.

With a rosé-centric palette and an “obsessive-to-detail” approach to business, Minogue worked with Benchmark Managing Director Paul Schaafsma to select its portfolio of wine brands (three of its nine rosés are available in markets such as as California, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas and Ohio), claiming it was the “kismet” that brought them together.

Although Minogue acknowledges that she is a relative newcomer to the wine industry, her decades in the entertainment world have taught her not to “jump into an industry” and expect to be treated like a star simply. “because you are famous and respected in another industry”. Pay your respects and earn your stripes and be open to learning something else. (With a smirk, she acknowledges that immersing herself in the world of vines and winemakers is “not the worst day at work.”)

But even with all the research and planning that has gone into this venture, Minogue fears there might be some trepidation about launching it in the UK in 2020, just as the pandemic took hold. “With [my 2020 album] Disco and wine, I thought, “Is it insensitive to release something that represents joy at this time?” “Minogue of course launched both the wine and the album that year, and the fan response to the Disco the album reflected UK consumer response to his rosé; during uncertain and stressful times, a burst of bubbly excitement – ​​whether in a glass bottle or three-minute dance-pop anthems – was a welcome release. “The Disco album, it turns out, touched a lot of people. Every time someone says that to me, it means a lot to me,” says Minogue.

As for new music, she says she’s heading back into the studio in July, noting that an unexpected benefit of the lockdown has been learning to self-record on gear at home: “It means I can check in late, which I like to do”. She adds. And whenever the next tour takes place, will bottles of Kylie Minogue Rosé be on hand at tour stops? “It’s like you took the words out of my mouth,” she laughs.

EAST LYME, CT (WFSB) – Neighbors in East Lyme are talking about an attempted breakup on Plants Dam Road last week.

It happened in broad daylight.

A family member was at home when the duo repeatedly rang the front doorbell.

When they got no response, they went to the back.

The video shows a young man wearing shorts and a mask staring at the locked sliding glass door to the aft deck.

In an upstairs bedroom was the very frightened sister of this man.

“My sister was at home, she texted that someone was ringing the doorbell a million times. She didn’t know who it was, so she just stayed in her room,” said David, d ‘East Lyme. “I don’t know what it was, but they were trying to open the door. The door gave way a little.

“Cameras are becoming extremely important, they not only help us after the fact, but in many cases when they are visible and deter crimes from happening,” police chief Michael Finkelstein said.

The chef said dogs are also a good deterrent, like Jasmine, who guards her owners’ house, as well as outside cameras.

“Usually you feel very safe until you hear the story of the recent break-in attempt,” said neighbor Leigh Schneider.

As soon as the two intruders saw the camera, they fled.

East Lyme Police said the case was isolated.

“Since we released the information on social media, we’ve had very positive feedback from people with possible identities that we’re trying to work on at this point,” Finkelstein said.

“Of course I’m worried. I’m worried about my neighbours, a lot of people are working, I’m here all the time,’ said John McBride from East Lyme.

A brand new doorbell camera is also one to keep an eye on.

“It’s a lot safer to have the Ring because it logs everything as soon as someone comes in here, you see things,” David said.

The police said these security cameras were really useful.

Even if you don’t have one, your neighbor can and could capture a license plate or an image of a suspicious vehicle.

Copyright 2022 WFSB. All rights reserved.

The company is working on a premiumization strategy and reshaping its portfolio with renovations and innovations from brands such as Signature and Royal Challenge and stepping it up after gaining momentum.

The move is intended to bolster Diageo’s stake in prestige and accelerate growth rates that are visible in earnings, she said.

“We have a very good presence in scotches. And with the activations we’ve done around Johny Walker, the renovation of the Black Dog scotch and the launch of Talisker and Singleton, which are malt brands, we’re seeing a very high double-digit growth in scotches and that massively helps our premiumization journey,” Nagarajan told PTI.

Diageo India will focus on accelerating the luxury and premium Scotch Whiskey portfolio, increasing participation in higher prestige.

The company manufactures, sells and distributes an exceptional portfolio of premium brands such as Johnnie Walker, Black Dog, Black & White, VAT 69, Antiquity, Signature, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s No. 1, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan.

Additionally, it has also introduced Royal Challenge American Pride, an American bourbon whiskey, which helps the company reach out to younger customers who want accessible drinks.

“It brings more women into the fold. It’s a really inclusive launch. It reinforces our participation in higher prestige,” she said.

Diageo India aspires to be the “best performing” consumer products company with double-digit revenue growth in the country.

“Our mission is to be the premier CPG business in India, with sustained double-digit revenue growth with mid to high teenage margins and also delivering long-term value to our stakeholders,” Nagarajan said.

The company also works towards ESG (environmental, social and governance) objectives and its brands participate in sustainability initiatives.

Diageo India, a unit of British spirits maker Diageo Plc, also aims to be a water positive company and works on conservation projects and tries to replenish more water than it uses.

“Under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), we collected 41,000 tonnes of plastic waste in March and recycled it. By the end of June, we will be plastic waste positive. We will collect and recycle more plastic than we put out,” she says.

It is also working towards net zero carbon by 2025 on Scope I and II operations and 2030 on Scope III operations.

“Greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations have been reduced from 26,000 to 6,000 metric tons…We continue to go zero fossil fuels in our distilleries,” she said, adding that the company also works on reforestation and doubles solar capacity from 1.3 to 2.6 MW

Diageo India is taking packaging initiatives on the sustainability side. The company introduced the Hipster format, a pocket-sized portable scotch whiskey in a PET bottle.

“Now Black & White uses a 100% biodegradable and recyclable Hipster pack and all other brands that are in the Hipster format will switch to this 100% biodegradable and recyclable pack over the next few months,” she added.

Diageo India has also revamped Signature, which is a flagship premium brand, with sustainability proposals.

“We have renovated it with sustainability proposals. The glass bottles in which it is sold are made of 40% recycled glass. The cardboard, which is on the bottle, is made from sustainably sourced paper, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. It is 100% natural ingredients,” she said, adding that it was well received by consumers.

Diageo is now on a “strong upward trajectory” on stock growth in the market, where it has revived. It also revamped its popular Royal Challenge brand in three states and is on a roll, and would continue to roll out across the country now, Nagarajan added.

Last month, USL announced the sale and franchise of more than 30 popular brands to Singapore-based Inbrew Beverages for an estimated consideration of Rs 820 crore.

USL’s popular portfolio comprised around 30 low-cost entry-level liquor brands, with an average price below Rs 400 for a 750ml bottle, and straddling whisky, rum, brandy, vodka and gin.

The company expects to complete the transaction, which includes brands such as Haywards, Old Tavern, White-Mischief, Honey Bee, Green Label and Romanov, by the end of the September quarter.

In November 2020, Adidas took its first steps into cycling shoes after a 15-year absence. The brand’s long association with sport began in the 1970s, culminated with Eddy Merckx and continued until 2005 when it moved away from cycling shoes and Jan Ulrich. Aside from a brief alliance as clothing sponsor of a fledgling Team Sky, Adidas seemed content to leave the sport to the specialists.

But then came 2020, and a steady stream of enthusiastically received and factually named products. There was a road cycling shoe called The Road Cycling Shoe. There was an indoor cycling shoe called The Indoor Cycling Shoe. There was a gravel cycling shoe that you can probably guess the name of. There was even a pair of strapless cycling shorts, which was even more of a deal breaker than it looks.

And now comes adidas’ first BOA dial equipped cycling shoe – which uses Parley Ocean Plastic, a BOA dial and the same sole as the road cycling shoe. Mix it all up in the Adidas product name generator and you get the Parley Road Cycling BOA shoes.

The sole uses a three-bolt pattern, with a “rigid nylon and fiberglass composite plate” that “couples innovation with performance” and “transfers the power of every pedal stroke to distance”. Parley Ocean Plastic is an eco-friendly recycled material, which makes up “at least” 50% of the yarn in the upper, with the rest coming from recycled polyester.

The upper is meant to be breathable and sock-like, cinched in by a single BOA dial at the top. Adidas doesn’t say if the bumpers on the sole are replaceable, suggesting they probably aren’t, but there’s an abrasion resistant layer in the toe area that should help protect against chafing tires when you’re stylish on the trail. the city. The triple stripe is reflective and the shoes are rather attractive “Hazy Emerald / Cloud White / Utility Green” (pictured) or “Core Black / Carbon / Core Black” (which you can probably imagine, if you can imagine a pair of shoes completely black bikes).

Overall, they look pretty cool, if not the most technically advanced off-charter stiffness offering. They’re available in unisex sizes EU 36-48, and priced at £170/€180.

Learn more about Adidas.

The Foreign Agricultural Service has launched an innovative initiative to bring diversity into its ranks.

BY VALERIE BRUN

“Diversity” is often a moral checkbox, a brand statement, a nice addition to an HR page, but is it really the core culture? When implemented daily, we see its domino effect. Once absorbed, it makes sense. When followed through, the word “diversification” – the process of diversifying, adding variety – has impact and sustainability. It instills trust and establishes accountability; but, more importantly, when that word is applied, it has power.

“But…it’s when that word is applied that it has power.” There could not be a truer statement. I wrote these words almost two years ago to The Foreign Service Journal article I wrote, “Diversification in the Foreign Agricultural Service” (October 2020). What a difference two years can make. Since then, the world has experienced such inexplicable depressions; but we are resilient, we are adapting and we remain steadfast because we realize that no storm lasts forever.

In this 2020 article, I briefly shared elements of my journey as the first African American woman to take the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Foreign Service Examination in the fall of 2000. At that time, there was only one African-American woman in our Foreign Service, Mattie Sharpless. Ambassador Sharpless was a pioneer and trailblazer, but sadly she was my one and only role model. And the question I would ask others throughout my career was, “Why? »

Why in the year 2000, half a century after the American civil rights movement, were we and others not better represented in our diplomatic corps? Why weren’t more of us representing America abroad? Why has our ministry not introduced the world to the true crucible of the United States? Unfortunately, no one had a good answer for me.

Change question

So I changed my “why” questions, which were accusatory, to: “Why not?” These questions were more thoughtful, created a dialogue and gave birth to a way forward.

Why not have a field service that truly represents the woven tapestry of so many ethnicities and cultures coming together for a common purpose? Why not reach out to young people from different social and ethnic backgrounds and get them excited about a career that takes them around the world to make a difference? I kept asking everyone, until I was nauseous…why not?

In the two decades since I first tried to enter the dynamic world of diplomacy, something of a renaissance has taken place. I think the why nots took center stage. Conversations continued at water fountains, in hallways, and in those now-mandatory change-focused meetings. People were talking, that word “diversity” was flexing its muscles throughout the US government – ​​and the FAS was no longer a bystander.

I was one of those people at the water fountains, in the hallways, and the first to show up to the diversity and inclusion meetings. Now that diversity was to be the cornerstone of the new and improved structure we were building for our future America, how were we going to bring the right people to the table? It was not enough to set the table and prepare the meal if there was no one to join in the feast.

Over the course of my career, I’ve stood alongside my colleagues, both at home and abroad, telling the small part I’ve played in the diversity narrative, and the response has been tremendous. The emotional outpouring of young women with newfound confidence and clear direction for the future was extremely gratifying. In an assessment center, I was thanked by a young man for being an example of what is possible, simply because of my presence.

The praise, tears, and compliments brightened my day, fueled my ego, and made me feel change was coming, but the impact was not lasting for them or for me. Every Monday morning, I would go back to my 9-5 (more like 7:30 each time), do my job, saddened that I didn’t have the bandwidth or a formal pathway for the young minds I had robbed.

That is, until now.

How did it happen

In the fall of 2021, under new administrator Daniel Whitley, the FAS Diversity Scholarship Program was established. It was a moral checkbox of the kind I mentioned earlier. The FDFP is a voluntary change that took place because it was time. Administrator Whitley, a former director of the FAS Civil Rights Office, had worked throughout his career to amplify the voices of the dead and correct obvious injustices. Luckily for the agency, her perspective hasn’t changed with her new title.

It took a village to craft a hard-hitting program for Trustee Whitley to sign off on. Here’s how it happened.

Earlier in 2021, while I was sitting in Dubai doing my assigned job, I heard a rumor that our sister agency, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, had just launched a scholarship program for their foreign service. They had found the answer to “why not?” and we had to follow! My fellow “ag avenger” – also known as Agricultural Attaché Lucas Blaustein – and I set out to figure out how we could make this happen for SAF.

It was not enough to set the table and prepare the meal if there was no one to join in the feast.

Our amazing APHIS colleagues, Glenn Germaine (APHIS Management Analyst) and Eric Coleman (APHIS White House Fellow) introduced us to Patricia Scruggs and Nijhier Lattimer from the Diplomatic Fellowship Division at Howard University; and from there, the earth began to shake. The soft rumblings of transformation took place, and it was time to present the proposal to current FAS civil rights director Adriano Vasquez. He was responsive and willing to do what was needed but needed more than just a notion.

The road to success was strewn with obstacles, starting with the fact that I was living on the other side of the world trying to pilot a program that had never been attempted before. There have been many sleepless nights, but anyone who knows me would say, “What’s up, Valerie; you never sleep anyway. What was new was that the clock was ticking and there were many roadblocks. Fortunately, with fierce determination and the support of Brooke Jamison (FAS Associate Administrator), Mary Ellen Smith (FAS Deputy Foreign Affairs Administrator) and Earnest Smith (FAS Acting Chief Financial Officer), an idea became a reality. Within months, the team had created a proposal that would change the future of the FAS Foreign Service…forever.

The mission of the association

The mission statement of the FAS Diversity Scholarship Program reads: “The FAS Diversity Scholarship Program seeks to identify and prepare worthy and exceptional individuals for careers in the FAS foreign service. The scholarship advances the department’s goal of a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable foreign service that reflects America’s strength.

The FDFP will recruit outstanding candidates from across the country and will include the following:

1. Funding of up to $42,000 per year to attend two-year graduate programs in agribusiness or agricultural economics at US universities.
2. Two summer internships, one domestic and one overseas, at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate.
3. Mentoring of a foreign service officer.
4. Professional development activities to prepare individuals for their careers in the foreign service.
5. Pathway to Foreign Agricultural Service employment for those who complete the FAS program and requirements, with a five-year requirement.

We’ve all been asked, at one time or another, what type of thinker we are: “glass half full” or “glass half empty”? My response has always been that I’m just happy to have a drink. Our current environment may not yet be ideal, fair or even transparent. We are confronted daily with news that disappoints and tries to break our spirits, but if we continue to hope, dream, aspire and persevere, all is not lost.

The FDFP is the product of those of us who keep getting back up when knocked down. Through tears and with a grateful heart, I can confidently say that: The FAS Diversity Scholarship Program is a budding legacy. The FDFP answers the question “why not?” FDFP is the word “diversity” applied, empowering and representing the cultural milieu of America.

As pioneering computer scientist Telle Whitney said, “Diversity drives innovation – when we limit who can contribute, we in turn limit the problems we can solve.” The FDFP promises to contribute to a qualitative expansion of FAS problem-solving capabilities abroad.

Read more…

Rohit Warrier may not have been able to impress the Shark Tank India panel, but that won’t stop him from pursuing his goal. In his recent tweets, the founder of oral hygiene brand, Sippline, showed how he promotes his products at Hotel Show Dubai 2022. The show is one of the premier events for the hospitality industry and hospitality in the Middle East where the world and regional entrepreneurs, agencies and suppliers come to attract more customers.

Sharing his experience at the show, Rohit wrote on LinkedIn that he was pleasantly surprised that people in Dubai knew him and even asked for selfies. It comes after his business pitch was mocked on Shark Tank, specifically by Ashneer Grover. In the first season of Shark Tank India, Rohit showcased their Sippline line of products, especially the Drinking Shield. The show’s most popular shark, Grover immediately dismissed the entire pitch, calling out Rohit in dialogue worthy of a now famous meme, “Bhai Ye Kya Kar Raha Hai Tu?”

However, considering the positive response he received in Dubai, Rohit is very grateful to Shark Tank India. In one of his LinkedIn posts, Grover mentioned that the reality show has provided him with a platform that has catapulted the careers of many entrepreneurs. Although his experience on the show was embarrassing to say the least, Rohit nevertheless writes, “I use it to my advantage and advantage, as it should be!”

Q- How was day 2 The Hotel Show Dubai | May 24 – 26, 2022
A- It was incredibly awesome!

Glad Sippline Drinking Shields – #glasskamask could do it!

No less gratitude to Shark Tank India!
#India #Dubai #Acknowledgement #Hotel #innovation #gone…https://t.co/w4HaUl7Re5

— Rohit Warrior (@rohitwarrier) May 25, 2022

In one of his recent tweets, Rohit shared another customer interaction and wrote, “Q- How was day two The Hotel Show Dubai | May 24 – 26, 2022

A- It was incredibly awesome! Glad Sippline Drinking Shields, Glass ka Mask can do this. No less gratitude to Shark Tank India ever.

Internet users also support Rohit who continues to persevere. As one user commented, “Good luck, never give up.”

Good luck, never give up

—Niraj Kumar (@neerajkumar747) May 29, 2022

Another user wrote: “Super confident of the product. Grover’s reaction was brutal on such a platform. But I think the product is very unlikely to work in the market, at least in India.

Super confident of the product. Grover’s reaction was brutal on such a shark tank rig. But I think the product is very unlikely to work in the market, at least in India.

— Mitesh Shah (@mshah1973) May 27, 2022

One of the users encouraged Rohit and commented, “Awesome Rohit, well done.”

Awesome Rohit, well done.

— Anand K Joshi (@AnandKJoshi1) May 27, 2022

Rohit revealed that he will also be showcasing his products at Singapore Food and Hotels Asia (FHA) in October.

https://in.linkedin.com/in/warrierrohit

Read all the latest IPL 2022 news, breaking news and live updates here.

“The opening of the HONOR Smart Manufacturing Industrial Park last year was an important milestone in our success in integrating our R&D capabilities into our manufacturing processes. The consolidation allows us to better leverage our expertise in both areas,” said George ZhaoCEO of HONOR Device Co, Ltd. “In addition to bolstering our manufacturing capabilities, the Smart Manufacturing Facility is home to world-class production, testing and quality control equipment that ensures our premium products meet our customers’ high expectations.”

Seamless integration between R&D and manufacturing

Operational since September 2021, the HONOR Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park is the brand’s first self-funded factory. Equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing facilities to support all aspects of smartphone manufacturing, the park is key to ensuring the quality of the brand’s premium offerings. With 20 percent of the staff working in the park being R&D personnel, HONOR integrates its R&D resources into core park capabilities, maximizing the synergy between the two and enabling manufacturing technology to keep pace with innovation.

Customized Production Line for HONOR Magic4 Pro Innovations

Coming to select international markets from this month, HONOR Magic4 Pro debuts with AI Privacy Call, a painkiller feature that massively minimizes sound leakage during voice calls; Ultra-Fusion Computational Photography, a camera solution that allows users to take full advantage of the smartphone’s multiple rear cameras; and the LTPO Quad-Curved Display, a stunning display that delivers immersive viewing experiences. Each of these features poses a set of unique manufacturing challenges, the solutions to which are only made possible by HONOR’s synergy of R&D and manufacturing.

With each generation of smartphones, smartphone manufacturers have continually moved the receiver to the upper bezel in an attempt to increase the display area. However, the closer the receiver is placed to the edge, the more pronounced the sound leakage during voice calls, leading to privacy issues.

To solve this user problem, HONOR has identified and solved more than 100 technology challenges and created AI privacy call. This innovative feature uses the industry’s first smart dual-sound unit, which includes a bone conduction component using piezoelectric ceramics that is mounted directly to the screen. Due to the nature of glass, the assembly process requires extreme precision – even minor manufacturing deviations will permanently damage the panel. Working hand in hand, the R&D and manufacturing teams met the challenge in three months. Concerted efforts have resulted in the creation of the high-precision automated assembly equipment, which relies on computer vision and algorithms optimized for achieve 0.01mm accuracy and 99.99% yieldcontributing to HONOR’s ability to meet consumer demands for the HONOR Magic4 Pro.

The HONOR Magic4 Pro is also equipped with a powerful triple camera combination supporting Computational ultra-fusion photography. The complexity of the solution in the new flagship smartphone required double camera calibration equipment compared to what was required for its predecessor. Benefiting from improved calibration and testing procedures, the Triple Camera system, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, delivers more detailed images with more authentic colors throughout the supported focal range.

Advanced assembly processes are also adopted for the Four-curve LTPO display on HONOR Magic4 Pro. Leveraging a state-of-the-art configuration of six-axis robotic arms, high-precision cameras, and computer vision algorithms developed by HONOR, the editing equipment operates with a precision range of ±0.075mm and produces products with a low manufacturing tolerance of only 0.1mm, further demonstrating HONOR’s superior manufacturing capabilities.

The park is also equipped with state-of-the-art labs, including Reliability Lab, Regulatory Lab and Environmental Protection Lab, with which HONOR performs more than 200 reliability tests on the HONOR Magic4 Pro to ensure its superior quality. . For example, the HONOR Magic4 Pro is tested to have a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value – which measures the radiation emission from the smartphone – this is 56% below the limit of the most stringent industry standard.

Three pillars of manufacturing excellence

Automation, digitalization and smart technology are the cornerstones of the park’s core manufacturing capabilities. The Park works with 75% of its production line automatedminimizing the risk of human error. In addition, more than 40% of automated production equipment is developed in-housewhich serves as further evidence of the tight integration between the Park’s R&D and manufacturing capabilities.

All key equipment in the production facility supports digital control systems, enabling HONOR to better manage the entire production line and achieve better efficiency as well as improve product quality.

Made exclusively in the park, the HONOR Magic4 Pro represents the best of HONOR’s manufacturing capabilities, which global consumers will soon be able to experience first-hand when the flagship smartphone arrives in select markets starting this month.

About HONOR

HONOR is one of the world’s leading providers of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a smart new world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that enables people around the world to go above and beyond, giving them the freedom to accomplish and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR’s portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products empowers people to become a better version of themselves.

For more information, please visit HONOR online at www.hihonor.com or E-mail [email protected]

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HONOR OF SOURCES

GOLDEN, Colorado–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On Tap Credit Union is not an ordinary bank or credit union. Founded in 1954 in Golden, Colorado, we provide financial counseling in a friendly environment, making it easy to help our members build financial solutions with their goals in mind. As we continue to grow our membership base, we are focused on our strategic goals which include promoting from within by adding four new director positions and aligning our leadership team for growth.

In order for the credit union to continue its growth initiative, we promoted four of our managers to Director positions to achieve key deliverables: Dawn Sanchez to Director of Strategic Implementations, Alana Kelly to Director of Marketing, Tyler Richards as director of consumer loans. , and Jennifer Dooley as Director of Retail Delivery. Each of these promotions is in line with our company’s growth goals and commitment to continue building solutions with our members in mind.

“Promotion within our organization is an important aspect of our corporate culture and helps accelerate our strategic goals as we continue to build solutions for our members,” said President and CEO of On Tap Credit. Union, Tracie Wilcox. “Each person is unique in their role and brings years of value well beyond their time at On Tap, and we are excited to continue to strengthen our leadership team. »

Prior to joining On Tap, Sanchez held several positions in the finance space related to operations, regulatory program development and project management at the VP level. With nearly 20 years of experience at Peak National Bank, First Western Financial and the City of Englewood, we were delighted to bring Dawn and her range of skills to the On Tap team in August 2017. In addition to In her project management role, Dawn is responsible for the credit union‘s IT security, which includes a baseline information security program. She also very actively supports the Disaster Recovery and Digital steering committees.

As for Kelly, she joined On Tap Credit Union in June 2019, bringing with her more than 12 years of experience developing, implementing and evaluating successful marketing and communications strategies. In her first six months, while still learning the credit union industry, she improved marketing processes, developed a social strategy, improved internal communications, and produced a community engagement and social responsibility plan. of business. She never let pandemic roadblocks stop her. Instead of canceling Member Appreciation Day, she made it digital, making it one of our biggest member appreciation engagements. Kelly has been a major player in strategic projects including launching digital marketing automation, generating leads for loans, improving mortgage marketing efforts, and is active on the digital steering committee. In 2021, she won the Rising Star award from the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council.

Richards joined On Tap Credit Union in 2015 as an underwriter before moving into retail as chief operating officer. As Director of Consumer Loans at On Tap Credit Union, he oversees credit union collections and consumer loan portfolios. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Denver Area Chapter, the Professionals of the Colorado Young Credit Union, as well as the Professional Council of the Mountain West Young Credit Union. Richards received the Outstanding Young Professional designation from the Mountain West Credit Union Foundation, and was selected in 2021 to serve as the Colorado representative for the foundation’s Executive Leadership Program. Richards also sits on the Assets and Liabilities, Security and Information Technology, and Project Portfolio Committees of the credit union. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Business from the University of Wyoming.

Dooley joined On Tap Credit Union in October 2021 as Contact Center Manager, bringing with her more than 18 years of financial industry experience. During this time, she held several positions including Cashier, Senior Cashier, Personal Banker, Service Manager, Branch Manager, Consumer Loans Specialist, Loans Service Officer, Personal Loans Team Leader consumer, consumer loan supervisor, and now she’s been promoted to retail delivery manager. role. In a nod to her passion for the community in which she lives and serves, she has given back to organizations in Texas where she has spent most of her career. She has organized volunteer efforts for Austin Pets Alive, Austin’s Pride Parade, Central Texas Food Bank, Light the Night Walk (in aid of leukemia and lymphoma), and Race for the Cure.

We raise our glasses to each of these individuals for coming together to complete our leadership team and continue to find ways to elevate our brand while raising awareness for the credit union.

Anyone interested in learning more about On Tap Credit Union can request a call back here, www.ontapcu.org/about-us/contact-us, or visit our website. We look forward to providing you with a financial solution!

About On Tap Credit Union

Formerly Coors Credit Union, On Tap Credit Union is a full-service cooperative financial institution serving people living and working in Jefferson, Denver, Boulder and Larimer counties. Founded in 1954, the credit union has $379 million in assets and 20,000 members who also own the organization. The credit union offers personal advice and financial solutions, including car, mortgage and home loans, credit cards, insurance, savings and investment accounts and financial advice, as well as a full range of business services, including a variety of commercial lending solutions. For more information, please visit www.OnTapCU.org.

Chennai: The sight of the poor in Madurai made Mahatma Gandhi choose to wear just a simple dhoti. The plight of weavers in the Tirupur region prompted a young man in 1983 to start a business selling dhoties to help them. The journey began six years earlier in 1977 for KR Nagarajan, who hailed from a family of small-scale farmers in Avinashi, near Tirupur. After failing the SSLC exam, Nagarajan joined a Khadi bhandar in Tirupur as a sales representative for a monthly salary of Rs 150.
“Tirupur was 14 km from Avinashi and I cycled to work every day. The store sourced dhoties from local weavers and sold them in Andhra Pradesh. I used to travel for 15 days to register orders and spend the other 15 days in the workshop coordinating production,” recalls Nagarajan.
The weavers brought the dhoties in the morning and waited outside the shop in the evening for payment. No one even offered them a glass of water. Most had no shirts and were dressed in torn dhoties. In the evening, they got their money back and rushed to catch the last bus home. “I couldn’t do much to help them except buy them tea or snacks with my purse,” says Nagarajan.
After a while I asked the owner to pay the weavers as soon as they deliver the dothies. “If they are paid early, they will go around Tirupur, visit other shops and supply materials to them and not to us,” the owner said. “It went against the sportsmanship that was instilled in me at school. I decided to help the weavers,” says Nagarajan.
His relatives and friends chided him for concentrating on dhotis when Tirupur was emerging as a hub for the export of knitted garments. “I told them that I was not here to do business, but to work for the upliftment of weavers. With great reluctance, a few relatives helped me and I opened my first shop in Tirupur in 1983 I paid higher wages to the weavers to ensure they get good meals three times a day and wear a shirt when they visit my shop An old weaver advised me not to get emotional and take back my old work,” Nagarajan recalls. Nagarajan paid them more and got better dhoties, which he then sold at a higher price. The business grew. From a handful of weavers at the start, about 50,000 weavers from the Kongu belt (Coimbatore to Salem, Dharmapuri) are now supplying dhoties and other materials to Ramraj Cotton.
After 15 years of successful business, Nagarajan went with nine other friends for a yarn supplier’s wedding at a five-star hotel in Chennai. He was refused entry because he was wearing a dhoti. He chose to sit quietly under a tree, asking his friends to attend the wedding. “Sitting under that tree I remembered that my family had been against the dhoti trade and now I faced the embarrassment of being refused entry to a hotel. do something more. That’s when I thought about branding,” he says. He made an announcement with actor Jayaram as his role model. It became a hit.
“It is a different story that after a club in the city barred entry to a VIP dressed in dhoti, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa passed an ordinance against the practice. ‘half a page in all the papers thanking her for the order,’ he said.
Today, Ramraj Cotton manufactures 2,500 varieties of dhoties and sells one-lakh-a-day pieces in 10,000 multi-brand textile outlets across the country and 212 exclusive showrooms, in addition online and offline. ‘export. It employs 10,000 people, with Tirupur as its hub. Since then, the group has ventured into designer shirts, loungewear and womenswear. The turnover is four figures.
What next? “I just boarded a flight from Coimbatore to Chennai. Of the approximately 140 passengers, I am the only one wearing a dhoti. I want to see more people on the flight wearing dhotis,” he says.

There was a time when the widespread involvement of MGP of Indiana in the American whiskey scene was considered by drinkers to be something of a mystery or secret; a trivial matter revelation that brands of rye whiskey such as Bulleit, Templeton, Redemption, Sagamore Spirit and many more were all drawing from the same stocks as they blended similar ryes to fill the shelves of your local package store. Over time, however, American whiskey drinkers have become more educated and the contributions of MGP – they call it the Ross & Squibb Distillery, but everyone always seems to say “MGP” – have arguably been better understood and appreciated. Drinkers better understand that just because it’s the same iconic “95-5” rye recipe, the resulting bottles can still vary widely depending on how companies choose to finish, cut and test their versions. Likewise, MGP house brands such as George Remus Bourbon and Rossville Union Rye have helped solidify the idea of ​​massive distillery “house style,” showing us what MGP distillers think their spirits taste best.

And yet, it’s still easy to forget, even now, just how important MGP really is and how many disparate mash bills they produce. The 95% rye recipe is iconic and will always be associated with MGP and the many national brands that bought it – so many, in fact, that this rye was instrumental in changing the American perception of what does rye whiskey taste like. But that 95-5 mash bill isn’t the only rye produced at MGP – they also dabble in what we would call “Kentucky-style” rye, which is only 51% rye in the grain and is therefore much heavier in corn. For decades, this “barely legal” type of rye was the national standard, before the high-rye recipes of MGP and others pushed the style in a spicier, drier direction.

MGP’s own subsidiary, Luxco (the companies merged in 2021), producers of everything from Ezra Brooks and Blood Oath to Rebel Yell and Daviess County Bourbon, are now bringing this lesser-known MGP rye to the fore with the creation of a new brand called Alias ​​Straight Rye Whisky. Hitting the shelves in May, and distinctly eye-catching in a blackened glass bottle and matching black label, it seems to visually promise this is something out of the ordinary. And so it is – this brand is a way for MGP to present a bill of rye mash that is quite different from what they are generally known to produce. It weighs 51% rye, 45% corn and 4% malted barley, bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof). There is no age statement, but the designation “straight” and the lack of a corresponding exact age in months tells us that the spirit is at least four years old.

So, with all that said, let’s get into the tasting and see how a Kentucky-style rye from MGP of Indiana really turns out.

On the nose, I immediately get a better idea of ​​the corn component of the mash bill you’d get on just about any 95-5 MGP rye, which makes total sense in the world. There’s cornbread here, with pure rye grain/rye spice, a little caramel, a light mint, and an interesting trace of jalapeno pepper. The fruits are extracted slowly, with something like a baked pear.

On the palate, it also clearly resembles “Kentucky rye” more than modern high rye whiskey, with a good hint of rye flavor, coupled with a greater degree of sweetness on the front end. The texture is actually a little syrupy, making the initial pear, menthol, and rye flavors almost seem a little sweet. I get a little cinnamon sugar, before a transition to more holm oak notes. The overall impression is sweet at the front, but noticeably drier at the back, with a combination of herbaceous, peppery, minty and slightly fruity elements. A touch of ethanol heat completes the whole thing.

All in all, I can see why Luxco would want to go this route, although ultimately there isn’t much that specifically distinguishes this rye from other Kentucky-style ryes. It will probably be comfortable at home among other moderately priced younger ryes on the shelf, although oddly enough I don’t actually know the MSRP for this bottle – none of the published press releases seem to contain this information for a any reason. Either way, if you’re more of a fan of old-school Kentucky bourbon distillery rye whiskeys than the modern, spicier style, Alias ​​Straight Rye might be worth your attention.

Distillery: Luxco (MGP of Indiana)
City: Lawrenceburg, IN
Style: Pure rye whiskey
ABV: 45% (90 proof)
Availablity: 750ml bottles

Jim Vorel is a staff writer at Paste and a resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.

The Johnnie Walker brand was built on the foundation of the Red Label and Black Label, and they became the standard for Scotch whiskey throughout the 20th century. The brand was thriving, but the Striding Man still looks ahead. According to Punch, Guinness UDV, then owner of Johnnie Walker, saw a niche in the market filled by a status symbol spirit in the late 1980s. Elite businessmen began investing in wines high-end California and when Johnnie Walker representatives saw the opportunity for the spirits world to follow their lead, they seized it.

Focus groups were held in the form of whiskey dinners where marketers collected first-hand data from members of this high-end demographic, Punch said. Johnnie Walker’s flagship bottles, Red Label and Black Label, were not the attendees’ favourites, as the bottles’ supposed lack of echelon was not deemed to suit their palates. Instead, a spirit that evoked rarity, exclusivity and luxury was in demand – Blue Label was exactly what they were looking for. Not only was it by far the most expensive spirit on the market, but the blend of whiskeys inside the bottle was also a marvel. Containing whiskey only aged 28+, Blue Label was unlike anything else on the market. It became an instant status symbol, mentioned by whiskey salesman and author Robert Robinson for Punch as “the most perfectly crafted whiskey ever created”.

PARIS – If the billboards announcing its opening or the slender storefront are not enough to attract the attention of passers-by on the Champs-Élysées, the monumental screen at the entrance should do the trick for the opening this week of the flagship Lacoste Arena. .

“With Roland Garros approaching, it will be great,” said Thierry Guibert, CEO of the French brand and its Swiss parent company MF Brands Group.

But before tennis’ elite players battle it out on the court, the three-story store at 50 avenue des Champs-Élysées is already a champion itself.

At 17,200 square feet, it is four times the size of the current Parisian flagship, located higher up the avenue since the early 2000s, and is the brand’s largest retail space in the world.

A two-year overhaul was needed to redesign the space, which was once a cinema, which takes pride of place on the ground floor in a 1960s building built by film production and distribution company Gaumont .

The result is a series of interconnected spaces where the full breadth of the brand’s offering unfolds. With some 9,500 pieces on display, here are crocodiles – lots of them.

Starting with its emblematic polo shirts, their dedicated corner on the first floor visible from the entrance. Visitors can climb the steps directly there or check out the sneaker selection on the ground floor, a category that has seen strong growth since returning in-house in 2018, Guibert said.

A Lacoste Champs-Élysées capsule will also be available exclusively in the store, with the French brand holding the rights to use the name of the famous avenue. “Michel Lacoste, [son of founder René and former CEO,] registered the name about three decades ago, but it had never been fully developed,” the exec revealed.

An interactive tunnel, with tennis balls projected onto the floor that can be hit and heard bouncing, leads to another room dedicated to the brand’s tennis, golf and sportswear offerings.

A neon sign reading “Lacoste fait son cinema”, a play on the store’s former incarnation and a French phrase that loosely translates to “Lacoste’s antics”, leads to a cavernous basement with another screen XXL.

For the opening, it will host an exhibition around Gaumont, the first of a rotating program of exhibitions and activities such as an indoor tennis court or a golf simulator.

“Experience is and will be an important variable in a retail space. And that goes for physical and digital doors,” he said, conceding that it might seem paradoxical to open a store of this size at a time when digital sales account for 30% of business.

And don’t expect this to become a gateway to a Lacoste metaverse just yet.

“Making NFTs and virtual crocodiles to sell is not what we do. The metaverse is a place where [a brand] must position itself, but in which it must give meaning. Those who position themselves without substance will pay a high price,” he said, defining the metaverse as “a relay for brand equity” and “a world of communities”.

The community sits at the top of the stairs and escalators leading to the first floor and its glass skylight, with a wall of screens called Croco Wall. It will feature films around the brand and images taken in the in-store photo booth.

It’s also home to Lacoste’s main men’s and women’s collections, as well as a customization station where patches, embroidery and lace locks can be added to select garments, shoes and accessories in as little as 10 minutes.

Nearby, a space dedicated to sustainable development offers a take-back program and the brand’s circular patterns, presented on hangers made from recycled materials. But the real heart of the matter is the durability of the product, Guibert said, adding that it was five to seven years old and that the brand plans to double that within three years through technical and textile innovations.

In the meantime, shoppers will be able to compare existing shirt designs through a carousel inspired by the machine used to make its signature pique knit and browse that rainbow of shirts seen upon entering.

For Guibert, this flagship is an important step in the transformation initiated upon his arrival at the head of the French brand in 2015, doubling by 2021 its turnover of 1 billion euros in 2014. The objective is to increase it to 4 billion euros within five years. .

But it is a step that could not have been taken if digital purchases had not accelerated to their current level.

“It’s the weight of digital [component] which makes this store cohesive. the [combination of] the online and offline experience is critical to the relationship we have with our customers,” he said, pointing to in-store features such as QR codes that can be scanned using the device photo of a smartphone to access size availability and request a trial.

It also heralds a new generation of stores that will complement the digital sales force, which it expects to reach 40% within two to three years.

The new concept will be rolled out in key cities, starting with an 8,500 square foot store on London’s Regent Street in February 2023 and Shanghai later that year.

Rather than expanding the retail network to 1,100 units across 98 countries, Guibert said the strategy would be to scale back stores in the future, starting with not renewing leases for older stores that are too small. to house a large assortment of Lacoste’s offer.

Overall, Guibert said Lacoste had weathered the pandemic better than most and recovered quickly, ending 2021 with an 18% increase over 2020 figures and a 3% increase over 2019. , which he considered a banner year.

Current projections for 2022 show revenue up 24% from January to April compared to last year’s figures, and Guibert expects the rest of the year to continue on a positive trajectory, with a double-digit growth in the years to come.

He attributed these results to Lacoste’s enduring sporty-casual identity, infused with the talent of the moment from creative director Louise Trotter; an infusion of young consumers attracted by buzzing collaborations with Supreme, Bruno Mars or the Minecraft video game, and the robustness given by its lack of dependence on any particular territory.

The United States remains Lacoste’s largest single market, accounting for a growing 19% share of business, with France ranking just behind at 18%. On a larger scale, the rest of Europe represents a total of 30%, also showing strong growth. Asia accounts for 25 percent.

“The brand is more desirable than it has ever been. Five years ago, our client’s average age was 40 and we’ve shaved seven years off now. The collaborations have given visibility to the younger generations”, said the executive, also reaffirming the weight of a “winning strategic choice to invest in a premium digital experience since 2015” which allows the brand to better cross the current succession of crises than some of its competitors.

He also described Lacoste as “a brand for everyone” and an “anti-manual case” in terms of consumer targeting that sees “old people, young people, 50s, locals, tourists” mingling in store.

“When I arrived [at the helm]I was asked what I would do if people in the suburbs wore [the brand]. I replied that I hoped they would continue for a long time because the day they stopped would mean the brand was no longer relevant,” he said.

Going forward, the brand will focus its efforts on achieving a 60-40 split between its retail and wholesale sales, compared to the current 40-60 split, and on growing its menswear business. women to a share of 25 to 30%, against 17% today.

The opening of Lacoste Arena comes as luxury brands flock to the avenue, which drew some 100,000 people a day before the pandemic, with 71% of traffic coming from tourists, and renovation plans are coming to fruition. The Comité Champs-Élysées lobby group, representing business and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, has unveiled a two-part plan to be executed before the 2024 Summer Olympics, according to reports in French media.

The executive declined to share sales forecasts for the flagship, but said he expects one million visitors a year, especially as the Olympics approach and Asian tourists return to Paris. “If we achieve this goal, the figure will certainly be interesting,” he concluded.

Here we take a look at some of the brands that are breaking the mold and providing sustainable local products that are designed to take care of our minds, our bodies and the planet.

modern botany

When they first landed in Schull people thought John Murray and Dr Simon Jackson were ‘crazy’ but the west coast of Cork proved to be the perfect setting for their brand which is based on the use of natural ingredients.

The duo created Modern Botany in 2016. The idea was to create
a natural products company based on the principles of pharmacognosy, the study of medicinal compounds obtained from plants or other natural sources, according to Dr. Jackson’s professional background.

“We’re all about plants, the power of plants, and the healing power of plants,” says John, who is both co-founder and chief sustainability officer.

Backed by science and led by nature, Modern Botany offers a range of 100% natural products, from their popular multi-tasking oil to their unisex natural deodorant.

For them, sustainability means looking at all aspects of the life cycle of their products.

Their multi-tasking oil can be used for face, body, hair and nails and is suitable for all skin types, including babies and during pregnancy. With refillable packaging, there’s no waste with this complete solution for dry skin.

John and Simon have also experimented with growing some of their own ingredients.

“The big thing about being sustainable is that we’re constantly reviewing and reviewing it and how we can be a little smarter,” says John.

Their products are packaged in glass and after recently testing refillable options, this is something they hope to incorporate into more products to further reduce waste.

Well-being on the ground

Another Cork-based brand, Ground Wellbeing, focuses on “how you feel about how you look”, according to founder Peigín Crowley.

“Our focus on wellness is to manage everything from burnout to insomnia, from anxiety to gut health, to menopause,” she says.

With over 20 years of experience in the world of spas, Peigín’s concept for Ground Wellbeing was born out of the pandemic and the goal of making wellbeing more accessible.

Mindfulness and getting a good night’s sleep are paramount for the brand and its customers with products that nourish, replenish and encourage self-care rituals.

Their sleep gift sets are their best sellers and include natural body oils, pillow sprays, and face balms. Their Balancing CBD Balm is another favorite.

Ground Wellbeing also incorporates home wellness products and Peigín and the team are currently working on products for people undergoing cancer treatment.

Everything Peigín has done has been done with sustainability in mind, and its collection of face and body balms and oils are 100% natural, with an average of 50% organic ingredients.

They avoid all harmful chemicals, promoting natural and organic living.

100% vegan and cruelty-free, Ground Wellbeing also emphasizes plastic-free shipping. All of their boxes and pouches are also made from a PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) accredited board, and they are planning to develop other refill initiatives as well. Currently, they offer bath salt and pillow spray refills, encouraging a 30% savings.

The handmade soap company

As someone who worked outdoors with their hands every day, Donagh Quigley knew the importance of natural, caring hand soap.

In 2010, he and his wife, Gemma, started the Handmade Soap Company in their kitchen. Now based in a renovated former linen mill in Slane, County Meath, Handmade Soap Company has sustainability in its DNA.

As their name suggests, each product is handmade, with every ingredient carefully selected. All of their bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials, made from recycled products and can be recycled again.

The Handmade Soap Company focuses on eco-friendly body care and wellness while incorporating home fragrances.

They recently launched their most sustainable line to date: ANAM. The product line uses lifetime glass bottles, to be filled by the first ever 100% compostable refill pouch for liquid soap. As soap can be acidic and corrosive over time, this was a tricky design to perfect.

The range includes hand soaps and lotions as well as body oils, diffusers, essential oils and candles.

For Donagh and Gemma, the goal is to be the “kindest body care brand in the world” and this concept guides everything they do.

“The way we want to change the world for our clients is to enhance and enhance those micro-moments of self-care,” says Donagh.

“Every time you’re done doing the dishes and just want to wash your hands, if you’re using one of our products…you raise your hands to smell them after washing them under the tap and you say simply: ‘it’s good’.”

marine body

Dr Helena McMahon is one of the co-founders of Seabody, a Co Kerry-based luxury beauty and wellness brand that fuses science and sustainability to create skincare and supplements.

These are powered by high-purity organic bioactive marine molecules that Seabody manufactures in-house, using zero-waste technologies.

Founded in 2018, Seabody is on its way to becoming fully circular.

“Our mission was really to create a beauty and wellness brand that sustainably harnesses the incredible health and regenerative powers of algae,” says Dr. Helena McMahon.

She describes seaweed as an “incredible resource” with many molecules locked away in seaweed that have incredible health benefits.

Their most popular products include the Glycan Enrich Moisturizer while the Aquasurge Day Serum also receives rave reviews.

From day one, sustainability has been an important part of Seabody. They have a zero waste manufacturing process where they isolate several molecules and compounds from algae and create a variety of products, all of which have particular applications.

But their efforts don’t stop on the inside, their packaging is made of glass and uses biodegradable, non-toxic ink while their boxes are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. This guarantees that the products come from responsibly managed forests.

Each of the founders is invested in the ocean and the health of the oceans.

“If you’re using a natural resource, you need to make sure you’re doing it in a sustainable and sensitive way,” says Helena.

“Ultimately, you want to contribute positively to ocean regeneration and ocean health. That’s really important to us.