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Paris Hilton Discusses Her Fire Relief Work at Los Angeles Magazine's L.A. Woman Luncheon

Paris Hilton Discusses Her Fire Relief Work at Los Angeles Magazine's L.A. Woman Luncheon

Yahoo22-04-2025
On Friday, Los Angeles magazine hosted a luncheon to celebrate the March 2025 L.A. Woman issue, covered by Paris Hilton. Guests gathered at the Beverly Hilton hotel for an afternoon of panel discussions, mingling, music and a special three-course meal.The L.A. Woman issue recognized the female leaders in Los Angeles who stepped up after January's devastating wildfires to help rebuild the community.Magazine subjects Avery Colvert and her mother Lauren Sandidge, who co-founded Altadena Girls to give back to teenage Eaton Fire victims, introduced Paris before her conversation with Los Angeles magazine's Deputy Editor, Jasmin Rosemberg. After facing the loss of her own Malibu home in the Pacific Palisades fire, Paris turned to action."Right away, I started thinking about people who had lost so much more, and my heart was breaking just for all of the moms with their children who had nowhere to sleep that night, and who had lost everything," Paris said.
In the midst of her own mourning, Paris turned to action. She joined forces with Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides basic necessities like diapers, toys and clothing to children in need. She also connected with the Pasadena Humane Society to foster a dog named Zuzu, and she joined forces with Altadena Girls.Paris and Hilton Hotels coordinated the donation of 20,000 rooms to help displaced families who lost their homes in the fires. "The first two nights, I went and I surprised these families that we had put up at a hotel and came with presents and just spent time with them and their children," Paris said. "And just hearing from them, just how much it meant to them, made my heart feel so full just to be able to use my resources to help others and surprise them in such a way, during such a difficult and heartbreaking time."City Councilmember and L.A. Woman honoree Traci Park also made remarks about the emergency, after being introduced by LA Mag's Michele McPhee. Other attendees included Scheana Shay and Heather McDonald.The afternoon was spent celebrating the many women of L.A., including those featured in the magazine, and many of whom put their own losses aside to help those across the city.
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Why The Labubu Craze Became A Nostalgic Social Currency
Why The Labubu Craze Became A Nostalgic Social Currency

Forbes

time4 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Why The Labubu Craze Became A Nostalgic Social Currency

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 12: Close-up detail view of seven Labubu monsters / charms / dolls / plus from ... More "Big Into Energy" collection : Loyalty, Happiness, Luck, Hope, Serenity, Love an Secret, during a street style fashion photo session, on June 12, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by) The distinctive grin of Labubu, a small, elf-eared creature with serrated teeth, has become widespread across social media feeds, celebrity red carpets, and fashion shows worldwide. What began as a collectible toy from Hong Kong-based Pop Mart has evolved into something far more complex: a cultural phenomenon that generated $423 million in revenue for the company in 2024 alone, transforming a playful figurine into a coveted symbol of exclusivity and insider knowledge. People wait in line to visit the new Pop Mart store selling Labubu toys at a shopping mall in Berlin ... More on July 25, 2025. Labubu is a brand of collectible designer plush toy monster elves created by Hong Kong-Dutch designer Kasing Lung and marketed by and sold exclusively at China-based retailer Pop Mart. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images) This isn't just another toy craze. The Labubu mania reveals something deeper about consumer psychology, nostalgia, and how objects become vessels for social status in the digital age. Through three distinct lenses—as a nostalgic product, a form of social currency, and a fleeting fashion statement—the Labubu phenomenon offers insights into modern consumer behavior and the mechanics of viral culture. The Power of Labubu's Nostalgic Design At the heart of Labubu's appeal lies a sophisticated understanding of nostalgia and emotional resonance. Created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung in 2016, the character draws from Nordic folklore and European fairy tales, creating what author and fashion historian Robert Ossant describes as a 'fascinating combination of cute and ugly that taps into the 90s and Y2K aesthetic of Furbies, Garbage Pail kids, Troll dolls and cartoons like Rugrats and Ren & Stimpy.' Lung, born in 1972, spent part of his childhood in the Netherlands, and his design philosophy blends childhood memories with universal mythological elements. The result is a character that feels simultaneously new and ancient or something that resonates across cultural boundaries while tapping into collective childhood memories. "The large eyes and tiny nose resemble childlike characteristics, upping the cute factor and appealing to the anime and manga trends we're seeing in the current zeitgeist," explains Nina Vargas, a global beauty strategist, in her analysis of the toy's psychological appeal. 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The collectible toy market has long understood the power of scarcity, from Pokémon cards, Barbies and Beanie Babies, but Labubu has elevated this concept to new heights through strategic use of "blind box" purchasing and limited releases. "The Labubus became a social currency because to have a rare Labubu communicates an insider knowledge of trends and value. It began as 'if you know you know' (IYKYK) style statement and a widely understood, talisman of taste," Ossant explains. CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 17: Zufi Alexander wears an all Miu Miu look made of butter yellow long summer ... More dress and straw Miu Miu bag with attached Labubu bag charms during day five of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by) The economics are straightforward yet powerful: initial drops are priced modestly (around $30), but artificial scarcity quickly drives secondary market prices to multiples of their original value. This creates multiple tiers of social signaling. 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POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts
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Newsweek

time33 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

POP MART Takes Over Comic Con With Exclusive Drops and Debuts

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Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia
Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

San Francisco Chronicle​

timean hour ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Famed Wanamaker Organ will again be heard by the public in fall art series in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — One of the most famous organs in the world, which graces one of Philadelphia's favorite public spaces, was at risk of going quiet this spring when Macy's closed up shop in the city's storied Wanamaker Building. But countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, the avant-garde opera star hired last year to run Opera Philadelphia, is leading an effort to let the public again enjoy the Wanamaker Organ, a National Historic Landmark-designated treasure. The organ boasts more than 28,000 wood and metal pipes hidden behind a soaring wall of gold-leaf pipes that frame the building's seven-story marble atrium. Costanzo, with $1 million in philanthropic funding, is organizing a series of public performances this fall — including opera, ballet, theater and drag — before renovations begin next year on the building's conversion to a retail and residential hub. The first event is set for Sunday, Sept. 7. 'John Wanamaker, when he built this Grand Court, said he wanted it to be the intersection of arts and commerce, and that's why he put the world's largest pipe organ into it,' Costanzo told The Associated Press in an onsite interview Thursday evening. 'This space is operatic,' he said. 'So I thought it was a perfect umbrella to bring in every arts organization I could, and all these different collaborators.' The organ was made for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Wanamaker, a successful merchant and civic leader, had it moved to his new emporium next to City Hall in 1909 and then hired a crew of 40 pipe makers to enlarge it so the sound filled the vast space. A decade later, famed conductor Leopold Anthony Stokowski performed there with the Philadelphia Orchestra as 15,000 people crowded into the great hall and mezzanines. With the merchandise now gone, the acoustics rival those of the great cathedrals, Costanzo said. 'The organ for the first time is in perfect cathedral acoustic condition, so it will be the best way to hear this instrument in the history of the space, because there's actually nothing in there,' he said. The building's new owner hopes to continue to incorporate art and culture into their plans, which include retail on the lower floors and office and residential space above. The organ adds unique challenges. 'You've got this organ music going in the grand atrium, but meanwhile you've got other uses on these upper floors looking into that space, so you have to figure out how to make that work for everybody,' said Jon McMillan, a senior vice president of TF Cornerstone, the New York-based development firm. Local civic groups, in an announcement Friday, said they hope to raise funds to bring back one of the city's most beloved annual events, a holiday light show that drew generations of families to the store. Costanzo, who continues to perform around the world, believes he can build enthusiasm for the arts by bringing it to the places where people gather, including the Wanamaker Building. And he hopes that, in turn, will help people find a way to connect with each other. 'This space is so deeply embedded in the emotion of Philadelphia,' Costanzo said. "I want them to come to Wanamaker and discover something they've never seen before.'

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