Latest news with #AndGodCreatedWoman
Euronews
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
France to ban smoking in public places to protect children
Brigitte Bardot lounged barefoot on a beach in Saint-Tropez, taking long puffs of a cigarette. Another actor, Jean-Paul Belmondo, strode down the Champs-Élysées, smoke billowing from his provocative lips, capturing the relentless rebellion of a generation. In France, cigarettes weren't just cigarettes: they were cinematic statements, flirtations and rebellions wrapped in rolling papers. However, from 1 July, if the iconic scenes of Bardot and Belmondo were reproduced in real life, they would be punishable by fines of up to €135 ($153) - despite the French Ministry of Health saying there would be a period of "education" in May. The decree published on Saturday morning makes no mention of fines for offences. The decree still needs to be supplemented by an order from the minister of health to define the precise areas where smoking will no longer be permitted in schools, libraries, sports facilities and other venues that will receive, train or accommodate minors. This measure was promised by the government at the end of 2023 and confirmed in late May by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin, with an initial implementation date of July 1 across France. After decades of glorifying tobacco, France is now launching its biggest smoking ban to date. The new restrictions, announced by Vautrin, will ban smoking in virtually all outdoor public spaces where children could gather, including beaches, parks, gardens, playgrounds, stadiums, school entrances and bus stops. "Tobacco must disappear where there are children," Vautrin told French media. The freedom to smoke "stops where the right of children to breathe clean air begins". While the Vautrin law reflects public health priorities, it also signals a deeper cultural shift. Smoking has defined French identity, fashion and cinema for so long that this new measure has the effect of a silent French revolution in a country whose relationship with tobacco is notoriously complex. According to the League against cancer, more than 90% of French films from 2015 to 2019 included scenes of smoking, more than double the rate seen in Hollywood productions. Each French film featured an average of nearly three minutes of smoking on screen, the equivalent of six 30-second TV adverts. Cinema had a particular influence: Belmondo's rebellious smoker in Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless" became a symbol of youthful defiance the world over. Bardot's cigarette smoke floated in "And God Created Woman", symbolising unbridled sensuality. Yet this glamourisation has consequences. According to French health authorities, some 75,000 people die every year from tobacco-related illnesses. Although smoking rates have recently fallen - less than 25% of French adults now smoke daily, a historically low level - the habit remains deeply entrenched, particularly among young people and chic city dwellers. France's relationship with tobacco has long been full of contradictions. Air France only banned smoking on all its flights in 2000, years after the major US airlines began phasing it out in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This delay reflects the country's slowness to break with its cultural love affair with cigarettes, even at an altitude of 10,600 metres. Strolling through the elegant streets of the Marais, Paris' trendiest district, reactions to the smoking ban ranged from pragmatic acceptance to nostalgic defiance. "It's about time. I don't want my children to grow up thinking that smoking is romantic," said Clémence Laurent, a 34-year-old fashion buyer, sipping an espresso on the terrace of a crowded café. "It's true that Bardot made cigarettes glamorous. But Bardot didn't care about today's lung cancer warnings." In a neighbouring shop, second-hand goods dealer Luc Baudry, 53, saw the ban as an attack on an essentially French culture. "Smoking has always been part of our culture. If cigarettes are taken away from us, what do we have left? Kale smoothies?" he quipped. Opposite him, Jeanne Lévy, 72, giggled in a hoarse voice, deeply marked - she said - by decades of Gauloises cigarettes. "I smoked my first cigarette watching Jeanne Moreau," she confessed, her eyes sparkling behind vintage sunglasses. "It was her voice - smoky, sexy, lived-in. Who wouldn't want that voice?" Indeed, Jeanne Moreau's hoarse, nicotine-grated voice turned smoking into poetry, immortalised in classics like François Truffaut's "Jules et Jim". Smoking has acquired an existential prestige that has made quitting unimaginable for generations of French smokers. The new French law reflects wider European trends. Countries such as the United Kingdom and Sweden have already tightened regulations on smoking in public spaces. Sweden banned smoking on restaurant terraces, at bus stops and near school playgrounds in 2019. Spain, meanwhile, is extending its smoking ban to café and restaurant terraces, areas that remain exempt in France, at least for the time being. Smoking is now banned in outdoor and public areas in Milan, Italy's financial and fashion capital. This is the strictest extension of a series of bans that began in 2021 and are designed to "improve the city's air quality". Finally, the European Commission will recommend extending the smoking ban to café terraces, bus stops and zoos, and also plans to include nicotine-free products in the ban, according to a leaked document obtained by Euronews . On the Place des Vosges in Paris, arts student Thomas Bouchard clutched an electronic cigarette still exempt from the new ban and shrugged. "Maybe vaping is our compromise," he said, exhaling softly. "A little less sexy, maybe. But fewer wrinkles too."
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ballet flats are back in vogue: Experts share cool tips to style them
Image for representative purposes only The classic ballet flats with round toes and delicate bows — dainty, flexible, and easy to slip on — are making a major comeback. This time, however, they come with an elevated style quotient. Nishtha Parwani, a celebrity stylist, tells us, 'Ballet flats have reigned through fashion history since the 1950s, gracing the soles of icons like Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel, and Kate Moss.' This footwear is now back in vogue. Pooja Karanam, a celebrity fashion stylist, tells us why: 'Their revival is because of fashion's ongoing obsession with Y2K, early-aughts nostalgia (the period from 2000 to 2009), and the need for chic shoes that don't kill your feet.' A BRIEF HISTORY Ballet flats originated from the soft, flexible slippers worn by ballet dancers. In the 1940s, French designer Rose Repetto adapted the traditional ballet shoes into streetwear, creating flats for her son, dancer Roland Petit. This marked the beginning of the ballet flats as a fashion item. Actresses like Brigitte Bardot helped popularise the style when she wore Repetto's 'Cendrillon' flats in And God Created Woman (1956). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Audrey Hepburn, a trained dancer herself, made ballet flats part of her iconic look in films like Funny Face. Grace Kelly also embraced the style, often pairing them with tailored outfits, reinforcing their refined yet effortless appeal. SPOTTED ON RUNWAYS Ballet flats made it big on the runways. Vikram Seth, fashion stylist and creative director, says, 'Square toes, strappy silhouettes, and woven textures dominated the recent runways of 2025 shows through brands like Chanel, Miu Miu, and Simone Rocha.' Sandy Liang and Prada were also among the brands that featured ballets. Their strong presence on the runways drove celebrities too, to wear it. Gigi Hadid , Aimee Lou Wood , Alexa Chung, Sonam Kapoor , Ananya Panday, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Anushka Sharma are among the celebrities who were spotted wearing the shoes. Ballet flats are the perfect summer staple. They're lightweight, breathable and comfortable. Whether in breezy mesh, soft leather, or pastel satin, ballets add the right amount of polish without weighing you down. They pair beautifully with summer staples like linen dresses, shorts, or oversized shirtings Nishtha Parwani, celebrity stylist CLASSIC BALLETS WITH NEW STYLES Square-toe: Chic, minimalist, and perfect for a modern vibe Strappy: Think lace-up styles or Mary Janes Woven: Breezy, natural textures that scream vacation Mesh or transparent: It is like going barefoot, but make it fashionable Satin or embellished: Dressed-up versions for night outs or summer weddings HOW TO STYLE THEM Pair classic ballet flats with floral dresses, cropped denims, and breezy co-ord sets Opt for leather or designer ballet flats with monochrome separates, oversized shirts, and luxe athleisure Pair strappy or embellished ballet flats with denim skirts, mini dresses, and Indian fusion wear Pick square-toe ballet flats to wear below baggy jeans or cargo pants and crop tops for a Gen Z-approved spin Layer your ballet flats with frilly socks for that 'cool girl in Tokyo' energy Pair them with contrasting oversized pieces like blazers or cargos (As suggested by Vikram Seth, fashion stylist and creative director & Pooja Karanam, celebrity stylist) One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Nahar Net
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Nahar Net
The country that made smoking sexy is breaking up with cigarettes
by Naharnet Newsdesk 02 June 2025, 17:09 Brigitte Bardot lounged barefoot on a Saint-Tropez beach, drawing languorous puffs from her cigarette. Another actor, Jean-Paul Belmondo, swaggered down the Champs-Élysées with smoke curling from his defiant lips, capturing a generation's restless rebellion. In France, cigarettes were never just cigarettes — they were cinematic statements, flirtations and rebellions wrapped in rolling paper. Yet beginning July 1, if Bardot and Belmondo's iconic film scenes were repeated in real life, they would be subject to up to €135 ($153) in fines. After glamorizing tobacco for decades, France is preparing for its most sweeping smoking ban yet. The new restrictions, announced by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin, will outlaw smoking in virtually all outdoor public areas where children may gather, including beaches, parks, gardens, playgrounds, sports venues, school entrances and bus stops. "Tobacco must disappear where there are children," Vautrin told French media. The freedom to smoke "stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts." If Vautrin's law reflects public health priorities, it also signals a deeper cultural shift. Smoking has defined identity, fashion and cinema here for so long that the new measure feels like a quiet French revolution in a country whose relationship with tobacco is famously complex. According to France's League Against Cancer, over 90 percent of French films from 2015 to 2019 featured smoking scenes — more than double the rate in Hollywood productions. Each French movie averaged nearly three minutes of on-screen smoking, effectively the same exposure as six 30-second television ads. Cinema has been particularly influential. Belmondo's rebellious smoker in Jean-Luc Godard 's "Breathless" became shorthand for youthful defiance worldwide. Bardot's cigarette smoke wafted through "And God Created Woman," symbolizing unbridled sensuality. Yet this glamorization has consequences. According to France's public health authorities, around 75,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses each year. Although smoking rates have dipped recently — fewer than 25% of French adults now smoke daily, a historic low — the habit remains stubbornly embedded, especially among young people and the urban chic. France's relationship with tobacco has long been fraught with contradiction. Air France did not ban smoking on all its flights until 2000, years after major U.S. carriers began phasing it out in the late 1980s and early '90s. The delay reflected a country slower to sever its cultural romance with cigarettes, even at 35,000 feet. Strolling through the stylish streets of Le Marais, the trendiest neighborhood in Paris, reactions to the smoking ban ranged from pragmatic acceptance to nostalgic defiance. "It's about time. I don't want my kids growing up thinking smoke is romantic," said Clémence Laurent, a 34-year-old fashion buyer, sipping espresso at a crowded café terrace. "Sure, Bardot made cigarettes seem glamorous. But Bardot didn't worry about today's warnings on lung cancer." At a nearby boutique, vintage dealer Luc Baudry, 53, saw the ban as an attack on something essentially French. "Smoking has always been part of our culture. Take away cigarettes and what do we have left? Kale smoothies?" he scoffed. Across from him, 72-year-old Jeanne Lévy chuckled throatily, her voice deeply etched — she said — by decades of Gauloises. "I smoked my first cigarette watching Jeanne Moreau," she confessed, eyes twinkling behind vintage sunglasses. "It was her voice — smoky, sexy, lived-in. Who didn't want that voice?" Indeed, Jeanne Moreau's gravelly, nicotine-scraped voice transformed tobacco into poetry itself, immortalized in classics such as François Truffaut's "Jules et Jim." Smoking acquired an existential glamour that made quitting unimaginable for generations of French smokers. France's new law mirrors broader European trends. Countries like Britain and Sweden have already tightened smoking regulations in public spaces. Sweden banned smoking on outdoor restaurant terraces, at bus stops and near schoolyards in 2019. Spain, meanwhile, is extending its smoking ban to café and restaurant terraces—spaces that remain exempt in France, at least for now. In the Paris park Place des Vosges, literature student Thomas Bouchard clutched an electronic cigarette that is still exempt from the new ban and shrugged. "Maybe vaping's our compromise," he said, exhaling gently. "A little less sexy, perhaps. But fewer wrinkles too."
Yomiuri Shimbun
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
The Country That Made Smoking Sexy Is Breaking up with Cigarettes
The Associated Press A woman holds a cigarette during a break in Paris, Wednesday, May 28 2025. PARIS (AP) — Brigitte Bardot lounged barefoot on a Saint-Tropez beach, drawing languorous puffs from her cigarette. Another actor, Jean-Paul Belmondo, swaggered down the Champs-Élysées with smoke curling from his defiant lips, capturing a generation's restless rebellion. In France, cigarettes were never just cigarettes — they were cinematic statements, flirtations and rebellions wrapped in rolling paper. Yet beginning July 1, if Bardot and Belmondo's iconic film scenes were repeated in real life, they would be subject to up to €135 ($153) in fines. After glamorizing tobacco for decades, France is preparing for its most sweeping smoking ban yet. The new restrictions, announced by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin, will outlaw smoking in virtually all outdoor public areas where children may gather, including beaches, parks, gardens, playgrounds, sports venues, school entrances and bus stops. 'Tobacco must disappear where there are children,' Vautrin told French media. The freedom to smoke 'stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts.' If Vautrin's law reflects public health priorities, it also signals a deeper cultural shift. Smoking has defined identity, fashion and cinema here for so long that the new measure feels like a quiet French revolution in a country whose relationship with tobacco is famously complex. According to France's League Against Cancer, over 90 percent of French films from 2015 to 2019 featured smoking scenes — more than double the rate in Hollywood productions. Each French movie averaged nearly three minutes of on-screen smoking, effectively the same exposure as six 30-second television ads. Cinema has been particularly influential. Belmondo's rebellious smoker in Jean-Luc Godard 's 'Breathless' became shorthand for youthful defiance worldwide. Bardot's cigarette smoke wafted through 'And God Created Woman,' symbolizing unbridled sensuality. Yet this glamorization has consequences. According to France's public health authorities, around 75,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses each year. Although smoking rates have dipped recently — fewer than 25% of French adults now smoke daily, a historic low — the habit remains stubbornly embedded, especially among young people and the urban chic. France's relationship with tobacco has long been fraught with contradiction. Air France did not ban smoking on all its flights until 2000, years after major U.S. carriers began phasing it out in the late 1980s and early '90s. The delay reflected a country slower to sever its cultural romance with cigarettes, even at 35,000 feet. Strolling through the stylish streets of Le Marais, the trendiest neighborhood in Paris, reactions to the smoking ban ranged from pragmatic acceptance to nostalgic defiance. 'It's about time. I don't want my kids growing up thinking smoke is romantic,' said Clémence Laurent, a 34-year-old fashion buyer, sipping espresso at a crowded café terrace. 'Sure, Bardot made cigarettes seem glamorous. But Bardot didn't worry about today's warnings on lung cancer.' At a nearby boutique, vintage dealer Luc Baudry, 53, saw the ban as an attack on something essentially French. 'Smoking has always been part of our culture. Take away cigarettes and what do we have left? Kale smoothies?' he scoffed. Across from him, 72-year-old Jeanne Lévy chuckled throatily, her voice deeply etched — she said — by decades of Gauloises. 'I smoked my first cigarette watching Jeanne Moreau,' she confessed, eyes twinkling behind vintage sunglasses. 'It was her voice — smoky, sexy, lived-in. Who didn't want that voice?' Indeed, Jeanne Moreau's gravelly, nicotine-scraped voice transformed tobacco into poetry itself, immortalized in classics such as François Truffaut's 'Jules et Jim.' Smoking acquired an existential glamour that made quitting unimaginable for generations of French smokers. France's new law mirrors broader European trends. Countries like Britain and Sweden have already tightened smoking regulations in public spaces. Sweden banned smoking on outdoor restaurant terraces, at bus stops and near schoolyards in 2019. Spain, meanwhile, is extending its smoking ban to café and restaurant terraces—spaces that remain exempt in France, at least for now. In the Paris park Place des Vosges, literature student Thomas Bouchard clutched an electronic cigarette that is still exempt from the new ban and shrugged. 'Maybe vaping's our compromise,' he said, exhaling gently. 'A little less sexy, perhaps. But fewer wrinkles too.'
Arab Times
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
The country that glamorized smoking is now quitting cigarettes
PARIS, May 31, (AP): Brigitte Bardot lounged barefoot on a Saint-Tropez beach, drawing languorous puffs from her cigarette. Another actor, Jean-Paul Belmondo, swaggered down the Champs-Élysées with smoke curling from his defiant lips, capturing a generation's restless rebellion. In France, cigarettes were never just cigarettes - they were cinematic statements, flirtations, and rebellions wrapped in rolling paper. Yet beginning July 1, if Bardot and Belmondo's iconic film scenes were repeated in real life, they would be subject to up to €135 ($153) in fines. After glamorizing tobacco for decades, France is preparing for its most sweeping smoking ban yet. The new restrictions, announced by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin, will outlaw smoking in virtually all outdoor public areas where children may gather, including beaches, parks, gardens, playgrounds, sports venues, school entrances and bus stops. "Tobacco must disappear where there are children,' Vautrin told French media. The freedom to smoke "stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts." If Vautrin's law reflects public health priorities, it also signals a deeper cultural shift. Smoking has defined identity, fashion, and cinema here for so long that the new measure feels like a quiet French revolution in a country whose relationship with tobacco is famously complex. According to France's League Against Cancer, over 90 percent of French films from 2015 to 2019 featured smoking scenes - more than double the rate in Hollywood productions. Each French movie averaged nearly three minutes of on-screen smoking, effectively the same exposure as six 30-second television ads. Cinema has been particularly influential. Belmondo's rebellious smoker in Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless' became shorthand for youthful defiance worldwide. Bardot's cigarette smoke wafted through "And God Created Woman,' symbolizing unbridled sensuality. Yet this glamorization has consequences. According to France's public health authorities, around 75,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses each year. Although smoking rates have dipped recently - fewer than 25% of French adults now smoke daily, a historic low - the habit remains stubbornly embedded, especially among young people and the urban chic. France's relationship with tobacco has long been fraught with contradiction. Air France did not ban smoking on all its flights until 2000, years after major U.S. carriers began phasing it out in the late 1980s and early '90s. The delay reflected a country slower to sever its cultural romance with cigarettes, even at 35,000 feet. Strolling through the stylish streets of Le Marais, the trendiest neighborhood in Paris, reactions to the smoking ban ranged from pragmatic acceptance to nostalgic defiance. "It's about time. I don't want my kids growing up thinking smoke is romantic,' said Clémence Laurent, a 34-year-old fashion buyer, sipping espresso at a crowded café terrace. "Sure, Bardot made cigarettes seem glamorous. But Bardot didn't worry about today's warnings on lung cancer.' At a nearby boutique, vintage dealer Luc Baudry, 53, saw the ban as an attack on something essentially French. "Smoking has always been part of our culture. Take away cigarettes and what do we have left? Kale smoothies?' he scoffed. Across from him, 72-year-old Jeanne Lévy chuckled throatily, her voice deeply etched - she said - by decades of Gauloises. "I smoked my first cigarette watching Jeanne Moreau,' she confessed, eyes twinkling behind vintage sunglasses. "It was her voice - smoky, sexy, lived-in. Who didn't want that voice?' Indeed, Jeanne Moreau's gravelly, nicotine-scraped voice transformed tobacco into poetry itself, immortalized in classics such as François Truffaut's "Jules et Jim.' Smoking acquired an existential glamour that made quitting unimaginable for generations of French smokers. France's new law mirrors broader European trends. Britain, Spain, and Sweden have all implemented significant smoking bans in public spaces. Sweden outlawed smoking in outdoor restaurant terraces, bus stops, and schoolyards back in 2019. Spain extended its bans to café terraces, spaces still exempt in France - at least for now. In the Paris park Place des Vosges, literature student Thomas Bouchard clutched an electronic cigarette that is still exempt from the new ban and shrugged. "Maybe vaping's our compromise,' he said, exhaling gently. "A little less sexy, perhaps. But fewer wrinkles too.'
