Latest news with #FranceMusicWeek
Toronto Sun
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Pharrell bigs up brown denim as Paris fashion week starts
Some 70 brands will unveil their latest looks across 40 runway shows and 30 presentations that end Sunday Published Jun 24, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 3 minute read US singer-songwriter, music producer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams (C-L) speaks with French record producer and DJ Pedro Winter (C-R) as they arrive to attend a speech delivered by French President for the "France Music Week", a day before the "Fete de la Musique", at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on June 20, 2025. Photo by THIBAUD MORITZ / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. PARIS — Paris Men's Fashion Week kicks off Tuesday with shows by big hitters Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton, with American singer-turned-designer Pharrell Williams teasing his latest creation — 'coffee bean brown' denims. The man who got the world dancing to his catchy hit 'Happy' predicted the new Louis Vuitton jeans he will unveil at his Paris show will become a 'future staple' in fashionable wardrobes. Williams posted a rear-end photo of the roomy medium-brown jeans on Instagram, saying they are 'woven — not dyed', and are finished with an untreated leather belt loop echoing Vuitton's monogram and the fashion house's trunk-making roots. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account He also posted pictures of a matching denim jacket, finished with brassy buttons, over a white shirt and brown and beige striped T-shirt. The singer and producer usually draws a galaxy of music, film and sports stars to his Paris shows, the locations often as glamorous as his guest list. This time Williams is putting his Vuitton bags down in front of the Pompidou Centre modern art museum just before the architectural icon closes for a major overhaul. US basketball legend LeBron James and French San Antonio Spurs star Victor 'Wemby' Wembanyama are likely to be there as ambassadors for the brand, as well as Olympic swimming sensation Leon Marchand. The invitation sent to guests, a set of dice in a leather keyring case, hints that the designer may be taking something of a gamble. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Saint Laurent also returns to the fashion week fold Tuesday after a two-and-a-half-year absence from the Paris men's shows. Heads have been rolling across much of the luxury industry as bumper profits have plunged. Saint Laurent's parent group Kering is no exception, with a drop in sales last year wiping 28 percent off its share price since the turn of the year. But shares shot back up 12 percent last week after former Renault boss Luca de Meo was named as Kering's new chief executive. Fashion buyer Alice Feillard of Galeries Lafayette, Europe's biggest department store chain, said the return of Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello to the men's fashion week was 'rather a good thing', and would help reinforce the label's men's line. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Vaccarello teased his summer 2026 collection with a picture of a bronzed young Adonis stretched out on a bed on a beach. The packed six days of Paris shows are in stark contrast to London — which cancelled its men's shows completely — and the rather thinned-out line-up in Milan last week. Anderson's Dior debut Love those shoes: Jonathan Anderson at the Met GalaJamie McCarthy/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP Photo by Jamie McCarthy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP Instead the French capital will see a 'rather dense programme with big headliners including Jonathan Anderson', who will be making his highly anticipated debut at Dior, said Adrien Communier of French GQ magazine. The Northern Irish designer is the first to oversee both the men's, women's and haute couture lines at the fabled French house since its founder Christian Dior. In all, some 70 brands will unveil their latest looks across 40 runway shows and 30 presentations that end late Sunday with the French label Jacquemus. Anderson, the son of former Irish rugby captain Willie Anderson, who had previously turned around the rather fusty Spanish house Loewe, was named as the head of Dior's women's collection earlier this month, replacing the Italian Maria Grazia Chiuri. Belgian Julian Klausner, 33, who took over at Dries Van Noten in December, will also show his first men's collection for the label on Wednesday. Communier predicted the trend for stripes 'which we saw a lot in Milan is going to continue'. But with men's fashion becoming a 'little bit dull' in recent years, he said we 'really need to be surprised'. Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA NHL MMA
See - Sada Elbalad
24-06-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Macron Outlines Vision for the Future of the Music Industry at France Music Week
Yara Sameh The France Music Week Summit, a highlight of the first France Music Week, brought together 100 music industry professionals at the Palais Garnier on Friday, June 20, and concluded with a keynote address from French President Emmanuel Macron. Earlier that week, on Monday, June 16, France's Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, officially launched the first-ever France Music Week — a mix of programming for music business professionals and the general public. One of the week's most significant announcements was a €500 million commitment to the French music industry through Bpifrance by the end of the decade. This includes €125 million in equity funding to support high-growth French companies, international expansion projects, and asset-based consolidation; €340 million in loans and guarantees; and €35 million dedicated to innovation. 'We launched Choose France [an international business summit hosted by France] eight years ago. Now, I want to do the same in key sectors — and music is one of them,' President Macron said during his speech. 'We can go further. France has major assets to boost its global attractiveness.' As Dati said during the launch address 'Supporting businesses in the music sector means defending a key part of our cultural sovereignty and economic identity.' A Day of Industry Dialogue Among the most anticipated speakers was Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, who opened his remarks by highlighting the global success of Aya Nakamura. 'We do a lot of artist development, but it takes a global effort to build an artist with long-term success,' Kyncl noted. 'We're especially proud of Aya Nakamura, signed to Warner Chappell and Warner Music.' John Reid, president of Live Nation Entertainment, focused his remarks on the future of the concert business: 'When you look at new markets like Asia and the Middle East, you see growth trajectories in touring similar to what we experienced in the U.S. three or four years ago.' Among French voices, SACEM CEO Cécile Rap-Veber emphasized the threat of dilution in the age of generative AI: 'That's where we're losing value today. That's why SACEM and Universal were among the first to adopt the artist-centric model on Deezer. I hope all platforms adopt a model that compensates true creators for real creativity.' Also present at the Palais Garnier — home of the Opéra National de Paris — were key figures such as Lyor Cohen (YouTube), Victoria Oakley (IFPI), Lee Soo-Nam (SM Entertainment) and Adriana Moscoso Del Prado (GESAC); French industry leaders Alexis Lanternier (Deezer), Denis Ladegaillerie (Believe); the heads of the three major labels — Alain Veille (Warner Music France), Marie-Anne Robert (Sony Music France) and Olivier Nusse (Universal Music France) —Emmanuel de Buretel (Because Music) and Ed Banger founder Pedro Winter. Three Key Challenges Ahead Several music executives were received at the Élysée Palace by President Macron in advance of the Fête de la Musique. In a closed-door address, Macron laid out what he sees as three major challenges for the industry — beginning with fair artist compensation. 'Alternatives such as the artist-centric or user-centric models, and some of you are great inspirators of this change, championed by platforms like Deezer, deserve our full attention,' Macron said. 'We have to follow up this work and it's very important to deliver as well a common European approach.' The second challenge: the rise of mega-concerts. 'These are spectacular successes and we are very proud to host them, such as Beyoncé's yesterday in the Stade de France, but they can't obscure underlying vulnerabilities as well,' he said. 'Mid-sized venues, festivals and local stages are struggling to keep up with rising costs. This new model is very fruitful, but we have to organize ourselves in order not to sacrifice what clearly is a strength of the French model.' During his speech, Macron stressed the need for France to invest in artificial intelligence, not only to remain competitive with the U.S. and China, but to do so ethically. 'Creation and innovation are not the opposite, but the history of music is one of constant reinvention. And music clearly has always been at the forefront of change,' he said. 'Unregulated generative AI could lead upstream to a form of dispossession of original work and downstream to a dilution of the value of human creation.' The day concluded with performances by The Avener and Kassav' in the Élysée's main courtyard. A major free concert closed out France Music Week in the gardens of the Louvre the following day. The event featured performances by Major Lazer Soundsystem, Kalash, and Christine and the Queens, under the artistic direction of Thierry Reboul, Victor Le Masne and Romain Pissenem — already known for their work on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. AI: 'A Machine That Destroys Music's Value' Beyond Macron's remarks, artificial intelligence was a central topic throughout the summit. At the Palais Garnier, Culture Minister Dati shared her vision: 'While AI is a unique tool for the sector, its power comes with serious responsibility. We must ensure that fully synthetic, AI-generated music doesn't spread at the expense of human creators.' Jean-Baptiste Gourdin, President of the Centre National de la Musique, made AI a core part of his closing speech. 'AI is no longer science fiction,' he said. 'It's already embedded in creation, distribution, recommendation and rights management. This raises legal, economic and ethical questions. If poorly regulated, AI could become a machine that destroys the value of music.' Defending a French Model A recurring theme throughout the day was the defense of France's cultural exception — the idea that the arts are not completely subject to a free market — and the development of a new, French-led model for the music industry of tomorrow. 'Music needs both the investment power of global corporations and the creativity and daring of independent, local players,' said Gourdin in his closing remarks. Macron added: 'A few years ago, when a lot of people wanted to revisit this cultural exception, we fought very hard with some of you and we managed to deliver the European Parliament's preservation of the copyrights and of the artists. I think there is no model where you can sacrifice the copyrights and the protection of the artists.' Among the foundational goals of France Music Week is to strengthen France's position on the international stage. 'We want to help our key players to benefit from these global dynamics, largely focused in Asia, the Gulf, LATAM and some other places,' he added. Gourdin concluded: 'Export is no longer optional — it's a core pillar of the new business model. But globalization doesn't mean standardization. Around the world, it's local content — rooted in culture, language and collective imagination — that drives user engagement and market growth. The universal now passes through the singular. And that presents a tremendous opportunity for French and Francophone creators.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Korea Herald
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Macron invites ‘K-pop pioneer' Lee Soo-man to open French office, seeks stronger Korea-France creative ties
Lee delivers keynote at France Music Week as sole Asian speaker, calls for stronger protection of creators' rights in AI era President Emmanuel Macron invited Lee Soo-man — founder of SM Entertainment, who is often credited as the K-pop pioneer — to open an office in France. During a Friday meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the French leader expressed his desire to strengthen collaboration between South Korean and French creators, signaling high-level recognition of K-pop's cultural power. Lee, who now leads A2O Entertainment in Los Angeles, was in Paris as the only Asian speaker at the 'France Music Week Summit,' held at Place de l'Opera on the same day. Macron, attending the event, extended his invitation to Lee directly and instructed French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati to follow up on practical steps for implementation. Macron greeted Lee warmly, stating he was well aware of Lee's dual identity as both a creative visionary and a successful entrepreneur. Lee was introduced as 'the man who created K-pop,' a title that resonated with the event's focus on innovation in the global music industry. The meeting went beyond symbolic cultural diplomacy. It underscored France's growing interest in fostering creative exchanges with Korea, especially at a time when intellectual property rights and AI-driven content creation are reshaping the industry. Macron's invitation is being seen as a significant gesture that may lead to a long-term cultural and economic partnership. Meanwhile, Lee delivered a speech at the summit, where over 100 top executives from the global music business gathered to discuss pressing challenges in the industry. His remarks focused on the evolving role of fans, who he described as no longer 'consumers,' but 'prosumers' — fans who reinterpret, remake and even co-create content. 'I imagine a world where fans are part of the creative process, where they are rewarded economically for their participation,' Lee said. 'In the age of generative AI, we must protect the rights of not only original creators but also the emerging roles of re-creators and prosumers.' He also drew attention from industry insiders by explaining 'Culture Technology' — the system he pioneered to build K-pop into a global cultural force. Throughout the summit, panelists cited K-pop's structure and success as a case study in innovation. Lee emphasized that in the AI era, protecting creators' rights has become more urgent than ever. His stance on safeguarding creative ownership resonated strongly with the summit's broader themes. Other participants at the summit included Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group; Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube; and Olivier Nusse, CEO of Universal Music France.
