Latest news with #Gucci
NBC News
3 hours ago
- NBC News
Funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 decaying bodies sentenced to 20 years in prison
DENVER — A Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building and sent grieving families fake ashes received the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison Friday, for cheating customers and defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 aid. Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court last year. Separately, Hallford pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and will be sentenced in August. At Friday's hearing, federal prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence and Hallford's attorney asked for 10 years. Judge Nina Wang said that although the case focused on a single fraud charge, the circumstances and scale of Hallford's crime and the emotional damage to families warranted the longer sentence. 'This is not an ordinary fraud case,' she said. In court before the sentencing, Hallford told the judge that he opened Return to Nature to make a positive impact in people's lives, 'then everything got completely out of control, especially me.' 'I am so deeply sorry for my actions,' he said. 'I still hate myself for what I've done.' Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, were accused of storing the bodies between 2019 and 2023 and sending families fake ashes. Investigators described finding the bodies in 2023 stacked atop each other throughout a squat, bug-infested building in Penrose, a small town about a two-hour drive south of Denver. The morbid discovery revealed to many families that their loved ones weren't cremated and that the ashes they had spread or cherished were fake. In two cases, the wrong body was buried, according to court documents. Many families said it undid their grieving processes. Some relatives had nightmares, others have struggled with guilt, and at least one wondered about their loved one's soul. Among the victims who spoke during Friday's sentencing was a boy named Colton Sperry. With his head poking just above the lectern, he told the judge about his grandmother, who Sperry said was a second mother to him and died in 2019. Her body languished inside the Return to Nature building for four years until the discovery, which plunged Sperry into depression. He said he told his parents at the time, 'If I die too, I could meet my grandma in heaven and talk to her again.' His parents brought him to the hospital for a mental health check, which led to therapy and an emotional support dog. 'I miss my grandma so much,' he told the judge through tears. Federal prosecutors accused both Hallfords of pandemic aid fraud, siphoning the money and spending it and customer's payments on a GMC Yukon and Infiniti worth over $120,000 combined, along with $31,000 in cryptocurrency, luxury items from stores like Gucci and Tiffany & Co., and even laser body sculpting. Derrick Johnson told the judge that he traveled 3,000 miles to testify over how his mother was 'thrown into a festering sea of death.'
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Prada reps kolhapuri chappals: Grace is always in vogue
Long before it gave its name to one of the most iconic patterns in fashion, Paisley was just another Scottish town. Its star rose in the 19th century, when it became so well-known for its imitation Kashmiri shawls that the shawls' traditional 'buta' pattern was soon named 'paisley'. This erasure of the pattern's origin, removing it from the specific cultural context in which it was first created — the 'buta' is said to be inspired by the shape of either a pinecone or mango — makes it an early instance of cultural appropriation. But is this also what is happening with the footwear — strongly resembling Kolhapuri chappals — that the Italian fashion house Prada featured as part of its Spring-Summer 2026 collection this week? In its show notes, Prada described the footwear as 'leather sandals', with no reference to an Indian connection. This has infuriated many in India's fashion community as well as traditional makers of Kolhapuri chappals. The history of fashion, of course, is one of crosscurrents and confluences, with textiles, motifs and styles passing from region to region, and wardrobe staples in one place inspiring luxury creations in another. But fashion labels in the West have a history of appropriating and flattening different cultures — often tipping over into controversy, such as when Gucci sent out models wearing Sikh-style turbans in 2016. This understandably leads to wariness among designers and craftspeople in the Global South. Change, however, is already underway, with labels like Dior and Louboutin starting to look for collaborators, not just ideas, in other cultures — the former worked with Mumbai's Chanakya School of Craft for its pre-fall 2023 line, while the latter teamed up with designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for a capsule collection in 2017. With Prada yet to make the details of its latest collection public, it still has the chance to give credit where it's due. Grace, after all, is one of those things that never go out of style.
The National
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Kolhapuri chappals are now high fashion, but here's how I get real ones for a song
India's rich culture has inspired many international fashion brands over the decades. Hermes, Saint Laurent and, more recently, Gucci have all created their version of the sari. The late Karl Lagerfeld showcased pieces reminiscent of the bandhgala kurta for Chanel's autumn 2012 collection, while Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin footwear have featured Indian-inspired embroidery over the years. Several brands have also taken popular ethnic garments such as dupattas, Nehru jackets and turbans, and fused it with their designs. This week, as part of its spring/summer 2026 show in Milan, Prada sent out footwear that resembles the humble Kolhapuri chappal, a handcrafted tan-coloured leather sandal that can be found in almost every Indian home – and a style I have been wearing since I can remember. Kolhapuri chappals are believed to have originated around the 13th century in the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, where artisans and cobblers made them by hand – from cutting and shaping the cowhide leather and stitching all the pieces together, to adding colour using vegetable dyes. Known by different names across India, including paytaan and kachkadi, these sturdy sandals are an everyday staple for both men and women. The versatile style, from the classic tan and dark brown designs to ones with colourful straps, pairs well with both Indian and non-Indian outfits. They are also comfortable to wear and walk around in all day – just maybe not during the monsoons. Gold and silver-strapped versions can be worn during Diwali and on other special occasions, while colourful Kolhapuris add a fun touch to daywear, depending on your mood. Some brands also make Kolhapuris with wedge heels. I still buy handmade pieces from markets on my visits back home, such as in Old Delhi, a must-visit if a trip to India is on the cards. A plain pair costs about 800 to 1,000 rupees (up to Dh42), while an ornate pair will set you back about 1,500-1,800 rupees (up to Dh77). One of my favourite places to buy handmade Kolhapuris is Dilli Haat, in the heart of New Delhi. Here, you can find footwear with sequins and embroidery – at a fraction of the price usually charged by branded stores. While they are traditionally crafted in light tan, a pair can be made as dark as you want as the artisans add dye to it on the spot. I have also discovered other brands that have added a modern spin to this classic chappal with detailed embroidery and ornate embellishments. There are bright, fun and colourful pairs, often featuring varying colours for the sole and strap that offer a nice contrast to all the black clothes I like to wear. Many of these brands also work directly with craftswomen in villages and ship internationally, including to the UAE, with prices starting at about 3,000 rupees (Dh128). Prices for Prada's "version" have not been revealed yet, but the brand's men's sandals are typically priced from Dh3,000. While a luxury purchase often represents feel-good indulgence, for something that takes inspiration from an ancient handicraft, perhaps it's better to support artisans who have been keeping these traditions alive for hundreds of years.
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Hedge fund Parvus holds 5% stake in luxury group Kering, filing shows
PARIS, June 27 - Parvus Asset Management, a hedge fund registered in Britain, has raised its stake in Kering ( opens new tab, a filing by France's financial regulator showed on Friday, now holding around 5% of the group's share capital. The filing comes as Kering is under increased market pressure, with shares down by over 60% in the past two years after a string of profit warnings and designer changes at its Italian flagship label Gucci. Dealing with the London-based fund known for its activist approach adds to the list of challenges of incoming chief executive Luca de Meo, who will take over the helm in September. Kering declined to comment, while Parvus did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The hedge fund has declared that it breached the regulatory threshold of 5% of Kering's share capital, and 3.5% of its voting rights, on Friday, the filing by France's AMF regulator said. It was previously cited as a shareholder with a 4% equity stake and 2.9% of voting rights in Kering's last annual report. The firm, which earlier targeted budget airline Ryanair and Italian bank UniCredit, has recently also built up a stake in Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, the Financial Times reported earlier this month.
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Wife of North Korea's Kim Jong Un Reemerges With Luxury Handbag
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's wife, Ri Sol Ju, reemerged in public Tuesday after a year and a half out of the spotlight, joining him and their daughter, Ju Ae, at a lavish completion ceremony for a beach resort on the poverty-stricken nation's east coast. Ri, who was last seen in state media photos on January 1, 2024, was pictured carrying what appears to be a handbag made by Italian luxury brand Gucci. Luxury good exports to North Korea are banned under United Nations sanctions targeting Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Nonetheless, such items reportedly make their way into the country via diplomatic pouches, which are exempt from customs inspection under international law. Kim Jong Un's taste for luxury is well documented, from expensive watches and cars to private jets. His close ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, even gifted him a Russian-made limousine after Kim took a liking to the vehicle during his 2023 visit to the country. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in China via emailed request for comment. Ri's handbag appeared to be a Gucci GG Marmont shoulder bag, which retails for over $2,000. After the regime's move in late 2023 to raise official wages tenfold, the average worker now earns about 30,000 North Korean won-less than $4-per month, analysts say. Retail prices in North Korea are low but analysts say most citizens cannot survive on state salaries alone and must rely on informal or black market work to make ends meet. While Ju Ae-widely believed to be Kim's chosen successor-now frequently appears alongside her father, Ri's reemergence may be part of efforts to showcase the new Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area on the Kalma Peninsula. Kim declared that Wonsan Kalma would "shine as a world-level tourist resort," the first of several "paradises" planned around the country, according to the Korean Central News Agency. State media called the ceremony a "great auspicious event" in a press release. The tourist zone's hotels can accommodate nearly 20,000 guests and it boasts a range of facilities, restaurants and sea bathing. These features, KCNA said, "offer all year round the real taste of the east coast, presenting a wonderful picture of a 4 kilometer (2.5-mile)-long stretch of beach to be crowded with people every year." Moscow's ambassador and other officials from the Russian mission in the country attended the ceremony as special guests, per the outlet. Rachel Minyoung Lee, a non-resident fellow with the 38 North program at the Stimson Center, told CNN: "Wonsan-Kalma is open to just North Koreans for now, but we should not be surprised to see Russians at the resort in the not-too-distant future. "More broadly, the opening of a major beach resort like Wonsan-Kalma helps to reinforce the state media narrative of Kim's people-first policy and helps to balance out his greater focus on building up national defense," The resort will open to domestic tourists on July 1, according to KCNA. However, tour operators cited by the BBC believe Wonsan Kalma is primarily geared toward visitors from Russia. Russians are currently the only foreign nationals permitted in certain areas of North Korea, as the two countries continue to deepen their ties. Related Articles Iran Will Now Copy North Korea's Nuke Strategy-Top Intel Democrat FearsAs Trump Defends Iran Nuclear Site Destruction, Kim Jong Un Takes NotesUS Allies Ramp Up Sea Power as North Korea Threat RisesIran Lawmakers Eye Page From North Korea Nuclear Playbook After US Strikes 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
