Latest news with #Phantom
Elle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Celine Just Confirmed That '80s Prep Is So Back
It's been seven years since Michael Rider was last at Celine, where he worked for a decade as design director under Phoebe Philo's famed tenure, and quite a few things have changed. While Hedi Slimane stepped in, dropped the acute accent from the name, and shifted away from Philo's feminine ease, Rider sharpened his preppy edge as creative director of Ralph Lauren. Now, on the runway, it's as if the varying influences from his career have formed a scrapbook to compose his Celine debut. As models wound through seats formed in an interlocking C emblem, the sporty collegiate vision was immediately realized. Two things from the collection stood out as abundantly clear: accessories and styling reigned supreme. In a way, this method creates an incredibly approachable luxury vision with tangible entry points. You aspire to buy the beautifully constructed pieces, but you're inspired to shift the way you dress, whether it be incorporating a silk foulard into your wardrobe, taking scissors to the bottom of your necktie, or stacking every single piece of jewelry that you own. The scarves, also seen across multiple menswear collections last week, were a dominant motif on the runway (the invite was even composed of one). Many were adorned with a different logo pattern: a slimmer, almost crescent moon-like 'C.' One wide-winged accessory in particular evoked the ghost of fashion past. With the reissue of Philo's iconic Phantom, Rider smartly tapped into the It-bag resurgence craze. For bags slung over the shoulder—and, in one instance, matched with a tan patchwork leather jacket—bigger was better, emulating a youthful academic aesthetic. The Brat Pack's arrogant glory and personification of the '80s preppy era—specifically in the coming-of-age film St. Elmo's Fire—immediately comes to mind. Give it a French twist with skinny trousers and topsider-meets-Keds minimalist shoes, and you've summed up Rider's debut. There's no doubt that a high-powered and highly glossy version of the '80s is currently dominating the runways. It's a relief to see designers playing skillfully with beautiful styling and a pleasure to witness each interpretation. For Rider, that manifests through yuppie-inspired pieces—no doubt a result of his time at Ralph Lauren. However, it's his remarkable blending of subtle subversions, like tucking wide-legged suit trousers into logo-printed boxing shoes or dabbling with sweatshirts and retro silhouettes, that separates him from playing too heavily into the preppy handbook. Alexandra Hildreth is the Fashion News Editor at ELLE. She is fascinated by style trends, industry news, shake-ups, and The Real Housewives. Previously, she attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Following graduation, she moved back to New York City and worked as a freelance journalist and producer.
eNCA
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Jonathan Roxmouth joins Egoli Symphonic Orchestra for a musical extravaganza
JOHANNESBURG - Lovers of live music have an opportunity to celebrate as star of the stage, Jonathan Roxmouth returns to the boards of Montecasino's Teatro. The multi-hyphenate, multi-award winning leading man is best known for playing the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. Roxmouth appears at the Teatro for a limited season in his show, My Favourite Broadway presented by Howard Events. The production features some of the greatest hits from Broadway's most famous musicals.
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
One-of-a-kind Rolls-Royce Phantom Dentelle is inspired by couture lace
A filigree lace-like base — a unique style of jewellery invented in the Middle East — forms a triple-run stitch, creating a mesh structure intertwined with satin stitch that shapes the floral elements with a silk-like sheen, while raised accents echo the original pearl details. In total, the piece comprises more than 160,000 stitches. A waterfall section between the rear seats continues the shimmering floral theme with a delicate embroidery echoing the botanical detail and comprising about 70,000 stitches. The speaker grilles of the Phantom are also finished in rose gold, complementing the embroidery tones. The interior is completed with Sunrise and Grace white leathers, embroidered 'RR' monograms on the front and rear headrests and a Piano white veneer. The Phantom Dentelle's exterior is presented in a two-tone finish, the lower body in Crystal over arctic white and the upper body in Crystal over Palais nemasker dawn — a colour reserved for the commissioning client's exclusive use. A hand-painted motif of a leafy branch with pearl 'berries' reflects the artwork theme inside. The car rides on 22" fully polished disc wheels with body-coloured centres and Arctic white centre pinstripes. The polished Pantheon grille is crowned with the Spirit of Ecstasy in rose gold; as are the engraved treadplates.
Al-Ahram Weekly
6 days ago
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt's Air Defence Forces: Looking to the future - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Commander of the Egyptian Air Defence Forces Air Marshal Yasser Al-Toudi explains the heroic role of this vital branch of the military and the challenges of building modern air defences to Ahmed Al-Deeb On 30 June, Egypt marks Air Defence Forces (ADF) Day, which pays tribute to the fourth branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The long and heroic struggle to establish the ADF began on 1 February 1968. 'We were under immense pressure from enemy air raids during the War of Attrition, so the Air Defence Forces had to be equipped and trained as quickly as possible,' Air Marshal Yasser Al-Toudi explained in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly. Not long afterwards, on the morning of 30 June 1970, the new force scored a milestone victory in Egyptian military history by downing 12 of the enemy's advanced Phantom and Skyhawk warplanes and capturing their pilots. It was the first time that a Phantom had been shot down. Other enemy aircraft followed in the same week, causing it to be dubbed the 'Falling Phantoms Week'. The Air Defence Forces have since adopted 30 June each year to celebrate their anniversary. The day was made possible by the legendary 'Missile Wall', a heavily fortified defensive line constructed under relentless enemy fire, Al-Toudi said. It consisted of layers of anti-aircraft missiles and artillery in fortified positions, and its mission was to furnish air cover for major ground formations, as well as airbases and other vital installations along the Suez Canal's western front. The fortitude and determination of Egypt's military engineers, air defence personnel, and civilian workers despite continuous enemy strikes were truly heroic, he said. The success of the ADF at preventing enemy warplanes from approaching the Suez Canal eventually forced Israel to accept the Rogers Ceasefire Initiative on 8 August 1970. This success laid the cornerstone of the ADF's contribution to the great chapter in Egyptian military history that was the victory in the October 1973 War. During the ceasefire, ADF personnel began to rearm for the battle to liberate occupied Egyptian territory and regain national dignity. They installed modern SAM-3 and SAM-6 systems, strengthened combat training and readiness, and successfully drove off enemy aerial reconnaissance planes from the Suez Canal, Al-Toudi recalled. On 17 September 1971, they achieved another landmark with the downing of the Stratotanker electronic surveillance aircraft. During the 1973 War itself, the ADF was crucial to the success of the crossing of the Suez Canal. 'We provided missile coverage for the main ground forces' concentrations and vital assets across the country,' Al-Toudi said. On the night of 6-7 October, the ADF shot down more than 25 enemy warplanes, captured their pilots, and damaged many other planes. Enemy commanders were forced to order their pilots not to come within 15 km of the Suez Canal. According to Al-Toudi, in the first three days of the war, the enemy lost more than a third of its aircraft and elite pilots. On the fourth day, then Israeli defence minister Moshe Dayan publicly admitted that he could not breach the Egyptian missile shield. On 14 October, he acknowledged how costly the war had been for the Israeli Air Force. By the end of that epic campaign, El-Toudi said, Egypt's air defences had inflicted losses on 326 enemy aircraft and captured 22 pilots, enabling Egypt to claim the fruits of peace from a position of strength. DEVELOPMENT: In the decades since then, offensive weapons and military technologies have developed by leaps and bounds. Advanced stealth aircraft, the widespread use of drones for diverse purposes, and middle- to long-range cruise and ballistic missiles demand sophisticated, integrated, and multipurpose air defence systems, Al-Toudi said, explaining that such systems must combine detection and surveillance platforms, early warning systems, and layers of missiles and artillery of different ranges to intercept hostile aircraft and projectiles. All these must be governed by command-and-control centres that closely link and coordinate with naval, ground, and electronic warfare forces. 'The overall aim is to sustain constant pressure on the enemy, reduce its offensive capacities, deny penetration to its air operations, and minimise losses for our own forces,' he explained. 'In the current 'open skies' era in which the world has become an interconnected 'global village' where information has become readily accessible through satellite technologies, electronic surveillance systems, global data networks, not to mention AI-assisted real-time analysis, it's not enough just to have the most modern technologies in your possession,' Al-Toudi said. 'The secret lies in how to develop them in innovative and unconventional ways to ensure the optimum execution of a military mission.' He stressed that the ADF believes that its real wealth resides in its individual soldiers. 'They are the basic building-blocks of the air defence combat system,' Al-Toudi said, adding that the ADF leadership has developed a strategy for building their skills and capabilities. This involves the development of the combatant's character and practical education and training. The emphasis is on the development of the soldier's intellectual framework by cultivating a mindset rooted in moral principles and core values, such as loyalty and patriotism. It also entails immunising the soldier against psychological warfare, extremist ideologies, and subversive thought. What lessons are to be learned from recent military operations in the region? Air Marshal Al-Toudi said that these developments have revealed the emergence of new centres of strength where outcomes are determined to a large extent by aerial superiority. This is obtained mainly through the deployment of multi-role stealth fighters equipped with advanced radar systems and multiple hardpoints on which can be mounted diverse high-precision smart munitions, which can be fired from afar and have the power to penetrate heavily fortified positions. The combat activities of these aircraft are conducted under the guidance and protection of command-and-control electronic warfare planes. They are also accompanied by aerial refuelling aircraft, enabling long-range operations with maximum weapons loads, dispensing of the need to return to base for refuelling, he explained. Another recent development is the intensive use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which Al-Toudi said are being used for various offensive and defensive purposes, such as reconnaissance and surveillance, signals jamming and other electronic warfare tasks, delivering explosives, and decoy purposes. They can also be launched in large swarms to disrupt command-and-control systems and exhaust missile defences, he said. Similar qualitative advances have been achieved in missiles. He pointed out that the use of cruise and ballistic missiles has recently expanded, including hypersonic systems, manoeuvrable warheads, and multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) for saturation tactics. The integration of AI has also given modern aerial weapon systems an edge, as it has increased precision exponentially, enabled attackers to bypass aerial defence zones, and facilitated cyberattacks on infrastructure and data systems ahead of missile or air strikes. An integrated aerial defence system must keep pace with all these technological advances, he stressed. 'A multi-layered, multi-range concept is essential to engage with diverse threats,' he noted, adding that this entails the deployment of fighter aircraft at interception lines, as well as combat helicopters, air defence systems aboard naval units, electronic warfare elements, and missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems with a range of capabilities. It also involves the extensive deployment of non-conventional systems to counter UAVs and smart munitions. These include integrated jamming systems, decoys, laser systems, and high-power electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons. At the hub of all these systems are the command-and-control centres, which are responsible for collecting, filtering, identifying, and analysing information, assessing the threat levels of incoming targets, and assigning to them the most efficient means to intercept and neutralise the threats. According to Al-Toudi, 'as military men, we operate according to specific plans, programmes, and clearly defined objectives. At the same time, we keep close track of the developments and changes taking place in the region, especially as these relate to the threats that Egypt faces from all strategic directions.' 'Such developments understandably raise concerns about the future. However, the Egyptian Armed Forces will always remain committed to maintaining the highest degree of combat readiness in both wartime and peacetime and to implementing the strategies and programmes that serve this purpose.' He added that for the ADF, combat readiness was a permanent objective. 'It means that we continually strive to ensure that our forces are capable of carrying out their missions successfully under all conceivable conditions.' Such a high and sustained level of readiness requires 'equipping ourselves appropriately in accordance with the most rigorous and precisely calibrated standards. Our sights are constantly trained on preparing for tomorrow,' he concluded. * A version of this article appears in print in the 3 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
NDTV
6 days ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Rolls-Royce Phantom Dentelle: One-Off Luxury Vehicle With Hand-Made Elements
Rolls-Royce has unveiled a custom-made iteration of the Phantom called the Dentelle. The word "Dentelle" is the French word for lace. The car features handmade couture lace with over 160,000 stitches. It gets a floral coachline motif to comply with the preferences of a client's father. It has been commissioned by a wealthy consumer from the Middle East as a gift for their father. Curated through the brand's exclusive Private Office in Dubai, the Phantom Dentelle drew inspiration from high-fashion lace. The fabric showcases three-dimensional floral designs and intricate details that resemble the delicate shape of pearls, influencing both the interior and exterior designs. Also Read: Land Rover's Darkest Defender Gets 626 HP- Still Not Enough To Beat Urus SE? In developing this commission, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke designers crafted a floral arrangement inspired by haute couture lace. To capture the textures of petals, ferns, and lace, the embroidery incorporates a variety of stitching techniques, thread densities, and color blends, including Rose Gold, Sunrise, and Oatmeal. A delicate lace-like foundation featuring a triple-run stitch establishes the intricate mesh framework. Over this structure, satin stitch outlines floral designs, while elevated embellishments reflect the original pearl accents. This piece is composed of more than 160,000 stitches layered through eight different techniques. The speaker grilles are finished in Rose Gold. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' Interior Trim Center points out that the intricate embroidery in both the Gallery and the rear Waterfall area is exceptionally detailed. It is crafted to replicate the sheen of pearls and to reflect light as one moves around the luxury sedan, especially as sunlight changes while driving. Most of the interior surfaces are upholstered in leather shades of Sunrise and Grace White. The space is completed with Piano White veneer and embroidered "RR" monograms on both the front and rear headrests, creating a lounge-like atmosphere. The car features a bespoke two-tone paint job. The lower portion is painted in Crystal over Arctic White, while the upper part is finished in Crystal over Palais Nemaskar Dawn, a color exclusively reserved for Phantom vehicles commissioned by a customer from the Middle East. The Phantom Dentelle is equipped with 22-inch Fully Polished Disc wheels that have body-colored centers and Arctic White center pinstripes. The Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, adorned in Rose Gold, perches atop a polished Pantheon Grille. Additionally, the bespoke engraved treadplates are also accented in Rose Gold. The vehicle maintains the standard powertrain, which means it is powered by the 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine, generating 563 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque. This luxury sedan can accelerate from 0 to 96 kmph in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kmph.
