NEIDHART: Beyond honoured to become first woman to receive Lou Thesz Award

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I've had the privilege of working closely with Connor's Cure, a foundation dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer and honouring the legacy of an incredible little boy named Connor Michalek. He was a huge wrestling fan whose strength and spirit touched everyone around him.
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Whether it's speaking on behalf of the WWE at fundraisers or just spending time with kids and their families, every part of this work is deeply personal and incredibly meaningful.
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I am thankful that I can use my personal and social platforms to help women know there is a place for us not only in sports entertainment, but everywhere. I strive to encourage my fan base to keep growing, continue to advance and become unbreakable.
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In the WWE women's division, we have to continue to build. I am wholeheartedly driven to ensure the women coming up within this industry have not only the tools they need to thrive, but also the ability to teach and train others. I'm convinced that helping others grow is one of the most powerful ways to grow yourself.
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Receiving the Lou Thesz Award is not just a personal honour — it's a reflection of every person, every child, every family whose path I've crossed on this journey. Lou's legacy reminds us that wrestling at its best isn't just about the matches — it's about the message, the movement and the heart behind it all, no pun intended.
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This award is such a special milestone in my journey. It tells me that our work — in the ring, in our communities, with children, with fans, with the next generation — MATTERS.

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The Province

an hour ago

• The Province

In Kyoto, the past and present collide for Chanel's latest high jewelry collection

Chanel reveals latest High Jewellery collection in Japan A view inside a building at Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by CHANEL Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Inside a small workshop in Kyoto, Japan, Hiro Kiyokawa makes what's old and broken new again. 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. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. 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 The artisan has made it his life's work to embrace — and teach — the Japanese art of kintsugi. Both a tradition and a practice, kintsugi or kintsukuroi, sees broken, chipped or cracked pottery mended with urushi lacquer before being dusted with a fine powder of precious metal such as platinum, silver, and most often, gold. Taking pieces of broken pottery, ceramics and china, Kiyokawa meticulously sands and glues the broken area before applying first a lacquer material, then the fine metal powder. The repairs are carried out in slow, deliberate stages, with the curing done in a wooden, humidity-controlled muro, which looks like a simple, if slightly shabby, cabinet. Once completed, the broken items are given a new life, returned to both usability and beauty thanks to the unique, gilded scar of the repair. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The repair, Kiyokawa notes proudly, can last up to 100 years, with the renewed pieces even rendered suitable for everyday use. Hiro Kiyokawa shows off some of his work in front of the muro in his workshop in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by Aleesha Harris / PNG Working at his craft for more than 50 years, Kiyokawa has demonstrated and discussed his expertise in international venues spanning the Vatican to Oxford University. He also welcomes students into his Kyoto workshop, with the aim of teaching others the art of kintsugi so that it doesn't die out and disappear. 'It's happening around the world,' Kiyokawa says of at-risk traditional arts and practices. 'If you have an apprentice, it's OK. You can carry on. If you don't have an apprentice, after the master dies, it ends.' Mentions of his work are now included in junior high school textbooks for students across Japan. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. 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. Kiyokawa's endeavours are just one example of many artisans working to preserve and progress crafts and traditions in the city that was once the capital of Japan. Kyoto is an intersection of both Japanese tradition and innovation. It's perhaps this unique environment that prompted the luxury French brand Chanel to select the city as the site of inspiration and celebration for its latest high jewelry — or haute joaillerie — release. CHANEL revealed its latest high jewelry collection, Reach for the Stars, in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by CHANEL Titled Reach for the Stars, the collection is partitioned into three themes: the comet, the lion, and wings. 'All the symbols that are part of Gabrielle Chanel's universe, we never cease to reinterpret them. And they all encompass the proper spirit of the collection,' says Dorothée Saintville, Chanel Watches and Fine Jewelry International product marketing director. 'They never cease to evolve throughout time.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As is the case with most high jewelry collections, a category of jewelry that's considered the peak of craftsmanship and luxury, the latest creations from Chanel feature standout diamonds and gemstones set in precious metals. What's strikingly unique about the release is the balance of power and playfulness represented in the necklaces (including the first Chanel high jewelry choker), rings, earrings and more. In the Reach for the Stars collection, the recognizable comet, a symbol that dates back to Gabrielle Chanel's early high jewelry collections in the 1930s, plays prominently. 'Here the comet symbolizes the freedom,' Saintville explains of the stars, which have been elongated to 'strengthen the power of its radiance' in the current release. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The lion, which has appeared in the company's High Jewellery since 2012, is present in the latest collection in a more 'celestial and airy' interpretation, according to Saintville. Stellar pieces that stretch both imagination and skill — with suspended gemstones, mixed materials and more — prompt an appreciative pause. But it's the presence of the wings, a motif that is new to high jewelry for Chanel, that are the most striking within the release. Supported by an oft-referenced quote by the brand's founder that declares, 'If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing,' the wings are said to be a nod to Chanel's years in Hollywood creating gowns that eschewed the structured red-carpet gowns of the time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'She used to represent her evening dresses and creations with this very unique fabric that gave a wing silhouette to her creations,' Saintville says. A drawing of the Wings of Chanel necklace from the Chanel Reach for the Stars high jewelry collection. Photo by Chanel A centre piece of the collection, the Wings of Chanel necklace features diamond-encrusted wings, unfolded as if to almost wrap around the neck. The jewelry piece is set with a 19.55-carat pink Padparadscha sapphire that boasts subtle orange hues. A detachable pendant on the necklace can be worn as a bracelet, a nod to the appreciable transformative qualities of many high jewelry designs. 'They look like embroidery,' she says of the winged jewelry pieces in the Reach for the Stars range. 'They are very richly set with different-cut stones to create a very high-end interpretation.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Among the release are five singular brooches, each in the shape of a wing. These unique pieces tie the collection firmly to Kyoto, both in spirit and in craftsmanship, thanks to unique lacquer panels that adorn each piece. The winged brooches were made between Paris and the Japanese city, where the tradition of lacquer art is among its richest. Chanel in white gold, yellow gold, natural polished diamonds, black spinels and lacquer. Photo by CHANEL In addition to embodying the connection between, high jewelry, glamour and artisan traditions, the collection is also a bittersweet punctuation of the passing of former Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio leader, Patrice Leguéreau, who dreamed up the Reach for The Stars release, in 2024. Kyoto, it is said, was a personal place of inspiration for him, as much as it was a source for this particular high jewelry release. 'Patrice, that was his idea, to interpret glamour according to Chanel. With this invitation, ready for women to dare, dream and shine,' Saintville says. 'That was his ambition. And I think it's done.' Aharris@ Read More

The Province

2 hours ago

• The Province

New Vancouver clothing brand offers 'intentional, timeless' designs

Canadian clothing brand Hijulez offers designs made in Vancouver. Find out more. Hijulez is an ethical clothing brand based in Vancouver. Photo by Hijulez Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Julie Roussy Newton founded Hijulez with the goal of creating clothing that she would wear herself. 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. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. 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 'What started as a passion project, blending various art forms and historical fashion techniques into contemporary, wearable pieces, has unexpectedly blossomed into a business I'm incredibly proud of,' says the founder and creative director of the made-in-Vancouver brand. Offering a curated collection of pieces including tops, skirts and more, Hijulez is designed with the goal of building a wardrobe that will be kept in rotation, for a very long time. We caught up with Newton to learn more: For those who aren't familiar, what is Hijulez? A: Hijulez is an ethical clothing brand born from my love of art and fashion. My goal is to create pieces that make stepping out the door feel exciting with designs that are as good for the body as they are for the conscience, with ethics and sustainability always a priority. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. 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. Q: What makes it unique? A: I've always loved going through my parents and grandparents' closets to find hidden gems to add to my wardrobe. So with Hijulez, I aim to create intentional, timeless pieces that celebrate individuality in hopes that each piece can be passed down for generations. All of our pieces are made in Vancouver, where we use a mix of techniques including natural dyeing, embroidery and screen printing. We make a big effort to be as close to zero waste as possible, using a mix of recycled, thrifted, deadstock and eco-friendly materials, while also ensuring we save all of our off-cut fabrics to reuse for future projects and collections. One of our unique offerings that I'm especially proud of is the lifelong mending and re-dyeing service. This service allows us to work closely with customers to breathe new life into their old pieces, which they otherwise may not wear again. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Q: Who is the target customer? A: We focus on individuals who want to build a wardrobe of unique pieces made from natural fibres, crafted with ethical labour at every stage of the process. Our goal is for our customers to feel good in their pieces, knowing they are locally made, with origins that are transparent and traceable. We hope this sense of mindfulness and optimism accompanies them every time they get dressed. Q: Is there a 'hero' design? A: It's so hard to pick just one! The Museum Skirt and Trev Button Down have both been bestsellers ever since they launched, but I'm really excited to share what's in-store for spring-summer 2025. Q: What is the price range? A: We try our best to stay within the $100 to $350 range to keep the pieces approachable for the general consumer, while also ensuring we're sourcing the best possible materials for each style. Q: Where can people learn more? A: You can find us on Instagram and TikTok @hijulez, and online at We're currently stocked at One of a Few in Vancouver, Still Life in Victoria, and Victoire Boutique in Ottawa. We also offer private shopping appointments at our studio in Kerrisdale — email us at julie@ for more details. Aharris@ Read More

National Post

3 hours ago

• National Post

Pascal Siakam making doubters who wouldn't trade for him look silly in NBA Finals

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