Latest news with #LeFleur
Fast Company
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
Tyler, the Creator modernizes 2 shoes from the Converse archives
Today, Tyler, the Creator drops two new styles in his ongoing collaboration with Converse: a yacht shoe and a jogger, both of which are 1970s silhouettes pulled from the brand's archives. Tyler knows you're probably going to wear these sneakers with jeans and a T-shirt. But that's the wrong move, he insists. When I speak with him, he's wearing the jogger with a button up, a cropped rain jacket, and trousers. He'd prefer if you wore these kicks with a more polished look. 'Nah, bruh,' he says. 'Wear them with the ill slacks and the ill sweater.' As his stage name implies, Tyler is involved in too many different creative ventures to count. He's a rapper and producer, who also writes for an adult cartoon show called The Jellies, and creator of a music festival called Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. But like his friend and mentor, Pharrell Williams, he's become increasingly well-known for his personal aesthetic and his contributions to the world of fashion. In 2011, he launched his streetwear label, Golf Wang, and in 2017, he began collaborating with Converse, a subsidiary of Nike, which generated $2.1 billion in 2024. (This was a 14% decline from 2023.) Over the years, his partnership with Converse has evolved into a separate, stand-alone brand called Le Fleur, a nod to his 2017 Grammy-nominated album, Flower Boy. The line is known for its pastel color palette; bold daisy icon, which encapsulates the Converse star; and the way in which it plays with traditional gender norms. Tyler isn't interested in a total redesign of the Converse silhouettes. For this collection, he worked with Lindsay Almeida, Converse's director of entertainment and sports marketing, to explore the archives. He was drawn to the Naut-1, a yacht shoe first released in 1971, and the Coach Jogger, an Olympic running shoe from 1976. He liked these models because they seemed fresh and relevant. 'I honestly hate the idea of nostalgia,' he says. 'I didn't want to reinvent the wheel because I think these shoes were perfect. I just wanted to do them in new colors.' And indeed, Tyler designs the shoes in interesting colors. The joggers, which cost $100, come in a teal and yellow, a dark and light green, and a brown and mustard. The yacht shoes, which cost $90, come in a cream with delicate embroidered flowers, a dark brown, and a teal. While some critics on social media argue that he hasn't done much to bring his own point of view to these designs, Tyler believes that small changes can be impactful. It echoes fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who argued that you only need to change an idea by 3% to create something new. And ultimately, Tyler believes that his strength lies in curating pieces and bringing them together in interesting ways. 'It's in the styling, the way they're worn, the color palettes,' he says. 'I really love wearing a sporty shoe with an outfit that makes folks glitch and say, I didn't know you could wear them like that.' Tyler still designs for Golf Wang, which is grounded in streetwear, with hoodies and jeans. But he says that Le Fleur's aesthetic is more reflective of his personal style these days. 'I didn't want to have to change Golf Wang because it would alienate folks,' he says. 'But Le Fleur is a mirror to where I'm at in life, with unique styles and colorways.' Converse has been struggling over the past decade; last year, its revenues declined 14% from the year before and in May, it laid off 2% of its workforce. A decade ago, it relaunched it's most famous shoe, the Chuck Taylor, with new technology, but consumers did not take to the new version and sales dropped. Part of the company's strategy to grow sales was to bring on new collaborators; Tyler was among them. Since the first release, in 2017, products from the collaboration have been popular and allow Converse to stay in the cultural conversation (not to mention connect with Tyler's nearly 17 million Instagram followers). Still, it's a hard moment for Converse and its parent company, Nike. In an earnings call last December, Nike CFO Matt Friend said that consumers were pulling back on spending. He argued that newness is what would cause consumers to shop. Converse is counting on this new collab to get sneakerheads to pay attention.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man sentenced to life for murdering wife in Southern New Mexico desert
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 57-year-old Louisiana man, described by prosecutors as a career criminal, was found guilty of killing his wife and tampering with evidence by an Otero County jury on Friday, May 23, the 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office (Alamogordo) announced on Sunday night. Shaun Castain LeFleur, 57, of Louisiana, was found guilty in his wife Nancy LeFleur's murder and was sentenced to life in prison, the DA's Office said. He will be nearly 90 years old before he is eligible for parole, the DA's Office said. LeFleur and his wife came to Otero County in late 2023. Shaun LeFleur was living on the run and forcing his wife to come along with him, the DA's Office said. After beating his wife in late 2023, LeFleur was convicted in the Otero County Magistrate Court of battery against a household member, the DA's Office said. At the time of the conviction, LeFleur had already murdered his wife and buried her in a shallow grave in the desert just north of Oliver Lee State Park, outside of Alamogordo. About two months after Nancy LeFleur's murder, a citizen came forward and told authorities that Shaun LeFleur had murdered his wife and buried her in the desert, the DA's Office said. The New Mexico State Police were called in and led the investigation. Shortly after, Nancy LeFleur's body was discovered buried in a shallow grave approximately 1 mile north of Oliver Lee State Park. The site of the burial was just mere feet from a spot where LeFleur had previously been seen camped at, the DA's Office said. The ensuing investigation revealed that Shaun LeFleur and his wife Nancy had been camped near the dispersed camping area outside of the state park south of Alamogordo. From there, Shaun LeFleur moved his camp north into the desert area well away from other people. Shaun LeFleur then began searching the Internet for local places where he could purchase a gun and potential places in Mexico where he could flee to, according to the DA's Office. Then, late one night in February 2024, he forced his wife out of their tent and onto her knees. LeFleur then murdered her in an execution-style shooting, the DA's Office said. He wrapped her body in a tarp and buried her before fleeing to Texas, the DA's Office said. A month later, LeFleur returned to the scene of the murder and set up camp in an effort to discourage people from stumbling upon the body. The investigation spanned multiple states and multiple search warrants were executed. In April of 2024, LeFleur was arrested by the New Mexico State Police while parked alongside the Sunspot highway just outside of Cloudcroft. The case was investigated by the New Mexico State Police and prosecuted by District Attorney Ryan Suggs along with Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Tighe and Assistant District Attorney Taylor Weary. Suggs said after the trial: 'This was an extremely tough case to piece together. I'm extremely proud of my team of prosecutors and staff who worked tirelessly alongside me for the duration of this case. I'm thankful that we were able to bring LeFleur to justice and give the family the closure that they deserved.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Alabama Department of Environmental Management's Mobile office renamed after retiring director
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is renaming its Mobile office after retiring director Lance LeFleur. Passport Fair coming to Mobile (one day only) LeFleur has been the ADEM director since 2010. His tenure began early due to the explosion on April 20, 2010, at the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform, which killed 11 people, injured 17 others, and caused the spill of over 200 million gallons of oil. 'I was in Mobile preparing to turn over my business to others when the governor's office called and said, 'You're starting tomorrow,'' LeFleur said. 'I went to a meeting at the nearby Coast Guard headquarters, and I didn't know anyone in the room — not the Coast Guard officials, not any of the mayors, or any of the other state and federal officials involved. I didn't even know anyone at ADEM at the time.' LeFleur returned to Mobile Wednesday for his final visit as ADEM director. Gov. Ivey sent a letter to the Alabama Environmental Management Commission in February to authorize the commission to name the Mobile office after LeFleur. He was also credited for being instrumental in getting the Mobile office built. 'While your task of identifying Director LeFleur's successor is of utmost importance to the state, I believe it is fitting and warranted to properly acknowledge, celebrate, and memorialize Lance's achievements and service to Alabama,' Gov. Ivey wrote. A ceremony on Wednesday unveiled the new sign reading LeFleur's name. Several state and local officials spoke at the event, including AEMC Chair A. Frank McFadden, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, RESTORE Council Executive Director Mary Walker, and ADEM Field Operations Division Head Scott Hughes. Other guests included AEMC members, area mayors, Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council members, representatives for U.S. Senator Katie Britt, and environmental groups and businesses. 'I want to thank the great partners who contributed to making this building possible — first and foremost the Governor's Office,' LeFleur said. 'Also, the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council, the federal RESTORE Council, ADCNR, the City of Mobile, and many others. 'Volleyball Jesus' sculpture removed in Gulf Shores, search begins for new home 'While it is a tremendous honor that the building bears my name, ideally, it should carry the names of all the many people who made it possible,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
