Latest news with #Rihanna
The Sun
18 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Fashion fans go wild for 90s classic which is back in George at Asda for just £10 & they come in a number of fun colours
IF you grew up in the 90s and were obsessed with jelly shoes, you may be delighted - or horrified - to see the trend is firmly back in action. From celebs such as Rihanna to catwalk models, everyone is back on the jelly hype - and even George at Asda has jumped on the trend. 7 If you dare to once again rock the playful jelly shoe, the supermarket is selling pairs for just £10. The slip-on, ballet-style flat comes with a lightly gripped sole and a diamond cut out design. You can also choose from five colours: white, charcoal, pink, green and orange. At just a tenner, it is a fraction of the price of a £85 designer version by Ancient Greek Sandals spotted on Net-a-Porter. This pricey alternative also comes in a range of colours and is 'made for the beach with their rubbery, washable PVC.' The George at Asda affordable lookalike has already caught the attention of fashion TikTokers. One creator shared her find in-store, saying Asda is 'pulling through again,' sparking over 20,000 likes. Abby, who posts under @abbybella3, shared: 'I need to share with you girls what I've just bought. I am so happy with them. 'You girls are all gonna be like, 'What the f*** has she bought now?'' She revealed she had the expensive Net-a-Porter pair on her wish list for ages, but they had been out of stock and she also questioned the price. I've been desperate for a pair of £85 mesh jelly shoes for summer - I found the EXACT dupe for a tenner 7 Abby was delighted to spot the George at Asda dupe. She added: 'I just randomly went to Asda and I picked up these for £10: a pair of jelly mesh jelly shoes. 'They look identical to the ones from Net-a-Porter. But they're not £85. They were £10. 'I'm so happy with them.' Abby acknowledged that they may not be everyone's cup of tea, but she didn't care. 7 7 She continued: 'I know you're all thinking, 'Yuck, they're hideous.' 'You wait until you see me style them, because you're all gonna change your mind. Promise you. 'But I love them, so I had to share because they were £10. 'I'm so happy with them. I cannot wait to style them.' People were quick to comment and say they wanted to snap up a pair. One wrote: 'I'm running to Asda for the orange ones if they've got them cos WOW!' Another added: 'Much prefer them over crocs'. How Asda has upped it's game By Fabulous' Fashion Director Tracey Lea Sayer Take a whizz round the aisles in Asda it is hard not to notice how good the George at Asda clothing range is at the minute. Add into the mix their recent collaboration with fashion designer Roksanda, celebrating 40 years of London Fashion Week, which is full of the designer's signature colour blocking dresses, oversized Borg fleeces and bold stripe co-ords, it is easy to see why the brand is on fire! All proceeds from the range go to The British Fashion Council to help promote young designers, so a win win! There also seems to be a return to quality in the clothing range. 'Style Stories' with fashion influencer Erica Davies is a capsule collection of Autumn must-haves which delivered not only on style, but on great pocket friendly prices starting from £7. Gorgeous quilted jackets, slogan sweats and a chocolate faux sheepskin flying jacket are among my faves. Plus, George at Asda has just been crowned with the Best Kidswear in our Fabulous Fashion awards voted for by the Fabulous readers. Click to buy enables you to shop the whole range online or you can just have a browse while you do the weekly shop. You are welcome!
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Monsters and memes: Labubu dolls ride China soft-power wave
HighlightsPop Mart's Labubu monster dolls, priced around $40 and sold in blind boxes, have gained international popularity, featuring prominently among celebrities like Rihanna and Cher, and contributing to a positive image of Chinese cultural exports. The rise of Labubu and other Chinese brands is attributed to the influence of social media platforms like TikTok, which have helped shift perceptions of China's image among young Western consumers. Experts suggest that while plush toys alone may not enhance China's political power, they do foster a growing interest in Chinese culture, particularly among younger generations, as evidenced by the enthusiasm for Labubu in various countries. Small, fuzzy and baring sharp teeth, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart 's Labubu monster dolls have taken over the world, drawing excited crowds at international stores and adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Cher. Beijing-based Pop Mart is part of a rising tide of Chinese cultural exports gaining traction abroad, furry ambassadors of a "cool" China even in places associated more with negative public opinion of Beijing such as Europe and North America. Labubus, which typically sell for around $40, are released in limited quantities and sold in "blind boxes", meaning buyers don't know the exact model they will receive. The dolls are "a bit quirky and ugly and very inclusive, so people can relate", interior designer Lucy Shitova told AFP at a Pop Mart store in London, where in-person sales of Labubus have been suspended over fears that fans could turn violent in their quest for the toys. "Now everything goes viral... because of social media. And yes, it's cool. It's different." While neighbouring East Asian countries South Korea and Japan are globally recognised for their high-end fashion, cinema and pop songs, China's heavily censored film and music industry have struggled to attract international audiences, and the country's best-known clothing exporter is fast-fashion website Shein. There have been few success stories of Chinese companies selling upmarket goods under their own brands, faced with stereotypes of cheap and low-quality products. "It has been hard for the world's consumers to perceive China as a brand-creating nation," the University of Maryland's Fan Yang told AFP. Pop Mart has bucked the trend, spawning copycats dubbed by social media users as "lafufus" and detailed YouTube videos on how to verify a doll's authenticity. Brands such as designer womenswear label Shushu/Tong, Shanghai-based Marchen and Beijing-based handbag maker Songmont have also gained recognition abroad over the past few years. "It might just be a matter of time before even more Chinese brands become globally recognisable," Yang said. - TikTok effect - Through viral exports like Labubu, China is "undergoing a soft-power shift where its products and image are increasingly cool among young Westerners," said Allison Malmsten, an analyst at China-based Daxue Consulting. Malmsten said she believed social media could boost China's global image "similar to that of Japan in the 80s to 2010s with Pokemon and Nintendo". Video app TikTok -- designed by China's ByteDance -- paved the way for Labubu's ascent when it became the first Chinese-branded product to be indispensable for young people internationally. Joshua Kurlantzick from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) told AFP that "TikTok probably played a role in changing consumers' minds about China". TikTok, which is officially blocked within China but still accessible with VPN software, has over one billion users, including what the company says is nearly half of the US population. The app has become a focus of national security fears in the United States, with a proposed ban seeing American TikTok users flock to another Chinese app, Rednote, where they were welcomed as digital "refugees". A conduit for Chinese social media memes and fashion trends, TikTok hosts over 1.7 million videos about Labubu. - Labubumania - Cultural exports can "improve the image of China as a place that has companies that can produce globally attractive goods or services", CFR's Kurlantzick told AFP. "I don't know how much, if at all, this impacts images of China's state or government," he said, pointing to how South Korea's undeniable soft power has not translated into similar levels of political might. While plush toys alone might not translate into actual power, the United States' chaotic global image under the Trump presidency could benefit perceptions of China, the University of Maryland's Yang said. "The connection many make between the seeming decline of US soft power and the potential rise in China's global image may reflect how deeply intertwined the two countries are in the minds of people whose lives are impacted by both simultaneously," she told AFP. At the very least, Labubu's charms appear to be promoting interest in China among the younger generation. "It's like a virus. Everyone just wants it," Kazakhstani mother-of-three Anelya Batalova told AFP at Pop Mart's theme park in Beijing. Qatari Maryam Hammadi, 11, posed for photos in front of a giant Labubu statue. "In our country, they love Labubu," she said. "So, when they realise that the origin of Labubu is in China, they'd like to come to see the different types of Labubu in China."
Vogue
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Rihanna Masters the Art of High-Low Dressing on a Burger Run
We're all wearing our Saint Laurent dresses to the Fatburger run, right? No? Just Rihanna, then! Yesterday, Rih reminded us that even something as simple as a fast food pickup can be a fashion event. The singer and Fenty mogul stopped by Fatburger in Los Angeles, where she eschewed a low-key errands 'fit in favor of something fabulously over the top. Always one for statement maternity style, Rihanna opted for a strapless latte-hued A-line maxi dress, outfitted with two rows of ruffles at the bust and one at the hem. Matching the brown tones of her Saint Laurent dress, she added a pair of sporty Puma Speedcats, giving the voluminous dress a more casual feel, which she further emphasized with a baseball cap. ShotbyNYP / BACKGRIDUSA But Rihanna is not one to be subdued, even for a quick burger run. The rest of her accessorizing befit a night on the town, from her black croc-embossed leather Schiaparelli gym bag, to her rose gold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch (with a pink dial, of course), gold collar necklace, hoop earrings, and sweet 'mom' ring. And what better way to finish off the neutral look than with a bold red lip? Take heed and maybe your next fast food run can be as stylish as Rihanna's.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Billionaire Rihanna reveals surprisingly budget pregnancy craving… while ex Chris Brown returns to court
Rihanna may be worth over $1.4 billion, but she's not too rich for a fast food fix. The 37-year-old superstar, currently expecting her third child with A$AP Rocky, was spotted indulging a budget-friendly craving at the iconic Southern California burger chain Fatburger on Friday. Dressed in a ruffled light brown summer dress with a baseball cap and Puma sneakers, the Fenty Beauty mogul looked runway-ready—even with a fast food drink in hand. Pregnancy craving or not, she still pulled off her signature style with ease. Rihanna appeared in high spirits during the outing, despite still mourning the loss of her father Ronald Fenty, who tragically passed away in May at age 70. Meanwhile, her ex Chris Brown was back in court—this time in the UK—where he pleaded not guilty to an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub. Appearing at Southwark Crown Court this morning, 36-year-old singer pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged assault on music producer Abraham Diaw in February 2023. Brown—who previously made headlines in 2009 for violently assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna, a case that led to a felony conviction and lasting public backlash—is now accused of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent. Prosecutors allege that Brown, alongside co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, 38—a rapper and producer from Dallas—carried out the attack at the Tape nightclub in Hanover Square, Mayfair, on February 19, 2023. Both men face charges of causing grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. In addition, Brown is facing a separate charge for possession of an offensive weapon. Meanwhile, Rihanna has not yet publicly addressed the death of her father. Previously, Rihanna and her father were estranged before they eventually reconciled in recent years. In 2019, she sued her dad and claimed he capitalized on her business empire. In her filing, she alleged that his Fenty Management talent firm profited off of her Fenty Beauty line and other trademarked eponymous ventures. Two years later, she filed to dismiss the lawsuit and had seemingly mended her relationship with him. In 2023, when Rihanna and Rocky were expecting their second child together, Fenty gushed over his daughter and shared his excitement of becoming a grandfather to another one of their babies. Fenty shared three children with his ex-wife Braithwaite including Rihanna, Rajad and Rorrey. Around the time Rihanna's career in music was taking off in 2002, her parents split up. In addition to Rihanna, Fenty is survived by his grandchildren including Rihanna and Rocky's sons RZA, two, Riot Rose, 18 months, and their baby on the way. He is also survived by his other children Rajad, Rorrey as well as Kandy, Samantha, Jamie and multiple grandchildren. Last month, Rihanna insisted her new album won't be delayed too much by her pregnancy. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the Umbrella hitmaker was asked if the album - which has been dubbed 'R9' - will be 'put on pause even longer'. She insisted: 'No, maybe a couple of videos.'
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
The high street's desperate plan to beat Vinted at its own game
Retailers have a major problem. It's an issue that's been rumbling around for more than a decade, and one that feels increasingly insurmountable. Shoppers don't feel good about shopping. In fact, many feel actively bad about buying something new. The consumerist days of the early Noughties, when marketeers could convince people that giddily 'treating' themselves to something frivolous that they really wanted but didn't really need, are gone. In 2025, anxiety about the climate crisis, the spiralling cost of living and concerns about the ethical effects of consumerism have reached a peak, as have the possibilities that come with new technology when it comes to sharing pre-owned items – Vinted being the big winner in this gargantuan shopping shift. The online market place for second-hand clothes now has 80 million users across 18 countries, 16 million of whom are in the UK. As of last month Vinted also became the biggest seller of clothing in France, ahead of Amazon in second place. Old is now firmly cool with vintage Topshop and Marks and Spencer's pre-Noughties brand St Michael's in hot demand and the world's most glamorous women championing pre-loved fashion – from pop-stars Olivia Rodrigo and Rihanna, to beauty mogul Kendall Jenner and the Princess of Wales. (A polka-dot Alessandra Rich number and Chanel tweed blazer, being among her most celebrated vintage looks.) It's not hyperbole to call it a revolution. No wonder that even big brands like Primark, Arket and Levi's are also offering everything from swaps and pre-loved sections to repair services. Primark, usually seen as fast fashion behemoth, launched its first ever 'swap shop' last September, whilst Arket launched a resale 'archive' in 2023 and has now teamed up with alterations start-up Sojo to offer garment repairs. When it comes to shopping, the retail landscape is shifting and not only in fashion – but on everything from cars and electronics to furniture and food. 'High-street retailers are concerned by the rise of Vinted and the like, and this marked change in shopping habits across all generations – but Gen Z in particular,' says Orsola de Castro, the author of Loved Clothes Last and co-founder of campaign group Fashion Revolution. 'Gen Z are very careful with their money and very aware of the value of things. The problem for the high street is that 20 years of fast fashion and cheap clothing has created a legacy whereby their pieces now have no meaning, no intrinsic value.' The sea-change is clear, says De Castro: 'The queues I used to see outside of H&M for their new collaborations in the 2010s, I now see outside of car boot sales in Peckham.' Stylist Bay Garnett was a trailblazer in using second-hand clothing in her photo shoots for Vogue, including the likes of Kate Moss in charity shop finds. 'When I started shooting for Vogue in 2003, using second-hand pieces was seen as 'quirky'. It was considered 'other' or 'niche' to shop in charity shops and second-hand stores, something a little bit 'eccentric',' she says. 'As a stylist, I like the stories around things, the originality and the sense of connection with things that have had a life before.' Conscious fashion is not only about recycling but extending the life of the garments we already own. Fashion brand Toast has been at the forefront of the repairing movement on the high street, first holding repair workshops in stores back in 2018. 'We focused on craft processes – visible darning, the functional embroidery technique sashiko – and teaching our clients how to use those techniques to give their garments new life,' Madeleine Michell, the brand's social conscience communication officer, says. Then, in 2019 they launched Toast Renewed, meaning that anything bought from Toast is able to be rejuvenated, for free, by professionals. It is wildly popular. By the start of March 2025, the brand had repaired 343 garments in 2025 alone, and 7,659 garments in total – moths being the most frequently quoted reason for a repair. Now, Michell says that 40 per cent of the brand's repairs are visible rather than invisible mends. 'I find the notion of adding to an item by repairing it really interesting; that damage can be something to celebrate and highlight rather than hide away and cover up.' Toast has also been operating clothes swaps for the past six years, both as evening in-store events and as pre-loved rails in certain stores. 'Swapping operates on a tier system, based on the estimated original retail value and condition. It feels good to swap things rather than always buying new and feeding the overproduction machine, to remember that something can still be new to you even if it's not newly produced,' she says, adding that while Toast doesn't collate information about whether its swaps affects sales of new clothing, they're a very popular feature on its loyal shoppers' calendars. That brand loyalty is priceless in an ever more competitive space. A February 2025 report from global environmental NGO Wrap shows the positive impacts in slowing the purchase of new clothes that six circular businesses are having – reselling marketplaces Depop, eBay and Vestiaire Collective and clothing repairers The Seam, Sojo and Finisterre (an adventure brand that also repairs and resells). Wrap's report found that for every five times people repair an item of clothing, four new items are 'displaced' by people no longer buying them. And for every five items bought second-hand online, an average three new items are subsequently not bought as a result. Respectively, the average displacement rate for repair is 82.2 per cent and 64.6 per cent for resale.… You can see why retailers are considering their futures. Harriet Lamb, the chief executive of Wrap, agrees. 'Our research shows that buying pre-loved both satisfies our desire for clothes, for something new-to-us, and means we don't buy so many brand-new items,' she says. 'What's more, we can now clearly and consistently measure the environmental case for a range of circular business models including repair.' The environmental concern is valid; fashion has a formidable footprint. Between 2000 and 2015, worldwide clothing production doubled. The UN Environment Programme estimates that clothing is the second-biggest consumer of water and produces around 10 per cent of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Seventy per cent of the fashion industry's greenhouse gas emissions are linked to raw materials and the production of new clothing from growing cotton for example, to textile waste, pollution, water and land use. The pattern plays out in furniture too. Ikea has an extensive spare parts library to facilitate mending – these items are provided to customers in-store or online completely free. Greg Lucas is the company's sustainability manager for the UK and Ireland. 'We gave away 539,195 spare parts to customers online and in store between the start of September 2023 and September 2024,' Lucas explains. 'Our policy at Ikea is to prolong the life of the products we sell. In terms of pre-loved, we've seen an eight per cent rise in sales year-on-year.' Earlier this year, the Swedish giant also announced its intention to scale up its second-hand peer-to-peer marketplace to reach the whole of Europe after a successful pilot in Oslo and Madrid. It also has a small buy back and resell service for pre-loved items which sell in stores at an average discount of 30 per cent off retail price. Sandrine Zhang Ferron is the founder and chief executive of Vinterior, an online marketplace specialising in pre-owned vintage and antique furniture. In 2024, Ferron says, UK furniture retail sales fell 10 per cent compared to 2023, whilst Vinterior order volumes increased 13 per cent. Quoting the Office of National Statistics, she says the value of furniture sales in the UK fell too, by 10.9 per cent, whilst Vinterior's increased 16 per cent. 'This shows a clear trend towards pre-loved,' she says, adding that fashion has led the trend towards purchasing second-hand because 'the impacts of fast furniture has taken longer to permeate. Most people are still shocked to hear that 22 million pieces of furniture end up in British landfills each year, and given that the UK will run out of landfill space in six years, we need to change the way we buy.' Cars and electronics are increasingly being sourced second-hand too. Recent statistics released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SSMT) showed that sales of used cars were up 5.5 per cent in 2024, while demand continues to grow across many categories from phones, to gaming and tech. In an ever evolving digital landscape, electronic items are usually discarded before they wear out, and often have plenty of life left in them for a second owner. Long warranties on those pre-loved products also are helping to boost the sector. It's products that have shelf-life and have to adhere to hygiene standards that are the surprise additions to the pre-loved landscape – namely beauty and food. We may not quite be at the point of auctioning off half-used toothpaste, but according to Cosmopolitan magazine, beauty is on the cusp of a second-hand boom, with online 'rehoming' retailers forecast it to be the next big thing in the e-commerce space. While some e-tailers prohibit the selling of used cosmetics for hygiene reasons, other retailers including Mercari (a Japanese marketplace selling second-hand products) do allow the sale of used goods and, they say, beauty — in particular, fragrance — was in the top five fastest-growing resale categories of 2023, and projected to grow 126 per cent by 2031. Food is also something some may traditionally have baulked at getting from someone they didn't know, but sentiments are changing. Founded in 2015 in Copenhagen, the rise of anti-food waste app Too Good To Go is a case in point. The company partners with more than 175,000 food outlets to prevent food from going to waste by matching it with registered users nearby who collect it and pay a fraction of the price. So far, the company says their 100 million registered users have saved 400 million meals from landfill. But is it too early to declare a sea-change in shopper behaviour? Sarah Kent is chief sustainability correspondent at The Business of Fashion and believes so. 'Just because we have seen a rise in the popularity of repairs and second-hand, particularly amongst the younger generations who are also active on social media, that doesn't mean people in general are shopping less. Primary sales are still growing – less slowly than second-hand sales – but they are growing,' she says. 'Consumer culture is not a monolith, it's made up of sub-strata who consume in different ways, for different reasons.' 'What is driving this renewed interest in pre-loved is that people are feeling poorer, they're more aware of the environment and there's also a regulatory issue at play,' Kent adds. 'Big companies are under pressure from EU regulations to show they are doing something to combat waste. Offering repairs is part of that.' Indeed Kent says that for companies, facilitating repairs is something of an easy win. 'Some brands definitely see it as a way of signalling to consumers that they care about this. Others see it as a way to encourage loyalty – if consumers want to resell something through the brand, they get credit to return to store. Retail is a complicated business and even for companies such as outdoor brand Patagonia, who have been offering resale for many years, second-hand products still make up a very small fraction of their overall business.' Josephine Philips is the founder and chief executive of Sojo, an app-based company that is fast becoming a byword for clothing repairs and alterations, having partnered with brands such as Marks & Spencer, Ganni, Selfridges and most recently Arket. Philips – who was listed as one of Forbes ' 30 Under 30 in 2022 – says that while financial and sustainability reasons are helping repair become increasingly popular, brands adding the service to the post-purchase experience 'really drives awareness and engagement'. 'Repair has never had as much airtime as it's had over the last couple of years,' Philips continues. 'At Sojo we've done out-of-home campaigns, national TV adverts for our Marks & Spencer repair service, morning news segments, influencer partnerships and have been featured in so many mainstream publications. Most recently, our partnership with Arket brought incredibly large and bold repair advertising to the windows of their Regent Street store – bringing repair to the front and centre of London's retail district.' While she would like to see the scrapping of VAT on repair services 'to increase adoption', Philips credits technology for opening up the world of repair to a new generation. 'Many young people haven't been taught the art of repairing their clothes, but the rise of digital platforms built to make the whole process simple, convenient and seamless has tapped into a latent demand and opened the repair market up.' De Castro cautions against our addiction to 'buying cheap' and believes 'the legacy of 20 years of fast fashion and cheap clothing means that clothes have become devoid of their value'. 'The concept of repair is hundreds of thousands of years old, but fashion persuaded us that mending was a shameful activity which needed to be hidden… It was linked with poverty, with a lack of resources. But what was the poor cousin will become the rich uncle. The only antidote to a throwaway society is to keep, to start to create a culture of saving up to buy better and buy less. Actually keeping things and repairing them is reinvesting in ourselves.' Another way of attaining new clothes or accessories without buying them is, of course, rental, a model that appeals to both consumers and businesses alike. Hurr (dubbed the Airbnb of fashion) is a hybrid clothing and accessories rental service which combines 85,000 items through its peer-to-peer lending service whilst also powering rental for more than 130 exclusive brands and retailers such as Net-A-Porter, John Lewis and Selfridges. The service also recently teamed up with Deliveroo (more commonly known as a food delivery service) to enable users in central London to rent a dress to their door in under 25 minutes. 'When we first launched, rental fashion was niche. Now, it's mainstream,' says Victoria Prew, the founder of Hurr. 'Our customer base has also evolved: starting with millennial females but we have a booming Gen Z customer, with our community age ranging from 16 to 79.' Prew says brands and retailers now see rental as a must-have strategy rather than a trend, and a financially rewarding one too. 'Often, when renting a garment repeatedly, we can drive seven to 10 times the revenue from rental than selling a garment once,' she adds. 'My hope is also that fashion brands will design with rental longevity in mind, creating durable, high-quality pieces that can be worn across seasons and for years to come.' Fiona Harkin is the director of foresight at The Future Laboratory, a strategy company who work with brands eager to learn of future trends which may influence customer behaviour. In mid-March 2025, the company released a report titled 'The New Codes of Value' which takes the cultural temperature of the reasons how, and why, consumers shop. 'In the last couple of years, things have shifted in the way that we (in the English speaking world) spend money, what we perceive to be the cost of things and what we consider to have value,' adds Harkin. 'We have less money, so we're thinking a lot more carefully about what we are buying and how long that will last. Increased value is put on experiences rather than things, a sentiment spilling over from the luxury sector where the products which are doing well are those which uphold ideals around craftsmanship and heritage.' She also believes that we have become overwhelmed by the prompts to buy things. 'It's too much,' she says. 'People feel a need to slow down in the face of it, they feel less of a drive to buy the latest thing. Repairing or buying pre-loved items feels regenerative. A lot of what we experience in the digital world brings people numbness, so mending, thrifting… These things help people break out of that feeling.'
