#2015 spring trends | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

amyoffline · 2 months ago

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It's done! The outline for—

—is below the cut. The goal of this project is to explore the following phenomena with as much context and nuance as I can manage, tracing our history over the past 15 years:

What about us, and what about Dan and Phil, drew in and continues to draw in a very specific audience. If they are a ranch metaphor, we are a pizza metaphor 🥗🍕🫶🏻

Why we were Like That™, by which I mean so parasocially invested in them that we became, at times, the most annoying people on the internet. Much of that reputation is undeserved, and the videos on the phandom to date have been strongly negative. So, uh, I guess I'm going to put my face on camera and (mostly) defend us.

Reblog, share in your Discord servers, reply, or send me messages/anon asks with feedback or resources if you have any! Especially if your experience being in this fandom community has been dramatically different from mine. There are TIT spoilers near the end of the outline, but I'm not tagging because certain individuals seem to be lurking over there. Thank you!

Chapters:

Full outline:

introduction

cold open

felt personally attacked by jonathan haidt's last press tour

showed up to the phrenaissance 11 months late

had an unexpectedly strong response to their new content, needed to find out why

what the hell are we doing here?

- phenomenology (academics are professionally insufferable) - research question 1: what drew the audience in? - research question 2: why were we Like That™?

what we're NOT doing here

- a strict content analysis or "wow we sucked" video - providing sources for things best left uncirculated, thank you

reflexivity (personal biases)

- american zillennial in public health - in the youtube audience by spring 2010 - lurking in the phandom on tumblr 2013-2015, back* since 2019 - fan behavior i did and did not engage in

(----): truly necessary background information, i swear

(pop) cultural trends, tech, and their intersection

- nerd/geek identity and the first online weirdos - broadcast tv & the music industry vs the internet - defining "emo" - blogging & vlogging - early internet comedy

broader social/economic trends

- so the U.S. economy collapsed in 2007 - a decade that sucked except for rom-coms and square enix games - the flip/slide phone + digital camera + mp3 player loadout

(05-8): early youtube and early phil

youtube: a great video uploader without a clear purpose

the content on the website

- crossposts, corporations, and creative/social outlets - omg guys it's amazing phil - contemporary youtube-to-legacy success: justin bieber

the audience of "early adopters"

contemporary social media sites and forums

(2009): origin story

a wild dan appears… in the comments

the global constant that is teenagers being messy online

daring my old school district to sue me

- "one town's war on gay teens" (literal rolling stone headline!) - epidemiology 101: rates of… ugh… "unaliving" oneself - ways kids cope when it seems no adults will help them

the earliest days of dan & phil

- hello internet + pinof - a chronically overexamined timeline - file deleted ---* so how big WAS the audience at the time? ---* acceptable funny/edgy language was just different

contemporary youtube-to-legacy success: lucas cruikshank

omg it's meeeeeee

- how amy & friends were using youtube - ways i was just destined to end up here - being in social environments with peers 3-6 years older

(2010): is it "twenty-ten" or "two thousand ten?"

youtube is a platform about to explode in popularity

- the algorithm before it was The Algorithm™, lost site features - let's take a trip through the wayback machine :3c - actual dan & phil content in 2010 - the green brothers found vidcon - contemporary youtube-to-legacy success: darren criss

social media: also about to explode in popularity

- facebook was cool at the time, believe it or not - law of equivalent exchange: 2010 amy cringe compilation - the birth of instagram and pinterest - youtube slash livejournal (the first phanfics… sort of) - shockfic and its place in the overton window

the beginning of "the great rewiring" as haidt calls it

- ways social media is about to dramatically change - third spaces become online spaces - confounding variable: changing expectations of teens

(2011): the end of an era, the start of an age

a very long tangent on fandom and pop culture

cultural exchange

counterculture and teenagers as concepts

the first british invasion: the 1960s

- beatlemania and its descendents - moral panic about the virtue of tween/teen girls - tv/film/fashion trends being imported from the uk - in parallel, star trek births the modern fandom

the second british invasion: the 1980s

- synth/new pop that came out of the punk movement (hi, emo?) - confined mainly to music and fashion - cool britannia

it's harry freakin' potter

- absolute titan of pop culture influence - the rise of online fandom: examining the horrors ---* what is "wank" ---* flaming, sockpuppeting, and general cyberbullying ---* censorship: ffnet purges, boldthrough, & strikethrough ---* other fandom shenanigans of the time (yaoi paddles, anyone?)

harry potter's over. now what?

- for those who needed coming-of-age hero's journeys ---* twilight and YA dystopia waiting in the wings ---* some pretty iconic tv shows start or hit their stride ---* the mcu's phase one ---* takeaway: the rise of "geek culture" generally - for those who just wanted to go to hogwarts ---* doctor who & the wider world of bbc programming ---* british vloggers, you say? where? on youtube? brb--

end tangent, back to your regularly scheduled programming

dan & phil in the first half of 2011

- a continuation of 2010… for now - the videos - british pancakes as a case study of bad fan behavior

streaming and social media

- the birth of snapchat, twitch, and younow - netflix starts developing original programming - multi-channel networks (mcns) - digitour

dan & phil in the second half of 2011

- and they were roommates (omg they were roommates) - fantastic foursome - youtube glitches out - the super amazing project - the first proper baking video + wait, is that the bbc?

~ baking interlude 1: christmas cookies ~

the family sugar cookie (sorry, delia)

amy's 2011

(2012): why is anyone nostalgic for this

the transition from desktop to mobile

- massive growth in smartphone ownership 2011-2015 - things one might do on mobile one might not do on desktop - non-online ways smartphones changed being a youth™

what is tumblr and why is my child using it

- how the site is meant to work - fandom, memes, aesthetics, and SOME public figures - want to be anxious and depressed in peace? come to tumblr - this site seems a little……… gay ---* tumblr's very queer, very neurodiverse userbase ---* legacy media representation in 2012: bad! ---* actual academic research on tumblr users (yes, it exists) - the tumblr experience for non-native english speakers

amy becomes a vibrating mass of panic and paranoia

- in context of the above - additional rant about the american public school system

the growing dan & phil audience

- investigating the origin of the term "phannie" - more collaborations = more viewers - more video uploads = more /invested/ viewers - younow and interacting with fans - watch time replaces clicks in the algorithm

online etiquette, or lack thereof

- mid-transition from the 2000s to the 2010s - "professional internet celebrity" is still basically brand-new - lack of boundaries - various ways to be an asshole online - unsupervised kids simply do not engage in best practices

the end of 2012

- dan and phil move to london - wikipedia vandalism - tiptoeing around a top contender for the phandom's greatest sin - super amazing project DONE, now it's BBC RADIO TIME

(2013): arguably the most important year

- wait. what's that six-second video platform over there--

[amy's curated vine compilation]

- a new wave of internet comedians (read: future youtubers) - the zillennial lexicon - other platforms start emphasizing short-form video content - magcon

emo is BACK - well, sort of

- fob hiatus ends, mcr breaks up. my god. you had to be there - more open ties to nerd/geek culture than in the 2000s - these things once again intersect at dan and phil

dan and phil in the first half of 2013

- siri, what's a "sex symbol?" why are you booing me i'm right-- - d&p are everywhere - radio shows, interviewing, hosting - youtube uploads on their individual channels

rapidly changing cultural attitudes towards queerness

- gay marriage will be legal in places other than canada soon - a lot of assimilationist rhetoric though tbh - parallels to the pop feminism of the decade

hey kids, let's talk about compulsory heterosexuality!!

- what is it and why do people do it - academic, tumblr-level, and anecdotal research - the dannies, the phillies, and the phannies

amy

- the closet™ - mental health stigma - 2013 dnp posts from my main blog

dan and phil in the second half of 2013

- subscriber milestones, vidcon - joint content before the gaming channel - phandom starts having a major presence outside tumblr

(2014): achievement unlocked!

it's time to talk about rpf

- definitions (a chance to be annoyingly pedantic) - academic perspectives and fan discourse on the ethics - when the subjects clearly aren't fine with it - so… we can acknowledge "shipping phan" was different, right? ---* sometimes the subjects are fine* with it, actually ---* how dan and phil started to handle the shipping ---* obvious differences between phan and other rpf ships ---* sharing my favorite passages as a first-time phanfic reader

dan and phil in 2014

- wikipedia vandalism 2: electric boogaloo - bbc request show → internet takeover - the 7 second challenge - youtube content, subscriber milestones, rewind - cons and award shows

tumblr reaches the peak of its influence

- yahoo's attempts to monetize the userbase - buzzfeed and aggregators steal our jokes and bait our clicks - legacy media dangles carrots and uses us for free marketing - the legend of korra breaks TV precedent, almost out of nowhere - the tumblr user experience ---* on mobile, without xkit ---* on desktop, with xkit ---* 2014 dnp posts from my main blog

gamergate and its long shadow

- trolling, renewed and revamped - algorithms push increasingly extreme content - the broad conservative backlash conglomerate - increased normalization of conspiracism in general

my greatest sin [not clickbait] [very funny]

- so, circling back to comphet… - the actual story

anyway, let's talk about danandphilgames

- a star is born: dil howlter - different types of gaming content on youtube at the time - why did 17yo amy not subscribe? well…

~ baking interlude 2: chocolate cupcakes ~

make your own frosting. it freezes well

roasting myself further

(2015): it's not queerbaiting when it's real people

facebook "pivots to video"

- mark zuckerberg lied. water is wet - causes other platforms to REALLY double down on video - the birth of musical.ly - corporate-branded creators (read: future youtubers)

queerbaiting enters mainstream public consciousness

- academic origins - early fannish and acafan writing - johnlock, destiel, and sterek - statistics 101: type i error, type ii error, and queerbait

dan, phil, and the phandom

- bbc, cons, & the brits - danandphilcrafts - phan conspiracies ---* japhan ---* body language experts ---* timeline truthers ---* floor plan investigators ---* no but seriously imagine it - regular youtube uploads ---* solo content ---* joint content ---* subscriber milestones, rewind - tatinof uk and tabinof ---* on "selling out" ---* revisiting the statistics 101 lesson: now with real people! ---* never meet your heroes (unless they're dan and phil)

amy's (temporary) exit from the phandom

- it's legal adulthood with a steel chair!! - growing discomfort with some fans' behavior - 2015 dnp posts from my main blog - the closer: final fantasy vii

(2016): season finale

vine's imminent demise

- content platforms behaving badly - content creators behaving badly

youtube after "the great rewiring" (as haidt calls it)

- version 1.0 of the modern youtube algorithm ---* deep neural networks for dummies ---* what's holding creators accountable, or not - advertising and sponsorships ---* basically every child and youth™ is watching now ---* the battle for our attention ---* regulators start to crack down on undisclosed ads - the rise of drama/tea content (and later, channels) ---* youtubers are now seen as regular celebrities ---* dan and phil as the butt of other youtubers' jokes ---* baiting the phandom for engagement

tatinof us and aus

- a proven new model for live show tours - show & documentary released to youtube red (now premium) - [sigh] the tour bus

sea change in online fandom

- the newer, sometimes queerer media in korra's wake ---* better and more representation in live-action tv shows ---* voltron (i'm sorry!!!) ---* the mystic messenger craze ---* alice oseman & heartstopper - the new dynamics of #discourse ---* proship is to anti as phannie is to phanti ---* the bad behaviors of the 00s get a new coat of paint ---* new, though: fans harassing creators ---* a personal note on ace discourse

dan and phil presence off-tour

- the internet takeover ends - regular content, subscriber milestones

so. uh. current events.

- brexit - sorry the united states is a font of chaos - ripple effects

closing out the year

- amy finally gets an anxiety diagnosis and treatment! hurray! - dapgo, rewind - bbc radio awards & the boncas - gamingmas

(2017): time for a rebrand

tangent - sit down!!! buckle up!!! today's lecture is on PSIs & PSRs!!!

"parasocial" as defined by the current zeitgeist

- summing up youtubers' and laypeople's opinions (not dan's) - an unfairly negative stance overall, imo

older academic literature

- the 1956 paper (yes, 1956) - with traditional celebrities - with fictional characters

current academic literature

- with youtubers and other content creators - positive effects on the audience - negative effects on the audience - broader societal implications

fandom spaces as a parasocial experience

- parasocial and truly social interactions with each other - phandom as a supportive, welcoming space for oddballs - what research i can find about neurospicy folks, + anecdotes - me and everyone else on planet earth move to discord

inherent transactionality

- the nature of celebrity - positive effects on creators - negative effects on creators

reexamining early phandom through a parasocial lens

- the good, the bad, and the ugly - the role audience demographics played in all of this - entering, exiting, and remaining in the phandom

end tangent, back to your regularly scheduled programming

vine is well and truly dead

- some had prepared to become primarily youtubers (smart) - some move to musical.ly, insta, facebook, or snap (less so)

the sun sets on danisnotonfire

- i am very normal about dan's hobbit hair, i swear. - the last dnp content before the rebrand - new apartment, new floor plan investigations

adpocalypse now

- youtube has become the village elder of platforms ---* increased scrutiny, increased responsibility ---* some youtubers had been getting away with !#$!#@% - the scandals ---* pewdiepie + logan paul ---* elsagate and being "family- friendly" (read: ad-friendly) - censorship and monetization ---* adsense revenue goes down as advertisers pull out ---* the glory days of posting whatever and making bank are over

amazingphil and ~daniel howell~

- youtube & younow content - that week in march - vacations and conventions - conjoined baking and the concept of a "soft launch" - daniel & depression → dan as a mental health advocate - truth bombs, ii announcement, rewind

(2018): the phandom vs the hiatus they told us not to worry about

interactive introverts

- "giving the people what they want" - in hindsight… - let's talk about dnp fans from the global south

youtuber burnout

- it wasn't just dan: (more examples than header fits) - the old model was simply not sustainable - newer contributing factors - research on burnout, plus personal anecdotal experience

other dan and phil videos

- phil's solo videos - gay and not proud - hometown showdown - other joint videos - phil's #shorts (sounds normal in american english)

panini updates

- vaccines soon, uwu??? + entrenched misinformation - pros and cons of remote work - pros and cons of remote school - pros and cons of remote socializing

you will get through this night

- younger me really could have used this book too, dan - thoughts as a professional in a related field - reflecting on some of my more unique circumstances

daring my old school district to sue me (again!!)

- updates: racism and transphobia - updates: right-wing freaks take over the school board again - residents vote against improving mental health resources

(2022): dan returns (still not on fire)

hey so politics are um getting worse

- americans lose the right to reproductive freedom ---* the quickest of histories on where these freaks came from ---* this shit kills people. - trans kids become the punching bag of culture war discourse ---* fuck off! (gently) ---* fuck off! (i have a knife) ---* checking in on terf island

we're all doooooooooooooooomed

- dystopia daily my beloved - the style, the substance, the metatextual analysis-- - not everyone loved it, though. why? - the promo - dan on tour + sister daniel

amy's 2022

- i got covid - then i got long covid: brain fog, pots-like symptoms

some more news (i will work on my warmbo impression)

- dan joins tiktok + danisnotinteresting uploads - phil: uploading less, busy doing remote crisis management - twitter is acquired by an idiot jackass - heartstopper on netflix! ---* the show and what it means to people ---* drama (revisiting "real people can't queerbait") ---* why this has anything to do with the phandom

~ baking interlude 4: cinnamon rolls ~

- lovingly, recipe changes and corrections :) - if i have an opinion about anything, it's sweet yeasted breads

(2023): the phrenaissance

phil

- joins tiktok! - youtube uploads through september - what even is phannie tiktok. i've never used this app. help.

dystopia daily b-sides

- dan memes of 2022 - the 2023 dystopia daily episodes

amy: the doctoral candidacy process

- purgatory, privilege, poverty, and free pizza - checking in on what this is like outside the united states

pretending the panini is over

- complaining about post-adpocalypse censorship standards - honest take about "giving up" on covid - who gets the short end of the stick

the youtube algorithm is BAD and UNINTELLIGENT, actually,

- unhinged rant about not hearing about the gaming rephrival - because i was offline from other platforms. like, @amyoffline.

pov: you are a phannie (not me) on october 15th

- what i was doing on october 15th - saying goodbye forever, spooky week, and november - gamingmas - phil uploads through december

(2024): fifteen years of terrible, terrible influence

hey what the fuck is going on

- dan and phil ---* joint and phil videos ---* jokes they never would've made ten years ago ---* a collection of emotional posts about how far they've come ---* people want fun and silly content again. we'll get to why ---* nostalgia, hope, and other warm and fuzzy feelings - the phandom ---* ancient parasocial attachments, reactivated instantly ---* people are way more normal now. let's discuss why ---* tumblr vs twitter vs tiktok phandom

we're all doomed, youtube version

- my thoughts - thoughts on "dan should/shouldn't" do video essays - i can't objectively evaluate anything he makes bc [gunshots]

terrible influence tour

- legally phlonde - the concept: healing one's inner child / taking it back - we gotta talk about phannies in the global south again - no but seriously imagine it? ---*ogres are like onions, they have LAYERS ---* [placeholder for whatever does(n't) happen]

anglosphere current events once again

- the likely us tiktok ban - the tories get fired - [placeholder for whichever hell americans manifest] - witnessing genocide and feeling powerless

ffx full-circle moment to the intro of this video essay

- the night i found out they came back - why i am doing this, now with context - reflections on a nearly 15-year (parasocial) relationship

whatever youtube uploads we get during fall/december

AMY SEES TIT (nov 14)

- the vibes at the phamily reunion - buying merch to apologize for eternal ublock origin use - how much should i document?? (not during the show) - phanspiracies confirmed - atlanta confessions - favorite bits - the alternate universe where i went to tatinof and/or ii

(2025): the horrors persist, but so do we

whatever 2025 content is out while i'm still working on this

our parasocial social club

- let me be philosophytube for a second ---* every interaction has a parasocial element ---* what are we obligated to do as a phandom, actually? ---* as people who parasocially care about these two dorks? ---* what else should we be doing socially to be at our happiest? - "they're my gay uncles" vs "i'm a little in love, even now" ---* riffing about the boundary/overlap between these camps ---* sibling reads me for filth in a single text (sister daniel...) ---* at least we're all in this together

what's going to continue to draw people in

- grown adults drawing our cat whiskers back on - updates on queer/nd kids - updates on anxiety/depression rates - updates on tech and the broader environment of content - world still feels doomed

tangent - the "hard launch" and why people want it

what are people referring to, exactly

- general definition and other examples - when it comes to dan and phil - maybe they hard launched already and we just missed the memo

the ludonarrative of phandom

- if you got here early on - if you got here in the mid-2010s - if you got here after they came out - if you got here post-hiatus - final fantasy comparison: ffvii's chokehold over first-timers

a rom-com for the ages

- the tropes in play - brief tangent on the evolution of the genre - queer romantic comedies - final fantasy comparison: ffviii's plot and squall/rinoa

phriends… or…

- wholesome influence, slice-of-life - projection - final fantasy comparison: ffxv's gameplay loop, the chocobros

humans don't like ambiguity

- from a media perspective (narrative tension) - research from the hard sciences - final fantasy comparison: fanille ---* the first gay final fantasy characters, actually ---* ffxiii's character development process ---* fang and vanille in the text. brb, clawing at the walls ---* so, if anyone is looking for a phyuri au prompt…

tl;dr: reality is not fiction. make peace with not "knowing"

end tangent, back to your regularly scheduled programming

the phuture

- phil's big solo project when??? - dapg is just the joint channel now - youtube has changed since when dan last "regularly" uploaded - nothing lasts forever, and that's okay

~ baking interlude 5: ranch + pizza ~

- ranch propaganda and ranch metaphors - showing off my dough and sauce skills

conclusions

- a lot has happened in 15 years - [placeholders: don't write your conclusions before you do your research]

Proof this project can only be done in consultation with Tumblr: no other platform we're on could accommodate a post of this length and formatting detail lol

#dan and phil #phan #dnp #daniel howell #amazingphil #this took so long to format oh my god please read it and talk to me #except it's 1am in my time zone so i'm going honk mimimimi soon enough #amy writes

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fizzigigsimmer · 6 months ago

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To B With Love: The One With The Honey Moon

I had a lot of fun learning about 19th century San Francisco and thought folks might like to see where Steve & Billy spend their bonding retreat.

If that interests you at all, more beneath the cut.

(Cow Hollow 1870)

Bordering the marina district on the bay, Cow Hollow is still a neighborhood that exists in the city today, and parts of it can be seen in The Princess Diaries, which is irrelevant but dear to me.

When the first settlers arrived with the gold rush it was called Spring Valley, known for the numerous freshwater springs that fed into the fertile lagoon, as well as for grassy meadows and sand hills inhabited by wildlife. All those grassy meadows were great for farming, and the area came to be known as Cow Hollow after its many immigrants took to lucrative dairy farming. The price of milk was high in the city at that time and a local farmer could easily support a family on dairy production.

Cow Hollow (Chinese vegetable farm 1883)

Its main thoroughfare, was until the early 20th century an unpaved road which linked the developing city with the Presidio. As San Francisco rapidly expanded the area prospered and became a fashionable district for Prominent San Franciscans. They came and built their fancy houses and shops and businesses followed them. From about the 1860s to the late 1870s there were your standard gentrification tensions between the farmers and the fashionable set, which ended when the city banned cows in the area in the 1880s, effectively ending farming in the area for good.

Cow Hollow (The Attorney General's private estate ensconced by trees)

Perhaps in defiance people continued to call it Cow Hollow, and good on them for that.

This neighborhood makes a lot of sense to me as a place Steve's cousin would have picked to hide him, as it is "comfortable", but not as congested as the city proper as well as close to the bay if a quick retreat is needed by boat.

*Bonus view of the Golden Gate strait from the Crissy field shoreline 1870

The same view in 2015

The house Billy & Steve stay in is described as an octagon shaped cottage, with a cross gabled roof and wrap around porch. Octagon shaped houses were a hot fad for "forward thinking individuals" in the 19th century that started with this doctor who published a bunch of papers, detailing his research into the human body and how the enlightened individual could use their environment to live their best life. Apparently, the flow and function of the octagon shape was superior in his book. Anyway, thanks to him and the trend setters we now have a nice collection of historical houses with this quirky, not all that functional shape. There's a full list online but I'll just include a few that were built around the 1860s

(McElroy House - San Francisco)

(New Jersey: super cute but I can imagine the tiny, weirdly cornered rooms just by looking at it)

(San Francisco: some modern updates obviously but I love the roof work)

(Not sure where these are)

And the one I used a direct reference for Steve & Billy's little retreat.

I love the gables, the porch, just everything. I can picture it on a hill with a view down to the bay, and I loved the idea of them being able to just follow a road to the sea.

That was the first image that came to my mind when I was outlining - the boys hand in hand on their way to the beach. Disheveled, not quite 'done up' all the way but no one to see them if they did. Just being young and starry eyed for each other. Frankly they deserve it after all I put them through lol.

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #fic related things #to b with love #visual post #the honey moon spot

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droughtofapathy · 1 year ago

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The Gilded Age's Broadway Divas: Aurora Fane (Kelli O'Hara)

Beloved by all, Aurora Fane enjoys a powerful position in Mrs. Astor's New York. Having suitably recovered from impending financial ruin last season, this season, Aurora has done some ill-fated matchmaking, worn some fantastic hats, and provided beautiful window dressing to scenes where she just sits there and looks pretty.

One of Broadway's (few) leading sopranos, Kelli O'Hara is a dying breed. As trends shift towards a more pop/rock sound, and classical musical theatre becomes a thing of the past, Kelli nevertheless finds her niche. A seven-time Tony nominee, Kelli has won Best Leading Actress in a Musical for the 2015 revival of The King and I. You'll recall another Gilded Age Diva who won for that same role some years prior. A proshot of the NT Live production can be found online. It is a gorgeous shoot, even if I take issue with that show as a whole.

She has also been nominated for Kiss Me, Kate (2019), The Bridges of Madison County (2014), and The Light in the Piazza (2005). Ironically, though Aurora Fane supports The Academy, Kelli is a classically trained opera singer who has appeared on the Met Opera stage three times, and will play Laura Brown in an encore run of The Hours this spring. (See my breakdown post over costumes here.)

However, prior to her opera appearance, Kelli will be starring in the new Broadway musical Days of Wine and Roses for a limited 16-week run, opening on January 28th. Kelli has been nominated for every role she has played since 2005, and this will almost certainly be no different. Booked and busy.

#1: "Shall We Dance?" The King and I (2015)

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Kelli's voice is otherworldly angelic. That much we already know very well. The King and I opened in 2015 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, the third musical Kelli has starred in at that venue. The Beaumont is, of course, right next to The Met Opera, and the only Broadway theater outside the theatre district in Midtown.

As Anna Leonowens, Kelli travels to Siam to teach the children and wives of the king how to speak English. Orientalism aside, the show is a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the score is divine in Kelli's mouth. Fun fact: Kelli's replacement was Marin Mazzie in one of her last onstage roles. Marin was the Passion co-star and dear friend to Donna Murphy, our Mrs. Astor.

This video is from the 2015 Tony performance and showcases the incredible quick change Kelli makes between singing "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance?" aided by a team of unbelievable dressers. It is a marvel to witness. As is Ruthie Ann Miles, Kelli's co-star who recently performed in the Encores! production of Light in the Piazza.

#2: "What More Do I Need?" Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration (2020)

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In 2020, despite a global pandemic, the theatre community still found a way to honor Stephen Sondheim's milestone 90th birthday with an online concert. Kelli performed a song from Saturday Night, Sondheim's first professional musical that was slated for Broadway in 1955, but was scrapped. It only got its New York premiere in 2000. This particular number is a cabaret favorite, and Kelli is an absolute delight with just a camera and digital accompaniment.

Fun fact: it wasn't until this particular performance that I truly started to appreciate the wonder that is Kelli O'Hara. I had previously seen her in concert just that March, and loved her, of course, but I have a complex relationships with sopranos. I now recognize that I love mature sopranos, but it's the ingenues I can't listen to without wincing.

#3: "They Don't Let You In the Opera" (2016)

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Lest we think Kelli is limited in her range and style, this song was written especially for her to showcase her vast talent and comedic timing. Kelli, an Oklahoma farmgirl, isn't the sort of person you'd expect to be both classically trained and country literate.

Kelli, who has been typecast as refined and often repressed characters who go through harrowing emotional experiences, much like Aurora Fane, is more than capable of bringing a rollicking comedy to the mix.

This number is a favorite in Kelli's concert repertoire. There isn't much more to say, except that you need to witness its hilarity for yourself.

#4: “Heaven? Somebody else’s heaven?” The Hours (2023)

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Speaking of opera, here is an excerpt from a scene in Act II where Laura Brown has fled to a hotel room to contemplate some very serious courses of action. Kelli, alongside soprano Renee Fleming and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, makes up a trio of phenomenal women in Kevin Putts' adaptation of the book and movie.

The Met Opera theatre seats nearly 4,000 people across six levels. The performers do not use body mics or amplification of any kind, but rather rely on intense vocal training to be heard across the theater. For this reason, alongside the vastly different vocal techniques and styles, musical theatre actors rarely cross over into opera, and vice versa. Notable exceptions include Renee Fleming, Kelli's Light in the Piazza co-star Victoria Clark, and Mary Beth Peil, who made her musical theatre debut in The King and I as yet another Miss Anna, hers in 1985.

#5: "So in Love," Kiss Me, Kate (2019)

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Starring in yet another Golden Age musical revival, Kelli brings a different take on Lilli Vanessi, a glamorous movie star in a turbulent relationship. Kelli's vocal talent, of course, speaks for itself. For Kelli, this role was a tribute to her dear friend, the late Marin Mazzie, who had passed away some months before the show opened. Marin, who replaced Kelli in The King and I, had played this same role in the 1999 Broadway revival to great acclaim. In her first entrance of the show, Kelli wore a costume that featured the very same hat Marin wore in her show.

Though this video is beloved, my personal favorite rendition can be heard below. It was taken at a concert Kelli put on at the 92Y in New York last February. In it, Kelli sings for and to Marin, and the entire theatre wept.

Bonus: "Back to Before," Ragtime Reunion Concert (2023)

The role of Mother was originally workshopped by Donna Murphy in Toronto in the early 90s, but she left to do King and I, which worked out well for her. In came dear friend Marin Mazzie, who originated the role on Broadway, and established a precedent no other has been able to top. Also in that cast? Audra McDonald as Sarah, for which she won a Tony, of course.

In 2023, after years of pandemic-related delays, they staged a one-night reunion concert of this special show. And who better to take on Marin's iconic role than Kelli O'Hara? Listen to her "Back to Before" here, and then do yourself a favor and run, don't walk, to listen to Marin's.

#the gilded age #aurora fane #kelli o'hara #met opera #sondheim #ragtime #marin mazzie #kiss me kate #the hours #the king and i

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hunxi-after-hours · 2 years ago

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Hi hunxi! In your post the other day about The Way Spring Arrives, you said in the tags that you’d put it on a list of required reading for people interested in danmei. I’m curious, is there anything else you’d recommend for people who want to learn more about the culture/context surrounding danmei? Thanks!!

oh goodness, I suppose I did say that somewhat flippantly but I do want to take a moment and reiterate that I am not qualified in the slightest to make a list of required reading, nor do I think that required reading is a thing that should necessarily exist, since we should all read whatever we'd like in our own free time; there is no moral directive on what someone should or should not read, we're all just here to have a good time!!

but! for those so inclined, I... don't think I have so much a reading list as a series of reading thought exercises?

first of all, some academic articles that I found deeply worthwhile:

Jin Feng's 2009 paper: “Addicted to Beauty: Consuming and Producing Web-based Chinese ‘Danmei’ Fiction at Jinjiang”

Tian Xiaofei's 2015 paper: “Slashing Three Kingdoms: A Case Study in Fan Production on the Chinese Web.”

Xi Tian's 2020 paper: “Homosexualizing Boys Love in China: Reflexivity, Genre Transformation, and Cultural Interaction”

Xi Tian's 2021 paper: “More than Conformity or Resistance: Chinese “Boys’ Love” Fandom in the Age of Internet Censorship”

Yang Ling & Xu Yanrui's 2017 paper: “The love that dare not speak its name: The fate of Chinese danmei communities in the 2014 anti-porn campaign”

Yang Ling & Xu Yanrui's 2013 paper, “Forbidden love: incest, generational conflict, and the erotics of power in Chinese BL fiction”

The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories ed. Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang. I've already gushed about this elsewhere, so I shall leave this be for now

this is by no means a comprehensive list, merely the ones that have really stuck with me for various reasons. I compile a table of contents of my research booklets here, and @dulharpa has been kind enough to share their immense resources here

I'd like to stop short of compiling a list of danmei novels for people to read because folks have different genre and narrative tastes than I do. instead, I think what might be more interesting and customizable would be a kind of reading challenge, paired with thought exercises:

read works by three (or more!) danmei authors

what recurring themes, character traits, narrative tropes, or cultural aspects to you observe across works by different authors? what differences do you notice? do you think these similarities/differences are hallmarks of the genre, coincidental stylistic choices, authorial interests, or wider cultural trends? how do different authors address certain issues, or avoid them altogether? how do these choices affect the content and style of the text, as well as your perception of and/or response to these texts?

read two different danmei novels by the same author (if you can wrangle it, try to read novels in different genres)

what recurring themes, character traits, narrative tropes, or thematic commonalities do you observe across an author’s works? how do the different narrative or genre contexts of each novel affect characters and themes in each work? do you observe changes in an author’s perspective, views, or opinions on common themes and/or social issues from novel to novel?

read a danmei novel that is not wuxia, xianxia, or xuanhuan

how do aspects of worldbuilding differ across genres? what new aspects of culture, character, or language do you observe in a different genre setting? how much character or worldbuilding do you think is attributable to genre convention, and how much isn’t? what do you think readers find attractive about wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan settings? what do you think readers find attractive about other genres?

read a danmei novel set in modern day China

how do the emotional and narrative stakes of novels change depending on time period? what were you surprised by? what similarities or resonances did you recognize between the text and your own life? how does the fabric of the setting in this novel differ from novels set in other time periods and settings? in what ways do class and power factor into character conflicts and relationships? how do these differ from the way class and power are addressed in historical novels? what is the role of tradition and history in this novel? do you find the text more realistic because it’s set in modern day? why or why not? how important do you think “realism” is to the text and the readers? why might this be? how important is “realism” to your reading experience? why might this be?

read a webnovel that was not serialized on JJWXC

there are many other Chinese internet literature platforms, such as 长佩文学 and 奇点文学网. explore one (or more!) of these literature platforms and note any observations about differences, similarities, or things you’re surprised by. how does this inform your understanding of the larger scope of Chinese web literature? in what ways are literature and genre organized differently from what you’re familiar with? compare and contrast your experience reading a non-JJWXC novel with a JJWXC novel. what was the same? what was different? do you think these similarities/differences are influenced by the different audiences of these websites or larger societal trends in media and culture, or something else entirely?

read a webnovel by a danmei author that is not danmei (i.e. 言情 / heterosexual romance, 无CP / no romance)

what similarities do you observe between this novel and a danmei novel written by the same author? what differences do you observe? how do narrative reflections of gender and character dynamics differ? what other themes, issues, or narrative aspects do you notice coming to the forefront when the focus has shifted away from male/male romance? what were you surprised by? what weren’t you surprised by? has your perception of the author’s views on gender/gender dynamics changed? if so, how? if not, why do you think this is?

read a danmei novel with 2+ adaptations into other forms of media (e.g. audiodrama, donghua, manhua, live action)

what do you think about this novel generates wider media attention and interest? how do the characters and narrative change from text to adaptation? why do you think this happened? how did the popularization via adaptation affect the original text, if at all? how did you come to discover this text, and how many platforms did it have to jump to get to you? why do you think this text received attention on the platform you first heard of it? in what ways beyond the content of the text itself did this novel draw wider attention?

read a danmei novel with no adaptations in other forms of media

why do you think this novel hasn’t been chosen for adaptation yet? in what ways would this novel be challenging to adapt? what medium do you think this novel would be best suited for? how would an adaptation of this novel change your perspective and experience of this text? what would you hope to see in an adaptation of this novel?

read a traditionally published work of Chinese speculative fiction

how does a traditionally published work of Chinese fiction differ stylistically and narratively from the web literature you’ve read? what does the wider field of Chinese speculative fiction look like? how do the imaginations and concerns of Chinese authors manifest in their worldbuilding, setting, characters, themes, and conflicts? how do subgenres of Chinese speculative fiction resemble and differ from genres you’re more familiar with? what did you like about this work? what puts you off about this work? did this work raise any questions or themes that you haven’t thought about before? what aspects of the novel seem rooted in contemporary Chinese society, and which themes seem more universal? if reading in translation, did you identify any moments where context was lost between languages? were there footnotes in the translation, and if so, how did they affect your reading experience? if not, did you ever wish there were footnotes? what kind of additional context did you wish you had? how do you think the translation influenced your reading experience? how high-profile is this work of Chinese speculative fiction, and why do you think this is?

read a novel written by a Chinese diaspora author

how do characters, themes, settings, and worldbuilding differ from the perspective of a diaspora writer? what aspects feel the same? how does translation on linguistic, cultural, or metafictional levels factor into the text? what is the role of tradition and reception in the narrative? what other influences can you spot in the text? what Chinese work would you put this text in conversation with, and why? how are different cultures portrayed in diaspora works vs. non-diaspora works? based on this text, have cultural values shifted in diasporic reception? what is the relationship presented in the text between identity and nationhood, tradition and ownership?

okay I had way too much fun coming up with those discussion questions, but I genuinely do think that these are interesting thought and reading experiments to pursue! I think there’s a lot you can learn about danmei, internet literature, and the wider cultural context of these phenomena simply by taking some time to sit back and reflect on these texts, or observing Chinese fandom interactions (there can of course be a language barrier in doing so, but I’ve learned so much from 弹幕 culture and I heartily encourage other people to do so).

and seriously, if anyone ends up trying this reading challenge, please let me know how it goes!! I’m still pushing myself to read outside of my comfort zone (a lot of these challenges are ones I’ve posed to myself), and would love to hear if other folks have thoughts on their reading journeys

#hunxi book tag #hunxi thinks about danmei and gender #心怀杂念字数无量

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southeastasianists · 1 year ago

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It is now common knowledge that whenever protest movements could make political gains through digital media and technologies, the regimes these very movements seek to challenge would catch up with their progress. From the 2010-2011 Arab Spring to popular contestations of Southeast Asia’s autocracies in 2020-2021, optimism regarding digital activism has been met with regime adoption of digital repression. 1 This development has reinforced ‘digital authoritarianism’ in the region. 2 Digital arsenals to suppress dissent have multiplied and diversified over the past decades, following disruptive mass mobilizations that challenged the status quo in countries such as Cambodia (2013), Malaysia (2015-16), Myanmar (2021-present), Thailand (2020-21) and Indonesia (2020). In long-standing autocracies like Vietnam in which the Internet is a potential regime destabilizer, stringent cyber laws and information manipulation through cyber troops enable ruling elites to tighten their grip on the population. 3 While domestic factors are key drivers, there is reason to believe that governments in Southeast Asia‘cross-learn’ tactics of digital repression and inspire one another. 4

Digital arsenals to suppress dissent have multiplied and diversified over the past decades, following disruptive mass mobilizations that challenged the status quo in countries such as Cambodia (2013), Malaysia (2015-16), Myanmar (2021-present), Thailand (2020-21) and Indonesia (2020). In long-standing autocracies like Vietnam in which the Internet is a potential regime destabilizer, stringent cyber laws and information manipulation through cyber troops enable ruling elites to tighten their grip on the population. 3 While domestic factors are key drivers, there is reason to believe that governments in Southeast Asia‘cross-learn’ tactics of digital repression and inspire one another. 4

Digital repression encompasses various methods of social control to preemptively deter and lower the impact of protest movements. Digital repression toolkits include Internet filtering, surveillance via high-tech spyware 5 and social media monitoring, state-aligned misinformation online, 6 prosecution of activists through cyber- or information-related laws, 7 and Internet shutdowns. 8 These can help governments achieve the goal of control, in many cases, without resorting to armed clampdown of challengers.

Governments in the region possess varying degrees of digital capacities, leading to their different tactical preferences. Based on the 2019 Digital Society Project data, the most oft-used form of digital repression in Singapore and Vietnam is prosecuting online users, while in Cambodia, it is Internet filtering. In Malaysia and Thailand, social media monitoring was the most common trend. The two remaining electoral democracies – Indonesia and the Philippines – lean toward misinformation campaigns. Myanmar seems to be the only one among its autocratic counterparts that most frequently relies on Internet shutdowns.

#Southeast Asia #Thailand #Politics #Online Activism #Digital Authoritarianism

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pocketvenuslux · 2 years ago

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on the fringe

Fringe has emerged as a fashion trend in this year’s spring runway shows. In particular, this is not fringe as a subtle trim but elongated fringes that can sometimes comprise the entire garment, making for a great deal of drama and movement. The last time I saw big fringe trending was in 2015 and it was there in some 2022 shows but I did not see fringe like this on the street. Maybe this year will be different?

What’s interesting is that the elongated fringe has been trending in lingerie design as well.

Arguably, the lingerie designer best know for working with fringe is Niki McMorrough of Made by Niki who released her influential String collection in 2011.

Although the brand retired in 2016 - and perhaps because it did - big fringe has proliferated in lingerie. It started with luxury and independent designers but has now made its way into brands like Victoria’s Secret and fast fashion companies. Some notable pieces below the cut.

Fringe Benefits Slip by Thistle & Spire

Jalo Playsuit by Agent Provocateur

Fringe Ouvert (bright plum) by Fleur du Mal

Lota dress by DSTM

Fringe Open Quarter Cup Bra by Victoria’s Secret

Rough Rider set by Dolls Kill (out of stock)

#lingerie trend #agent provocateur #fleur du mal #dstm #victoria's secret #dolls kill #thistle and spire

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brostateexam · 2 years ago

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The mob has reached the vestibule. It’s 5 pm on a Thursday and the staff of Superiority Burger waits with palpable tension, a battalion line bracing for assault. There is always a New York restaurant of the moment, but there’s something in the air here, something more than lingering post-Covid hunger FOMO, or the fact that this is the first intoxicatingly warm night of spring, the cherry and crabapple trees in bloom across the street in Tompkins Square Park, and Avenue A doing a surprising impression of Bourbon Street. There’s the usual animal kingdom of trend-chasers lined up outside the new restaurant, in the space that previously housed the legendary Ukrainian diner Odessa Restaurant: the bullies, the beseechers, the selfie-takers. But it’s hard not to detect an extra vibe. Call it an April-appropriate mixture of memory and desire.

Brooks Headley dons his trademark paper soda-jerk hat over close-cropped white hair. He’s no stranger to running the kind of restaurants that people want, or need, to get into—not least Superiority Burger’s original incarnation. That was the tiny storefront, barely two-and-a-half blocks away, he opened in 2015—with all of six seats (they had fold-down desk-like tables) and six menu items, all vegetarian. It was an instant sensation; Eater sent in three critics on the first day. No doubt Headley’s bio helped: The D.C.-area-born hardcore-punk drummer for bands like Born Against and Universal Order of Armageddon, who became the executive pastry chef at the four-star Italian restaurant Del Posto, won a James Beard Foundation Award, and then abandoned those lofty heights to sling veggie burgers.

Almost immediately after opening, SB’s tight focus gave way to a frenetic and inventive rotation of specials, all executed in impossibly tiny facilities. “We outgrew that space on day two,” Headley says. It was big enough to attract a cult following though, and a kind of rag-tag community, from the East Village and beyond, who made a ritual of trucking the paper food boats containing Headley’s latest creations over to Tompkins Square Park to eat. Notably this fan-base seemed to include nearly as many omnivores as vegetarians, presaging a nationwide shift toward plant-based fast food and “vegetable-forward” dining. Here was vegetarianism—even veganism, if you could forego the Del Posto-level gelatos—served without sanctimony or sacrifice. It is at least in part due to Headley’s groundwork that the hottest opening in New York being vegetarian is no longer its first, second, or third most notable feature.

#long reads

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infinitestagearchive · 1 year ago

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founded in the fall of 2006 by husband-wife duo Cho Hosung and Han Soo-Yin, the latter having been an idol herself for many years, Infinite Stage Entertainment promises to deliver k-pop acts that transcend trends and generations, producing music that they say will outlive even the infinite company itself.

ISE experienced a slow start, with many of their first generation groups disbanding after less than a year and experiencing little to no success. In 2015, the company threatened to shut down due to financial issues, and there seemed to be an end in sight for the 'infinite' stage. However, in spring of 2016, with the debut of SUG★R, the company finally managed to establish itself as the producer of the legendary acts they had promised the public. ISE idols are known for their striking talent, with many of the idols expressing their love for the company and the freedom they receive when it comes to having creative input in their own image.

Since the debut of SUG★R, the company has hired new producers and creative staff, assisting them in keeping the image of their idols both up-to-date and iconic. The company is known for their extensive training periods and while rumors have been swirling for years that the company upholds a less-than humane standard for their idols, they insist that they have a high standard for their idols, and refuse to train anyone but the best of the best.

#*mine #fictional kpop company #fictional idol company #*ISE: worldbuilding

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disarmarchive · 1 year ago

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Is Balenciaga a Social Experiment?

Balenciaga is a recognisable name, and a brand that recently has been the centre of many controversies. Even before that however, Balenciaga has been, and continues to be, publicly criticised, ever since the introduction of Demna Gvasalia as creative director. Their abstract designs, along with a hiked-up price tag, create a lot of buzz within the fashion realm. Before I begin to discuss Demna-era Balenciaga however, I believe it is important to know a brief history of the brand, and a brief history of Demna himself.

Balenciaga is a luxury fashion house founded by Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1919. The brand quickly gained recognition for its innovative designs and unique approach to silhouette and structure. Throughout the 1950s and 60s, Balenciaga was known as a leader in the world of haute couture and was favoured by high society women and royalty. In 1968, Balenciaga closed its doors due to the death of its founder and changing fashion trends, but the brand was later resurrected in 1986, but struggled to regain its former glory. However, since the brand appointed Demna Gvasalia as creative director in 2015, it has once again solidified itself as a prominent luxury fashion house.

Demna Gvasalia is a Georgian fashion designer and creative director, born in 1981. He grew up in the Republic of Georgia and later moved to Germany to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts is a prestigious school that has produced many notable names such as Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester and Dries van Noten (members of the group the Antwerp Six). After completing his studies, he worked as a designer at various fashion houses, including Maison Martin Margiela, Louis Vuitton, and his own brand, Vetements. In 2014, Demna co-founded the avant-garde fashion label Vetements, which quickly gained recognition for its unconventional designs and streetwear inspired aesthetic. Under Demna's creative direction, Vetements became known for its oversized silhouettes, bold graphics, and deconstructed pieces that challenged traditional fashion norms.

The belief that Balenicaga’s recent designs are ‘trolls’ is a highly popular one, generally throughout the general public, who are not very informed on Demna and his designs. Balenciaga has released a number of products that received great amounts of criticism under Demna, namely the $1,790 ‘trash’ bag, or the Balenciaga Crocs, many models which retailed above $1,000. Putting myself in a fashion outsider's shoes, I can see how these items could be seen as jokes, as if Balenciaga is playing a prank on the consumers, especially with the outrageous price tags on many of their items. However if one does their research into Demna, they will find that he has stayed true to his original philosophy of tearing down any preconceived notions surrounding fashion, and rebuilding the public’s perceptions.

The Balenciaga NYC Show Spring 23 Collection, is known for its bold and thought-provoking designs that often carry symbolic meaning. In this particular collection, Demna sought to explore themes of consumerism, environmental degradation, the impact of technology on society, and the fetishism of finance. The collection features exaggerated silhouettes, oversized and distorted shapes, and a colour palette inspired by environmental waste and pollution. These elements symbolise the negative impact of consumerism and modern society on the environment. The use of bright, eye-catching colours serves to draw attention to these issues, while the distorted shapes represent the damage that has already been done. In addition, the collection incorporates elements of technology and digital culture, such as computer-generated prints, circuit board patterns, and internet-inspired graphics. These elements symbolise the all-encompassing presence of technology in our lives and its impact on the way we see and experience the world. The show takes place in the New York stock exchange, and it provokes thoughts about the fetishism of finance, which is also shown through the exorbitant price of the garments themselves.

However, to counter my argument, Balenciaga is owned by the Kering Group, a group that owns Gucci, and many other luxury fashion brands. This means that Balenciaga is a primarily profit-driven company, and could mean that Demna’s outrageous, and polarising designs are simply publicity stunts, used only to bring profit to the Kering Group. While this completely counters my argument, I believe that this was an important point to bring up, as I want to open myself up to the idea that the general public’s opinion on Balenciaga is in fact correct.

Balenciaga’s recent controversies and collaborations also point to this fact, such as their recent collaboration with Kanye West, an undeniable polarising public figure. This, along with their collaborations with the video game ‘Fortnite’, or with ‘The Simpsons’, drum up large amounts of chat within the fashion space, and while deeply criticised, generally help in creating buzz around a brand, and as they say, any publicity is good publicity. I think that their creative ways of creating buzz, or shocking the consumer, is also what they attempted to do in their recent campaign that received a very large amount of backlash. The campaign advertisements contained old court cases surrounding child sexual abuse, and one ad was even of a young girl holding a toy bear that had many BDSM style accessories on it. I believe that while this was absolutely inappropriate from Balenciaga, their intentions remained the same as with their older campaigns, which was to shock the viewer.

In conclusion, Balenciaga, a luxury fashion house with a rich history, has been the centre of many controversies and public criticism since the appointment of Demna Gvasalia as creative director in 2015. Demna's unconventional designs have been met with mixed reactions, with some viewing them as artistic and innovative, while others see them as outrageous and simply publicity stunts. Despite the polarising opinions, Balenciaga has solidified itself as a prominent fashion house with thought-provoking designs that challenge traditional fashion norms. Balenciaga's designs and controversies will continue to spark discussion and debate within the fashion industry and the public eye, and continue to feel like a joke to those less informed.

#essays #essay #balenciaga #demna #demna gvasalia #gvasalia #vetements #satire #avant garde

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bbcnews03 · 5 days ago

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China’s Wealthiest Man Criticizes Tech Giants and Government Inaction in Rare Public Reproach

China’s richest man, Zhong Shanshan, founder of beverage giant Nongfu Spring, has openly criticized online shopping platforms for triggering price wars that he claims have harmed businesses and industries amid the nation’s economic slowdown.

In a rare and bold statement, Zhong also directed criticism at the Chinese government, accusing it of being "negligent" in addressing the destructive trend of aggressive pricing strategies.

His remarks, made during a visit to a county in eastern China on Tuesday, were quickly censored by state-controlled media, reflecting the highly sensitive nature of such critiques.

Zhong specifically targeted Pinduoduo, a popular e-commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings, for its role in damaging Chinese brands and industries.

"Internet platforms have disrupted our pricing system," he said, according to the state-owned media outlet The Paper. "Pinduoduo’s pricing model has caused significant harm.

It’s not just a matter of bad money driving out good money—this has become the orientation of entire industries, with pricing dictating everything."

Public criticism of the government is exceedingly rare among Chinese business leaders, as those who speak out often face repercussions. Zhong’s comments stand out as an unusual and direct rebuke of both corporate and governmental practices in China’s evolving economic landscape.

Pinduoduo has experienced rapid growth in recent years, fueled largely by its aggressively competitive pricing strategies.

During the same press conference where he criticized Pinduoduo, Zhong Shanshan, China’s wealthiest individual, also took aim at the government, accusing it of failing to address this damaging trend.

These additional remarks, which were not widely covered by state media, were shared through a transcript published by Sina Technology and various videos circulated by news outlets.

"The government has not stepped in to address this industry orientation, and I believe it has been negligent in its duty," Zhong said.

CNN has reached out to Nongfu Spring and Pinduoduo (PDD) for comment.

A Nation of Budget-Conscious Consumers

Zhong’s remarks echo growing concerns about the impact of shifting consumer behaviors and business practices in China. Platforms like Pinduoduo have thrived by appealing to penny-pinching consumers in an economy marked by slowing growth.

This isn’t the first time a prominent business leader has openly criticized the system. In November 2020, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma publicly condemned China’s banks and financial regulators. The backlash was swift:

Ant Group, Alibaba’s financial affiliate, was forced to cancel its record-breaking $37 billion IPO, and Ma largely withdrew from public life as Beijing launched a sweeping crackdown on the tech industry.

Among the companies affected by this regulatory tightening was Pinduoduo. Founded in 2015 by Colin Huang, the e-commerce startup has rapidly grown into a major player, leveraging shifts in consumer habits in the world’s second-largest economy. It also shares ownership with Temu, another rising star in online retail.

Zhong’s criticisms highlight the tension between innovation-driven growth and the challenges of maintaining fair market practices in an increasingly competitive landscape.

As China’s economy slows and job opportunities diminish, consumers are tightening their belts, cutting back on everything from groceries to electronics and even cars.

To attract budget-conscious buyers, brands—including those catering to premium markets—have increasingly resorted to discounts and special offers. The ripple effects of this shift have been widespread.

Zhong Shanshan’s recent remarks come at the close of a challenging year for the billionaire. Earlier this year, he faced backlash from nationalist critics who accused him of lacking patriotism. The campaign significantly impacted his beverage company, Nongfu Spring, slashing its sales and driving down its stock value.

According to Bloomberg, this nationalist-driven controversy erased tens of billions from Nongfu’s market capitalization, and by August, it had cost Zhong his title as China’s richest person. He was overtaken by Colin Huang, the founder of Pinduoduo, who remains a major shareholder in the company.

However, Zhong has since reclaimed the top spot on China’s rich list, with an estimated net worth of $52.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Despite his financial recovery, his comments highlight the strains facing both businesses and consumers in China’s shifting economic landscape.

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thewineauctionroom · 14 days ago

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New Post has been published on https://wineauctionroom.com/post-auction-report-of-spring-2024/

Post Auction Report of Spring 2024

In the beautiful spring time of the past two months, we hosted three significant auctions, Spring Live auction at our Eden Terrace sale-room followed by its online Buy Now sale, Special Live Auction at Rees Hotel and its online Buy Now sale, then our regular Late Spring Online auction. We showcased an extensive collection of wines, drawing significant interest from bidders worldwide.

All three auctions successfully highlighted the vibrancy of the wine market and demonstrated a robust interest in both French and New Zealand wines, with back-vintage Burgundy and Bordeaux wines leading in terms of highest sales. The presence of quality Italian wines also contributed to a diversified offering that appealed to a wide range of bidders.

With competitive bidding and a strong turnout, both buyers and sellers can look forward to future events with optimism. Collectors are encouraged to take advantage of the current trends by diversifying their collections with sought-after wines from these regions.

In our Spring Live Auction, Australia emerged as the best-selling region, particularly driven by the demand for Penfolds wines, which have a strong reputation for quality and aging potential. 1990 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 scored the highest winning bid at $916.50 while the 2-bottle lot of 1998 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 sold for $1833. New Zealand wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and blends, showed solid performance, with several lots achieving prices between $120-$660. The 12-bottle OWC of 2019 Stonyridge Vineyard Larose sold for $1692 while 6-bottle lot of 2020 Te Mata Estate Coleraine sold for $775.50 and 2-bottle lot of 2015 Destiny Bay Magna Praemia scored $752.

Some other highlights include, 1985 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1er Cru Classe sold for $846, 2016 Domaine Francois Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre selling for $587.50, and NV Bollinger Rose 3000ml sold for $634.50.

Live Auction at The Rees was a resounding success, showcasing an impressive array of fine and rare wines, whilst local Central Otago Pinot Noir was hotly contested in the sale room, the buy-now bidders demonstrated their clear preference for Burgundy wines, particularly those from esteemed producers. France, particularly the Burgundy region, dominated the auction, with multiple lots from renowned producers like Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Armand Rousseau achieving best performance.

The highest hammer win was scored by 2016 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti La Tache Grand Cru, which sold for $ 7990. 2013 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg garnered the most attention, with six active bidders vying for this exceptional wine, before it ultimately sold for $5875. Not to mention a set of (3) 2014 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru achieved $12337.50.

Other highlights include 1990 Chateau d’Yquem 5000ml sold for $5875, 2017 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru sold for $2350, a vertical vintage of 2008-2013 Rippon Emma’s Block Pinot Noir sold for $1351.25 and OWC 2021 Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir 3000ml scored $1128. There was also a charity component to this auction with all proceeds from Lots 83 – 111, including all fees, being donated to the Central Otago Pinot Noir Charitable Trust. Through the generous bids we were able to raise $4853.44.

In our most recent Late Spring Online Auction, we featured lots with a wide price range, from low-end sales around $20 for sparkling wines to premium wines selling above $700.

The standout lots were 1976 Chateau Cheval Blanc and 2016 Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru, which both achieved $705. The highest multi-lot win once again went for a 12-bottle OWC of 2016 Stonyridge Larose which sold for $1692. Some other notable sales included 2002 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia sold for $376 and 2015 Passage Rock Magnus 1500ml scored $235.

As we look toward the fast-approaching 2025, the wine market holds tremendous promise, driven by an ever-growing appreciation for fine wines and the passion of collectors and connoisseurs alike. The increasing interest in diverse regions and unique vintages suggests a vibrant landscape ahead, where both seasoned collectors and new enthusiasts can thrive. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all bidders and consignors for their participation and trust in our platform. Your support not only fuels the excitement of the auction but also plays a crucial role in fostering a dynamic community that celebrates the art of wine. Together, we are poised to cultivate a flourishing market that honours tradition while embracing new approaches to wine.

Our next sale will be our final Live Auction of 2024, starting from 6pm on December 3rd. This is another sale filled with outstanding wines, showcasing a range of values with wonderful provenance. Catalogue will be published soon so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be the first ones to know. We finish the year with our New Year’s Online only auction that will start on the 26th December and run through to 7pm 5th January.

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timesofinnovation · 2 months ago

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In the world of fashion, change is often equated with novelty, yet for Nadège Vanhee, the journey has been one of evolution. As the artistic director of women's ready-to-wear collections at Hermès, Vanhee has been meticulous in her approach to reinventing the brand’s vision while maintaining its core essence. Her collections stand as a testament to a sophisticated blend of rigor and rebellion, ensuring Hermès continues to resonate with modern sensibilities. Vanhee’s connection to color, specifically red, is a captivating anecdote that reveals her intriguing artistic journey. As a child, she was discouraged from wearing red due to her hair color. However, since her debut collection for Hermès in 2015, she has come to embrace it, using red as a fundamental component of her designs. This shift illustrates her approach: using color not just for adornment but as an integral part of the fabric’s emotional narrative. Over the span of 20 seasons, Vanhee has systematically redefined Hermès' ready-to-wear lines without succumbing to fleeting trends or celebrity endorsements. Instead, her inspirations draw from the juxtaposition of urban and rural landscapes, alongside a love for both equestrian and motorbike cultures. The palettes she employs reflect a harmony of earth tones, taupy greys, buttery beiges, and striking reds that evoke a sense of warmth and familiarity. Construction and fluidity form the backbone of her designs, emphasizing a deep understanding of the materials at her disposal. Vanhee articulates this balance beautifully; actions like zipping a collar or tightening a rain jacket are intrinsic to her vision, suggesting that the essence of the piece emerges from the actions associated with it before the visual image is even conceived. Vanhee’s journey began in 1978 in northern France, navigating through significant fashion houses such as Martin Margiela and Celine under Phoebe Philo before landing in New York at The Row. Her appointment as artistic director at Hermès in 2014 marked the beginning of a new phase—one that involves an intimate conversation with the storied heritage of the brand. Each season, elements such as silk twill and stirrup belts are reimagined, reflecting both a respect for tradition and a desire to innovate. For example, her Autumn/Winter 2025 biker jacket was crafted with stitching reminiscent of saddle construction, hinting at the brand's equestrian roots while ensuring a contemporary aesthetic. At the Hermès studio in Pantin, a fusion of colors and craftsmanship comes to life. Vanhee asserts that the development of collections is a long-term process requiring meticulous teamwork across Hermès' sixteen métiers, including leather, silk, and now, beauty. This collaborative workflow ensures continuity in quality and a harmonious understanding of the brand’s DNA. Vanhee’s vision for women’s fashion is rooted in a profound recognition of the modern woman's needs and aspirations. In response to contemporary living, she instills a sense of movement into her garments, allowing for lighter, body-conscious silhouettes that speak to women in action. Her Spring/Summer 2025 collection exemplifies this dedication, featuring a color palette inspired by Hermès' famous leathers, reimagined as vibrant paints in an artist’s toolkit. Tones reflecting skin colors—ebony, chestnut, camel—are complemented by bold bursts of bougainvillea pink, envisioning a landscape of summer that is both sensual and accessible. This exploration of sensuality and body awareness is also inspired by Vanhee's environment. She describes her creative process as an homage to the artist’s studio, a space of freedom and creation where influences from various artists interweave with her designs. Aprons, a motif in the collection, invoke a sense of artistic freedom and practicality—qualities that resonate deeply within Hermès ethos. As Vanhee reflects on her decade at the helm of Hermès’ women's collections, she notes a preference for evolution over radical change.

What began as an exploration of leather has transformed into a profound relationship with the material, encouraging a respect for its intrinsic characteristics. Today, her studio comprises a team of 17 people collaborating to ensure each collection is a seamless fusion of fashion and functionality—a task that requires at least two years of meticulous fine-tuning. The Hermès style, distinct yet adaptive, illustrates a unique harmony between fashion and enduring elegance. Vanhee recognizes this intricate balance, stating that while fashion is a transient expression of style, Hermès embodies a legacy of craftsmanship and quality that remains constant. Influences from designers like Martin Margiela and Jean-Paul Gaultier all contribute to Hermès' vast tapestry of creativity. The future looks bright under Vanhee's guidance, fueled by an understanding of the brand's historical strengths coupled with a desire for playful innovation. Her commitment to the idea of beauty as a quest, rooted in emotional resonance and sensory experience, continues to compel her forward. In a world where fashion continually reinvents itself at breakneck speed, Nadège Vanhee’s interpretative vision for Hermès offers a refreshing standpoint. Her work not only preserves the brand's legacy but also enriches it with fresh vitality, paving the way for a new definition of luxury—a definition that champions authenticity and individuality in a time of rapid change.

#Fashion #DiorBenedettaPetruzzoMiuMiuLuxuryFashionLVMH #FeminineElegance #HaiderAckermannTomFordLuxuryFashionFashionDirectorFashionInnovation #Hermès #NadègeVanhee

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brewyork · 7 months ago

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Queens’ LIC Beer Project has closed

LIC Beer Project, which had been brewing beer in their namesake neighborhood for nearly nine years, has quietly shuttered their taproom. No formal announcement has been made apart from Google Maps labeling the venue as “permanently closed,” but the brewery wound down operations and was last open in late March.

The brewery first opened in the spring of 2015, touting its first-in-the-city coolship, an aggressive barrel-aging program, and a focus on Belgian-inspired beers. The beers in their first year that won the brewery praise included the Ardent Core, a Saison, and WonderLIC, a Belgian Pale Ale. Within two years, the focus had shifted to follow the tastes and trends of New York City beer drinkers, and a slew of hop-forward beers followed. Coded Tiles became the brewery’s flagship hoppy pale ale and cans were ubiquitous around the city’s beer shops. Pile of Crowns, a hazy Double IPA that developed a cult following, became an annual release around the brewery’s anniversary each May, in a day called Coronation Day.

LIC Beer Project sustained itself during Covid with direct-to-consumer deliveries around the city, then with outdoor seating on their sidewalk, but with a plethora of other breweries around the area, staff turnover, plus being in Dutch Kills, on the furthest edge of a developing residential area near Queens Plaza, there were likely many factors that resulted in the taproom’s closing.

The closure leaves 48 total breweries licensed in New York City’s five boroughs. It’s the first to shutter in the city this year, and the second taproom to close in Long Island City in six months — Big aLICe called it quits on their original brewery and taproom last October.

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appture-digital · 5 months ago

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jazzlrsposts · 5 months ago

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A Complete Guide to Party Wear Dresses for Girls: Trends, Tips, and Style

Are you someone who loves parties but often finds yourself unsure of what to wear? Don't worry! We are here to help you whether it's a birthday bash, a family gathering, or a festive celebration, our new collection of dresses will make you shine on every occasion. In this blog, we'll explore the latest trends, offer styling tips, and provide inspiration to help you find the ideal party dress for any occasion.

Latest Trends in Party Wear Dresses for Girls

Sparkle and Shine Dresses:

Check out our latest collection featuring sequins, glitter, and metallic fabrics. These dresses, which sparkle under the lights, can make any girl feel like a star. Look for dresses with sequined bodices or glittery skirts for that extra touch of beauty.

Floral Dresses:

We have recently added some uniquely designed floral patterns that never go out of style. From delicate pastels to bold blooms, floral dresses are perfect for both daytime and evening parties. Look for dresses with intricate floral embroidery or vibrant prints to make a statement.

Tulle and Layers Dresses:

Tulle skirts add a touch of whimsy and fairy-tale charm. Multi-layered dresses with tulle can create a beautiful and playful look, ideal for twirling on the dance floor.

Pastel Perfection Dresses:

Soft, pastel colors are perfect for a sweet and elegant look. Think shades of blush, lavender, mint, and baby blue. These colors are especially popular for spring and summer parties.

Bold and Bright Dresses:

For a more daring look, opt for bright, bold colors like red, fuchsia, or electric blue. These colors can make a strong fashion statement and are perfect for a confident, outgoing personality.

Styling Tips for Girls' Party Wear Dresses

Comfort is Key: Ensure that the dress is comfortable and easy to move in. Consider the fabric, fit, and length to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions during the party.

Accessorize Wisely: Accessories can elevate the entire outfit. Consider adding a sparkly headband, a cute pair of shoes, or a matching handbag. Just remember to keep the accessories balanced to avoid overwhelming the look.

Layer Up: Depending on the weather and the venue, layering can be both stylish and practical. A light cardigan or a cute jacket can complement the dress and keep your girl warm.

Consider the Theme: If the party has a specific theme, try to find a dress that aligns with it. Whether it's a princess-themed birthday or a holiday celebration, the right dress can enhance the overall experience.

Hair and Makeup: For older girls, consider light makeup and a fun hairstyle that matches the dress. A simple updo or loose curls can add an elegant touch to the overall look.

Style Inspiration: Party Wear Dress Ideas

The Princess Look:

Did you know Lily James wore a stunning, fairy-tale-inspired gown at the Los Angeles premiere of Disney's live-action "Cinderella" in 2015? You can take inspiration from her dress and try the same look for your party wear. Yes, it might be tough to dance in that dress, but you can still enjoy your princess look.

The Boho Chic:

Did you know Vanessa Hudgens wore a beautiful floral maxi dress with a flower crown and sandals at Coachella? You can take inspiration from her and try the same Boho Chic look for your next party. This relaxed yet stylish vibe is perfect for a laid-back and fashionable appearance.

The Modern Diva:

Did you know Zendaya wore a bold, modern gown at the Met Gala in 2019? She donned a striking, structured Cinderella-inspired dress by Tommy Hilfiger, which lit up and created a captivating spectacle. Paired with metallic shoes and a statement necklace, Zendaya’s look was the epitome of the Modern Diva. You can take inspiration from her to create a bold and confident party look.

The Classic Beauty:

Did you know Emma Watson wore a stunning satin A-line dress at the "Beauty and the Beast" premiere? Her dress was a soft blue, perfectly capturing the essence of classic elegance. She accessorized with delicate pearl jewelry and classic Mary Jane shoes. You can take inspiration from her to achieve a timeless and sophisticated party look.

The Trendsetter:

Did you know Rihanna wore a daring, fashion-forward outfit at the Met Gala in 2018? She wore a glittery, asymmetrical dress designed by Maison Margiela, paired with striking ankle boots and a statement headpiece. Rihanna's edgy look set trends and made a bold fashion statement. You can take inspiration from her to create a unique and trendsetting party look.

Finding the perfect party wear dress for girls involves considering the latest trends, ensuring comfort, and accessorizing appropriately. Whether your girl prefers a sparkling princess gown or a chic modern dress, there’s a style out there to make her feel fabulous.

Keep these tips and ideas in mind for the next party and let your girl shine brightly on her special day! Remember, the most important thing is that she feels confident and happy in her outfit. Happy shopping and party planning!

About our Online Store

Jazzlr is an online e-commerce store for women’s distinctive clothing, with a focus on day-to-day fashion and lifestyle. In 2021, we started our first online store, which soon became a successful concept, and now we have hundreds of happy customers. Jazzlr aims to offer a variety of fashionable women’s clothing and accessories, including dresses, shorts, pants, tops, jumpsuits, and many more, at affordable prices to meet the needs of different customers. We have women’s clothing in styles ranging from modest to provocative, covering a wide range of ages and occasions. We at Jazzlr strive to not only offer the best customer service in the business, but also provide the hottest and most unique fashion apparel you will ever find.

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