Author: CNN

CNN  —  The relative calm in Ukrainian cities far from the country’s battlefields was shattered by two painfully familiar sounds this week: the ominous ring of the air raid sirens, and the eruptions of Russian attacks. A wave of missiles, rockets and drones has struck dozens of locations across Ukraine since Monday, according to officials, targeting civilian infrastructure in several major cities, including Kyiv, located hundreds of miles from the front lines in the east and south. The wide bombardment echoed the early days of Russia’s scattershot initial invasion in February, but also underlined that the conflict in Ukraine, which…

CNN  —  More than 800 years after her birth, Joan of Arc — a patron saint of France — remains an object of not just historical, but cultural fascination. Over the summer, we’ve witnessed Chappell Roan’s armor-clad performance at the VMAs, a space-age Joan of Arc figure clothed by fashion designer Jeanne Friott and leather artisan Robert Mercier at the Olympics opening ceremony, not to mention Baz Luhrmann’s announcement last month that Joan of Arc will be the subject of his next film. Her pop culture inspiration has lasted across the decades. In 1997, a now-iconic photoshoot featuring Fiona Apple…

Editor’s Note: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy. CNN  —  “This fire has burned 4,000 years and never stopped,” says Aliyeva Rahila. “Even the rain coming here, snow, wind – it never stops burning.” Ahead, tall flames dance restlessly across a 10-meter stretch of hillside, making a hot day even hotter. This is Yanar Dag – meaning “burning mountainside” – on Azerbaijan’s Absheron Peninsula, where Rahila works as a…

CNN  —  A lot can change in three years. At least that seems to be the message — both symbolically and stylistically — embedded in Kamala Harris’ second ever Vogue cover. Less than a month away from the US presidential election, Harris has been unveiled as the magazine’s digital cover star. Dressed in a mocha-colored sharp lapelled suit (a Gabriela Hearst piece from her own collection, according to Vogue) and a plum satin blouse, Harris assumes a relaxed yet considered power pose. Pictured sitting poised in a chair upholstered in a complimentary shade of baby blue, Harris is cross-legged with…

CNN  —  Though often underappreciated, menswear has been undergoing a renaissance on red carpets and runways. Next year, a landmark exhibition on Black suiting and sartorial codes will serve as the inspiration for fashion’s biggest night out. The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced its spring 2025 exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which will celebrate Black dandyism from the 18th century through its revival during the Harlem Renaissance and its impact on luxury fashion today. The much-anticipated Met Gala event typically draws its theme from the accompanying exhibition, which A-Listers are encouraged to interpret on the…

CNN  —  Despite the ugly realities of war, military-adjacent aesthetics have enjoyed a long affiliation with the fashion industry and pop culture at large; from the mainstream use of camoflage prints and epaulettes on the shoulders of jackets to the widespread adoption of colors such as army green and khaki. These styles have made cameos on stage of late too: at the DNC and Lollapalooza (with the Harris-Walz campaign and Chappell Roan’s “Midwest Princess” tour, respectively). Matthieu Nicol, whose singular new monograph is called “Fashion Army,” isn’t especially engrossed in the military. “Actually, I’m a food photography collector and a picture editor,”…

Editor’s Note: Examining clothes through the ages, Dress Codes is a new series investigating how the rules of fashion have influenced different cultural arenas — and your closet. CNN  —  “You do not lose your feminine qualities just because you are a prime minister,” Margaret Thatcher told British TV doctor Miriam Stoppard in a 1985 interview. “I often wear bows, they are rather softening … (and) rather pretty.” As the UK’s first female prime minister, Thatcher could be excused for conforming with her male peers and drawing as little attention to her gender as possible. But the so-called Iron Lady understood that…

Paris, France Reuters  —  Fashion designer Hedi Slimane has left LVMH’s Celine brand, the company said on Wednesday, marking the latest high-profile departure from a fashion label as the industry grapples with a sales downturn. LVMH has named Michael Rider as Slimane’s successor. Rider, who will start his new job early next year, worked alongside former Celine designer Phoebe Philo at Celine for over a decade. Slimane’s departure will intensify speculation about upheaval in the industry, where a number of top designers have moved jobs. One of the most coveted roles, creative director of Chanel, remains unfilled after the departure of Virginie…

Editor’s Note: CNN Style is one of the official media partners of Paris Fashion Week. See all coverage here Paris CNN  —  What role fashion can play in bleak times? As France — and much of Europe — grapple with the seemingly inexorable rise of far-right parties, headline-grabbing lawsuits tied to the #MeToo movement, alongside the global downturn of the luxury sector, designers at Paris Fashion Week, which culminated on Tuesday, felt it time to ask. The notion of heritage provided comfort for some, while others embraced surrealism and more high octane designs in collections which reflected a desire to escape.…

A Disney castle, Kylie Jenner and fireworks finale: Here’s how you stage a viral fashion show French fashion house Coperni has a knack for nailing a viral moment, from spraying a dress onto model Bella Hadid’s body in front of a live audience, to unleashing a pack of dancing robot dogs on the runway. For its latest collection unveiling, the brand staged an after-hours show at Disneyland Paris.