Michelle Yeoh Wins Dry Award; Alexis Stone as Jean Paul Gaultier – WWD

STRAIGHT WIN: The gifts kept coming for Michelle Yeoh. A hot awards season that saw her scoop up Oscars and a Golden Globe, among other prizes, the Malaysian-born actress was named the winner of the 2023 Women In Motion Award from Kering.

The ceremony will be held during the French luxury group’s annual gala dinner honoring women in cinema at the Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 16 to 27.

Yeoh became the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Everything Everywhere At Once” and has used the awards ceremony’s different platforms to deliver speeches that touch on issues such as diversity, racism and age.

“Through her iconic role, Michelle Yeoh has managed to shatter every stereotype,” said François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, in a statement.

“Together with the Festival de Cannes, we want to recognize his significant contribution to cinema, and his ability to inspire future generations of talent. Presenting it with the Women In Motion Award was the obvious choice,” he added.

Yeoh said she was “deeply moved” to receive the Women in Motion award.

“I believe that times are changing; Public awareness certainly grew in recent years. It is so important for women — in front of and behind the camera — to continue to play a role and tell stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world,” she said.

Previous recipients of the award, launched in 2015, include Viola Davis, Salma Hayek, Gong Li, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon and Jane Fonda.

Best known for her roles in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” Yeoh is enjoying a career renaissance that highlights her skills as an actress and action hero.

Among her upcoming projects are the film adaptation of the stage musical “Wicked,” “Avatar 3” and the Disney+ series “American Born Chinese,” which will premiere May 24.

“We are delighted to honor Michelle Yeoh, an actress who is deeply dedicated to her films and has made her mark on the industry in many ways, and who we are pleased to welcome as a jury for the Festival de Cannes. in 2002,” said Thierry Frémaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival.

“Throughout his career, he has relentlessly explored new possibilities — to the point where this has become his trademark for a large international audience. The awards he received were just the inevitable results of this extraordinary journey,” he said. —JOELLE DIDERICH

TWICE TAKE: If you thought Jean Paul Gaultier was hopping down a Paris street holding a baguette aloft in his brand’s latest ready-to-wear campaign, look again.

This is actually British drag artist and makeup artist Alexis Stone wearing a look from her spring “Dress Like Jean Paul” collection, inspired by the French designer’s Breton top, also known as a marinière, and kilt.

Revealed on Wednesday on Instagram, the images were taken by London-based photographer Grant-James Thomas in Paris’s Les Halles neighborhood.

In one image, Stone-as-Gaultier is wearing a kilt-and-mariniere ensemble in reference to one of the French couturier’s most famous portraits, a 1994 image taken by photographer Jean-Marie Périer for the French edition of Elle which sees her wearing a semi-striped top and kilt ensembles.

Elsewhere, not one but four Gaultiers faced off at table tennis, three of whom wore long-sleeved tulle dresses with an anatomical pinstripe print, while the last wore a pinstripe suit and white tank top with a chic white sailor cap.

These are some of the pieces that will be available from the collection launching on Friday which includes ready-to-wear, accessories and swimwear. Expect lots of sailor-inspired pieces, many with trompe-l’oeil details, alluding to Gaultier’s 1984 “Homme Objet” and 1996 “Cyberbaba” collections. Kilts will also come in a variety that range from traditional Scottish dress to tulle pieces and swimwear.

In a statement announcing the collection, the British artist said the French designer’s work “encourages you to be yourself, whoever you are” and is “exactly what fashion should inspire when done well.”

“And that’s why turning myself into Jean Paul Gaultier is easy, because I see myself in this community that he created,” continues the player.

An expert in transformation, Stone has attended fashion shows as Jennifer Coolidge, Mrs. fictional Doubtfire, Dolly Parton and even herself, as well as sneaking her way into Kim Kardashian and Kate Moss looks. — LILY TEMPLE

Safe Room: Hailey Clauson was appointed co-owner and creative director of Margaux, a Los Angeles-based boutique modeling agency.

“I’m so excited about this full circle moment,” said Clauson, a model who has signed to the agency. With over 15 years experience in the fashion industry, she has been featured in brand campaigns for Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier and Dsquared2 and walk shows for Zac Posen, Calvin Klein and Versace.

“I feel like I can take my strength back from any negative experiences I’ve had as a model and use that to build the safe space I always wanted for myself with the agency,” she continued. “I love the creative expression that comes from the world of modeling as well as the business side of the industry, so I’m really looking forward to bringing both worlds together in this role. It’s also very important to me to support talent from all backgrounds — ages, body types, cultures, genders, and sexual identities — and to be able to fight for a shared dream of succeeding in this exciting industry.”

Clauson joins co-founder and director Regina Annotti.

“Margaux’s continued growth as an agency is a direct result of listening to and learning from our own talent, and not being afraid to thrive in an unpredictable industry,” said Annotti. “So for us it was really valuable to have Hailey’s perspective and experience as a professional model. Hailey has had an incredible journey of ups and downs in the fashion industry, which I believe will provide excellent guidance for our talents and within our team.”

Launched in 2015, Margaux currently represents models Brigitte Nielsen, Celeste Romero, Vivica Dehi, Trystin Valentino, and Pyper America, as well as creatives Jacinda Pender, Ivy Price, and Kitty Umina. —RYMA CHIKHOUNE

Shopping x Art: Saks Limitless, the retailer’s invite-only loyalty program, will host an exclusive pop-up shopping experience for clients in Dallas.

From April 18 to April 19, Saks will be inviting Limitless clients to shop from Saks.com’s assortment of designer merchandise inside a private rooftop penthouse suite at the Joule Hotel in downtown Dallas, the first pop-up for Saks in Dallas.

The pop-up will showcase a complete lifestyle range including men’s and women’s ready-to-wear from top European brands, as well as shoes, bags and accessories.

As part of the pop-up experience and the brand’s ongoing commitment to the Dallas art and fashion community, Saks will partner with Dallas Contemporary as the title sponsor for the spring exhibition “Eduardo Sarabia: This Must be the Place,” a major immersive installation recreating the Mexican hacienda and considers the idea of ​​home, and “Ceramica Suro: A Story of Collaboration, Production, and Collection in Contemporary Art.” It is the first comprehensive American presentation of the studio’s influence on contemporary art through a collection amassed by José Noé Suro and his wife, Marcela.

A special dinner will also take place at Sassetta di Joule to celebrate the opening of the spring fair and the ongoing partnership between Saks and Dallas Contemporary.

“As we continue to deepen our relationships with digital clients, we are excited to bring this special pop-up to the growing market for Unlimited Programs. We always strive to provide the very best luxury experiences and our partnership with the Dallas Contemporary museum allows us to connect with our clients in more meaningful and impactful ways,” said Mariel Sholem, vice president of client engagement at Saks.

On April 18 at 4 p.m., Saks Live will take place featuring Ali Bloom, senior stylist, Limitless personal digital style, and Carolina Alvarez-Mathies, executive director at Dallas Contemporary, to discuss the intersection of art and fashion and the best in spring style.

In March, Saks Limitless covered more than 5,000 top clients across the Saks Fifth Avenue ecosystem. Membership benefits include digital and in-person styling and personalized shopping services, early access to new designer launches and the latest runway collections, and access to exclusive events and experiences around the world. —LISA LOCKWOOD

Brooklyn Built: The Brooklyn Nets are looking to the art world for their latest collaboration.

The NBA team teamed up with Brooklyn, New York-based artist Kaws for the 2023-24 Nike NBA City Edition jersey. The jerseys marked the start of a two-year partnership between the artist and the basketball team.

“As a proud resident of Brooklyn, I was thrilled when the Nets asked me to design a new kit,” said Kaws. “The borough’s history, community and spirit create the energy that inspires my studio practice, the players and the fans. My designs aim to capture the passion we experience every day while navigating Brooklyn.”

Kaws took inspiration from his 10-part art series, entitled “Tension”, for the City Edition kit. The kit incorporates Kaws’ signature, abstract designs and uses a color palette of grey, teal, navy and coral. The artist reimagined the Nets logo in a new graphic style and included his signature and “XX” signature motif on the jerseys.

“The Brooklyn Nets brand goes above and beyond the court in many ways, and we are thrilled to be partnering with another Brooklyn icon, Kaws, to deepen our connection to the region with this new City Edition jersey,” said Andrew Karson, senior vice president of brand marketing, strategy and solution for BSE Global, which is the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets. “Brooklyn is home to some of the world’s greatest creators across cultural genres, including fashion and art, and we feel inspired to have the unique ability to marry basketball with the best in our region.”

Kaws’ kit comes after the Brooklyn Nets paid homage to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work last season with the 2022-23 City Edition jersey.

The Brooklyn Nets 2023-24 City Edition kit and accompanying merchandise collection will be available on the team’s website and in the Barclays Center starting this fall. – LAYLA ILCHI