show

Milan Fashion Week showcases precision in uncertain times

BY TAIMAZ SZIRNIKS

  • At Prada, Armani or Ralph Lauren, the US stalwart brand that returned to Milan Fashion Week, classic pieces underwent just slight variations without losing their comforting aspect.
  • In an increasingly unpredictable world, men are searching for comfort and clarity -- at least in their fashion choices, according to designers in Milan this week.
  • At Prada, Armani or Ralph Lauren, the US stalwart brand that returned to Milan Fashion Week, classic pieces underwent just slight variations without losing their comforting aspect.
In an increasingly unpredictable world, men are searching for comfort and clarity -- at least in their fashion choices, according to designers in Milan this week.
At Prada, Armani or Ralph Lauren, the US stalwart brand that returned to Milan Fashion Week, classic pieces underwent just slight variations without losing their comforting aspect.
"We are in a moment where the world we know is changing. It is a period of transformation and anticipation, of excitement, but it is a time that may be uncomfortable," said Miuccia Prada on Sunday following the presentation of her collection co-designed with Raf Simons.
Long coats hanging over the models' slender frames were paired with round cotton caps draped jauntily over their shoulders, while short and colourful waterproof capes decorated other coats, as if for young, fashionable cardinals protecting themselves from the outside world.
"How can we imagine the future, in this moment of extreme change? This collection is a search for beauty, for elegance and meaning," Prada added. 
Simons, who has been designing at Prada's side since February 2020, said the challenge was creating "something new with what you already know -- that you already learned, loved and respected".
"In an uncertain moment, I like when someone can make ideas very precise and clear -- this is an idea I find reassuring, comforting," he said. 
"We reversed the form language of certain things that we know so well," he added, turning familiar pieces into unexpected looks.
Ralph Lauren has meanwhile returned to Milan after a 24-year absence -- although the man himself stayed back in New York -- not leaving behind the brand's beloved symbols of easy American elegance. 
From tweeds, plaids and corduroy to sweaters knit with alpine patterns, varsity jackets and cowboy hats, the US brand revisited dozens of its classic wardrobe of comfortable, easy-to-mix pieces from the Polo and Purple Label lines under senior brand creative director John Wrazej. 
Italian brand Zegna paired structured jackets with loose-fitting trousers in natural tones of green and terracotta, while Tod's showcased leather jackets lined with cashmere. 

'Less noise'

This fashion season in Milan was "defined by quality, cut, cloth and craft", said Simon Longland, purchasing director for Harrods. 
"There was a palpable sense that product integrity and the final customer were front and centre. Less noise, fewer theatrics -- but a stronger, more coherent message around what modern luxury menswear looks like today: thoughtful, considered, and built to last," he said. 
On Monday, Giorgio Armani also presented velvets and cashmere of green, blue and amethyst shades, four months after the death of the legendary designer aged 91.
The collection's theme was "cangiante", an Italian word synonymous with iridescent and describing "something that remains entirely itself, yet changes depending on your perspective", the brand said in a statement.
It said Leo Dell'Orco, the late Armani's long-time companion, wanted to "put a personal imprint on what represents his beginnings", his first collection since the designer's death in September 2025. 
Dell'Orco received a standing ovation at the end of the show in the intimate setting of Armani's historic headquarters.
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Valentino

Valentino, Italy's fashion king who pursued beauty at every turn, dies at 93

  • - Jackie - In his first decade Valentino dressed the likes of Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren and Liz Taylor, but it was a meeting with Jackie Kennedy in 1964 that would prove decisive.
  • One of the top designers of his era, Italy's elegance aficionado Valentino Garavani spent nearly half a century dressing the world's great beauties, from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Diana before his death Monday at age 93.
  • - Jackie - In his first decade Valentino dressed the likes of Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren and Liz Taylor, but it was a meeting with Jackie Kennedy in 1964 that would prove decisive.
One of the top designers of his era, Italy's elegance aficionado Valentino Garavani spent nearly half a century dressing the world's great beauties, from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Diana before his death Monday at age 93.
"Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones," wrote his Rome-based foundation on social media. 
A funeral is planned for Friday in the Italian capital, with a lying in state on Wednesday and Thursday. 
Best known as just Valentino, the designer's creations -- many of them in "Valentino red" -- were worn by the who's who of the international elite, from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Reagan to Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow in recent years.
When the empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, escaped the country during the 1979 revolution, she was wearing a coat made by Valentino.
Dubbed "the Sheik of Chic" by Women's Wear Daily in the 1980s, Valentino was celebrated by the New York Times in 1997 for his "single-minded dedication to glamour."
On the catwalk and in his own life, Valentino exuded luxury down to the last detail of his immaculate hairdo and caramel tan. 
With his five pet pug dogs and a private jet, he shuttled between his Roman palace, New York apartment, chateau near Paris, chalet in Switzerland and his 50-metre (164-foot) yacht.

Boyhood passion

Named after the star of silent cinema Rudolph Valentino, who was known for "The Sheik" among many other films, Valentino Garavani was born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera, a small town south of Milan. His father owned an electric cables business. 
As a boy he asked for made-to-measure shoes and was passionate about fashion. "I have had this illness since childhood," he told the Italian edition of Elle magazine in 2007. "I only like beautiful things."
"I do not like seeing men without ties, in a jumper, women with vulgar make-up and shapeless trousers. It is a sign of a bad education and a lack of self-respect."
He left home when he was 17 to study at prestigious arts and fashion schools in Paris, where the decadent French style of Christian Dior had revitalised a grim post-World War II fashion industry and would deeply impact Valentino's later aesthetic.
In 1952 he was hired by designer Jean Desses, who dressed wealthy clients including royalty, and five years later he went to work for Guy Laroche. 
- Rome fashion empire -  
In 1960 Valentino opened his own fashion house in Rome -- at the time a thriving star-studded city thanks to its vast Cinecitta film studios that acted as a branch of Hollywood.
He was assisted by his lover Giancarlo Giammetti, who had business know-how and would over the years transform the company into a global brand, shepherding it through successive buy-outs.
"Being the friend, lover and employee of Valentino for more than 45 years required a lot of patience," Giammetti said in the 2008 documentary, "Valentino: The Last Emperor". 
Valentino turned heads immediately with his opening collection in 1962 in Florence, which already featured what would become his signature colour -- the deep rich "Valentino red".

Jackie

In his first decade Valentino dressed the likes of Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren and Liz Taylor, but it was a meeting with Jackie Kennedy in 1964 that would prove decisive.
He transformed her wardrobe, and in 1968 she picked an ivory-coloured lace dress from his famous white collection for her second marriage to Greek shipping mogul Aristotle Onassis.
It caused a sensation in the United States, and in 1970, Valentino was the first Italian designer to open a shop in New York. Over the years he would elevate the "Made in Italy" label to global prominence. 
"I love a woman who eats food, who has a body, that is a woman and not a stick," he said, quoted in The New Yorker in 2005, and underscoring his preference for sensual, figure-hugging designs.

Emperor bows out

For the 2006 Oscar-nominated Hollywood film "The Devil Wears Prada", starring Meryl Streep as a powerful fashion editor, Valentino made a cameo appearance at the recreation of one of his shows.
A year later and nearly a half-century after his first runway, he presented his last collection in Paris before retiring in January 2008.
"Valentino transported his audience to his world, where women in bubble gum pink cocktail dresses swing bags made of feathers and have high heels tied with satin ribbons and bows," said celebrated fashion critic Suzy Menkes in her write-up of the show in the New York Times.
In 2011 the Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum opened, offering an immersive 3D experience into the history and creations of the fashion house, and giving the world its first-ever virtual fashion museum.
"At some point, you do get to the end," Valentino told The New Yorker in 2005 as he approached retirement. "And when I do, I hope I will be remembered as a man who pursued beauty whenever he could."
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strike

Louvre closes for the day due to strike

  • Trade unions are pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace, and have launched several days of strikes in recent months. 
  • The Louvre Museum said Monday it was shutting for the day, for the third time in a month, due to a strike by staff. 
  • Trade unions are pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace, and have launched several days of strikes in recent months. 
The Louvre Museum said Monday it was shutting for the day, for the third time in a month, due to a strike by staff. 
"The museum is not opening today," said a spokesperson for the most-visited museum in the world. 
Trade unions are pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the vast former royal palace, and have launched several days of strikes in recent months. 
Nearly 140 new hires have been announced since the start of the strike movement in mid-December, and another meeting was scheduled at the culture ministry on Thursday to discuss salary increases.
Some union leaders were also contesting museum director Laurence des Cars' management style which they view as remote and inflexible. 
"If we get the pay but continue with this governance model, we won’t be out of the woods," Valerie Baud of the CFDT union told AFP. 
"There may be announcements, but we are still dealing with a management that digs its heels in and doesn’t recognise that it can sometimes be wrong,” added her colleague Elise Muller from the SUD union. 
The two days of museum closures in December and earlier in January have resulted in a loss of "at least one million euros" in revenue, management said. 
The security failures highlighted by a spectacular break-in at the museum on October 19 have cast a harsh spotlight on management of the institution and des Cars, who has apologised.
Footage of the heist was broadcast for the first time on French television on Sunday evening, showing the brazen jewel thieves breaking into display cases. 
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animation

Roger Allers, co-director of "The Lion King", dead at 76

  • Besides "The Lion King", which came out in 1994, Allers worked on films such as "Tron," "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."
  • Roger Allers, a film-maker and animation wizard who co-directed "The Lion King" and other huge Disney hits, has died at the age of 76, Disney said.
  • Besides "The Lion King", which came out in 1994, Allers worked on films such as "Tron," "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."
Roger Allers, a film-maker and animation wizard who co-directed "The Lion King" and other huge Disney hits, has died at the age of 76, Disney said.
Besides "The Lion King", which came out in 1994, Allers worked on films such as "Tron," "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."
Allers died suddenly at his home in California on Saturday after a short illness, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Disney CEO Robert Iger paid tribute to Allers in a post on Instagram on Sunday evening.
"Roger Allers was a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come," Iger said.
"He understood the power of great storytelling -- how unforgettable characters, emotion and music can come together to create something timeless," Iger added.
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Harry

Harry set for final courtroom battle against UK media

BY HELEN ROWE AND JOE JACKSON

  • - 'Blagging' claim - The new trial follows earlier cases brought against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) and Mirror Group.
  • Prince Harry is to return to London this week for the trial into his claims that a UK newspaper group unlawfully gathered information, in the royal's last case in his long-running crusade against the media.
  • - 'Blagging' claim - The new trial follows earlier cases brought against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) and Mirror Group.
Prince Harry is to return to London this week for the trial into his claims that a UK newspaper group unlawfully gathered information, in the royal's last case in his long-running crusade against the media.
The trial, expected to last up to nine weeks, is scheduled to start at London's High Court on Monday.
It is the third and final case brought by the prince, who is said to see holding the media to account as a personal mission.
Harry has long blamed the media for the death of his mother Princess Diana, who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997 while trying to shake off the paparazzi.
King Charles III's younger son is bringing the case along with six other high-profile complainants including pop icon Elton John and John's husband David Furnish.
The seven accuse Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, of allegedly carrying out or commissioning unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars.
They also allegedly impersonated individuals to obtain medical information -- a practice known as blagging -- and accessed private phone conversations.
The media group has firmly denied the allegations, calling them "lurid" and "preposterous".

Rare UK trip

Harry is expected to attend for some of the first three days of opening statements.
He is then due to take the stand for a full day of testimony on Thursday, according to a draft trial schedule shared with reporters by lawyers.
Actor Elizabeth Hurley is set to give evidence the following week, followed by John and Furnish in early February. Actor Sadie Frost is also among the complainants.
In 2023, Harry made history by becoming the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for more than a century, when he testified as part of his claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
It will be a rare trip back to Britain for the prince, also known as the Duke of Sussex, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated eventually to California with wife Meghan, where they live with their two children.
During his last UK visit in September, Harry met with the king, seeking to start to repair a bitter rift with his immediate family.
But UK media have said there are no plans for Harry to see Charles during next week's visit.

'Blagging' claim

The new trial follows earlier cases brought against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) and Mirror Group.
Last year Prince Harry settled out of court in his action against Murdoch's UK tabloid publisher.
NGN -- publisher of tabloids The Sun and the now defunct News of the World -- agreed to pay him "substantial damages" in January 2025 after admitting intruding into his private life, including by hacking his phone.
In a statement, NGN offered a "full and unequivocal apology" to the prince for "serious intrusion" into the private lives of Harry and his mother Princess Diana by The Sun and also "phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World".
In his other case against Mirror Group, a High Court ruling in December 2023 said Harry had been a victim of phone hacking by journalists working for the group and awarded him £140,600 ($179,600) in damages.
Media lawyer Mark Stephens told AFP much had changed in the British media in recent years, but that this final case would primarily be about "press freedom".
"Press freedom is essential but so is freedom from being illegally spied on," he said.
"I think we're not going to be looking so much at yesterday's gossip. I think this case is going to be more about tomorrow's accountability for the media more generally," he added.
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Canada

'Avatar: Fire and Ash' at number one in N.America for fifth straight week

  • Disney's feel-good animated film "Zootopia 2" showed its staying power, moving up to third place at $12 million over the four-day weekend. 
  • "Avatar: Fire and Ash" showed no signs of slowing down, topping the North American box office for the fifth consecutive week over the long holiday weekend, industry estimates showed Sunday.
  • Disney's feel-good animated film "Zootopia 2" showed its staying power, moving up to third place at $12 million over the four-day weekend. 
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" showed no signs of slowing down, topping the North American box office for the fifth consecutive week over the long holiday weekend, industry estimates showed Sunday.
The third installment in director James Cameron's blockbuster fantasy series took in another $17.2 million from Friday to Monday, when Americans mark Martin Luther King Jr Day.
That put its US and Canadian haul at $367.4 million, and its worldwide total at more than $1.3 billion, according to Exhibitor Relations.
"Fire and Ash" stars Zoe Saldana as Na'vi warrior Neytiri and Sam Worthington as ex-Marine Jake Sully, who must battle a new foe threatening their family's life on the planet Pandora.
It is the fourth Cameron film to pass the $1 billion mark, along with the first two "Avatar" films and "Titanic."
Debuting in second place with a disappointing $15 million was "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," the fourth installment in the zombie horror series, which comes less than a year after the last film.
"Returning after 7 months is quick -- it's too quick, and it's hurting the numbers," Said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
Disney's feel-good animated film "Zootopia 2" showed its staying power, moving up to third place at $12 million over the four-day weekend. 
In fourth place at $10.2 million was "The Housemaid," an adaptation of Freida McFadden's best-selling novel about a young woman who is hired by a wealthy couple with dark secrets. Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star in the Lionsgate release.
"Marty Supreme," starring Oscars frontrunner Timothee Chalamet as a conniving 1950s table tennis player with big dreams, finished in fifth place at $6.7 million.
Rounding out the top 10 are:
"Primate" ($6 million)
"Greenland 2: Migration" ($3.9 million)
"Anaconda" ($3.8 million)
"The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" ($3.0 million)
"No Other Choice" ($2.7 million)
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fashion

Men's Fashion Week in Paris: what to watch

BY MARINE DO-VALE

  • - Jonathan Anderson - On Wednesday afternoon, Dior will unveil the second menswear collection by Jonathan Anderson, one of the most anticipated events of this Fashion Week.
  • Men's Fashion Week will kick off in Paris on Tuesday, and from Veronique Nichanian's farewell at Hermes to Jonathan Anderson's second Dior collection, AFP has selected the stand-out moments not to be missed.
  • - Jonathan Anderson - On Wednesday afternoon, Dior will unveil the second menswear collection by Jonathan Anderson, one of the most anticipated events of this Fashion Week.
Men's Fashion Week will kick off in Paris on Tuesday, and from Veronique Nichanian's farewell at Hermes to Jonathan Anderson's second Dior collection, AFP has selected the stand-out moments not to be missed.
- Stability and sales - 
Over six days and across 36 runway shows and 30 presentations, 66 houses are set to unveil their wardrobes for the next Fall/Winter season.
After a 2025 marked by sweeping changes in some labels' top positions, this season will be more stable, with many newly appointed designers bedding into their new jobs and looking to showcase their vision.
In October, what industry experts dubbed the "Fashion Week of the century" saw the debut of numerous new directors, including Matthieu Blazy at Chanel and Jonathan Anderson for Dior womenswear.
Uncertain economic conditions will continue to weigh on the minds of many labels following several years of weak sales, notably in China.
"We're in the midst of an economic crisis and that has repercussions on creation," according to Marie Ottavi, fashion journalist at France's Liberation newspaper, who predicted "very pragmatic collections" to meet "the imperative of selling".
For several seasons now, "it has been less about creativity and more about predictability", agreed Franck Nauerz, head of menswear at Paris fashion stores Le Bon Marche and La Samaritaine. 

Hermes finale

On Saturday evening, French designer Veronique Nichanian will present her final collection for Hermes, after 37 years at the helm of the men's line.
The 71-year-old Parisian -- one of few women designing in menswear -- announced her departure in October.
She will leave behind a brand in tremendous financial shape with an image of timeless, refined masculinity that she has helped shape.
Her successor has already been announced: London designer Grace Wales Bonner, who will take up the hotseat in her mid 30s.
Wales Bonner, who is of English and Jamaican heritage, founded her own label and is known for including African influences including handcrafted fabrics or jewellery in her work.
She will unveil her first collection in January 2027. 

Jonathan Anderson

On Wednesday afternoon, Dior will unveil the second menswear collection by Jonathan Anderson, one of the most anticipated events of this Fashion Week.
His debut show of summer menswear in June last year won widespread praise, but his women's collection in October elicited a more ambivalent reception.
The 41-year-old Northern Irish designer is considered one of the leading talents of his generation, but now needs to convince and cement the new identity he's sketching out for Dior Homme. 
"There's a lot of anticipation," noted Alice Feillard, men's buying director at Paris department store Galeries Lafayette. 

One to watch

A rising figure in French fashion, designer Jeanne Friot will stage her first show on the official calendar after two years of presentations. 
Known for her inclusive, socially engaged fashion, Friot will kick off fashion week on Tuesday at 3 pm (1400 GMT), ahead of Pharrell Williams's highly anticipated Louis Vuitton show in the evening. 
Among the newcomers, Italian designer Luca Magliano will also make his runway debut after winning the Karl Lagerfeld Prize in 2023, while ERL, KML, Sonia Carrasco, and Ssstein join the calendar for the first time in the "presentation" category. 

Absences

Spanish brand Loewe, expected to stage its first menswear show under the guidance of US designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, will present a unisex collection during Women's Fashion Week in March. 
Saint Laurent, which returned to the official men's calendar in June, has opted out again.
These absences allow "other, more independent brands - smaller but well-established -- to gain greater visibility on the calendar", Feillard pointed out, citing French labels Lemaire and AMI as well as US designer Rick Owens.
Pillars of the calendar, Japanese houses Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto will also be present, along with French labels 3.Paradis and Egonlab. 
Much-hyped French designer Simon Jacquemus will close out the week with a show at the Picasso Museum that is expected to draw numerous celebrities. 
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theft

Louvre heist probe still aims to 'recover jewellery', top prosecutor says

BY FRANCOIS BECKER AND CELINE CORNU

  • That Sunday morning in October, thieves parked a mover's truck with an extendable ladder below the Louvre's Apollo Gallery housing the French crown jewels.
  • French investigators remain determined to find the imperial jewels stolen from the Louvre in October, a prosecutor has told AFP. Police believe they have arrested all four thieves who carried out the brazen October 19 robbery, making off with jewellery worth an estimated $102 million from the world-famous museum.
  • That Sunday morning in October, thieves parked a mover's truck with an extendable ladder below the Louvre's Apollo Gallery housing the French crown jewels.
French investigators remain determined to find the imperial jewels stolen from the Louvre in October, a prosecutor has told AFP.
Police believe they have arrested all four thieves who carried out the brazen October 19 robbery, making off with jewellery worth an estimated $102 million from the world-famous museum.
"The interrogations have not produced any new investigative elements," top Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said this week, almost three months after the broad-daylight heist.
But the case remains a top priority, she underlined.
"Our main objective is still to recover the jewellery," she said.
That Sunday morning in October, thieves parked a mover's truck with an extendable ladder below the Louvre's Apollo Gallery housing the French crown jewels.
Two of the thieves hoisted themselves up the ladder in a furniture lift, broke a window and used angle grinders to cut glass display booths containing the treasures, while the other two waited below, investigators say.
The four then fled on high-powered motor scooters, dropping a diamond-and-emerald crown in their hurry.
But eight other items of jewellery -- including an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise -- remain at large.
Beccuau said investigators were keeping an open mind as to where the loot might be.
"We don't have any signals indicating that the jewellery is likely to have crossed the border," she said, though she added: "Anything is possible."
Detectives benefitted from contacts with "intermediaries in the art world, including internationally" as they pursued their probe.
"They have ways of receiving warning signals about networks of receivers of stolen goods, including abroad," Beccuau said.
As for anyone coming forward to hand over the jewels, that would be considered to be "active repentance, which could be taken into consideration" later during a trial, she said.
A fifth suspect, a 38-year-old woman who is the partner of one of the men, has been charged with being an accomplice but was released under judicial supervision pending a trial.
Investigators still had no idea if someone had ordered the theft.
"It's a hypothesis under consideration, but it cannot be asserted as more certain than any other," the prosecutor said.
"We refuse to have any preconceived notions about what might have led the individuals concerned to commit this theft." 
But she said detectives and investigating magistrates were resolute.
"We haven't said our last word. It will take as long as it takes," she said.
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Milan

Milan menswear fashion week heads to the slopes

BY TAIMAZ SZIRNIKS

  • - 'New colours' - The Giorgio Armani show is scheduled for Monday in its historic workshops in the heart of Milan's fashion quarter.
  • Milan's menswear fashion week began on Friday, with very wintry, sporty shows from Ralph Lauren and Dsquared2.
  • - 'New colours' - The Giorgio Armani show is scheduled for Monday in its historic workshops in the heart of Milan's fashion quarter.
Milan's menswear fashion week began on Friday, with very wintry, sporty shows from Ralph Lauren and Dsquared2.
Ralph Lauren marked his return to Milan after a 24-year absence with symbols of American elegance, from formal suits and tweeds, toughened up with boots and cowboy boots, in front of celebrities including actors Liam Hemsworth and Tony Leung Ka-fai.
The American designer also looked ahead to the Winter Olympics that begin on February 6 in the Italian city, and where he is dressing the US team, with nods to winter in Aspen, featuring patterned jumpers and a blue ski suit cinched with turquoise.
Dsquared2 also presented for autumn-winter 2026-27 an army of holidaymakers shod in provocative footwear.
Puffer jackets cut like dresses and huge parkas topped with XXL fake fur hats completed the look of the "hot as ice" team, as one jumper had it.
Canadian actor Hudson Williams, star of the television series "Heated Rivalry" in which he plays a professional ice hockey player, opened the show for Dsquared2.
Armani's sports brand EA7, Italian label K-Way and Chinese sports giant Li-Ning, sponsor of its national team, have also planned Alpine-themed events before the Milan-Cortina Winter Games.
Earlier on Friday, designer Alessandro Sartori invited buyers and journalists into Zegna's personal wardrobe, with structured jackets paired with flowing trousers in natural green and terracotta, and innovative fabrics.
"He's created a wardrobe that puts down roots in the past but looks to the future," the head of the Italian Chamber of Commerce, Carlo Capasa, told AFP.
He called it an example of "the trend towards a return to basics, to craftsmanship, to tailoring" and a positive sign at a time when Italian fashion is in crisis.

Crisis

Italy's fashion industry remains mired in the luxury downturn and caught between falling exports and claims of abuse in sub-contracting.
In menswear, the turnover of Italian companies fell in 2025 by 2.1 percent year-on-year, to 11.2 billion euros ($13 billion), according to the employers' federation Confindustria Moda.
Every category is down, apart from leather garments, in a sector that represents 19.3 percent of Italy's textile economy.
Exports, mainly to destinations such as France, Germany and the United States, have fallen two percent while imports are up 2.8 percent.
China is buying less but the Italians are "working on new markets", said Capasa.
"Welcome to Mercosur (the four Latin American countries with which the EU has recently secured a free trade deal), to the Middle East, which is growing, and also the first Indian buyers," he added.

'New colours'

The Giorgio Armani show is scheduled for Monday in its historic workshops in the heart of Milan's fashion quarter.
Even though his partner and collaborator Leo Dell'Orco was already in charge of the menswear collections, this will be the first show without the supervision of the indefatigable founder, who died in September last year, aged 91.
Dell'Orco has indicated that there will be "continuity, with bright touches".
"We allowed ourselves take a few liberties, we have looked again at sizes, some new colours, fabrics with changing shades, as symbols of a change, with the utmost respect," he said in an interview with the Corriere della Sera on Friday.
Milan show regulars Prada and Dolce & Gabbana are scheduled over the weekend while British designer Paul Smith is making a comeback after a first menswear show in June last year.
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music

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias says abuse allegations 'absolutely false'

BY MARTIN DE MONTVALON

  • Two women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- allege they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
  • Spain's veteran singer and cultural icon Julio Iglesias on Friday rejected allegations of sexual abuse lodged against him by two women ex-employees, in a case that has dominated headlines.
  • Two women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- allege they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
Spain's veteran singer and cultural icon Julio Iglesias on Friday rejected allegations of sexual abuse lodged against him by two women ex-employees, in a case that has dominated headlines.
"I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me," the 82-year-old wrote on his Instagram account.
Iglesias, one of the most successful Latin artists of all time, is a Grammy winner with more than 300 million records sold in a career spanning decades.
Two women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- allege they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
Advocacy groups Women's Link Worldwide and Amnesty International said a complaint filed with Spanish prosecutors on January 5 outlined alleged acts that could be considered "a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour" and "crimes against sexual freedom".
Iglesias subjected them to "sexual harassment, regularly checked their mobile phones, restricted their ability to leave the home where they worked, and required them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off", according to testimony collected by the two groups.
In his Instagram message, Iglesias wrote: "It is with profound sadness that I respond to the accusations made by two people who previously worked for me."
"I have never felt such malice, but I still have the strength to let people know the whole truth and to defend my dignity against such a serious accusation," he said, thanking the "so many dear people" who have sent him messages of support.

Strong reactions

The allegations against the beloved crooner have sparked strong reactions in Spain after being aired on Tuesday in a joint investigation by Spanish newspaper elDiario.es and US television network Univision.
Members of the leftist government have backed the complainants and demanded an investigation to establish the truth.
The head of the conservative opposition Popular Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who is friends with Iglesias, told Telecinco television on Wednesday he was "very, very, very surprised" but urged against "speculating".
Iglesias has publicly embraced a "Latin lover" image, especially in older interviews where he openly discussed his sexual appetite and romantic exploits.
Iglesias's former manager Fernan Martinez told Telecinco that he was "very affectionate" and enjoyed "physical contact" but stressed he never saw the music icon "behave aggressively".
Women's Link Worldwide has said the complainants will testify at an unspecified date before Spanish prosecutors, who have up to a year to perform a preliminary investigation.
The complaint was submitted in Spain and not the Caribbean countries where the crimes allegedly took place because of Spanish legislation on gender-based violence and trafficking, the organisation added.
Advocates say the wave of claims against high-profile entertainment and music figures in recent years, driven by the #MeToo movement that rose to prominence in 2017, has exposed systemic abuse.
mdm/imm/yad

music

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias says abuse allegations 'absolutely false'

  • Two women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- alleged they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
  • Spain's veteran singer and cultural icon Julio Iglesias on Friday rejected allegations of abuse lodged against him by two women ex-employees, in a case that has dominated headlines.
  • Two women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- alleged they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
Spain's veteran singer and cultural icon Julio Iglesias on Friday rejected allegations of abuse lodged against him by two women ex-employees, in a case that has dominated headlines.
"I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me," the 82-year-old wrote on his Instagram account.
Iglesias, one of the most successful Latin artists of all time, is a Grammy winner with more than 300 million records sold in a career spanning decades.
Two women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- alleged they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
Advocacy groups Women's Link Worldwide and Amnesty International said a complaint filed with Spanish prosecutors on January 5 outlined alleged acts that could be considered "a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour" and "crimes against sexual freedom".
Iglesias subjected them to "sexual harassment, regularly checked their mobile phones, restricted their ability to leave the home where they worked, and required them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off", according to testimony collected by the two groups.
In the message posted on Instagram, Iglesias wrote: "It is with profound sadness that I respond to the accusations made by two people who previously worked for me."
"I have never felt such malice, but I still have the strength to let people know the whole truth and to defend my dignity against such a serious accusation," he said, thanking the "so many dear people" who have sent him messages of support.
The allegations against the beloved crooner have sparked strong reactions in Spain, with members of the leftist government backing the complainants and demanding that an investigation establishes the truth.
The head of the conservative opposition Popular Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who is friends with Iglesias, told Telecinco television on Wednesday he was "very, very, very surprised" but urged against "speculating".
Iglesias's former manager Fernan Martinez told Telecinco that he was "very affectionate" and enjoyed "physical contact" but stressed he never saw the music icon "behave aggressively".
mdm/yad/jm

cinema

Libyan filmmaker fights for cinema revival

BY MOHAMED RAHOMA

  • Before a 1969 coup that brought Moamer Kadhafi to power, Libya's capital Tripoli was home to more than 20 movie theatres.
  • Mouayed Zabtia shoots most scenes for his latest movie in a studio he built at his Tripoli home.
  • Before a 1969 coup that brought Moamer Kadhafi to power, Libya's capital Tripoli was home to more than 20 movie theatres.
Mouayed Zabtia shoots most scenes for his latest movie in a studio he built at his Tripoli home. For the filmmaker, it is one way to overcome the obstacles he faces in a country where cinema once nearly vanished.
Before a 1969 coup that brought Moamer Kadhafi to power, Libya's capital Tripoli was home to more than 20 movie theatres.
"Today we have none," Zabtia told AFP.
Kadhafi was overthrown and killed in 2011, and though the censorship of his era has declined, its effects are still deeply felt through underinvestment and public disinterest.
"You have to go abroad to see films in a movie theatre," said Mohammed Rizk, an actor in Zabtia's current project, which is set in 1980s Libya when a younger generation yearned for freedom under Kadhafi.
Under the longtime ruler, cinema was viewed as a tool of foreign cultural invasion, and only movies aligned with the state were funded and promoted.
Movie theatres were seen as spaces for gatherings that were difficult to control.

'Disinterest'

Many like 47-year-old Zabtia believed that after Kadhafi's fall, cinema would be resurrected, but the instability that ensued has delayed any revival.
"The problem is disinterest from all governments since 2011," Zabtia said. "We were expecting that they would help."
The filmmaker said he had funded all his productions from his own pocket, mainly with revenue from a production company he founded in 2001 to create television series and wedding videos.
It was only after the 2011 revolution that he decided to take on cinema, a goal since childhood.
In his dim-lit studio, Zabtia oversees everything -- from lighting and sound to costumes -- as a small crew bustles about making his latest picture, "1986".
Zabtia said the film is inspired by true events, including the estrangement from Libya of pioneering singer Ahmed Fakroun after Kadhafi cracked down on Western-influenced music.
Today, Zabtia said, it is no longer censorship that stifles filmmaking in Libya, but an array of other challenges compounded by a lack of public support.
Authorities have in recent years attempted to revive the artform through festivals and the creation of the Libyan Film Institute in 2021.

No story without women

Zabtia said most of his work is filmed in the studio as "filming outside in Libya is very tiring".
"We lack logistic support. You need big crews, food, drinks, help with the police for outdoor sets."
"We don't have that experience, and people are not used to seeing these kinds of cameras in the street."
Added to that, some Libyans feel cinema clashes with their moral values, he added.
Portraying women on screen is particularly difficult, Zabtia said, although he insisted it was "impossible to make a film without women when it comes to telling a story."
"We have many hidden female talents who are afraid to come forward."
Yet the director believes one solution to these social obstacles is cinema itself: "The role of cinema -- our role -- is to pinpoint issues and try to address them."
Despite the obstacles, a handful of Libyan films have crossed borders.
"Freedom Fields", a documentary by Libyan-British director Naziha Arebi about three women footballers, was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018.
In 2023, "Donga", a film by Muhannad Lamin about the 2011 uprising, was shown at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.
While "cinema doesn't really have a market in Libya", Zabtia hopes the lack of interest will translate into an opportunity to stand out and establish a niche -- particularly with platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. 
"We want to develop and highlight Libyan work, talent and skills," he said. 
"And we want to reach audiences overseas. It's important that they hear about Libyan stories and culture, and get to know us as a people."
bur-bou/axn/ceg

Pokemon

Thieves steal Pokemon cards in armed robbery at US store

  • Earlier this month, around $300,000 worth of Pokemon cards were stolen in another armed robbery in California. 
  • Several valuable Pokemon cards were stolen in a gunpoint robbery at a New York store, US police said Thursday, with about $100,000 worth of merchandise reportedly taken. 
  • Earlier this month, around $300,000 worth of Pokemon cards were stolen in another armed robbery in California. 
Several valuable Pokemon cards were stolen in a gunpoint robbery at a New York store, US police said Thursday, with about $100,000 worth of merchandise reportedly taken. 
Images shared by the shop show a hooded man dressed in all black pointing what appears to be a pistol at someone sitting with their hands up. 
US media said some of the individual cards taken were worth as much as $5,500. 
Pokemon cards bearing "little monsters" attract children as well as adult superfans and collectors, with billions printed and some selling for millions of dollars.
Earlier this month, around $300,000 worth of Pokemon cards were stolen in another armed robbery in California. 
New York police said they received reports late Wednesday that three men had entered The Poke Court shop in Manhattan and "displayed a firearm and made threats to individuals."
"They then removed multiple merchandise and cash and a phone," a spokesman said.
No arrests have been made.
Courtney Chin, owner of The Poke Court, said in a video posted on Instagram that all customers and staff were safe. She spoke in front of display cases that had been smashed.
The store listed several cards as stolen, each stored in protective plastic cases called "slabs" that verify their authenticity. 
The stolen cards include those of famous Pokemon characters like Pikachu, the large yellow mouse with a lightning bolt-shaped tail. 
Several people were in the Manhattan store to attend a community event when the robbery unfolded. 
"This hobby should be a safe and welcoming place and while cardboard can be replaced, no one should ever have to go through this," the shop wrote on Instagram.
Characters from Pokemon games have been spun off into films, animated series and a plethora of merchandise.
The franchise racked up $12 billion in licensing revenue in 2024, according to specialist publication License Global -- more than toy giant Mattel.
bjt/acb

art

UK's Hockney warns moving Bayeux Tapestry would be 'madness'

  • "We send and receive thousands of loans each year -- including ancient frescoes and textiles which are older than the Bayeux tapestry -- and their condition and safety is always of paramount importance," he added in a statement to AFP. The 68-metre-long (224-foot-long) tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, is now in a secret storage location, having been moved from its museum in the French town of Bayeux in Normandy for the first time in 40 years.
  • The British Museum Thursday vowed to protect the Bayeux Tapestry, after renowned UK artist David Hockney warned that sending it across the Channel from France for an exhibition this year was "madness".
  • "We send and receive thousands of loans each year -- including ancient frescoes and textiles which are older than the Bayeux tapestry -- and their condition and safety is always of paramount importance," he added in a statement to AFP. The 68-metre-long (224-foot-long) tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, is now in a secret storage location, having been moved from its museum in the French town of Bayeux in Normandy for the first time in 40 years.
The British Museum Thursday vowed to protect the Bayeux Tapestry, after renowned UK artist David Hockney warned that sending it across the Channel from France for an exhibition this year was "madness".
"Some things are too precious to take a risk with," the artist wrote in an opinion piece for the daily Independent about plans for the 11th-century artefact. "Moving the Bayeux Tapestry is one of them.
"It is fragile, which makes it madness to think of moving it. It is too big a risk," he wrote in Wednesday's article.
Museum director Nicholas Cullinan said that while his team understood these concerns, the London museum "has a world-leading conservation and collections team who are experts at handling and caring for this type of material.
"We send and receive thousands of loans each year -- including ancient frescoes and textiles which are older than the Bayeux tapestry -- and their condition and safety is always of paramount importance," he added in a statement to AFP.
The 68-metre-long (224-foot-long) tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, is now in a secret storage location, having been moved from its museum in the French town of Bayeux in Normandy for the first time in 40 years.
French President Emmanuel Macron last year agreed to loan the medieval tapestry to Britain for 10 months from September 2026 to celebrate Franco-British relations.
French museums will in exchange be loaned ancient treasures mainly from the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo site, one of England's most important archaeological locations.
But the plan has sparked an outcry from heritage experts concerned over the ancient embroidery's already fragile state.

'Vulnerable'

Since 2020, experts have meticulously documented 24,204 stains, 9,646 holes and 30 tears in the artwork.
A feasibility study for the transport of the Bayeux Tapestry to London, completed by three experts in March 2022, remains "confidential" at the request of the Normandy cultural authorities who commissioned it. 
Hockney, who first saw the tapestry in 1967, says he has visited it 20 times in the past three years, adding it was "fundamental to our island story".
But he warned: "The linen backing is weakened by age, and the wool embroidery threads are vulnerable to stress."
"Rolling, unrolling, or hanging it in a new way can cause tearing, stitch loss and distortion of the fabric."
The tapestry was added to UNESCO's "Memory of the World" register in 2007.
A two-year renovation project had been due to begin in 2025 but was postponed indefinitely and the relic was instead off display while the museum currently housing it undergoes renovations of its own.
Hockney suggested it should stay where it is, and that "an identical copy" should be made.
"It is not difficult. It would look fantastic."
jkb/har/jj

art

Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei debuts in India

  • "This is my first exhibition in India... although there are only a dozen of my artworks, it covers several key points that trace more than 20 years," the artist, who did not attend the opening, said in a statement.
  • The first solo exhibition in India by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei opened Thursday, featuring sculpture, installation and mixed media spanning his career, as well as his "homage" to the country.
  • "This is my first exhibition in India... although there are only a dozen of my artworks, it covers several key points that trace more than 20 years," the artist, who did not attend the opening, said in a statement.
The first solo exhibition in India by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei opened Thursday, featuring sculpture, installation and mixed media spanning his career, as well as his "homage" to the country.
The son of a revered poet, 68-year-old Ai is perhaps China's best-known modern artist.
He helped design the famous "Bird's Nest" stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but fell out of favour after criticising the Chinese government and was imprisoned for 81 days in 2011. He eventually left for Germany four years later.
His show at New Delhi's Nature Morte gallery comes as India's relations ease with neighbouring China, although the world's two most populous nations remain strategic rivals in the region.
"This is my first exhibition in India... although there are only a dozen of my artworks, it covers several key points that trace more than 20 years," the artist, who did not attend the opening, said in a statement.
Gallery co-director Aparajita Jain said the show aimed to broaden understanding and artistic exchange.
"We're simply a space for expression -- a place for conversation where we can learn about art practices from around the world and share histories," she told AFP.
The exhibition includes Ai's large-scale Lego compositions "Surfing" and "Water Lilies", alongside works made from porcelain, stone and even buttons.
The exhibition includes three pieces made "as a homage to India", Jain added -- toy-brick works based on historic Indian paintings.
Visual arts student Disha Sharma, 20, travelled 90 kilometres (56 miles) from the city of Rohtak to see the opening.
"It's not art that you immediately understand," said Sharma. "It makes you think."
Srishti Rana Menon, an artist based at Nature Morte, said that seeing the work in India was exciting.
"I wonder how he has put every little Lego piece together," she said, praising the "contemporary take" on traditional works.
Jain said she hoped the exhibition would signal a broader shift in India's engagement with global art, so that people will "no longer only seek India in the world" but also find "the world in India".
uzm/pjm/mjw

US

Hit TV show 'Heated Rivalry' a welcome surprise for gay hockey community

BY BEN SIMON

  • Quitting hockey at 19 "was awful," he said.
  • Growing up in a rural, religious community in western Canada, Kyle McCarthy loved hockey, but once he came out at 19, he quit, convinced being openly gay and an active player was untenable.
  • Quitting hockey at 19 "was awful," he said.
Growing up in a rural, religious community in western Canada, Kyle McCarthy loved hockey, but once he came out at 19, he quit, convinced being openly gay and an active player was untenable.
So the 32-year-old says he is "very surprised" by the runaway success of "Heated Rivalry," a Canadian-made series about the romance between two closeted gay players in a sport that has historically made gay men feel unwelcome.
Ben Baby, the 43-year-old commissioner of the Toronto Gay Hockey Association (TGHA), calls the success of the show -- which has catapulted its young lead actors to stardom -- "shocking," and says viewers have bought into its authentic portrait of a relationship.
McCarthy and Baby are not alone -- "Heated Rivalry" is a veritable cultural phenomenon. 
The show, an adaptation of a series of hockey-themed queer romance novels by Rachel Reid, charts the budding careers and secret relationship of two young hockey stars -- one Canadian, one Russian -- over a series of years.
After premiering on the Canadian streaming platform Crave in late November, the series hit HBO Max and took off, becoming one of its most popular shows by Christmas.
Variety called it "the biggest TV surprise" of 2025, and the show has even reportedly drawn a massive audience in China, where fans are watching pirated episodes.
The stars, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, were unknown, struggling actors before being cast.
Now, they are being mobbed by fans, joining A-listers on red carpets like at the Golden Globes, and have made their late night talk show debuts.
"Our expectations were kind of nonexistent," Storrie said on the Globes red carpet.
"For it to turn out so good and also go on HBO and be involved in this level is unreal."

'Toxic, homophobic'

Writing in Maclean's magazine in December, Reid -- who is Canadian -- said the novels were inspired by her "lifelong love of hockey, but also an awareness of the problems with the sport's culture more broadly."
"I thought a lot about how difficult it would be to be a closeted pro player."
For McCarthy, hockey was his first love -- until it wasn't.
"My brother played, my sister played, my dad coached us all," he told AFP. "Hockey was 100 percent of my life."
But by age 12, as he began to realize he was gay, McCarthy became uncomfortable in a sport he said had a "toxic, homophobic" culture.
Quitting hockey at 19 "was awful," he said.
"I love the game and didn't want to walk away from it," he said. But his gear sat unused in his garage "for eight, nine years."
Then he reconnected with the sport through a Vancouver-based LGBTQ+ hockey association now called The Cutting Edges, where he is president. 

'Safe space'

Baby grew up in the northern Ontario city of Timmins, which, like many small Canadian communities, has a deeply rooted hockey culture.
He told AFP he feared playing as a child, because he "instinctively" knew it "wouldn't have been a safe space."
After moving to Toronto as a teenager in the late 90s and discovering the TGHA, Baby took up the sport.
Hockey has made advances toward being more inclusive over the last 20 years, he said, but noted progress has been uneven.
He said the NHL's decision in 2023 to ban the use of rainbow-colored Pride tape on sticks was a "fiasco."
The league ultimately rescinded the ban due to player and public outrage.

Broader impact?

The NHL is alone among the so-called Big Four male professional sports leagues with no active or retired players who have come out as gay.
Luke Prokop, a prospect drafted in 2020 who is gay, has not yet appeared in an NHL game.
For McCarthy, the absence of an openly gay NHL player is "100 percent" due to persistent issues with hockey culture.
Baby nevertheless credited the NHL with quieter efforts to make LGBT fans feel welcome and applauded the league's apparent embrace of "Heated Rivalry."
"There are so many ways to get hooked on hockey and, in the NHL's 108-year history, this might be the most unique driver for creating new fans," the league said last month.
Baby noted that popular podcasts hosted by "straight hockey bros" are offering commentary on each episode.
"Queer characters are often flat, one-sided and stereotypical," but the leads in "Heated Rivalry" are "complex," he said.
"They're rich, they're interesting. They're the antidote to stereotypes."
Asked whether he believed "Heated Rivalry" could make hockey more welcoming for the LGBTQ community, McCarthy said: "I hope it can, I don't know that it will."
bs/sst

music

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias prepares defence against abuse allegations: Hola! magazine

BY IMRAN MARASHLI

  • Iglesias is preparing his defence and wishes to clear any doubts about what happened, Hola!
  • Veteran Spanish singer Julio Iglesias is preparing his defence against sexual abuse and human trafficking allegations by two women ex-employees that have dominated headlines in Spain, celebrity magazine Hola!
  • Iglesias is preparing his defence and wishes to clear any doubts about what happened, Hola!
Veteran Spanish singer Julio Iglesias is preparing his defence against sexual abuse and human trafficking allegations by two women ex-employees that have dominated headlines in Spain, celebrity magazine Hola! reported.
The story published late on Wednesday comes after the accusations against one of Spain's cultural icons were revealed by Spanish newspaper elDiario.es and US television network Univision on Tuesday.
The women -- a domestic worker and a physiotherapist -- allege they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working at Iglesias's properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021.
Advocacy groups Women's Link Worldwide and Amnesty International said a complaint filed with Spanish prosecutors on January 5 outlined alleged acts that could be considered "a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour" and "crimes against sexual freedom".
Iglesias subjected them to "sexual harassment, regularly checked their mobile phones, restricted their ability to leave the home where they worked, and required them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off", according to testimony collected by the two groups.
Grammy-winning crooner Iglesias, 82, has made no public comments about the allegations.
Hola! said it spoke by telephone with Iglesias, who told them the truth would come out and everything would be clarified, but provided no direct quotes from the conversation.
Iglesias is preparing his defence and wishes to clear any doubts about what happened, Hola! wrote, saying it obtained the exclusive interview thanks to a years-long friendship with him.
Iglesias's entourage has denied the accusations in private and is shocked, Hola! added.
Jovana Rios Cisnero, executive director of Women's Link, told a press conference on Wednesday that the complainants would testify before public prosecutors at an unspecified date, saying it was "a very important step in the search for justice".
The organisation's legal director for Europe, Gema Fernandez, said the complaint was submitted in Spain and not the Caribbean countries where the crimes allegedly took place because Spanish legislation on gender-based violence and trafficking "may be an interesting option to provide access to justice for these women".

 Public shock

The allegations have sparked strong reactions in Spain, with members of the leftist government backing the complainants and demanding that an investigation establishes the truth.
The head of the conservative opposition Popular Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who is friends with Iglesias, told Telecinco television on Wednesday he was "very, very, very surprised" but urged against "speculating".
Iglesias's former manager Fernan Martinez told Telecinco that he was "very affectionate" and enjoyed "physical contact" but stressed he never saw the music icon "behave aggressively".
Iglesias is one of the most successful Latin artists of all time, with more than 300 million records sold in a career spanning decades.
Advocates say the wave of claims against high-profile entertainment and music figures in recent years, driven by the #MeToo movement that rose to prominence in 2017, has exposed systemic abuse.
imm/ceg

film

Actor McConaughey seeks to patent image to protect from AI

  • Attorney Kevin Yorn, who represents McConaughey, said the aim of filing with the patent office was "to make sure that our clients have the same kind of protections that their businesses have."
  • Actor Matthew McConaughey has filed recordings of his image and voice with US patent authorities to protect them from unauthorized usage by artificial intelligence platforms, a representative said Wednesday.
  • Attorney Kevin Yorn, who represents McConaughey, said the aim of filing with the patent office was "to make sure that our clients have the same kind of protections that their businesses have."
Actor Matthew McConaughey has filed recordings of his image and voice with US patent authorities to protect them from unauthorized usage by artificial intelligence platforms, a representative said Wednesday.
Several video clips and audio recordings were registered by the commercial arm of the just keep livin Foundation, a non-profit created by the Oscar-winning actor and his wife Camila, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office database.
Many artists are increasingly concerned about the uncontrolled use of their image via generative AI since the rollout of ChatGPT and other AI-powered tools.
Several US states have adopted legislation that serves as consumer protection against certain AI systems and deepfakes, but much of this applies mainly to malicious use or commercial purposes.
Only a few, notably Tennessee's ELVIS Act passed in 2024, offer more targeted protections for artists against AI-generated cloning or impersonation.
A few actors have taken legal action to assert their rights. Among the most notable is Scarlett Johansson, who sued the image-generating app Lisa AI in 2023 for creating an AI-generated avatar in her likeness for an advertisement without her consent.
McConaughey's approach is novel in that he is taking the lead in protecting his image and voice.
The star of "Interstellar" and "Dallas Buyers Club" is no opponent of generative artificial intelligence. 
He has acquired a stake in ElevenLabs, a startup specializing in AI voice modeling, and the company has created an AI audio version of McConaughey -- with his permission.
Attorney Kevin Yorn, who represents McConaughey, said the aim of filing with the patent office was "to make sure that our clients have the same kind of protections that their businesses have."
"The second part is to make sure that our clients are able to capture some of the value that is being created with this new technology using their voice and likeness," he added.
tu-mlm/aha

film

Golden Globes viewership shrinks again

  • That figure is down from the 9.3 million who tuned in last year, according to numbers from the Nielsen Institute, and is around half the size of the audiences just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • The number of people tuning in to watch the Golden Globe Awards shrank this year, organizers announced Wednesday, as Hollywood's gala evenings continue to struggle with declining viewership.
  • That figure is down from the 9.3 million who tuned in last year, according to numbers from the Nielsen Institute, and is around half the size of the audiences just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The number of people tuning in to watch the Golden Globe Awards shrank this year, organizers announced Wednesday, as Hollywood's gala evenings continue to struggle with declining viewership.
Around 8.7 million people in the United States watched the star-studded ceremony in which Paul Thomas Anderson's conspiracy epic "One Battle After Another" dominated the prizes.
That figure is down from the 9.3 million who tuned in last year, according to numbers from the Nielsen Institute, and is around half the size of the audiences just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Globes, long billed as Hollywood's biggest party, and the raucous forerunner to the awards season finale Oscars, were beset by scandal and accusations of racism that led to the Globes not even being aired in 2022.
The gala was ultimately dropped by long-time broadcaster NBC, but relaunched with CBS in 2024 under new ownership, and has undergone significant reforms aimed at stamping out perceptions of corruption and racism.
Sunday night's bash saw Hollywood's best and brightest out in force for an evening fronted by comedian Nikki Glaser, whose acerbic opening monologue was watched nearly 14 million times on social media over the first 36 hours, organizers said.
Among her zingers was a jab at the US Department of Justice, which she said should be in line for the Best Editing Award for its handling of the heavily redacted files on President Donald Trump's one-time friend, sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As well as significant victories for "One Battle After Another," key winners on the evening included William Shakespeare family tragedy "Hamnet," which won best drama film and a best female actor prize for Jessie Buckley as a distraught mother.
Timothee Chalamet and Brazilian Wagner Moura added to their awards season momentum with prizes for "Marty Supreme" and "The Secret Agent," respectively.
The Golden Globes are seen as a leading indicator of success in the Oscars, which take place in Hollywood this year on March 15.
hg/sst

France

'Bridgerton' premieres in Paris promising 'Cinderella with a twist'

BY LUCAS CROSET

  • "I'd say it's a bit of Cinderella with a twist, and it's not quite Cinderella.
  • The promoters of Bridgerton, the most English of TV series, chose Paris Wednesday to launch the fourth series of the hit show whose key plotline promises to be "Cinderella with a twist", according to star Yerin Ha. Several hundred fans thronged outside the Palais Brongniart in central Paris, whose steps and columns had been decorated in the show's colours, with a walkway decorated like an English garden for the stars. 
  • "I'd say it's a bit of Cinderella with a twist, and it's not quite Cinderella.
The promoters of Bridgerton, the most English of TV series, chose Paris Wednesday to launch the fourth series of the hit show whose key plotline promises to be "Cinderella with a twist", according to star Yerin Ha.
Several hundred fans thronged outside the Palais Brongniart in central Paris, whose steps and columns had been decorated in the show's colours, with a walkway decorated like an English garden for the stars. 
The latest instalment revolves around the powerful Bridgerton family's second son, the rakish Benedict (Luke Thompson), who falls under the spell of the mysterious Sophie Baek, unaware that, like Cinderella, she is a servant. 
"I'd say it's a bit of Cinderella with a twist, and it's not quite Cinderella. It's a class struggle, forbidden love story," Australian-Korean actress Yerin Ha, who plays Baek, told AFP. 
Releasing on Netflix on January 29, the season tackles numerous themes through its intrigues, including relations between nobles and servants, rape, disability, and the sex lives of women after menopause. 
Baek's cruel mistress -- and stepmother -- is played by Katie Leung, known for her role as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter saga.
According to Netflix, Bridgerton has consistently ranked among the platform's most popular content since its launch in 2020, holding spots in the global Top 10 for several weeks at a time. 
It is adapted from the novels about 19th-century London high society by American writer Julia Quinn.
Fans can look forward to seasons five and six which have already been confirmed. 
lcr-pel-em/adp/phz