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Fashion brands (at least the good ones) are informed by the zeitgeist. They cull the best from the worlds of cuisine, books, art, music, interiors, and beyond, and infuse that into their collections. They are magpies, creating distinctive neststheir boutiques and displays at retail outletsthat aim to captivate consumers and let them dream. But in the midst of an economic downturn as the result of the coronavirus outbreak, which has forced nonessential businesses to shutter, traffic at these spaces is nonexistent. So to provide the general public, who are quarantined in their homes, with their cultural fill, many are taking all these captured elements to their online platforms.

Some of the biggest labels have enlisted their contacts from disparate industries to provide entertainment and education in the form of videos, interviews, performances, and active audience participation. Admittedly, Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services are at the top of our queues. But in between episodes of Tiger King and Little Fires Everywhere, were plugging into a podcast with a feminist painter, discovering the secret ingredient in a delectable recipe from a top chef, taking out our sketchbooks and re-creating beautiful images, and immersing ourselves in other enlightening programming that raises our spirits. And in these distressing times, everyone could use some of that.

In March, the storied French label, under the direction of creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, instituted a podcast series dubbed Dior Talks. Here, host Katy Hessel interviews a series of feminist artists and curators, asking them about their lives, their work, and the journeys they took to become luminaries in the modern-day womens rights movement.

Titled Prada Possible Conversations (a riff off Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, the Met's Spring 2012 Costume Institute exhibition), the luxury Italian brand will host a series of one-on-one discussions on its Instagram account. The first is between Pamela Golbin and Alexander Fury and about fashion in the time of crises, which will be go live on April 14 at 12 p.m.

In a program called McQueen Creators, the English designer label is unearthing images from its archives and asking its Instagram audience to reimagine them using materials found at home.

Spanning all its online platformsInstagram, YouTube, Weibo, Line, Kakao, Spotify, Apple Music, and its websitethe Italian label intends to showcase chefs, artists, writers, musicians, film directors, and designers in what it calls a laboratory of creativity.

On April, the eponymous designer hosted a chat with model Halima Aden on her brands Instagram account.

Under the helm of creative director Jonathan Anderson, the Spanish label has created Loewe en Casa, a digital initiative that highlights its collaborators and burgeoning creatives, including the finalist of its Loewe Foundation Craft Prize.

The luxury footwear brand has partnered with the Mental Health Foundation on a project called Smile, which is essentially a coloring book made up of the eponymous designers favorite sketches.

The French maison enlisted Belgian singer Angle to stream a live performance on its Instagram account, encouraging the masses to stay at home.

Excerpt from:
Fashion Brands Bringing You the Best in Music and Culture on Social Media - HarpersBAZAAR.com

NEW YORK, United States In the last few weeks, Brandon Maxwell has invited thousands of people into his home. The American designer known for his take on classic tailoring hosts a daily Instagram live stream from his Manhattan apartment where he doles out career advice and lets followers pick his brain, or tell him whats on their minds. One teenage girl introduced the designer to her grandmother.

Maxwell used Instagram Live before the coronavirus pandemic, but his broadcasts, which he calls B Spoke, have become more frequent since most of his followers were confined to their homes. Theyve also become more important to Maxwell, who recognises how the pandemic has spread loneliness as much as the virus itself.

I've always tried to use platforms to talk really honestly about where I'm at and what I'm feeling, in hopes that maybe somebody else sees that and we can start a dialogue, Maxwell said. It just helps you feel more connected in a world [where] you've become so very disconnected.

Maxwell isnt alone in turning to Instagram Live to alleviate the tedium of quarantine. Fashion has embraced the platforms live-stream feature, producing videos that run the gamut from fully produced programmes to off-the-cuff chats. Revolve, a digital multi-brand retailer, partners with fitness influencers to stream daily at-home workouts (in just under two days, one saved livestream workout resulted in 247,000 views, significantly higher than other saved videos on the brands profile.)

You're probably not thinking that much about going shopping right now.

Chanel commissioned Belgian singer Angele to serenade viewers, while accessories brand Mulberry has taken to poetry readings and live performances. Amsterdam-based Scotch and Soda broadcasts its At Home with Scotch series every Friday, including live streams that explore yoga and artist studio tours. The designer Jeremy Scott popped up on Miley Cyrus stream to discuss recycled fashion. Rihanna hosted the Fenty Social Club with live DJ sets and performances (and an augmented reality DJ booth to accompany live stream.)

Instagram introduced the option to post live streams that disappear after 24 hours in 2016, but the feature never achieved the runaway popularity of its disappearing Stories, which launched the same year. IGTV, an effort to build out the platforms long-form video capabilities and more directly compete with YouTube, got off to a slow start in 2018.

Brands are leaning more heavily than usual on Instagram because thats where their customers are. Viewership of live streams is up 80 percent in the last month, according to Instagram. Plus, with stores closed and real-life gatherings outlawed in many countries, social media is practically the only marketing game in town.

[Instagram] Live serves as a platform for you to best connect with your consumer in a human way right now, said Samantha Edwards, co-founder of digital strategy and marketing firm The Charles Agency.

For designers like Maxwell, who is his brand, informal interactions with fans work best. The designer said his broadcasts have boosted engagement with his profile, which is the biggest driver of traffic to his brands e-commerce site. Marc Jacobs, who has long had a bright social media presence, is using the platform in a similar vein, speaking casually to longtime collaborators like those atLove magazine in a recent livestream.

Larger brands are using Instagram Live as a replacement for the busy calendar of resort shows and summer music festivals that have been cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19.

In mid-March, Loewe launched its Loewe en Casa digital series, featuring the brands Craft Prize artists (part of the Loewe Foundations annual competition awarding a cash prize to the winner). The artists host live streams on subjects ranging from metalwork and weaving to furniture design. On April 7, as part of the series, artist Koichi Lo took 68,000 viewers on a live studio tour, among the brands most-viewed videos on the platform.

Levis, a regular sponsor of international music festivals and concert series, has hired musicians like Snoop Dogg and country music star Brett Young to play its 5:01 Live shows, a nod to the brands best-selling 501 jeans as well as the daily stream time. Levis said permanent posts about the live streams have double the engagement of normal posts.

We don't need to push that too hard right now.

Levis has dedicated $500,000 to the series, which came together in about a week, said Chief Marketing Officer Jen Sey.

Measuring the impact of live streams is difficult. Viewers can share or like the videos, but because they disappear unless a brand saves them to their profile, third parties have trouble measuring their reach. Other issues, including the inability to tag the Live videos in the same way as a permanent feed post, inhibit the ability to track brand mentions, which help contribute to measurements of earned media value, an industry-standard metric determining overall impact. In any event, the goal is often to keep consumers engaged rather than to convince them to open their wallets.

In this crisis, everyone is scared and we acknowledge that you're probably not thinking that much about going shopping right now, you're probably not really thinking of buying jeans, Sey said. We don't need to push that too hard right now.

Livestreams work best as part of a wider marketing strategy, said Edwards. Unlike the main feed or Stories, followers can interact in real time with a brand. A product could be promoted directly on a brands main feed, while Stories can be used to demonstrate how it should be worn, and then a question-and-answer session can be streamed via Instagram Live.

Its still too soon to determine whether any of the coronavirus-era content will boost a brands social media engagement and more importantly its sales but its worth experimenting with for the time being.

This is the most perfect opportunity for brands to test a variation of different content formats, whether it's more down and dirty and gritty, or it's super premium and elevated and curated, said The Charles Agency Co-Founder Aaron Edwards.

Were tracking the latest on the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the global fashion business. Visit ourlive blogfor everything you need to know.

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How to Win at Instagram Live | Intelligence, BoF Professional - The Business of Fashion

Shops and museums may be closedto stop the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus,but that doesnt mean you cant appreciate design from the comfort of your own home. Specifically, from your home in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

New Horizons is the latest release in the Animal Crossing franchise for Nintendo Switch and the game comes with more than a few design tools for fans to express their creativity from redecorating their homes to designing their own clothes. Some creatives were quick to use these tools to incorporate the work of their favourite artists in the game.

This gamer covered their floor and walls with Yayoi Kusamas signature polka dots and even adorned their home with an artwork of her famous pumpkin. As for the outfit, user @pericpotter created their own yukata, but printed it with the trademark motif of luxury fashion brand Fendi. This impressive ensemble is one of many snapshots shared on the niche yet innovative Animal Crossing Fashion ArchiveInstagram account managed by Kara Chung.Now, at the height of cherry blossom season, the page is full of adorable villagers dressed in high-brow streetwear with a backdrop of sakura in full bloom.

This trendsetter paired a Noah cap with Converse All Stars and a Maison Kitsunpullover.

This islander could easily belong on the streets of Omotesando with an outfit snagged from a Balenciaga fashion show.

One gamer even went as far as making a Billie Eilish lookalike in a neon green get up and made a parody of the singers song titled Bass Guy.

If youd rather prioritise your house interior than focus on your 'fits, Yayoi Kusama's polka dots are just the beginning when it comes to decking your walls in modern art. M Woods, a private art museum in Beijing, has released remarkable snapshots of its own virtual art galleries in Animal Crossing, complete with re-creations of exhibitions by artists such as Andy Warhol.

Have an artist or designer you'd like to channel to add some flair to your virtual world? Now is as good a time as any to get those creative juices flowing.

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Animal Crossing players are re-creating their favourite designers and artists in the game - Time Out

As the coronavirus pandemic causes offices across North America to shut down, professionals who can work remotely have made the abrupt transition to doing their jobs from their homes.

And theyre getting creative with making it work with or without their ergonomic chairs, second monitors and cubicles.

Here are some of the most adaptive, creative home office arrangements HuffPost has seen.

Quotes were condensed for clarity and length.

1. Ironing boards become height-adjustable desks.

Debbie Pedersen

Without a desk at home and being fairly short in stature at 5 feet tall, my kitchen table is way too high to work at comfortably. My ironing board can be set quite low to suit my height, or to stand throughout the day. Debbie Pedersen, insurance worker based in Edmonton, Canada

Jessica Chaloux Hill

Ive been working at home since March 16. I stand at my work office and was missing that, so had to get creative. It has been wonderful to stand. Ive got big windows in front of me and can see outside (no windows at work). I have a bench close by for seating as necessary. Jessica Chaloux Hill, human resources professional based in Vermont

2. A master bathroom becomes an office.

Angela Small

My job is to track incoming donations [for my food bank], which I am lucky enough to be able to do at home, but most of my co-workers are on the front lines and handing out food to people in our area who are in need.

I have two little boys, ages 5 and 7, who are home right now. My only quiet options were the unfinished basement or the bathroom! I went with the bathroom because it has the most natural light. I have been making phone calls from my closet so it doesnt sound like Im making calls from a bathroom! My husband is a truck driver who delivers eggs to grocery stores, so I have to share the bathroom with him when he gets home from work each day. Its a little crazy but Im so thankful to be working right now and were doing the best we can. Angela Small, gift processor at New Hope Ministries food bank in Pennsylvania

3. Kitchens become all-in-one office spaces.

Rachel Cresci

My cooking/emptying-the-dishwasher/refilling-my-coffee-cup game has been on point. Rachel Cresci, high school science teacher based in Reno, Nevada

Elizabeth Goecke

I started at my little desk, then the dining table, then the dinette and they all were terribly uncomfortable for the length of time I needed to sit and work. I remembered our company presidents standing desk and thought Id give that a try. Elizabeth Goecke, billing analyst based in Tampa, Florida

4. A dining table becomes an ergonomic office with the help of a wrist rest made from rice and socks.

Angie Wilbur

Most people were told to work from home, but I dont have a home office or anywhere to put one. I set this up on my dining room table in order to have a little more ergonomic setup so my neck and back pain and eye strain wouldnt be quite so bad. It seems to be helping! Angie Wilbur, supervisory supply systems analyst for the defense logistics agency Disposition Services based out of Battle Creek, Michigan

5. Child-sized desks become adult-sized desks.

Marie Moreau

Marie Moreau

I feel like I am working in the middle of a messy toy store, since Im sitting next to a huge pile of over 100 stuffed animals. Although it does have benefits, like when I am getting overwhelmed with poor speed due to remotely accessing my work computer, I have many tins of my daughters putty I can take my aggression out on. Marie Moreau, senior graphic designer for a memorialization company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Kacey S.

My husband [who works as a sales manager] has been using our sons tool bench, [and] he has to ask him at night if he can use it for the next day. With two toddlers and an 8-month old, child-free tables are limited. Kacey S., associate director at Boston nonprofit

6. A homemade fort becomes a workplace oasis from distractions.

Kayla Morin-Riordan

I used my nephews fort kit to cordon off my office so I cant get distracted when I see how messy the rest of the house is. Stole the cushions off the couch, grabbed a camp lantern and were good to go! Kayla Morin-Riordan, childrens librarian based in New Hampshire

7. Parents get creative with managing their new young co-workers.

Molly Lisenko

The toddler mattress addition was just circumstance and rolling with the punches. My 2-year-old loves dragging that thing around the house; she fell asleep on my lap while I was working, the mattress was behind my chair so I laid her down on it to nap while I finished up my work day. I brought in the 6-foot folding table a week-and-a-half into simultaneously working from home and my school-aged childrens e-learning. I had been using a small sofa table as a writing desk and needed more space. Molly Lisenko, accounting clerk for a tire and wheel distributor based in South Bend, Indiana

Catherine Dublin

My husband is working out of our home office, so I had to set up an office in my sons nursery. I work for the City of Palmetto as an accountant in Palmetto, Florida. My work hours in the office are typically 9 to 5, but as you can imagine, working with a 9-month-old in the house feels like a 24-hour work schedule. Catherine Dublin, accountant based in Palmetto, Florida

Saskia de Groot

My husband and I both work in the hospitality industry, based in Miami, Florida. I have a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old that have been out of school since March 16. Once we were mandated to work from home, we outfitted our tiny guest room into a makeshift office.

Kids and/or husband walking in while Im having video calls and constant interruptions of house life has been an adjustment. However, given the current environment, Im ever grateful that I still have a job, the ability to work from home and that Im healthy and that my family is healthy and happy. But once this is over, I will hop, skip and jump back to the office as I do miss the separation and being able to compartmentalize my life. Saskia de Groot, independent contractor for a hotel company

A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus

Continued here:
12 Of The Most Clever Work-From-Home Spaces Created In Quarantine So Far - HuffPost

While much-needed PPE is finally starting to make its way to Irish hospitals, there are still plenty of other healthcare workers lacking in protective equipment.

Niall Whitty, a product designer from Gorey, County Wexford, has found himself out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he's decided to use his time to try and fill this gap in his local community.

The 24-year-old is using a 3D printer to create face shields and ear protectors.

He spoke to Buzz.ie about what inspired the project.

"I won a 3D printer while I was in college and it had been sitting in the corner of my room gathering dust.

"I'm in a group of product designers who have created a model for creating face masks.

"There's around 100 of us in the country and after having three or four OK'd, I've stepped it up and I'm making them daily now."

Niall explained that his interest has always been in products that can make a difference in people's lives.

"Even going back to college, I never wanted to design things for the sake of it, I always wanted to make things that can help people.

"For my final year project I designed a cutlery set for people suffering with MS.

"For me the best thing about design is making things that can help people in areas that have been overlooked."

While the design he's using is not HSE approved for hospitals yet, the face shields can help healthcare workers in nursing homes, vets and even GPs.

"It takes me an hour and 25 minutes to make a face shield. It's about providing equipment for people in the interim while manufacturers try to keep up with demand.

"The response has been great and we've had inquiries from GPs in smaller practices, dentists, vets and nursing homes.

"All these people who don't yet have access to protective equipment.

"At the moment we've got a back order.

"We've delivered a couple of face masks to a local nursing home already."

Niall's mother Margarita runs a children's clothes shop in Gorey called Jalanda and they used the shop's social media to spread the word about the project.

The response has been so good that Niall is looking to step up his production of face shields, which will require two or three more 3D printers.

To do this, he's set up a GoFundMePage and he's been "overwhelmed" at the support from the local community.

He's making no profit from the work and all of the money donated will go towards creating as many face shields as possible as demand grows.

At the moment, Niall is making "12 or 13 in a day at a push" but with extra printers he hopes to greatly increase his output.

At the time of writing, Niall's GoFundMe has raised over 2,000.

For Niall, it's all about doing his bit in the battle against the global pandemic.

"A few people have said to me, 'it'll look great on your CV', but it's not about that at all for me really.

"I used to do a bit of work as a magician and it wasn't the thrill of tricking people or anything I liked, it was just about putting a smile on somebody's face and bringing them a little bit of joy.

"I've got the printer here, and with the two new ones I've ordered I'll be able to produce more soon, I just want to do my bit and help out as much as I can."

You can donate to Niall's GoFundMe page here.

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Exclusive: Wexford product designer creating 3D printed PPE - Buzz.ie

We're taking design notes from Maana Homes, a luxury boutique hotel in Kyoto that espouses "peace as the new luxury"

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With the anxiety fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic, it's understandable that more of us are seeking a sense of calm in our lives. You see it with the explosion of mindfulness and meditation apps, as well as the growing desire to create clean, Zen-like surroundings at home.

When it comes to Zen, Japan reigns supreme. From the minimalist structures of renowned architect Tadao Ando to organisational experts like Marie Kondo, a desire for simplicity informs not just the Japanese aesthetic but their entire way of life.

There's no better place to embrace this ethos than in the ancient capital of Kyoto. While it is one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, the city has only recently seen a surge in design-driven hotelsthere's the arrival of Aman Kyoto in late 2019 and the upcoming openings of Ace Hotel Kyoto this month and Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto in August, designed by Kengo Kuma and Andre Fu respectively. Established hotels aside, it is also ripe for independent brands like Maana Homes to thrive.

(Related: Temples, Ryokans And Tombstones: A Slow Travel Guide To Kyoto, Japan)

For those looking for a more local experience, the starting point is to find a machiyaa traditional Kyoto townhousewhich is what differentiates Maana Homes from the rest of the players. Essentially, Maana is a collection of renovated traditional townhouses created with standards of five-star hotels in mind. The start-up brand was founded by a hospitality designer from Los Angeles and a creative director from New York who wanted to craft luxury vacation homes that marry style, substance and a strong sense of place.

(Related: Watch The Tatler Guide To Kyoto And Osaka)

We look for homes with character and properties with intrinsic qualities such as good light, natural scenery and, of course, a charming neighbourhood, says co-founder Irene Chang. Their incredibly calming retreats are curated to help travellers to take it slow and learn more about themselves. According to the founders, their spaces are designed to show that peace is the new luxury.

Through their thoughtful renovation of century-old houses in Kyoto, guests can enjoy two soulful spaces: Maana Kyoto and Maana Kamo. The former sits on a quiet street in a central district and the latter on the bank of the buzzing Kamo River.

By the end of 2020hopefully, a time when we can all travel againMaana will be introducing another four homes into the mix as well as a restaurant, all situated in Kyotos hip Higashiyama neighbourhood. But for now, follow Tatler's guide to #stayinghome so we can #traveltomorrow.

Excerpt from:
Maana Homes Is The Minimalist Space You Need To Find Your Zen - Tatler Singapore

The value of a luxury beachside residence at Torquay has gone into overdrive since V8 Supercars Bathurst winner Will Davison sold in 2017.

The amazing Wolveridge Architects home has hit the market again, with price hopes of $3.1 million to $3.3 million for the three-bedroom concrete and timber design.

The two-storey residence at 261 The Esplanade, Torquay, is neatly wedged between Whites Beach and The Sands championship golf course.

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McCartney, Torquay listing agent Tim Carson said its one of the best homes in the Surf Coast capital.

It was short-listed for the Victorian Architecture Awards in 2013.

The current owners paid $2.25 million when they bought it from Davison in 2017.

They are professional couple looking to relocate for work. But this has been the best home theyve lived in, Mr Carson said.

Theyve lived in about 20 homes and theyve moved around quite a bit for work, he said.

The house, built by renowned local builder John Walker, is ideal for people who love to entertain and enjoy the homes emphasis on indoor-outdoor living.

Three bedroom suites are upstairs, including ensuites and built-in wardrobes and a dressing room to the main bedroom.

A dedicated study with built-in cabinetry is next to the designer kitchen with custom concrete and ultra-high-end resin bench tops and Miele appliances.

Two living spaces include an intimate lounge/media room with an open fireplace, while 5m ceilings soar above the expansive dining and living room opening out onto the north-facing entertaining area and a 13m in-ground pool.

Polished concrete floors and large sliding doors and windows and cedar exterior battens embody the beach lifestyle.

Honestly, this is one of the best homes that Ive ever seen, Mr Carson said.

You just walk in and see the quality, the architecture and the practicality of it.

Its such a beautiful living home, no space is wasted.

Youve got beautiful concrete floors and the outlook to the north-facing in-ground pool.

See the article here:
Beachside home described as the best in Torquay hits market with $3 million-plus price hopes - NEWS.com.au

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With roughly 20 percent of the NBA regular season left to be played, every team could use some extra time to sort out unanswered questions.

Whether it be lottery-bound teams developing young cores or playoff hopefuls that are trying to incorporate trade-deadline additions, every team still needs more time to evaluate its roster.

When the NBA resumes, these are the biggest issues teams should seek clarity for.

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The Atlanta Hawks gave up the Brooklyn Nets' first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick and Evan Turner to get Clint Capela from the Houston Rockets in a four-team deal at the trade deadline. Two months later, we still have no idea how he fits on the roster.

Capela had been sidelined with plantar fasciitis and a bone bruise in his heel since Jan. 29 and was scheduled to be reevaluated March 18. At that point there would have only been 13 games left on Atlanta's schedule.

Since the team is stocked with young talent at the four other positions, Atlanta's trade for the 25-year-old Capela made sense. Heaveraged 14.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.7 blocks per game and shot 64.5 percent from the field in Houston over the past three years, playing strong defense that should help the Hawks'No. 28 ranking (114.8 rating) in the category.

Spacing could become an issue given Capela's lack of shooting, but power forward John Collins is up to a career-high 40.1 percent mark from three to help ease any concerns.

Depending on the severity of Capela's injuries, we may not get our answer until next season.

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While the Boston Celtics were probably hoping to snag Tristan Thompson or John Henson on the buyout market, they'll have to settle for a center combination of Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter and Robert Williams III.

With Theis locked in as starter, the 28-year-old is averaging 9.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and shooting 56.5 percent in just 23.8 minutes per game. Despite his modest size, the 6'8", 245-pound Theis is a good athlete who times his shot contests well.

Come the playoffs, however, his lack of size could be an issue.

If the postseason started with the current seedings, Boston would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round in a No. 3 vs. No. 6 series. That means a Theis-Joel Embiid matchup, with Embiid standing four inches taller and outmuscling Theis by 35 pounds.

If Boston were to advance, Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol of the Toronto Raptors would likely be up next, followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez in the Eastern Conference Finals.

While Theis has done a solid job, can he hold up night after night against much bigger, stronger competition in the playoffs?

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Taking over for the fired Kenny Atkinson, Jacque Vaughn coached just two games with the Brooklyn Nets before the NBA was suspended March 11.

While he went 2-0 in those games, which included an impressive road win over the Los Angeles Lakers, he'll likely need a far bigger sample size to make a case for keeping the job past this season.

Slapped with the interim tag, Vaughn does bring an impressive resume with him to get a contract extension.

He's a former NBA point guard, playing 12 seasons for the Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets and San Antonio Spurs. He's played alongside guys like John Stockton, Karl Malone, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Tim Duncan, learning from some all-time coaching greats in Jerry Sloan and Gregg Popovich.

He also brings head-coaching experience, leading the Magic from 2012 to 2015.

While former head coaches like Tyronn Lue, Mark Jackson and David Fizdale may all be considered, Vaughn shouldn't be ruled out.

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Devonte' Graham began his season on the Charlotte Hornets'bench before the organization quickly figured out he was its best player.

Averaging 18.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game, Graham has become a beacon of hope on a miserable Hornets roster that still has to pay Terry Rozier $36.8 million over the next two years.

Still, it's fair to question Graham's ceiling and role on a playoff team.

Despite his high scoring and assist marks, the 25-year-old is shooting just 38.2 percent from the field. Of the 57 players who have taken at least 750 shots this season, heranks lastin field-goal percentage.

A split from playing alongside Rozier may help, as Graham has a true shooting percentage of 59.0 off the bench, compared to 52.9 percent as a starter. On the season, he owns a net rating of minus-6.0 when sharing the court with Rozier, compared to minus-1.5 when Graham is in the game and Rozier sits. His true shooting jumps from 51.1 percent to 57.3 percent when getting the floor to himself, as well.

If the Hornets don't want to move Rozier and his contract to the bench, then letting Graham thrive as a reserve may be the better option.

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Is the Chicago Bulls' rebuild at the point of drafting for position, or is this still a best-player-available sort of deal?

That's what Chicago has to figure out, and it has more questions than answers regarding foundational pieces.

Wendell Carter Jr. is safe at center, having averaged 11.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game, with a plus-4.0on/off rating this year. Injuries have stalled his first two seasons, but he's got star potential and can anchor a defense.

Coby White has made major improvements as the year's gone on from the point guard position, but he's not a true pass-first floor general. Zach LaVine is averaging 25.5 points per game but has spent more time at small forward this season than his native shooting guard.

Otto Porter Jr. was brilliant after coming over in a trade from the Washington Wizards last season but has played in just 14 games this year because of foot problems and holds a player option for 2020-21. Power forward didn't look like a need with Lauri Markkanen in tow, but his production has dipped across the board.

Center looks like the only position the Bulls should avoid in the draft, with more time needed to evaluate the other spots.

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While the Cleveland Cavaliers can be patient with their young backcourt of Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr., they may need to make a decision on 26-year-old Andre Drummond soon.

Acquiring him for a pair of expiring contracts and a 2023 second-round pick was fine, especially with the level of production (17.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game) he's given Cleveland in his first eight games.

With the Cavs' three young guards averaging 20 years in age, does Drummond still fit a rebuilding timeline when he's set to turn 27 in August? General manager Koby Altman seems to think so.

"Absolutely, we consider him a potential long-term play," Altman said in a conference call after the trade deadline. "Obviously, he has a player option that if he picks up, we think we're in good shape in terms of our cap space. There's no better money spent than on Andre Drummond if he picks up his option."

Barring a trade, Drummond will almost certainly be back with the Cavaliers next season on a $28.8 million player option.

After that, the Cavs may be wary of investing in a non-modern center who's approaching 30.

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When talking NBA title contenders, the Dallas Mavericks often get left out of the conversation.

But why? Dallas has the NBA's sixth-highest net rating (plus-5.8), ahead of teams such as the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets.

They've also had the No. 1-ranked offense nearly all season (115.8 rating), with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis thriving in their roles.

While this makes the Mavs seem underrated, they have their faults.

They have fallen to seventh place in the Western Conference standings. The defense is just 17th overall, and losing Dwight Powell to a torn right Achilles in January was a devastating blow.

Getting out of the seventh seed is a big deal, as moving up to sixth means the difference between playing the Los Angeles Clippers or the Nuggets in the first round.

But without a postseason, we probably won't know how to properly value this team.

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Michael Porter Jr. has all the makings of a star.

He possesses a 6'10", 218-pound athletic frame that seems a model for today's power forward. His 42.2 percent shooting from three on 102 attempts proves his outside game should be sustainable, and his 16.5 total rebound percentage is already better than Paul Millsap's (13.5).

Despite all these positive qualities, Porter Jr. is averaging just 14.0 minutes in his 48 games, starting just once.

While head coach Michael Malone doesn't appear to be the biggest fan of playing a rookie for a team with title hopes, the Nuggets will need clarity on his progress before the offseason.

Millsap is 35 and set to become an unrestricted free agent. Backup Jerami Grant has a player option for $9.3 million that he could easily decline.

At some point, Porter Jr. will play a big role for the Nuggets. They need to find out if he's ready for the promotion.

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By keeping veteran point guard Derrick Rose at the trade deadline, the Detroit Pistons signaled they may not be ready to dive into a deep rebuild.

While Drummond was essentially traded for cap space and Reggie Jackson waived, Rose remains under contract for next season, and Blake Griffin has two years and $75.8 million remaining on his deal.

Griffin had season-ending knee surgery in early January, meaning the Pistons will be hard-pressed to find a taker for his contract.

If Griffin and Rose are both coming back, should Detroit still try to make the playoffs?

One of the few teams with significant cap space this summer, the Pistons could try to entice a player such as Fred VanVleet or DeMar DeRozan (player option) to jump on board if they don't want to go the rebuilding route. Bringing back center Christian Wood (21.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game, .560/.408/.734 as a starter) is a must as well.

With the Eastern Conference still incredibly weak toward the bottom, it's reasonable to think of Detroit as a playoff team next season.

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Andrew Wiggins has built a reputation for being an inefficient scorer who doesn't provide much rebounding or ball distribution, despite his obvious athletic gifts.

So far with the Golden State Warriors, that hasn't changed.

Wiggins' true shooting percentage has remainedabout the samegoing from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Warriors (53.5 percent to 54.2 percent), as have his rebounding (7.9 total rebound percentage to 7.4) and passing (18.1 assist percentage to 18.2).

The 25-year-old small forward has never been a good defender, either, an issue that could show up more on a title-hopeful Warriors team.

So much of Golden State's success over the past decade has revolved not just around outside shooting, but also ball movement and defense. Those aren't Wiggins' strengths.

Six years into Wiggins' career, can the Warriors instill some of those things, or do they just have to accept that this is who he is?

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By swapping center Clint Capela in a trade for Robert Covington, the Houston Rockets committed to a small-ball unit that's worked really well.

An 8-6 record with Covington in the lineup doesn't seem that special, but the lineups he's joined have been extremely successful.

The five-man unit of James Harden, Russell Westbrook, P.J. Tucker, Danuel House and Covington has a net rating of plus-10.7 in 164 total minutes. With Eric Gordon instead of House, Houston is still a plus-7.1 in 45 minutes together.

In theory, this should work in the postseason when defenses regularly switch. Having extra wings on the floor who can move, contest shots and cut off driving lanes should help.

Having to play a series against one of the Western Conference's premier bigs (Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic) could prove problematic for the Rockets, however.

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Victor Oladipo only played 13 games this season before the NBA went on hiatus and looked far from the player who's been named a two-time All-Star with the Indiana Pacers.

Without him, Indiana would probably be lucky to make it past the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. With him at his best, the Pacers have a chance at winning multiple series.

We've seen what Oladipo can do as a No. 1 option in the postseason, pushing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in 2018. During that series, he averaged22.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals per game, and shot 40.4 percent from three..

In his first eight contests back from a quad injury this season, Oladipo predictably struggled. His averages of 10.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game on 33.3 percent shooting were far from what we've grown accustomed to from the 2013 No. 2 overall pick.

In the five games after that, however, Oladipo looked much better, putting up averages of 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and shooting 47.1 percent overall in 27.4 minutes per contest.

The extra time off may be good for Oladipo.

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The Los Angeles Clippers were playing some of their best basketball before the suspension, claiming second place in the Western Conference behind the additions of Marcus Morris Sr. and Reggie Jackson.

Since the All-Star break, the Clippers had the best net rating in the NBA (plus-11.5), comfortably ahead of the second-placed Los Angeles Lakers (plus-6.9).

Only the Lakers had posted a better record since the break, going 8-2 to the Clippers' 7-2 mark.

This means no ground gained for the Clips, who trail the Lakers by 5.5 games in the West. Getting the No. 1 seed would mean home-court advantage in a potential Western Conference Finals matchup with the Lakers, a meeting that seems inevitable.

While it wouldn't be a typical home-court advantage situation, given both teams play in the same arena, changing out the court to the Clippers' logo and covering up the Lakers' championship banners could create a psychological advantage, especially since would mean they had caught James and Co. for the No. 1 seed.

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As unbelievable as it may be, a James-led team hasn't finished with the NBA's best record since the 2012-13 Miami Heat went 66-16.

This year, the Los Angeles Lakers have a chance.

Sitting at 49-14, they trail the Milwaukee Bucks by only three games with 19 contests to go, assuming the NBA plays out the rest of the regular season.

While there's still a chance the Clippers close the 5.5-game gap in the West, the Lakers should be motivated to get home-court advantage because of a potential Finals against the Bucks.

James has begun his last five NBA Finals on the road, ever since starting in Miami in 2013. Opening a Finals in Los Angeles for a pair of games would be huge, especially considering Milwaukee is 28-3 at home this season.

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The rest is here:
The Question Every NBA Team Has Failed to Answer in 2019-20 - Bleacher Report

Like previous games in the series, Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 have a New Game + mode, which unlocks after you finish the game. It allows you to carry over multiple things that you unlocked during your previous playthrough into a fresh run. Essentially, you can start a new story with a bunch of bonuses. In this guide, we'll detail all aspects of New Game + in Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5.

As mentioned, you'll need to finish the game in order to unlock New Game +. After the credits have rolled and you've seen any ending, the game will ask whether you want to save your 'Clear Data'.

Make sure to save this Clear Data onto a save slot of your choice - but be aware that overwriting the last save that you made during gameplay will mean that you can no longer go back to it.

Once you've saved your Clear Data, you'll return to the main menu. From here, simply select Load Game, and then choose to load your Clear Data.

Next, you'll be asked whether you want to carry over your progress into a new game. Select yes and you'll go straight into New Game +.

Here's what carries over in both Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 New Game +:

In Persona 5 Royal, you carry over additional bonuses alongside the unlocks listed above. We've listed all of Persona 5 Royal's additional New Game + unlocks below:

Yes, you can change Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5's difficulty level when starting New Game +, regardless of the difficulty setting you chose during your previous playthrough. Once the story has started and you're in the interrogation room, you'll once again be given the option of choosing the difficulty level.

No, the strength of enemies doesn't increase in Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5's New Game +. This means that if you choose to carry over all of your powerful equipment from your previous playthrough, you'll probably find that early battles are much easier because your party members are that much stronger. If you're looking for more of a challenge during your New Game + playthough, consider choosing a higher difficulty level.

This article is part of our Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal Guide, which contains All Differences Between Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal along with Crossword Answers, Exam Answers, Romance Options, How To Get The Best Ending, New Game + details for Persona 5 Royal and How To Unlock Persona 5 Royal's New Semester Endgame.

We also have Best Ending Walkthrough, Confidants Guide, Exam Answers and Skill Level articles for the original Persona 5 game.

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Persona 5 Royal: New Game + - What Carries Over and How to Start New Game + - Push Square

Once upon a time this weekend would have marked the opening days of Coachella, the giant pop festival in the Southern California desert that attracts 250,000 revelers across two weekends. It is the unofficial opening ceremony for a summer run of global music extravaganzas as disparate as Glastonbury in Somerset, England, and the beach parties of Ibiza, Spain.

But now the festival ground, with its distinctive backdrop of bare mountains and towering palm trees, lies empty. Coachella has been postponed until October, organizers confirmed last month, over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Scores of other festivals have also fallen off the calendar, leaving musicians without stages to play on, millions of attendees set to stay home and fashion brands with mountains of unsold denim hot pants, fringed skirts and sequin cropped tops.

For some brands, festivals arent just a season like summer or fall, but the season of the year to build relationships with a certain kind of shopper, who buy fun new extra additions for their wardrobe that they wouldnt normally be tempted by, said Lucie Greene, a trend forecaster and the founder of the Light Years consultancy. They define an entire aesthetic of collections and products for some labels.

According to Katy Lubin, the vice president for communications at the global fashion search platform Lyst, online searches for festival fashion usually begin in March and last until July.

Fast fashion names like H & M and ASOS plan for months in advance of that expected spike, with online shops in place for festival gear. They place vast orders with suppliers for items like neon fanny packs meant for young, predominantly female shoppers who will buy, wear and then often discard looks after two or three days (though not before posting their outfits on social media).

Unsurprisingly, we havent seen that same surge in demand this year, Ms. Lubin said. The global fashion industry is expected to contract by 30 percent in 2020, according to a recent report by consulting firm McKinsey & Company, with eight out of 10 listed fashion companies in Europe and North America set to be in financial distress if lockdowns last for more than two months.

This time last year, Leonie Hanne, a German fashion influencer who has 2.1 million Instagram followers, was deep in preparations for her upcoming trip to Coachella. Her annual desert pilgrimages (this would have been her fifth) have produced scores of beautiful snapshots, video clips and catchy phrases for previous brand partners like Dior and Paco Rabanne, which she then posted online.

Alongside fashion week, Coachella was also one of the most lucrative times of the year for me, Ms. Hanne said from her London apartment this week, forwarding images taken at the festival. In one she posed in a nude lace skirt, pearl bra and face crystals in front of the giant Coachella Ferris wheel; in another, she wore a black feather necklace and flared jacquard pants. This year she was planning projects with GHD, a hairstyling appliance company, YSL Beauty and Jimmy Choo. They have all been put on ice.

Revolve, the e-tailer known for cultivating relationships with social media personalities and reality television stars with huge online followings, generates around 30 percent of its total annual revenue in the weeks up to and around Coachella. The company usually hosts its annual invitation-only #REVOLVE festival near the Coachella site, where frolicking attendees pose for pictures in outfits by brands sold by the platform, generating masses of likes, and revenue, online.

This was our best week ever, Michael Mente, Revolves co-chief executive, said after the festival in 2018. Monday before Coachella beat our Cyber Monday.

Not this year. With the festival sales window disappearing alongside customers summer plans, some wholesale retailers have moved to cancel orders for products like short playsuits, kimono minidresses and flower crowns. Supplier factories have said that they are being asked by some retailers to give discounts on low-cost garments.

Several Revolve employees, who asked to be anonymous out of fear of retaliation at work, said that, ahead of Coachella, the company had planned to stock more festival-inspired playsuits, dresses and accessories than at any other time of the year. Because of the postponement, however, those orders were now being reduced to a fifth of what had been expected. (The company declined to comment.)

ASOS likewise confirmed this week that total sales had tumbled by 20 to 25 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, primarily as shoppers turned away from party pieces, or what it termed going out gear, in favor of clothes like loungewear designed for staying inside.

Given that some events, like Coachella, have been tentatively rescheduled for fall, it is possible that the lockdown measures will be only a short-term blip in the festival fashion business. But after months of social distancing, will festivalgoers want to rush back to crowded venues?

Weve already accepted that the first half of this year is going to be very soft regarding sales that is a given, said Marisa Hordern, the founder of Missoma, a jewelry label worn by the Duchess of Sussex and Margot Robbie. Ms. Hordern had planned to introduce a new line of bejeweled belts and sunglasses chains at Coachella exhibitionistic pieces designed for hedonistic moments.

Our focus has turned to building brand loyalty and community, rather than getting people to buy, Ms. Hordern said. That said, the big fear is whether there is a second wave of infections. We cant carry on as we are now forever.

Some consumers had already started to re-evaluate their relationship with cheap, disposable clothes before the crisis began. Even if there is a partial recovery in demand, there are concerns that the appetite for nonessential items will be muted in a post-Covid era.

I am hoping everyone will feel the urge to come together, celebrate and make up for all the missed special moments, Ms. Hanne, the influencer, said, noting that she plans to return to Coachella in October. But some parts of our behavior regarding traveling and consuming will definitely change when this situation is over.

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For Festival Fashion, the Music Has Stopped - The New York Times