Art Basel announced its Swiss flagship’s 290 exhibitors.
In Basel, Switzerland, June 18–21 (with preview days June 16–17), Art Basel will welcome 290 exhibitors, drawn from 42 countries and territories. The slate will feature 21 newcomers—with representation from Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. This year will also see the unveiling of two public commissions by inaugural Art Basel Awards Gold Awardees Nairy Baghramian and Ibrahim Mahama. Individual section highlights include MoMA PS1 curator Ruba Katrib’s first year helming Unlimited, a second edition of the Premiere sector, and a third consecutive presentation of Parcours.
Ssense’s founders will buy the business from bankruptcy.
The founders of Montreal-based luxury e-commerce retailer Ssense—Rami Atallah, Firas Atallah, and Bassel Atallah—have won a court-approved bid to retain full ownership of the company as it exits bankruptcy protection. Ssense filed for creditor protection in 2025 with roughly $371 million CAD in debt. The bid will allow the retailer to remain under founding control and maintain continuity for its executive leadership, employees, suppliers, and customers rather than be sold to outside buyers.
The Hermès boombox expresses creative director Véronique Nichanian’s ingenuity.
Part of creative director Véronique Nichanian final collection for Hermès, a new leather accessory draws inspiration from the shape of a classic boombox. The boombox bag epitomizes Hermès craftsmanship, including finely grained leather, polished hardware, and a structured, rectangular form that mimics the proportions of the vintage portable radio. It’s also awash in the playfulness that often defines the maison. Although it isn’t a functional boombox, one can “adjust the volume” using the zip along the feature.
AIA says EPA’s removal of environmental standards disregards public safety.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) warned that the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed removal of key environmental standards—including emissions restrictions for power plants and air quality protections—disregards and undermines public health and safety, calling the changes a “reckless rollback” that conflicts with climate science and long-term sustainable design goals. AIA President Emily Grandstaff-Rice emphasized the profession’s responsibility to protect occupants and communities, arguing that weakened regulations will burden architects and designers who strive to create resilient, healthy buildings and infrastructure.
Amazon dethrones Walmart as the world’s biggest company by sales.
Amazon has officially dethroned Walmart as the world’s largest company by annual sales, reporting about $717 billion in revenue for 2025 compared with Walmart’s $713 billion, ending Walmart’s long-standing lead in global revenue rankings. The shift reflects Amazon’s rapid expansion beyond retail into cloud computing (Amazon Web Services), advertising, and technology services, which have driven growth even as Walmart continues to expand its physical store footprint and online offerings.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Learning from Lois Dodd’s “A Radiant Simplicity” at Brooklyn College.
Belmond’s Mount Nelson hotel marks fashion designer Thebe Magugu’s entry into interior design.
Nylon zips and other sporty jackets have taken the runway.
In rural Sweden, Kod Arkitekter transformed a fire station into a local landmark.
