Louis Vuitton and FIFA extend their partnership with a new trophy trunk.
Louis Vuitton has unveiled its bespoke Trophy Trunk for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to make its debut on the pitch during the final, carried out by LV ambassadors alongside an as-yet-unnamed “FIFA legend.” The trunk is wrapped in LV’s monogram canvas, with an oversized “V” spanning its two front panels, a nod to both “victory” and “Vuitton,” along with leather trim, gold-plated brass corner protectors, light beige leather lining, and an LV x FIFA collaborative patch on the lid. To mark the occasion, Louis Vuitton is also releasing a limited-edition run of three additional trunks, each inspired by the World Cup Trophy Trunk design.
Buildner announces winners of The Architect’s Chair competition’s fifth edition.
Buildner has announced the winners of the fifth edition of The Architect’s Chair, a competition challenging architects and architecture students to reimagine one of design’s most familiar objects. This year’s brief pushed entrants toward material innovation, craftsmanship, ergonomics, and conceptual thinking, with wood, cork, woven fiber, bent veneer, and modular systems all featured prominently, alongside a recurring focus on repairability and sustainable fabrication. Among the winning entries, “Helical” strips a stool down to its essentials, using an internal helical interlocking system to allow manual height adjustment without gas lifts or hardware, with cork chosen for its warmth and recyclability. And “Anastasia” reimagines the lounge chair through repeated bent-wood slats paired with a live-edge backrest, using Emerald Ash Borer-affected ash to underscore a sustainability narrative.
V&A to explore punk’s legacy and Vivienne Westwood’s jewelry in 2027.
The Victoria & Albert museums have unveiled a colorful slate of exhibitions for 2027 and 2028, spanning punk culture, Vivienne Westwood’s jewelry, and the centuries-long story of chintz. The V&A in South Kensington will open “Punk to Pop” on March 13, 2027, and will look back at the underground scenes of the ’70s and ’80s. More than 300 objects will be on display, including stage costumes, photography, and music videos from bands like the Sex Pistols, Joy Division, and Wham! That same energy carries into “Vivienne Westwood & Jewelry” at V&A Dundee. The exhibition will examine what jewelry meant to Westwood, focusing on her sparkling orb designs and bold plaids, as well as her connection to Scotland and its textile traditions. Rounding out the run, “Chintz” opens September 18, 2027 and is described by the museum as “groundbreaking.” The show traces four centuries of the hand-drawn fabric, which originated in south India and became one of history’s most coveted, copied, and contested textiles during the 1600s and 1700s.
Tbilisi approves the demolition of Studio Fuksas’ unopened concert hall.
The Rike Concert Hall in Tbilisi, designed by Italian firm Studio Fuksas, is set to be demolished less than 15 years after its completion, despite never having opened. Tbilisi’s city hall architecture department has issued a demolition permit, with the building’s owner reportedly given until December 25 to dismantle it, according to Georgian press reports. Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze said the city would review any future proposal once submitted. Studio Fuksas, founded by architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, is among Italy’s most prominent architecture practices, with recent projects including a “vertical park” on Monaco’s waterfront.
Christie’s sales hit $4.5 billion, its strongest first half in five years.
Christie’s auction sales reached $3.5 billion with a 91 percent sell-through rate, up 71 percent from the same period last year and narrowly ahead of the $3.4 billion Sotheby’s reported in auction sales this week. Christie’s private sales climbed to $1 billion, compared to Sotheby’s $826 million. The house’s 20th- and 21st-century category led the way, bringing in $2.3 billion, boosted by May evening sales of works from the collections of S.I. Newhouse and Agnes Gund. Those sales included three of the year’s most valuable artworks sold at auction: Jackson Pollock’s Number 7A (1948) for $181.2 million, Constantin Brancusi’s Danaïde (ca. 1913) for $107.6 million, and Mark Rothko’s No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe) (1964) for $98.4 million. Christie’s also handled the record $94.4 million sale of Jim Irsay’s pop culture memorabilia collection, the most valuable of its kind ever sold at auction.
Charlotte Gainsbourg on photographing Serge Gainsbourg’s Paris home before it became a museum.
Dev Hynes stages an idyllic summer concert at Storm King’s open-air museum.
Cara Delevingne opens up about sexuality and self-image for historic Playboy cover.
Shinola launches its first-ever brand campaign—with Nicholas Braun behind the camera.
