AI Generates Etro’s Otherworldly Spring Campaign, and Other News

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AI Generates Etro’s Otherworldly Spring Campaign

If the swirling backdrops in Etro’s spring 2024 campaign seem otherworldly, that’s because they don’t actually exist. Marco De Vincenzo, the Italian label’s creative director, collaborated with digital artist and prompt designer Silvia Badalotti to render a medley of fantastical, pastel-hued scenes—and AI-generated models evoking “a humanity that’s both familiar and alien” to match—to showcase the collection in visually rich settings. “I didn’t know what AI really was before I met [Badalotti],” De Vincenzo wrote on Instagram. “Together, we embarked on a journey to a parallel universe where infinite possibilities lie and learned that, time and time again, only the heart can take you far.” The collection, which spans velvet garments adorned with tapestry-like motifs to soccer-inspired men’s jerseys, will be fully unveiled during Milan Fashion Week. —Ryan Waddoups

A historic West Chelsea building once occupied by Dia Art Foundation hits the market.

A historic four-story West Chelsea building formerly occupied by the Dia Art Foundation has hit the market for $68 million. Located at 548 West 22nd St, the property offers a versatile zoning that allows for various uses, including gallery, retail space, or conversion to residential. It also comes with 30,000 square feet of air rights, offering numerous possibilities for potential buyers. Dia sold the building in late 2007 for $38.55 million; its current seller is Atlas Capital Group.

A new study reveals that remote workers are fired or quit more than their in-office peers.

An analysis of two million white-collar jobs conducted by Live Data Technologies found that fully remote workers are 35 percent more likely to be laid off than their in-office colleagues. In 2023, 10 percent of full-time remote positions were cut compared to 7 percent of in-office jobs. The reasons behind this trend appear to be related to personal relationships within companies, as hiring managers tend to put individuals they have less personal connections with on the layoff list. While remote workers value flexibility, they are also more likely to quit their jobs, with 12 percent leaving for new roles in 2023 compared to 9 percent of in-office and hybrid employees. 

Peter Pennoyer receives the 2024 Driehaus Prize from the University of Notre Dame.

Peter Pennoyer has been named the recipient of the 2024 Driehaus Prize by the University of Notre Dame in recognition of his dedication to traditionalism in architecture. The $200,000 annual prize, among the most prestigious in architecture, previously honored such luminaries as Michael Graves and Robert A.M. Stern. The accolade aligns with Notre Dame’s focus on incorporating classical architecture into modern design and preservation efforts. The jury commended Pennoyer’s portfolio for its form and detail, describing his work as imaginative, and discreet. Pennoyer is also recognized for his philanthropic endeavors and writing, which has influenced a generation of architects dedicated to classicism as a living artistic language. 

Climate protesters from Riposte Alimentaire splatter the Mona Lisa with orange soup. 

Two protestors at the Louvre in Paris threw soup at the Mona Lisa over the weekend, splattering it across the protective glass without causing damage. The activists, affiliated with Riposte Alimentaire (Food Response) within the A22 movement, questioned the priorities of art versus a sustainable food system. They breached security but were promptly removed. French farmers were simultaneously protesting low wages and environmental regulations. The Mona Lisa has faced vandalism in the past—the painting has been displayed behind bulletproof glass since an acid attack in the 1950s, and was smeared with cake two years ago. 

Leading museums are closing displays about Native Americans amid new federal rules.

The American Museum of Natural History has announced the closure of two major halls exhibiting Native American objects in response to new federal regulations requiring museums to obtain tribal consent before displaying or researching cultural items. The decision to close the galleries dedicated to the Eastern Woodlands and the Great Plains represents a dramatic response to address past insensitivity towards Indigenous peoples’ values and perspectives. Museums across the country have been covering up displays and revising practices to comply with the new rules, which aim to hasten the repatriation of Native American remains and cultural items. The closures at the American Museum of Natural History will leave approximately 10,000 square feet of exhibition space temporarily inaccessible, with no exact timeline for reopening.

Today’s attractive distractions:

The New Yorker’s latest podcast exposes the plight of Dubai’s royal women.

Are millennials, America’s largest living generation, prepared for middle age?

TikTok’s “mob wives” fuel a resurgence in animal prints and giant fur coats.

Here’s how Arielle Charnas and Something Navy became a cautionary tale.