David Chipperfield Architects has recast the former U.S. Embassy in London as a Rosewood hotel.
David Chipperfield Architects has transformed Eero Saarinen’s former U.S. Embassy in London into The Rosewood Chancery, reopening the 1960 modernist landmark to Grosvenor Square. The redesign restores Saarinen’s concrete diagrid ceiling and introduces new interiors by Joseph Dirand, including restaurants, lounges, and an atrium-centered guest wing. Topped with a discreet sixth-floor addition, the hotel is on track to become the U.K.’s first five-star property with a BREEAM Outstanding rating.
Art Basel Qatar has slated a roster of 87 exhibiting galleries for its debut edition.
Art Basel has confirmed 87 exhibitors for the debut of its Qatar edition, taking place February 5–7 in Doha’s M7 and the Doha Design District. The fair, organized with Qatar Sports Investments, brings together galleries from 31 countries, including 16 showing with Art Basel for the first time. Under artistic director Wael Shawky, the fair will center each booth on a single artist, with roughly half of the presentations devoted to artists from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. The lineup mixes global heavyweights like Gagosian and Hauser & Wirth with regional leaders such as Athr Gallery and The Third Line.
Loewe’s On collaboration is going strong with the drop of its first co-designed sneaker.
Loewe and On have unveiled the Cloudsolo, their first co-designed sneaker and the centerpiece of the Fall/Winter 2025 collection. The new silhouette blends Loewe’s craftsmanship with On’s performance engineering, featuring a single CloudTec® element in the heel, Helion™ superfoam, and a semi-translucent technical mesh upper. Alongside the sneaker, the collection expands into performance apparel designed for city life, including outerwear, base layers, and reimagined versions of On’s Cloudtilt shoe. Shot by Ryan McGinley, the campaign highlights the collaboration’s focus on movement and creativity through choreography by MazelFreten.
Fashion retailer the Webster has sold a majority stake to U.K.-based Fraser’s group.
The Webster has sold a majority stake to U.K.-based Frasers Group, with founder Laure Hériard Dubreuil retaining a significant share and continuing to manage the business. Since its 2008 founding in Miami, The Webster has expanded to 13 North American locations and carries over 100 luxury brands across fashion, jewelry, home, and beauty. Under Frasers, the retailer will operate as a stand-alone business within the Flannels luxury division, benefiting from enhanced digital and operational resources. The deal aims to support The Webster’s continued growth while preserving its curated, residential-style shopping experience.
A U.K. museum has stirred up controversy by labeling an 1800s admiral as queer.
The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool has drawn criticism for including Admiral Horatio Nelson in a “Queer relationships” collection, citing his reported final words to Captain Thomas Hardy—“Kiss me, Hardy”—as evidence. The gallery frames the gesture as part of the hidden queer history of life at sea, while acknowledging that the nature of Nelson and Hardy’s relationship remains unknown. Critics argue the claim lacks historical support, noting Nelson’s marriage and affair with Lady Emma Hamilton, and warn that such interpretations risk misrepresenting historical figures. The controversy highlights the tension between reexamining history through contemporary LGBTQ+ perspectives and maintaining historical accuracy.
Today’s attractive distractions:
At the National Portrait Gallery, Cecil Beaton’s “glorious study” of all that glittered.
Humans of New York photographer Brandon Stanton took over Grand Central’s billboards.
That Frank Lloyd Wright building in The Studio? Apple TV+ created it from scratch.
Taylor Swift finally stepped into her capital-F Fashion era, wearing Wiederhoeft on Fallon.
