On Jan. 1, the French Legion of Honor recognized Nicolas Ghesquière and other French talents.
France’s New Year’s Day honors list recognized several figures from fashion and luxury, led by Louis Vuitton womenswear artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière, who received the rank of Knight in the Legion of Honor. Ralph Toledano, a longtime industry power broker and former head of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, advanced to Officer, two decades after his initial knighthood. The list also included senior executives across beauty, jewelry, and retail, signaling the state’s continued acknowledgment of fashion and luxury as cultural and economic forces.
Even in the face of Swiss tariff reductions, Rolex has raised its U.S. prices for the third time in one year.
Rolex has started 2026 with another round of U.S. price increases, marking the brand’s third hike in roughly twelve months despite Switzerland securing a tariff reduction on watch imports. After raising prices twice in 2025 in anticipation of a potential 39 percent tariff, Rolex held steady when duties dropped to 15 percent late last year, then increased prices again on January 1. Stainless steel models such as the Submariner, GMT-Master II, and Daytona rose by roughly 5.5 to 6.2 percent, while precious metal and two-tone references climbed closer to 8 to 10 percent.
Apple has reportedly reduced production output of the Vision Pro headset.
Apple has reportedly scaled back production of the Vision Pro after sales of the $3,499 headset failed to meet expectations. Analysts estimate Apple sold roughly 45,000 units in the most recent quarter, prompting its manufacturing partner Luxshare to halt output late last year and leading Apple to sharply reduce marketing spend. The company has limited the device’s rollout to a small number of countries, while reports suggest it has paused work on a next-generation version to focus instead on A.I.-driven wearables. Apple has declined to comment, but the slowdown marks an unusually soft performance for a flagship Apple launch.
New York City’s Metrocard has officially been discontinued as the MTA completes its OMNY transition.
New York City has officially ended MetroCard sales as the MTA completes its shift to OMNY, a contactless payment system that replaces the familiar swipe with taps via phones, cards, or dedicated OMNY passes. Introduced in 1994, the MetroCard reshaped how riders moved through the city, enabling free transfers and flexible fare options while becoming a collectible object in its own right through hundreds of limited-edition designs. Existing MetroCards will still work for now, though the MTA has not set a final cutoff date for acceptance. The agency says the transition will streamline fare collection and reduce operating costs, even as some riders remain reluctant to part with a system that defined decades of daily transit life.
Mexico City’s Feria Material will relocate from Expo Reforma due to a venue conflict with Stranger Things.
Mexico City’s Feria Material will move its February 5–8 edition from Expo Reforma to Maravilla Studios after the venue confirmed a scheduling conflict with a Stranger Things immersive activation that occupies much of the building during Art Week. Organizers notified exhibitors roughly six weeks out, after efforts to rework the fair’s footprint at Expo Reforma fell through. The relocation reflects broader pressure on mid-sized fairs in the city, where immersive brand experiences have tightened venue availability and driven up rental costs. Material’s team says Maravilla Studios offers comparable pricing and a layout that places all exhibitors on a single level, with room to expand public programming.
Today’s attractive distractions:
A Swiss getaway in Sils Maria is the latest addition to the Hauser & Wirth hospitality universe.
2025 was a big year for troubling global news—but not devoid of stories of hope.
One writer opines on the Birkin bag’s eye candy value prop over, say, a hedge fund.
It’s a new year, and you can bet on the fact that The Paris Review has an essay for that.
