New GAP CEO, Mattel's Prez & COO Richard Dickson Is a Superlative Hire
/Mattel golden boy Richard Dickson is the new CEO of Gap, ending a year-long search for a visionary leader to take the helm of the struggling mothership brand. Dickson is widely credited with reviving Barbie for the 21st century.
President and COO at Mattel
Mattel announced Dickson’s departure as President and Chief Operating Officer to staff early Wednesday, as many were still celebrating Barbie’s humongous box office success. In his role, Mr. Dickson leads Mattel's portfolio of global brands, overseeing innovation strategy, design and development, and brand marketing.
Dickson joined the retailer’s board in November 2022 and is responsible for a new partnership in which Gap sells merchandise themed around Mattel’s properties. First up is Barbie, where Gap began selling T-shirts, hoodies, jeans and other gear inspired by Barbie and Ken in May.
Read MoreBalenciaga Deletes All References to Kanye West and Ye With Few Words but Bold Actions
/After removing all visible references to Ye, known to the world as Kanye West, from their own websites on Thursday — along with any products sold on third-party websites carrying an association beween Balenciaga and the rapper/creative marketer of all things Ye or Yeezy — Balenciaga has issued a statement Friday saying that the luxury label no longer has "any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist.”
On Oct. 17, the Kering-owned luxury label fashion giant announced that saying Kanye’s runway imagers was removed from Balenciaga’s Spring 2023 Paris fashion show and also from Vogue Runway, as well as the Balenciaga website.
Balenciaga’s severing of any association with Kanye West is due to his recent anti-Semitic statements and threatening behavior, as expressed on the podcast Drink Champs. Kanye has threatened to go death con 3 on Jews in recent days.
Additionally, West’s right-wing, conspiracy-theory assertion that George Floyd died of a drug overdose — and not because of the nine-minute, knee on his neck, no-mercy murder that the entire world watched live — was stated as a reason why Balenciaga has severed all connections to Kanye West, legally known as Ye.
Read MoreSimone Biles Claims Her GOAT Title in Gymnastics, Leaves NIKE for Athleta
/Simone Biles Claims Her GOAT Title in Gymnastics, Leaves NIKE for Athleta AOC Living
"The idea was to hit back at the haters," she told the outlet. "[The haters] were joking like, 'I swear, if she put a goat on her leo, blah, blah, blah.' That would make them so angry. And then I was like, 'Oh, that's actually a good idea.' And so that's exactly what we did and why we did it."
Simone Biles may be 4’10” in stature, but she packs a power punch twice her size. In late April, the platinum athlete ended her six-year relationship with Nike to join Athleta, Gap’s female-focused activewear brand.
The GOAT gymnast did not directly criticize Nike in announcing her move to Athleta — even though the company has a rocky relationship with female athletes.
“I felt like it wasn’t just about my achievements, it’s what I stood for and how they were going to help me use my voice and also be a voice for females and kids,” she said. “I feel like they also support me, not just as an athlete, but just as an individual outside of the gym and the change that I want to create, which is so refreshing.”
Simone Biles delivered an astonishing set of images by Kennedi Carter in this weeks’ online release of her cover story and interview in the June issue of Glamour US. There’s yet more to the Simone Biles story, with Athleta backing her competitive bird dogging of USA Gymnastics over her being willing to take on permanently USA Gymnastics, the governing body of her sport — a system that ignored staggering sexual abuse by team doctors of young women in their care. Biles has been a leader in that ongoing fight.
DO check out the Simone Biles cover story for Glamour’s June 2021 issue.
Simone Biles Soars by Kennedi Carter for Glamour US June 2021 AOC Fashion