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Dressed for Succession? Kim Jong Un, Daughter Fuel Speculation with Matching Coats

This picture taken on February 25, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 26, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attending the military parade to commemorate the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on February 25, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 26, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attending the military parade to commemorate the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
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Dressed for Succession? Kim Jong Un, Daughter Fuel Speculation with Matching Coats

This picture taken on February 25, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 26, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attending the military parade to commemorate the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on February 25, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 26, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attending the military parade to commemorate the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un donned matching jackets with his daughter at a military parade, state media photos showed Thursday, stoking speculation she is being groomed as heir.

Kim's teenage daughter Ju Ae featured prominently in state photos published to mark the closing stages of the ruling Workers' Party congress.

The duo donned matching leather jackets as they stood side-by-side to watch over a vast military procession.

Kim's wife, Ri Sol Ju, also appeared alongside the duo in a similar attire, AFP reported.

The Kim family has ruled North Korea with an iron grip for decades, and a cult of personality surrounding their "Paektu bloodline" dominates daily life in the isolated country.

Ju Ae has long been seen as the next in line, a perception stoked by a string of recent high-profile outings.

Analyst Lim Eul-chul said the jackets - a staple of leader Kim's wardrobe, especially during key public appearances - were more than a fashion statement.

"In North Korea's political symbolism, that look carries weight -- it's tied to the image of the leader as the ultimate guarantor of national security and future prosperity.

"So when that same symbolic attire is put on his young daughter, it's hard to see it as accidental."

Other photos from the parade showed Ju Ae striding a red carpet next to her father as he received salutes from North Korea's military top brass.

Ju Ae has been clearly "designated as a successor", South Korea's national intelligence service said earlier this month.

Korean affairs expert Leif-Eric Easley said Ju Ae's latest appearance demonstrated her elevated status.

"But she still appears in her capacity as the leader's daughter.

"She is probably not yet old enough to participate in the congress with an official party title."

Ju Ae was publicly introduced to the world in 2022 when she accompanied her father to an intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

Before then, the only confirmation of her existence had come from former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who visited the North in 2013.

Pyongyang has never confirmed Ju Ae's exact age, but analysts believe she is in her early teens.

Ju Ae has drawn attention for her taste in luxury fashion, appearing in Gucci sunglasses and wearing a Cartier watch.

At other times, she has mirrored her father's distinctive style, wearing matching leather jackets and dark glasses.

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Fashion

Dior Nods to Hollywood's Golden Age with Cruise Collection

Models walk the runway during the Dior 2027 Cruise collection fashion show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles on May 13, 2026. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
Models walk the runway during the Dior 2027 Cruise collection fashion show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles on May 13, 2026. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
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Dior Nods to Hollywood's Golden Age with Cruise Collection

Models walk the runway during the Dior 2027 Cruise collection fashion show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles on May 13, 2026. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
Models walk the runway during the Dior 2027 Cruise collection fashion show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles on May 13, 2026. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Lights, camera, Dior! The French fashion house has unveiled an ode to the golden age of cinema in Los Angeles at its highly anticipated Cruise 2027 show, the first of its kind under creative director Jonathan Anderson.

At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Anderson -- who took the creative reins at Dior last year -- presented a runway show inspired by Hollywood glamour, with nods to the natural beauty of California.

Singers Sabrina Carpenter and Miley Cyrus, and actors Al Pacino, Jeff Goldblum, Anya Taylor-Joy and Macaulay Culkin were among the celebrities who attended the glitzy extravaganza in LACMA's newly opened David Geffen Galleries.

The audience was transported to the set of a classic detective film, with colorful vintage cars placed amidst the museum's stark concrete curves and moody lighting, AFP reported.

Models emerged from the smoky haze in effervescent hues of yellow, purple, and orange.

The collection explores the French house's historical relationship with Hollywood, taking as its starting point the ultimatum Marlene Dietrich gave to director Alfred Hitchcock before the filming of "Stage Fright" in the late 1940s: "No Dior, no Dietrich!"

Just like the legendary actress's wardrobe, Dior's show late Wednesday exuded glamour and female empowerment.

Flowers played a prominent role, with a spray of daffodils bursting from one skirt or the red-orange petals of California's poppy, the state flower, cascading down a dress.

Jackets also had their place on the runway in shades of black, gold, and silver.

A striking gray-striped coat featured geometric shadows that mimicked light filtering through Venetian blinds, appearing as if it had practically materialized from a black and white film.

A model wears a creation from the Christian Dior Cruise 2027 collection show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles, California, US, May 13, 2026. REUTERS/Daniel Cole

The new version of the brand's signature saddle bag, inspired by vintage American cars, complemented the outfits.

The nostalgic tone of the collection was captured by some attendees who praised the juxtaposition of pieces, resulting in fluid, less cinched silhouettes reminiscent of 1940s Hollywood.

Anderson, former artistic director of the Spanish fashion house Loewe, in June 2025 became the first designer since Christian Dior to oversee all three lines (women's, men's, and haute couture) for the legendary French house.

Following an acclaimed first menswear collection in June and a less enthusiastically received first womenswear collection in October, Anderson presented a second, more extravagant menswear collection in the French capital in January.

Then, for his first haute couture collection, the 41-year-old Northern Irish designer presented a line with punk touches and floral accents, true to his rebellious spirit.

Like Dior, nominated for an Oscar in 1955 for the costumes in "Indiscretion of an American Wife," Anderson has built a connection with Hollywood, contributing to productions such as "Challengers" (2024), starring Zendaya and directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Dior holds its Cruise, or resort, shows in different locations each year, showcasing the luxury house's designs in new locales.

The transitional collection debuted last year in Rome, after shows in Scotland and Mexico. This special runway show last took place in Los Angeles in 2017.

Fashion

LVMH Sells Marc Jacobs to WHP Global, which Will Form Partnership with G-III

Bernard Arnault (L), chair of the world's largest luxury house LVMH, and Delphine Arnault (C), his daughter and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, arrive at Shinsegae Inc.'s flagship department store in Seoul, South Korea, 11 May 2026, to visit The Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul. EPA/YONHAP
Bernard Arnault (L), chair of the world's largest luxury house LVMH, and Delphine Arnault (C), his daughter and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, arrive at Shinsegae Inc.'s flagship department store in Seoul, South Korea, 11 May 2026, to visit The Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul. EPA/YONHAP
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LVMH Sells Marc Jacobs to WHP Global, which Will Form Partnership with G-III

Bernard Arnault (L), chair of the world's largest luxury house LVMH, and Delphine Arnault (C), his daughter and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, arrive at Shinsegae Inc.'s flagship department store in Seoul, South Korea, 11 May 2026, to visit The Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul. EPA/YONHAP
Bernard Arnault (L), chair of the world's largest luxury house LVMH, and Delphine Arnault (C), his daughter and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, arrive at Shinsegae Inc.'s flagship department store in Seoul, South Korea, 11 May 2026, to visit The Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys Seoul. EPA/YONHAP

French luxury giant LVMH will sell its Marc Jacobs brand to US brand firm WHP Global, the two companies said Thursday.

Marc Jacobs, acquired by LVMH in 1997, will keep the namesake American designer as creative director once the transaction is finalized -- expected by the end of the year once necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained.

After a surge in popularity in the early 2000s, the Marc Jacobs fashion house lost momentum and made several strategic shifts to find a viable business model.

According to several media outlets, it has returned to profitability.

After the sale, another company, G-III will then purchase and co-own part of the Marc Jacobs brand alongside WHP Global, according to a statement from G-III.

WHP Global is home to brands such as rag & bone, G-Star and Vera Wang.

"I am forever grateful to Bernard Arnault for his support, belief and trust in me over the last 30 years," Jacobs said in the joint statement, referring to LVMH's boss, who is France's richest man.

Before dedicating himself to his own brand, Jacobs worked for 16 years as artistic director of Louis Vuitton -- LVMH's flagship brand.

"I remain committed in my role as Creative Director of Marc Jacobs International and look forward to this bright new chapter," the designer added, according to AFP.

Arnault praised Jacobs' "unique vision" and "undeniable" impact on the fashion world.

A leading brand at the turn of the millennium, Marc Jacobs later found itself losing steam and began a wave of strategic changes in a bid to find a viable business model.

WHP Global and G-III will form an equally owned joint venture that will hold Marc Jacobs, G-III said in a separate statement, adding that its investment would be around $500 million, financed with available cash and debt.

According to the statement from LVMH and WHP Global, the agreement will see G-III operate Marc Jacobs' direct-to-consumer and wholesale businesses.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported in July last year that LVMH was in talks to sell Marc Jacobs in a transaction valued at $1 billion, or 850 million euros.

According to the US newspaper, the French group was in talks with several potential buyers, including US groups Authentic, the owner of Reebok, and WHP Global.

LVMH, the world's largest luxury group which owns Dior, Celine, Moet Hennessy and other brands, posted a 22-percent drop in net profit in the first half of 2025.

Now the brand is reporting "good resilience in a geopolitical and economic environment that remained disrupted, amplified by the conflict in the Middle East."

Overall revenue fell six percent in the first quarter, LVMH said in April.

Fashion

Burberry's Quarterly Sales Hit by Iran War-driven Tourism Slump

People walk past the Burberry store on Regent Street in central London on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
People walk past the Burberry store on Regent Street in central London on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
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Burberry's Quarterly Sales Hit by Iran War-driven Tourism Slump

People walk past the Burberry store on Regent Street in central London on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
People walk past the Burberry store on Regent Street in central London on May 12, 2026. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)

Burberry reported fourth-quarter sales in line with expectations on Thursday, as the Iran war dampened tourism and buying activity, offsetting gains from the British luxury brand's heritage-focused turnaround.

A hit to global travel and rising living costs linked ⁠to the Middle East ⁠war have disrupted early signs of recovery in the $400 billion luxury market, squeezing profits and deepening a downturn that followed the post-pandemic ⁠boom.

Burberry, seen among the least exposed luxury companies, reported comparable retail sales growth of 5% in the three-month period ended March 28, bringing annual growth to 2%, in line with analysts' expectations in a company-compiled poll.

However, sales in Europe, the Middle East, ⁠India ⁠and Africa fell 2% in the fourth quarter, while other regions recorded strong growth, Reuters reported.

Burberry also said that Chair Gerry Murphy will be retiring later in the year, and will be succeeded by William Jackson.