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Tips For Choosing Gifts That Feel Truly Meaningful

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Tips For Choosing Gifts That Feel Truly Meaningful

Given the season, it’s no surprise that many of us are starting to get a lot more antsy about the topic of gifts. If you haven’t gotten that someone special in your life a gift yet, it might be because you want to ensure that it’s truly special and meaningful, but aren’t sure how to do that. Rather than focusing on buying them the most expensive thing that you can, it’s worth taking the time to sit down and think, look back on your observations of them as a person, and consider what it is that makes a gift feel meaningful in the first place.

Connect With Their Interests

Perhaps one of the easiest places to start is by thinking about their interests, whether it’s the hobbies they enjoy, particular media they feel a deep connection to, or any other passions that play an important role in their life. If you do pick a gift in this realm, however, do not overestimate how satisfying novelty gifts are. Things like t-shirts or signs with mottos that pay lip service to those interests often don’t show a true interest in them and, indeed, can sometimes feel like they’re mocking their passions. Dig deep and choose gifts that allow them to engage in the things they love more deeply, such as a rare ingredient for someone who loves cooking, or a beautifully bound edition of a reader’s favorite author. Treat their interests with the respect and love you want them to feel.

Add The Personal Touch With DIY Presents

If you want to create a one-of-a-kind gift that truly has your emotion and effort invested into it, then handmade gifts can easily be the way to go. They often have a sentimental quality baked right into them because of the time, creativity, and dedicated focus that they require. What you create might be based largely on what skills you can bring to the table, be it a knitted scarf, a piece of artwork, or even a curated scrapbook that can speak to the memories that you share with your loved one.

Think Of Things They Might Need But Wouldn’t Get Themselves

There’s a specific kind of gift where practicality and quality of life might be the main attraction, but you have to be careful with these, especially if they’re related to household chores. Few people are going to feel particularly catered to by a new mop, but if you invest in something that meets a lifestyle need of theirs that they might not readily invest in themselves, it can make a big difference. This could include a homeware item like a new coffee maker, a premium self-care product like a bath bomb bundle, or equipment that allows them to try out a hobby that they have been interested in. Pay attention to the things they might admire in stores or in ads, but show hesitation to pick up for themselves.

Consider Experiences, Not Just Physical Items

What do you get the person who seems to have everything they might need? A gift that brings new experiences might be the way to go. Immersive and luxurious experience gifts, such as spa days, wine-tasting tours, or tickets to a concert or play, can create memories they’ll take with them for years to come. Of course, you want to make sure that the experience is catered to the personality of the person you’re gifting. This might mean a weekend getaway for the more adventurous people or a wellness retreat for someone who secretly likes to be pampered. Getting enough tickets or places to join them can help you show that you’re interested in sharing those experiences with them, but you should also consider offering them the choice of who they bring with them.

Consider Their Values And Beliefs

Some people have needs that go a little higher than their own quality of life or wants. Their core values, be it faith, charity, or their cultural identity, might add a lot of meaning to their life. Even if you don’t necessarily share them, giving a gift that reflects those values can show a level of respect and care that goes a lot deeper than many presents This could be a donation to charity in their name for someone who has a cause they care deeply about, or a gift that enriches their spiritual life, like rosary beads or saint medals from Mondo Cattolico. It can be important for your loved ones to know that you respect and are mindful of the things that truly matter the most to them.

Celebrate Shared Memories

Many of the gifts above can focus on creating new memories with the person that you love, but there’s a lot to be said about revisiting fond memories, as well. Shared experiences can often be the strongest roots of the bonds we have with the people in our lives. Gifts that speak to those, such as a framed photo gallery for their wall, a custom illustration of a special moment, or the aforementioned scrapbook full of tokens of the times you’ve spent together, can bring out some very strong emotions, indeed.

Consider Acts Of Service

Actions can sometimes speak louder than words, especially if you want to ease the burden of a loved one who always puts others first, or to support them during a time of need. Offering to help with tasks like organizing a home space, planning an event, cooking meals, pet-sitting, or handling errands can feel incredibly meaningful. Many will even create little service boucher booklets for their loved ones to be able to redeem whenever they might need a little extra consideration, be it a night of babysitting or helping them with a project around the home. These gifts can show true care, love, and consideration for their wellbeing and needs beyond the simple unwrapping of a gift.

As the above points should show, there is no one notion of meaning that applies to all presents. Finding the meaning that you think works best for the recipient is the best way to go.

The Best Books of 2025

Sam Franzini
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The Best Books of 2025

Is it the year of the man?

I still remember seeing, last year, the front page of The New York Times after Donald Trump’s election: “AMERICA HIRES A STRONGMAN.” Since then, it feels like the country has increasingly adopted power, strength and stubbornness as virtues, neglecting empathy, logic and sensitivity. It’s been distilled into the literary world, as writers bemoan the loss of the ‘male author,’ while other writers argue that’s not the case, or that male writers need to step it up anyway. I traveled to New York, then Philadelphia, to interview two authors whose books investigated a more relaxed methodology of manhood, and it was fun, in both instances, to be two men chatting about literary men. “Two men talking about masculinity—you instinctively laugh at that,” Andrew Lipstein told me. 

Nevertheless, I was surprised that most of the books I put together for 2025’s best list were written by men; the rest are deeply concerned with masculinity in some form. There was cross-gender exploration in Jeff Weiss’s madcap tale that tracked the rise of early-aughts Britney Spears and E.Y. Zhao’s novel about Ryan Lo, her mysterious protagonist dissected through the eyes of others. In more straightforward forms, Kyle Seibel’s collection of short stories, Hey You Assholes, centers a rather pathetic maleness over a violent one; the father-son duo of Harris Lahti’s Foreclosure Gothic is fractured by their different visions of their legacies. In stories like C. Mallon’s Dogs, teenage angst muscles up against adult violence as Hal, a high school wrestler, pummels others in spite of his emotional vulnerability. The mosquito monster of Michel Nieva’s shapeshifting Dengue Boy could be seen as a transgender icon of body horror, ripping apart white-collared workers who consider themselves untouchable. There are, of course, many different ways to write about the myth of man.

“Let’s hear it for the man of the year,” Lorde sang on her new album, Virgin, both a taunt and a moment of self-actualization. Masculinity might be in crisis, a constantly evolving concept and legend, both problem and solution, but at least we got some good literature out of this reckoning to understand it better. 

10. Mỹ Documents, Kevin Nguyen

Political fiction is always a hard sell. Most of it is didactic, unsubtle, or woefully out of date, which is why I was pleasantly surprised with Mỹ Documents, the second novel from The Verge editor Kevin Nguyen, an astute and thrilling tale of plausible horror. In the near-distant future, a string of domestic terror attacks all perpetrated by Vietnamese people leads the government to enact internment camps for them, but broader American politics are not the centerpiece of the novel (thank goodness)—Nguyen’s characters are. A family falls askew as Jen is interned, but her older sister Ursula is not, and she relies on Jen’s documentation of the camps to advance her journalism career and keep breaking stories. Meanwhile, the Viets in the camp find their own ways—magazines, uprisings—to have their own fun. Fast-paced and, against all odds, enjoyable, Mỹ Documents is a parable for our times without being too entrenched in its madness.

Read our interview with Kevin Nguyen here.

9. Seduction Theory, Emily Adrian

Sexy and enigmatic, Simone and Ethan are the stars of Edwards University’s creative writing program—incoming students pine after them, reading their books that are probably about each other. But one, a cheeky student named Robbie who narrates the novel, attempts to join in on the fun and potentially disrupt their picture-perfect marriage, becoming entwined with Simone. Emily Adrian’s sly metafiction sees a relationship strengthening, determined to last through stellar conversations and genuine chemistry. It’s filled with the desperation of anyone who’s ever had a crush on their English teacher. Seduction Theory is a daring, enormously fun ride.

8. Dengue Boy, Michel Nieva

Horrific and disgusting, Michel Nieva’s story of a scorned, transgender humanoid mosquito who’s activated during a circlejerk at a boy’s camp might not be for everyone. But for all its graphic insanity, Dengue Boy spears technocapitalism, ecoterrorism, climate change and gender roles in its absurd, spiraling premise, ending with a showstopping diatribe on cosmic terror and fatalism. Dizzyingly quick and bizarrely propulsive, Dengue Boy is a fresh, freaky and often perverted novel, just how they should be. 

7. Hey You Assholes, Kyle Seibel

Kyle Seibel roots for the loser. “Fucked by life” might be a crude descriptor, but many of the characters in his debut collection Hey You Assholes certainly seem to be—discharged soldiers, pushover husbands, Baghdadi restauranteurs, someone called “Fish Man.” Humanly observed by his time in the military and ability to conjure up quite the absurdity, Seibel’s clean characters turn from depressing to funny to melancholic very, almost astoundingly quickly. Make no mistake that Hey You Assholes is mostly about sad men in their sad stories, but it is astonishingly real. Forget the girl next door—it’s about the divorced neighbor guzzling beer in his garage. And isn’t he sort of a hero in his own right?

Read our interview with Kyle Seibel here.

6. Something Rotten, Andrew Lipstein

Andrew Lipstein’s freewheeling novel—loosely autofictional, as always—sees Reuben and Cecilie, married journalists, abroad in Copenhagen with their toddler, reconnecting with Cecilie’s old friend group and imagining a life divorced from America and all its humiliations (Reuben was recently caught giving his wife head on a work Zoom call). But wherever you go, there you are, and as he awkwardly integrates himself within her friends, he finds himself thinking about masculinity, spurned by a bawdy reporter named Mikkel, whom Reuben decides to interview. Not for any journalistic reason, just request to how to be more relaxed in a male body, something that is up in the air these days. In its exploration of how to live morally and manly, Lipstein’s witty and provocative Something Rotten is a rollicking, entertaining read—and always with a finger on the pulse.

5. Waiting for Britney Spears, Jeff Weiss

Journalistic powerhouse Jeff Weiss’ first book could have been about anything, but he chose Britney Spears. It’s apt—she’s how he began his career, sneaking into the shoot for “…Baby One More Time,” Spears’ debut single; he never seems to shake her charm. Joining the hoards of tabloid reporters, Waiting for Britney Spears sums up his early writing career, shaking hands, standing in the VIP area, bumping into Timbaland in order to get the perfect shot—or mishap—from the teen icon. The boundary between Jeff the writer and Jeff the fan begins to blur; same with the one between reporter and harasser. Reasonably, he never gets too close, or maybe, he omits some of the facts—it’s “allegedly” a true story, anyway. But like the newspapers he published his Britney scoops in, Waiting for Britney Spears is pure entertainment. Are we no better than the industry that distorted itself around her, abusing and disrupting her life, squeezing out any last bit of gossip? Maybe it’s best not to ask.

4. Open Wide, Jessica Gross

I was hooked on whatever’s happening within Jessica Gross’ mind after devouring Hysteria, her 2020 debut novel where an unnamed narrator hallucinates her bartender to be the reincarnation of Sigmund Freud, then fucks him. Who wouldn’t be? Open Wide, her newest book, streamlines her eccentricities into a more accessible plot, but never skimps on the depravity; after falling madly in love, a podcaster splits her boyfriend down the middle via a gap in his teeth, crawling into him and sleeping there. But it gets better—and more titillating—that after he gets over the initial privacy shock, he seems to enjoy it too. Open Wide mixes sex and disgust so seamlessly you’re unable to separate them, and romance has never been so stomach-churning.

3. Foreclosure Gothic, Harris Lahti

Deliciously plotted and shiveringly eerie, Harris Lahti throws you into the dusty, dark atmosphere of Hudson Valley house renovation. The father and son duo of Vic and Junior tackle dwellings that spook them; they quit and come back, even if it kills them. Foreclosure Gothic’s vignettes, by turn poignant and tense, show Vic’s love of the game and reluctance to bow out for fear of letting his family down. Some, like when Junior decamps to Costa Rica to become a novelist, can stand their own as glimpses into their life, but thankfully Lahti expands on the pair choppily and distinctively. Foreclosure Gothic, with its unending dread, feels like doing manual labor on a haunted house during the horrors of 3pm. A bizarre, surreal, and sometimes disturbing look at legacy, labor and family. 

Read our interview with Harris Lahti here.

2. Underspin, E.Y. Zhao

Kaleidoscopic and wildly inventive, E.Y. Zhao’s debut Underspin is the sort of constantly shifting novel that keeps you on your toes and commands attention through its winding, beautiful prose. Ryan Lo, a teenage table tennis star who dies young, is glimpsed through the eyes of those who try—and usually fail—to understand him. Coaches, crushes, childhood friends, camp counselors and therapists all offer their insight into his psyche, but it’s still not enough to complete a full vision; Lo is at the heart of these stories, but Zhao’s dazzling Lazy Susan of ulterior characters make up the heart of this vibrant and dextrous novel. Every so often you come across someone who was born to write fiction; Underspin adds Zhao to the list.

1. Dogs, C. Mallon

“Misery,” Andrea Long Chu writes about Hanya Yanigihara’s novels, “has become airborne, passing aerosol-like from person to person while retaining its essential purpose—to allow the author to insert herself as a sinister kind of caretaker, poisoning her characters in order to nurse them lovingly back to health.” 

A Little Life, Yanigihara’s most famous but not only novel about gay male suffering, is curiously no longer fashionable. Celebrated upon its publication in 2015 as a fearless chronicler of queer New York-based lives marked by trauma, her most recent novel, 2022’s To Paradise was received lukewarmly. Not only was it about similar themes, but the repetition of work suggested something other than authorial imagination—what Chu mentions as “sinister”—that paints Yanigihara as a sadist abuser.

I disagree with this read for multiple reasons; I find fault in A Little Life because it so desperately wants me to cry. Yanigihara, in concocting a blatantly helpless and pitiable character in Jude, oversteps her invisible hand in the writing process to the point of uncomfortability. I no longer feel this story is real, because it’s clear from the cavalcade of abuse and beatings that Jude is the hero and Yanigihara will abuse him until I feel sympathy. It’s all very simple. 

On its surface, Dogs, the debut novel from C. Mallon, seems to follow the same theory. The five teen wrestlers at its center are broken, battered and bruised—and they’re as violent with each other as they are with themselves. One loses his hands, one dies, one crushes glass in his hand so that his mother will bandage the bleeding. They are, in a sense, tormented. But even though Mallon is successful in generating empathy for these characters, it never feels heavy-handed or deliberate to the point of parody; instead, it feels like she captured the unluckiest night of one teen boy’s life. 

Hal, the stern but sensitive narrator, is descriptive and provocative while describing the inner turmoil that taunts any teen boy; his desire for Cody John, the group’s ringleader, keeps him both afloat and bewildered. “He was a cardinal bird,” Hal thinks, “I was a canyon.” Hal is desperately, madly in love with him while also harboring a self-hate for thinking—or being— this way in the first place. He’s nothing more than a “horsefly lassoed on a thread of gold,” desperate to keep hanging on until Cody John inevitably drops him.

The delicate balance of trauma and gut in Dogs, which focuses on the aftermath of one terrible night, makes it readable, but not overindulgent. These aren’t puppets to punch, but rather real people, and Mallon makes the use out of her book’s slim pagecount to flesh them out, make them human, then constantly knife them. In other words, Mallon makes you feel, which is not easy to do when there’s only words on a page. It’s not a display of torture but a devastating act of heart and skill. Nearly every page is astounding, intense, and ferocious; it’s got a whole lot of bark and even more bite.

Read our review of Dogs here.

Forza Horizon 6: Release Date, Setting, Trailer, Gameplay and More

Shubhendu Vatsa
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Forza Horizon 6: Release Date, Setting, Trailer, Gameplay and More

The global tour continues. After racing through Mexico, Forza Horizon 6 is now headed to Japan, a “highly requested destination” as the Horizon Festival gets ready for a new adventure. Announced at the Xbox Tokyo Game Show back in September, Forza Horizon 6 will drop players into a reimagined Tokyo that promises to bring together Japan’s natural scenery with its dense, metropolitan vibrancy. Besides the new location, Playground Games is also putting a great deal of focus on showcasing what Japan has to offer, “whether it be how neighborhoods sound, even what a sign color communicates about a shop.” So if you want the latest on everything revealed so far, from the release date to trailers, gameplay details, and everything teased so far, here’s what we know right now about Forza Horizon 6.

Forza Horizon 6: Release Date

While there isn’t an official release date yet, Playground Games has confirmed that Forza Horizon 6 will be out sometime “early next year,” which (sort of) puts the game’s launch in first-half-of-2026 territory. As for platforms, it will land on Xbox Series X and S, as well as PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam. The upcoming racing game will also be available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch, with a PlayStation 5 version planned for “post-launch.”

Forza Horizon 6: Setting

Like the previous entries in the franchise, Forza Horizon 6 is shifting the Horizon Festival to a new location, which the developers claim is the series’ most “highly requested destination.” Per the official developer blog, “In Forza Horizon 6, you will get to discover a scenic and breathtaking Japan, where you will build up your racing status to become a Legend at the Horizon Festival.” The open-world map will be built around a reimagined Tokyo as the main metropolis, surrounded by a wide mix of Japan’s natural and urban landscapes. And Playground Games said that they spent a lot of time making sure this version of Japan feels authentic rather than just visually appealing.

In a September Xbox Wire blog, the developers revealed that they have been working closely with cultural consultants and carrying out research trips across the country to capture the subtle details, such as the ambience of a local train station, the way a street sounds at dusk, the general look of everyday storefronts, and the lived-in energy that connects old and new Japan on every block. The team wants Forza Horizon 6’s world to feel vibrant, complex, and instantly recognisable, while still offering players the series’ trademark open-world playground.

To that end, the devs brought in cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita, a lifelong car enthusiast, to help shape the team’s approach from early development. “Japan is widely loved, but it can also be widely misread when you only see it from afar,” explained Yamashita. “The team wanted to present more than a postcard or a backdrop; they wanted a lived-in world. Having a cultural consultant early helps you make a thousand small, respectful decisions: how neighborhoods sound, even what a sign color communicates about a shop. Those small choices add up to credibility and help avoid stereotypes, while also making it a truly immersive experience for players.”

forza-horizon-6-teaser-trailer-still
Image Credit: Xbox

What Else Can We Expect From Forza Horizon 6?

Apart from Japan serving as the main backdrop for all the action, Forza Horizon 6 will also feature an exciting roster of cars (duh) influenced by Japanese culture. While the developers have yet to reveal the full list of cars we’ll get to drive, they did mention that choosing Japan as the setting opens the door for a lineup inspired by the country’s deep automotive history and culture. Playground Games’ Art Director Don Arceta teased that the upcoming game will follow in the footsteps of Forza Horizon 5 by presenting an eclectic array of cars players already know and love, while also bringing in Japan’s unique car culture for players to learn more about.

“In Japanese car culture, the depth and diversity is astonishing,” said Yamashita. “Kei cars and vans with cult followings, precision motorsport, drifting’s roots, and their passion for customization really stands out. It’s welcoming to different levels of enthusiasm and knowledge, which is exactly the kind of layered world I want players to feel.”

Similar to past entries, Forza Horizon 6’s open world will change as you play, with true-to-life seasons that fundamentally alter the setting around you. As you might know, Japan features some of the most well-known, beautiful seasonal changes in the world, from sweltering summers and snowy winters to, of course, the iconic sakura season, when cherry blossoms bloom across the country.

More importantly, seasonal changes in Forza Horizon 6 won’t just be about how the game looks, but also how it feels. “The team has also been able to build a system where seasonal changes truly inform the world – how spring, summer, autumn, and winter subtly shift tone, activity, and sound,” Yamashita stated in the Xbox Wire blog. “The team is also really proud of the attention to everyday details: ambient audio like station chimes or summer wind bells that instantly place you without a caption. Those are quiet choices, but they carry a lot of truth.”

We haven’t seen any raw gameplay footage yet, but the devs did share a few interesting details during an interview with GamesRadar+. For starters, Forza Horizon 6 promises the series’ biggest map to date with its version of Japan. Art Director Don Arceta described the country as “full of contrasts,” adding that the team wants to create “new driving experiences that capture the location,” mentioning everything from busy city streets to mountain roads and vast open plains.

“We never set out to make a location one-to-one,” Arceta told GamesRadar+. “It’s always capturing the spirit of the location, and trying to do that in an authentic way and obviously a respectful way. We use a lot of real life data as much as we can to build our world; so a lot of satellite data for the terrain, we take a lot of 3D scans of objects actually on location, a lot of reference photography. We capture skies. So, you know, there’s a lot there that we take”.

The map is said to be both big and dense, with surprises around every corner, meaning that there’ll be plenty of events, activities, and races to take part in. Tokyo will be one of the primary locations, and Arceta characterizing it as “complex and layered,” claiming it is the most ambitious city Playground has built for the series. He further pointed out that the game’s elevated roadways were developed using technology from the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels expansion, adding that it will offer “something new and fresh.”

“Japan’s a breathtaking location, but I think they’ll be surprised just how much more of the culture we’ve tried to integrate into Horizon 6 outside of just the location,” Arceta added. “So obviously there’s car culture, but there’s different festivals and other cultural aspects that we actually wanted to inject a lot more into this game. I think we kind of dipped our toe in that a bit with Horizon 5. But working closely with Kyoko, I think people will be surprised; they’ll probably learn a bit more about this location than they might expect.”

Is there a trailer for Forza Horizon 6

Yes, there’s a trailer for Forza Horizon 6, which was shown off back in September during Tokyo Game Show 2025 alongside the first gameplay details. The just over a minute teaser doesn’t reveal anything substantial about the cars or gameplay, but it does show a series of license plates of all the featured locations from past games. We get to see license plates for places like Colorado, which was the setting of the original Forza Horizon, all the way through to Mexico from Forza Horizon 5. The trailer then ends with a wide shot over Mount Fuji before confirming Japan as the new setting for Forza Horizon 6.

And that’s about everything we currently know about Forza Horizon 6. For more gaming news and guides, make sure to check out our gaming section!

Our Flowers Go To The Woman Who Made Fashion Fearless Again: Pam Hogg Dead At 66

Vera Adamidou
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Our Flowers Go To The Woman Who Made Fashion Fearless Again: Pam Hogg Dead At 66

The world just lost the only woman who successfully pulled off Crayola-pencil-yellow hair. We found out last Wednesday via her page’s latest Instagram post “The Hogg Family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Pamela. We are grateful in the knowledge that her final hours were peaceful and surrounded by the loving care of cherished friends and family… A glorious life lived and loved”, and it sure was. Pam may be gone, but the spirit and legacy she left behind has a special place in the fashion world’s heart, and will hopefully stay alive there.

 

Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.

 

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη DR HOGG (@pamhoggfashion)

From Glasgow With Attitude

Born in the late ‘50s in Scotland’s Paisley, Pam took her artistic vision to Glasgow School of Art where she studied Fine Art and Printed Textiles and started her medal collection, one to be jealous of, which she later completed with a Master of Arts at London’s Royal College of Art. Not exactly the classic industry insider. Pam was mostly self-taught in terms of fashion, she learned by doing, a reminder that if you’re obsessed with what you do, you’ll do just great, with magazines writing about you and all.

Punk, Latex, Clubs & Legendary Work

Forget ready-to-wear, honestly, the term might have scared her. Pam’s work was as if avant-garde fusion fashion and art performance had a neon-colored baby. Her collections were daring, unconventional, pulling from London’s underground culture, nightlife, punk, new wave, even sci-fi futurism if you will. Her silhouettes were tight, body-conscious, sometimes layered to the max. She made latex, leather, metallics and palettes so vibrant your eyes hurt, her weapon of choice. We’re talking no mass production, just pure custom, DIY-dripping genius. Her looks became Fashion Week events of their own, wrapping themselves around Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kylie Minogue, Debbie Harry, Kate Moss, and pretty much every woman who understood that fashion is supposed to feel a little dangerous at times.

Fashion’s Wild Child Influence

Pam Hogg didn’t just influence fashion, she bullied it into being braver. Her work proved that creativity isn’t meant to be polite or commercially digestible, it’s supposed to slap you in the face a little. She gave underground DIY talent a seat at the high-fashion table, and unlocked a whole generation of designers who wanted to make fashion, art and statement into one. If today’s runways feel louder, weirder, and a little unhinged? Pam lit the fuse.

Her clothes may stop coming, but her impact is still here, in many runways, every club-kid’s look, every designer who chooses shock value over silence. She’s part of fashion’s DNA, and luckily, that’s a never-ending contribution.

How To Create Engaging Brand Videos

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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How To Create Engaging Brand Videos

Viewers decide fast. The first seconds either pull them in or push them away. That choice depends on clear intent, strong visuals, and sound that supports the message.

Teams in the Bay Area produce at a fast clip, and expectations run high. Many brands work with Corporate Video Production Services, including companies like Luma Creative in San Francisco, to align story, crew, and schedule. Whether you hire a partner or build in house, the same rules apply.

Photo by Donald Tong

Start With One Sentence And One Viewer

Write the promise of the video as a single sentence, then write it again in simpler words. Read those lines aloud until they sound natural. If they feel vague, the video will feel vague.

Choose one viewer to design for, then write a short profile on a single page. Note their job, context, and pain point. Keep it real, not idealized. When hard choices emerge later, use this page to decide.

List the action you want from the viewer after they watch. Make it small and concrete, such as booking a demo or sharing the clip internally. This target keeps scenes tight and avoids drift.

Build A Story That Fits Your Brand Voice

Pick a simple story spine, not a complicated plot. A clean arc works well, such as problem, approach, and result. Use real details from customer life, not corporate slogans.

Match tone to brand voice, then lock your vocabulary. If your brand prefers plain speech, keep it that way. If your brand uses dry humor, place it lightly and never at the customer’s expense.

Create three proof points that can appear on screen or through dialogue. These can be data moments, short quotes, or onscreen graphics. Each should connect to that one sentence promise you wrote.

Plan Visuals, Sound, And Pace Together

Treat picture and audio like partners, not separate tracks. Choose a visual system early, such as close faces, hands at work, or wide team shots. Use it to guide locations, lenses, and lighting.

Design sound before the shoot, not during the edit. Decide where music carries mood and where silence lets a point land. Record room tone at every location to smooth cuts later.

Set a pace rule for the edit before shooting. For example, hold talking shots under six seconds unless the emotion benefits from a longer take. This simple constraint prevents a sluggish cut.

Write An Honest Script And A Practical Board

Scripts for brand videos should read like people speak. Short lines beat long lines, and concrete nouns beat jargon. Invite one subject matter expert to review for accuracy, not style.

Translate script beats into a board that shows framing, subject action, and text on screen. A rough board is fine, but it must be complete. Your crew will move faster when shots are clear.

Keep a timing estimate beside each beat. Add a column for cutaways to cover jump cuts and tighten rhythm. This sheet will save your edit when a great interview runs long.

Prepare Interview And On-Set Workflows

Interviews benefit from a pre call that sets expectations and calms nerves. Share the goal, the shape of the story, and the time window. Ask for short, active answers with concrete examples.

On set, protect sound quality first, then light and frame. A quiet room or a solid lav mic choice prevents endless repair work later. Good sound carries authority, even in short web clips.

Organize assets on the day. Log the best takes. Photograph scene setups and lights. Clear notes prevent missed shots, speed the assembly, and help reshoots match without guesswork.

Edit For Clarity, Not Just Style

Open with the strongest proof that supports the promise. If a voice line hits hard, lead with it over music and title. Cut the first wide shot if it stalls momentum.

Use text on screen to anchor terms and numbers. Keep lines short and legible, and place them where eyes already travel. Avoid visual clutter that competes with faces or hands.

Check comprehension with a cold viewer who matches your profile. Ask what the video promised, what it proved, and what they remember. Their answers should align with your one sentence promise.

  • Keep your first cut under your target length by fifteen percent.

  • Remove any shot that repeats information already clear.

  • Replace general claims with a concrete example.

  • Leave room for platform trims and captions.

Design For Platforms, Access, And Measurement

Plan for captions from the start, then bake the need into framing. Captions cover muted playback and improve accessibility. They also help viewers keep pace with technical terms.

Export platform-ready aspect ratios from the same master timeline. Square, vertical, and widescreen cuts should share the same spine. This reduces version chaos and protects message integrity.

Choose two or three metrics before release and track them by platform. Play rate, watch time, and completion rate reveal real behavior. Compare against the same audience and the same style of video to avoid mixed signals.

Research on attention and media fatigue supports short, focused structures and clear goals. See the National Institutes of Health overview on attention and cognitive load for useful context, which can guide length and pacing choices for different audiences. 

When To Bring In A Production Partner

You can handle simple shoots with a small team and rented gear. Bring in a partner when logistics, multiple locations, or live streaming enter the plan. External crews reduce risk and keep your team focused on message and approvals.

In the Bay Area, many companies partner with production teams that know local permits, crews, and sound stages. That knowledge saves time and protects budget. A seasoned producer will flag risks early and propose clear tradeoffs.

When you evaluate partners, look for past work in your industry, not only beautiful frames. Ask how they handle pre production, on set workflow, and delivery formats. Strong answers will reference scheduling, coverage, and clear reporting rather than vague claims.

Public sector media guides also offer practical checklists for production planning and accessibility. The U.S. General Services Administration publishes helpful guidance on video accessibility and captioning that brands can adapt for public releases. This resource supports consistent practices across teams and vendors.

Bring The Message To Life On Release Day

Treat release as part of production, not an afterthought. Prepare thumbnails, captions, and copy that use the same vocabulary as the video. Align the first three seconds of the cut with the still image and headline.

Give your sales or field teams a short usage note that explains where the video fits. Tell them when to share, what problem it solves, and which persona responds. Internal clarity boosts the odds that the right people see the work.

Archive source files with readable names and store rights paperwork beside them. Next year’s update will move faster, and legal reviews will be smoother. A tidy archive protects your brand and your schedule.

A short, disciplined process builds videos that people watch and remember. Start with one sentence, one viewer, and one action. Plan visuals and sound together, then cut for clarity and truth.

Melody’s Echo Chamber Shares New Single ‘The House That Doesn’t Exist’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Melody’s Echo Chamber Shares New Single ‘The House That Doesn’t Exist’

Ahead of the release of her fourth studio album, Unclouded, this Friday, Melody’s Echo Chamber has unveiled a heavenly new track called ‘The House That Doesn’t Exist’. It follows previous singles ‘In The Stars’, ‘Eyes Closed, and ‘Daisy’. Check out Diane Sagnier‘s video for it below.

“’The House That Doesn’t Exist’ turns the impossible perspective of a joyful human life in today’s world into reality, evoking a new sense of faith,” Melody Prochet said in a press release.

Cootie Catcher Announce New Album ‘Something We All Got’, Share New Single

Konstantinos Pappis
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Cootie Catcher Announce New Album ‘Something We All Got’, Share New Single

Cootie Catcher have announced a new album, Something We All Got. The follow-up to this year’s Shy at First is due February 27 via Carpark Records. Today’s announcement comes with the release of the propulsive, stirring new single ‘Straight Drop’. Check it out below.

“This one came from frustration of being vulnerable in the ‘wrong’ places,” singer-bassist Anita Fowl explained in a statement. “I can fully have a cry in front of strangers while taking the bus but then clam up when I’m in front of people I’m close with. That generally parallels my experience performing live, where I’m so unsure in person but can get so much out on stage.”

Something We All Got Cover Artwork:

Swag Art

Something We All Got Tracklist:

1. Loiter For The Love of It
2. Lyfestyle
3. Straight Drop
4. From Here to Halifax
5. No Biggie
6. Rhymes With Rest
7. Quarter Note Rock
8. Take Me For Granted
9. Wrong Choice
10. Gingham Dress
11. Puzzle Pop
12. Stick Figure
13. Going Places
14. Pirouette

Sino-French Artistic Fusion Writes a New Chapter in Cultural Exchange

Abbie Wilson
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Sino-French Artistic Fusion Writes a New Chapter in Cultural Exchange

The Art and Design Louvre Special Exhibition in Paris, France, has concluded.

PARIS – Recently, the 2025 Sino-French Art and Design Louvre Special Exhibition – “Yuan You” – successfully concluded at the Carrousel du Louvre in France. Inspired by the Chinese garden philosophy of “Jie Jing” (borrowing scenery), this special exhibition creates an “oriental aesthetic field where reality and illusion intertwine,” becoming a “Garden Design Journey” that transcends time and space. The special exhibition attracted outstanding artists from China, France, and around the world, building a high-end platform for cultural exchange between China and France, and presenting a visual feast that blends tradition and modernity, East and West to the global art world.

This exhibition, produced by Liu Yihang, was curated by renowned fashion and art curators Meng Yueming and Shi Xiaoyu, co-curated by Youyou Zhou and Shi Xiaolin（Stella Shi），and supervised by Chen Ziyu. Initiated by the Louvre Brussels Gallery, co-organized by CIRCLE magazine, and supported by the Sino-French Art and Design Association ADABJ, the exhibition focused on three core themes: “Intangible Cultural Heritage Revitalization, Technological Empowerment, and Fashion Crossover.”

The exhibition comprised three sections: “Fashion Art,” “Jewelry Art,” and “Artworks,” showcasing several cross-disciplinary works from these three fields.

The “Fashion Art” and “Artworks” sections featured the following outstanding pieces:

A series of works designed specifically for this exhibition by South Korean designer Alicia Seungah Lee: Apparel Collection – SCALES OF REBIRTH, NACRE RITE, CARAPACE/PORTRAIT OF COURAGE, incorporating themes of rebirth and sustainability into tactile, sculptural garments that embody both strength and vulnerability. Wang Yan, Xiong Yingchao, & Sun Hao (Sichuan International College): Natural Folds Maeve Lan: Rococo Lattice Melody Zhao Xuhui: Louder Than Words Alicia Lee (Korean Designer): Apparel Collection – SCALES OF REBIRTH, NACRE RITE, CARAPACE/PORTRAIT OF COURAGE Dai Jiaqi: Apparel – Metallic Language Lyu Yihan: The Merchant Businessman (货郎商客) It’s worth mentioning that a work by a talented young artist was also included this time: Liang Youheng (Myles Leung): Christian Bale, Nine Faces Shi Yan (Sylvia): The Unfading Mark of the Camellia (椿痕无恙) Meng Chunyang: Bamboo Silkworm (Design Hand-drawn Drafts) Xue Shuwen: My Body and I Na Zou：Live in Between Wang Hongkai: Photography – The Street Corner Is a Stage Xue Shuwen: Painting – My Body And Tao Jiangli & Shi Xiaoyu: New Book – Military Pilot Watches: An Illustrated Guide

The “Jewelry Art” section featured several jewelry pieces by Vandana Jagwani from India for the special exhibition, including the Emerald Mesh Glove – Regal Armour Cuff, Butterfly Hand Cuff, Alphabet Necklace, and Lantern Earrings. The segment also featured MENGYING SHI’s Fluid Chronology, a hand-drawn illustration of the Cartier Santos Dumont Skeleton by Qiu Di, and Poseidon’s Gem by the Chinese brand Lilishi, whose unique jewelry design added a distinctive charm to the special exhibition.

These outstanding achievements not only showcase the most cutting-edge thinking and practices in the field of art and design, but also reflect social changes and aesthetic trends in the name of art. Through installations such as mirrored pools, corridors, and artificial mountains, the exhibition symbolizes the “balance of strength and gentleness” in the mutual learning and coexistence of Chinese and French civilizations, echoing the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind,” and demonstrating to the world the innovative expression of Chinese culture in the context of globalization.

Top 5 Best Sites to Buy TikTok Followers

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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Top 5 Best Sites to Buy TikTok Followers

Scope and Purpose

This review identifies the Top 5 Best Sites to Buy TikTok Followers, focusing on authenticity, retention, delivery consistency, and overall safety. Our mission was to test how follower boosts influence visibility and algorithmic traction when combined with organic posting.

While some listings may include sponsored placements, all evaluations were conducted through direct purchase tests and independent scoring.

Evaluation Method

To ensure realistic results, we combined three distinct data sources:

  1. Live Orders: We purchased three package sizes (500, 5 000 and 20 000 followers) from each platform.
  2. Community Sentiment: We analyzed customer reviews and repeat-order rates.
  3. System Audits: We inspected SSL security, payment processors, and refund terms.

Rather than only tracking delivery speed, this round emphasized follower stability, whether accounts remained visible and active two weeks later.

Metrics Tracked

  • Start time & delivery pattern
  • Retention after 7 and 14 days
  • Profile quality & activity realism
  • Support responsiveness
  • Checkout & data security
  • Value-for-money ratio

Scoring Model & Weighting

Category Weight
Quality & Retention 40 %
Delivery & Safety 30 %
Value for Money 20 %
Support & UX 10 %

Excluded: website visuals, promo coupons, and unrelated add-ons.

Quick Picks at a Glance

  • Best Overall Quality & Safety: Famety
  • Best Budget Option for Starters: Trollishly
  • Most Trusted Multi-Platform Provider: UseViral
  • Fastest Bulk Delivery: Bulkoid
  • Best for Realistic, Gradual Growth: Social Wick

The Top 5 Sites to Buy TikTok Followers

1) Famety: Best Overall for Authenticity and Retention

Overview
Famety remains the industry benchmark for high-quality, authentic TikTok followers. Their network sources real-looking, active profiles that blend naturally with organic audiences.

Pricing & Packages
Famety’s tiktok comments starting at $1.99 for 100 followers, scaling to 100 000 +. Each package includes gradual delivery and a refill guarantee.

Delivery Speed & Retention
Delivery starts within 30–60 minutes; retention averaged above 97 % after 14 days. Follower activity appeared consistent and credible.

What We Liked

  • Realistic profiles and organic delivery
  • Secure checkout and transparent policy
  • 24 / 7 live support
  • Refill protection for drops

Potential Downsides

  • Slightly higher pricing for premium bundles

Best For
Creators and brands who want long-term, safe growth without fake bot patterns.

Verdict & Key Takeaway
Famety offers the most balanced mix of authenticity, safety, and value: making it the #1 choice for TikTok followers.

2) Trollishly: Best Budget Option for Beginners

Overview
Trollishly specializes in affordable social growth solutions across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. It’s ideal for first-time buyers testing small campaigns.

Pricing & Packages
Packages start at $1.49 for 500 followers with discount tiers for bulk orders.

Delivery Speed & Retention
Orders begin within 1–2 hours and complete within a day or two. Retention averaged 91–93 %.

What We Liked

  • Cheapest entry pricing in this list
  • Simple checkout and instant confirmation
  • Live chat support

Potential Downsides

  • Follower quality less refined than premium providers

Best For
Students and small creators who want a budget-friendly visibility boost.

Verdict & Key Takeaway
Trollishly delivers solid results for its price: a great testing ground before scaling up.

3) UseViral: Most Trusted Across Multiple Platforms

Overview
UseViral has long been recognized for cross-platform credibility, offering followers for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more. Their focus on gradual, organic-style delivery keeps accounts safe from algorithmic flags.

Pricing & Packages
UseViral’s tiktok followers, likes, comments, views starts around $2.00 for 500 followers and scales to 100 000 +.

Delivery Speed & Retention
Delivery begins within a few hours and follows a steady curve. Retention stayed at 96 % after two weeks.

What We Liked

  • Excellent long-term stability
  • Secure payments via PayPal and crypto
  • Responsive support and clear refund terms

Potential Downsides

  • Slightly slower start times during global campaign peaks

Best For
Marketers and influencers seeking consistent, cross-network growth.

Verdict & Key Takeaway
UseViral is the most reliable multi-platform option for sustained, safe follower growth.

4) Bulkoid: Fastest for High-Volume Orders

Overview
Bulkoid focuses on speed and volume. It caters to agencies and campaign managers who need instant visibility for multiple accounts.

Pricing & Packages
Bulkoid’s tiktok followers, likes, comments, views starting at $3.99 for 1 000 followers, with bulk discounts on 10 k + orders.

Delivery Speed & Retention
Delivery often starts within 15–30 minutes and finishes within hours. Retention remained at 94–96 %.

What We Liked

  • Fastest turnaround in testing
  • Reliable bulk capacity
  • Clean tracking dashboard

Potential Downsides

  • Minimal customization or targeting options

Best For
Brands and agencies running time-sensitive campaigns or product launches.

Verdict & Key Takeaway
Bulkoid is ideal when speed and volume are critical, without sacrificing safety.

5) Social Wick: Best for Realistic, Gradual Follower Growth

Overview
Social Wick is known for its “drip-feed” delivery system, which adds followers slowly over several days. This approach mimics organic audience expansion and reduces algorithmic risk.

Pricing & Packages
Starting at $2.49 for 500 followers with scalable tiers for larger orders.

Delivery Speed & Retention
Delivery is intentionally slow (12–72 hours start), but retention rates were among the highest at 98 %.

What We Liked

  • Natural, gradual growth curve
  • High retention and safe delivery
  • Secure payment process

Potential Downsides

  • Not ideal for users seeking instant results

Best For
Creators who value organic-looking, sustainable follower growth.

Verdict & Key Takeaway
Social Wick offers a realistic alternative for those focused on long-term account credibility.

Final Thoughts

Buying TikTok followers can be a strategic way to jump-start credibility and accelerate organic growth, as long as you choose trusted providers with transparent policies and gradual delivery.

Our testing confirmed:

  • Famety: Best overall for authentic followers and safety.
  • Trollishly: Best budget option for starters.
  • UseViral: Most trusted across multiple social platforms.
  • Bulkoid: Fastest delivery for large campaigns.
  • Social Wick: Best for natural, drip-feed growth.

Used wisely, these platforms can help TikTok creators build momentum while keeping engagement credible and sustainable.

What Are the Risks and Rewards of Bitcoin and Fiat Gambling?

Sebastian Bickley
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What Are the Risks and Rewards of Bitcoin and Fiat Gambling?

Gambling with both Bitcoin and traditional money attracts people who want fast payouts, privacy, or a sense of control over their funds. Each method offers clear differences in how money moves, how players protect themselves, and how laws apply. Bitcoin and fiat gambling each carry their own balance of risk and reward, shaped by technology, regulation, and personal choice.

As Bitcoin becomes more common, it changes how people think about betting online. Fiat gambling still dominates, but digital currencies create new forms of excitement and concern. This article explores how price swings, privacy levels, transaction speed, and security shape the overall gambling experience.

Volatility Risk: Bitcoin’s price swings can dramatically affect gambling outcomes

Bitcoin’s price can rise or drop in minutes, and this makes betting with it far less predictable than with traditional currency. Players who play at crypto casino face unique risks because their winnings or losses can change value even after a game ends. A small shift in the exchange rate can turn a profit into a loss.

This volatility adds excitement but also pressure. Unlike fiat balances that remain stable, a Bitcoin balance can lose value overnight. Therefore, gamblers must think about both the game’s odds and the coin’s market price.

Some players see opportunity in these swings, hoping the currency gains value after a win. Others may find it stressful to track both market charts and wagers at the same time. Careful bankroll control and timely conversions to fiat can help reduce the financial impact of sudden price moves.

Anonymity Advantage: Bitcoin gambling offers greater privacy compared to fiat casinos

Bitcoin transactions protect player identity because they do not require banks or credit card companies. This allows gamblers to deposit and withdraw funds without sharing personal or financial details. Many users view this layer of privacy as a key reason to use cryptocurrency in online casinos.

Traditional casinos that use fiat money often ask for documents that confirm identity and address. These checks help meet legal standards but can expose private data. Bitcoin casinos usually reduce such steps, which appeals to those who want less information shared online.

The blockchain records each transaction publicly, yet players remain pseudonymous rather than personally identifiable. As a result, data breaches become less risky since personal records are not stored with the casino. This structure gives users a greater sense of control over their privacy and security.

However, privacy levels differ by platform. Some sites still follow know-your-customer laws, so players should confirm the rules before signing up.

Speed of Transactions: Crypto deposits and withdrawals are typically faster than traditional banking

Bitcoin and other digital currencies often process transactions much faster than standard bank methods. Transfers on blockchain networks move directly between users without any middle steps, which reduces waiting time. In contrast, bank transfers can take hours or even days, especially across borders or outside business hours.

Many crypto exchanges confirm deposits almost instantly once a network verifies them. This quick process allows players to access funds or start betting without long holds. In traditional systems, withdrawals may depend on clearing times, payment processors, or bank schedules, which can cause delays.

Another reason for the difference lies in availability. Crypto systems operate continuously, while banks usually limit transfers to weekdays. As a result, users can deposit or withdraw funds in crypto any time of day. However, network congestion or verification limits may still slow transfers during busy periods, so speed can vary by currency and platform.

Regulatory Gaps: Less oversight in Bitcoin gambling can lead to less consumer protection

Bitcoin gambling often operates outside the traditional regulatory framework that governs fiat casinos. Many platforms accept players without verifying their identity or age, which can expose them to fraud and unfair practices. As a result, regulators struggle to keep pace with the speed of innovation in this space.

Lack of unified oversight means players have fewer legal protections if disputes occur. Authorities often find it difficult to trace transactions or recover lost funds because blockchain networks operate across multiple jurisdictions. Therefore, users face greater risk of loss without any formal safety net.

Traditional casinos must follow clear compliance rules to promote fairness and responsible play. In contrast, many Bitcoin casinos rely on self-regulation or anonymous operations. This freedom may attract players seeking privacy, yet it also creates gaps that dishonest operators can exploit. Stronger coordination among regulators could help balance innovation with better consumer safety.

Security Concerns: Risks include hacked wallets and unreliable gambling sites

Both Bitcoin and fiat gambling face security issues that can lead to major losses. Digital wallets that store cryptocurrency can fall victim to hackers who exploit software flaws or weak passwords. Once funds disappear from a compromised wallet, recovery is often impossible.

Players also face danger from gambling platforms that manipulate results or fail to process withdrawals. Some sites may hide behind anonymity, creating uncertainty about where deposits actually go. Without proper safeguards or clear regulations, users must trust that a platform will act fairly, which is risky.

Phishing scams and fake apps further add to these problems. Scammers may create sites that look genuine to trick players into entering login details or sending funds. As a result, both crypto and traditional gamblers must stay careful, use strong security habits, and verify that the site they use has a history of transparent transactions.

Conclusion

Bitcoin and fiat gambling each bring unique traits to modern betting. Bitcoin offers faster payments, lower fees, and greater privacy, while fiat platforms provide wider access and clearer regulation. Each method attracts different players based on comfort with technology and tolerance for risk.

The rewards can appear appealing: flexibility, convenience, and potential bonuses. However, both carry downsides. Bitcoin gamblers face price swings and uncertain legal protection. Fiat players often deal with slower withdrawals and stricter identity checks. The balance between risk and reward depends on personal goals and the level of security one values most.

Players who stay informed about laws, wallet safety, and game fairness have a better chance of protecting their funds. A careful strategy, modest betting limits, and an understanding of both systems help manage exposure.

Both Bitcoin and fiat gambling remain evolving forms of entertainment. Each carries opportunity and risk, but thoughtful decisions and consistent awareness allow users to maintain control while aiming for a safe and responsible experience.

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