Month: December 2025

Beyoncé has officially become the world’s fifth-ever billionaire musician, joining husband Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, and Rihanna.

Forbes, which first reported Queen Bey’s financial breakthrough, attributes her ascension into the exclusive, five-member club of billionaire musicians to the success of her top-grossing 2025 tour supporting her latest album, 2024’s Cowboy Carter. Commercial opportunities generated by her Grammy-winning album, including her Levi’s jeans partnership and the Christmas NFL halftime performance from which she earned an estimated $50 million, also helped push the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer past the 10-figure threshold.

But the first bricks of her business empire were laid back in 2010 with her founding of Parkwood Entertainment, which manages her career and produces all of her music, documentaries, and concerts while fronting most costs upfront to capture more back-end gains. This was a crucial move, as Forbes reports that the majority of her wealth comes from her music catalog and global tours, which are controlled by the record label and entertainment company.

While she’s also launched a few product brands, including Cécred hair care, SirDavis whiskey, and the now-defunct Ivy Park clothing line, her Cowboy Carter tour alone generated over $400 million in ticket sales and another $50 million in merchandise sales. Forbes estimates that Beyoncé earned $148 million in 2025 before taxes, making her the third-highest paid musician in the world, second only to fellow billionaire Swift ($202 million) and The Weeknd ($298 million).

For Beyoncé, there are more lucrative opportunities on the horizon. Cowboy Carter was only the second in a trilogy of albums, following 2022’s Renaissance, the tour for which made an also-astonishing $600 million. With the future release of the third act in money-making musical triptych, Beyoncé just might join Jay-Z as the world’s second $2 billion musician.

Assouline is checking into The Mark, the first-ever book dedicated to the legendary Manhattan hotel. Written by New York Times best-selling author Derek Blasberg, the 200-page hardcover volume offers an intimate look at the institution that has defined Upper East Side hotel elegance for 100 years.

“People come to The Mark because they know it’s more than just a hotel,” said Izak Senbahar, co-owner of the property, in a statement heralding the book’s release, which coincides with the hotel’s 100th anniversary. “It’s a place that makes for unforgettable memories.” Since its opening, The Mark has evolved into a boldly lavish uptown institution that’s widely recognized as the unofficial headquarters for fashion’s biggest night, serving as the iconic prelude where celebrities gather before the annual Met Gala.

Blasberg, currently YouTube’s Head of Fashion & Beauty and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Vogue, provides readers with an insider tour of the property. The book explores the hotel’s 2005 reimagining by legendary French interior designer Jacques Grange. Grange’s vision modernized the landmark while preserving its historic status, blending high-French style across 153 rooms and public spaces.

The designer collaborated with a circle of luminaries, including Karl Lagerfeld and Mattia Bonetti, to create bespoke furnishings that define the hotel’s aesthetic.

Among the property’s highlights featured in the book are North America’s largest hotel penthouse suite and unique guest experiences like the 70-foot Herreshoff Mark sailboat and the Bergdorf Goodman Express custom pedicab.

The hotel also serves as a culinary and lifestyle hub, housing The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges, Caviar Kaspia, and a flagship Frédéric Fekkai hair salon. Priced at $120, the book will be part of Assouline’s Hospitality Collection. Check out a sneak peek inside the tome above.

The ballpark meets off-duty style in a preppy new headwear collaboration from Polo Ralph Lauren, New Era and the MLB, with luxe fabrics giving classic logos a fashionable look and feel.

A new Ralph Lauren x MLB x New Era collection arrives as the new year dawns (the latest collaboration is set to debut January 2nd), with a trio of winter-ready fabrics lending a dash of prep heritage to iconic branding from the likes of the New York Yankees. The offering is more than suitable for fans who want to continue to support their favorite team in the brisk offseason, with looks built to last past this spring’s first pitch.

A defining purveyor of Americana style, Ralph Lauren’s sartorial sensibility shines through in grey wool, green corduroy and navy corduroy versions of the well-tooled New Era ‘9FIFTY’ ballcap, which uses a stylish adjustable leather buckle back in place of the on-field fitted design.

The result is a range of ballcaps (priced between $130 and $150) that pair more seamlessly with luxe style staples like a topcoat, tailored joggers and high-top sneakers, for instance. A green corduroy version should team up well with a rust-hued bomber jacket or else with an olive green field coat for a new play on monochromatic style topped off with an accent this winter.

Co-branding adorns the latest run of fashionable headwear via the forthcoming 2026c, with Ralph Lauren’s script signature adorning one side of each ballcap. Team branding pairs up with the legendary Ralph Lauren polo horse across the back of the cap, while a vintage-style baseball ‘Polo RL’ logo features prominently on the adjustable back leather buckle. Particularly in green corduroy, the hats make a statement fusing dressy good looks with heritage sportswear appeal.

The offering further cements New Era and the world of sports as a bellwether in fashion design (witness New Era’s collaborative Global Design Project for a deeper dive into fashion and athletics). Other all-American designers, including former Ralph Lauren designer turned CFDA award winner Todd Snyder, have partnered with New Era to turn the brand’s sporty caps into style statement in winning fashion. And with the new year on the horizon, the latest Ralph Lauren x New Era collection is poised to knock it right out of the park.

Louis Vuitton is launching a year-long global celebration to mark the 130th anniversary of its legendary Monogram canvas, a classic motif that has embodied luxury travel and style since its inception in 1896.

The festivities begin January 1 with a campaign spotlighting the brand’s most recognizable silhouettes. Throughout 2026, LV will mark its storied heritage through dedicated window displays and the release of three distinct special-edition collections that rephrase the classic pattern for a modern era.

Created by Georges Vuitton as a tribute to his father, brand founder Louis Vuitton, the Monogram was originally designed to thwart counterfeiters. Drawing inspiration from Neo-Gothic ornamentation and Japanese aesthetic influences, Georges patented the intricate fusion of interlaced initials and floral motifs.

“The Monogram is more than a motif; it is a living symbol of heritage and culture,” LV said in a statement announcing the new bag drops.

The anniversary highlights five heritage bags that have shaped the brand’s history: the Speedy (1930), the Keepall (1930), the Noé (1932), the Alma (1992), and the Neverfull (2007). These signature collectibles have served as canvases for legendary creative directors, including Marc Jacobs, the late Virgil Abloh, and Pharrell Williams, as well as artists like Takashi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama.

To commemorate this fashion milestone, Louis Vuitton unveiled three new anniversary collections that explore different facets of its identity. The Monogram Origine collection revisits the 1896 pattern using a traditional jacquard weave of linen and cotton in soft pastel hues, inspired by archival client registers.

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The VVN Collection serves as an ode to leather-working savoir-faire, featuring pieces crafted from natural cowhide designed to develop a unique patina over time. Finally, the Time Trunk line utilizes bold trompe-l’oeil printing to replicate the metallic details and textures of historic Louis Vuitton trunks.

By bridging its 19th-century roots with modern craftsmanship, Louis Vuitton aims to entice collectors to snap up these limited edition bags while supplies last.