#tiffany & co brand event

[cnladies]

ZHONG CHUXI 钟楚曦 in Georges Hobeika 2023 S/S Haute Couture | Tiffany & Co Brand Event

Zhong Chuxi: more photos here brand event: more photos here

[filmofhybe]

Return to Tiffany & Co.

💍 pairing : sim jaeyun x oc 💌 GENRE : fluff, Idol x Idol 1.1k words

warning : established (hidden) relationship , not proofread

; AUTHORS NOTES : day 12🤭 of “24 days of Christmas with Filmfohybe!!” Not do Christmasy but all I can think of is hoon and Jake’s Tiffany & Co pictures from today. And how Jake said he would leaves his ring finger for his future wife. That’s all. Goodnight.

Masterlist to my other works

Was y/n and Jake expecting the invite to the event of the new launch Tiffany & Co. new jewelry set, that’s going to be attended by A-listers and luminaries from around the world? No. But the clandestine couple and global ambassadors for Tiffany & Co., found themselves at the pinnacle of elegance as they attended the highly anticipated event. Y/n, was radiating grace in a stunning silk off shoulder gown, with dazzling bright diamond necklace on her neck, rings that Jake secretly got her for their anniversaries, effortlessly commanded attention from the flashing cameras. To Jake she was the brightest among the sea of glamorous faces

While y/n posed for the camera, capturing the essence of Tiffany's timeless allure, Jake couldn't help but wear a smile that betrayed the secret they held. His eyes held an unspoken affection as he gazed at y/n, caught in the enchanting aura of y/n’s presence, whispering endearing words only audible to those closest to him. Mostly to his manager, arms crossed hoping the kid could shut his mouth before others finds out.

"Can't believe she's mine," he murmured, his voice a gentle melody amid the glamorous chaos. "she's so beautiful in that dress, please I can only image her walking down-“, “Right, Jake you need to be quiet now…” His manager glazed at him, making him apologize with a slight laugh. The paparazzi behind Jake, with their keen senses, picked up on this unguarded moment, ready to show the world the love that blossomed behind the scenes.

The attendees, attuned to the subtle dynamics between the couple, exchanged knowing glances as Jake's affectionate words soon will become an open secret. The atmosphere was charged with a romantic energy that defied the polished veneer of the event.

When the time came for joint photographs, the Tiffany & Co. staff seamlessly orchestrated the pairing of y/n and Jake. As they stood side by side, the chemistry between them ignited, manifesting in shared laughter and exchanged glances that spoke volumes.

As the staff orchestrated the perfect frame, Y/N and Jake shared a stolen glance, their eyes interlocking in a dance of affection. Their laughter, a symphony of shared moments, echoed through the opulent venue, creating a bubble where only the two of them existed. Taking candid pictures of the loving couple, without even realizing they are one…

The paparazzi lenses, like vigilant storytellers, flashes of the cameras captured not just a partnership of brand ambassadors but a tale of genuine connection. As the night continues, y/n and Jake continued to navigate the event with grace and charm,

“Do you like this one more or this one.” Cameras flashing as Jake points to the rings he was showing to y/n. “As cheesy as it sound, I like you more.” Staffs felt like watching a kdrama unfolding in front of them as they watch the lovely couple in secret. Their shared glances and subtle touches revealing a love story that sparkled as brightly as the diamonds they represented. leaving the world enamored with the authenticity that sparkled brighter than any diamond in Tiffany's collection.

© filmofhybe on tumblr — do not copy , translate or share.

[akookminsupporter]

Jimin is now House ambassador of Tiffany & Co!!!

"As part of his ambassadorship, Jimin will appear in ad campaigns and at key brand events. "Jimin will showcase his unique approach to jewelry styling as he wears iconic Tiffany & Co. designs in forthcoming campaigns”

[maxverstepponme]

Even though no one asked for it here's my 2 cents on Kelly and max.

Number one: Pushing Penelope more into the spotlight is all on Kelly, she's been called out multiple times for leaving her kid alone while she's runs after Max. So to now prove she's a good mother she's showing she takes P with them.

Number Two: Using P to make people, especially Max fans like her. To begin with and up until Nelson Piquet scandal, fans liked her or at least liked that she gave them Max content. That disliked then again increased when her Vogue cover was revealed and the interview, people didn't like her cosplaying as a driver and making no mention of how hard it is for women to be F1 drivers; her 'magical night' with a fresh faced 18 year old max and her 27; and how it became clear that she was with max for the career opportunities he could bring her, like how cover was for Vogue NEDERLANDS. So once people starting cropping her out of photos with Max, she tried the whole get as close to him as possible so they couldn't (she does this weird sniffing him pose)

seen here https://www.instagram.com/p/C1KPMeOseVw/?img_index=9

and here https://www.instagram.com/p/C0M6M_rMlbX/?img_index=1

Once that failed she started posting just pictures or videos of him and P. Fans fawned over this shouting girl dad from the rooftops, so her ig engagement went up and people started to like her again cause if the P content.

Number Three: She needs P for her ig engagement, most if not all her comments say 'here before max' 'can't believed I liked before max' or something along the lines cause Max (or whoever) likes all her posts. So by pushing P onto her feed the comments turn to 'awwww look at P' or 'so cute'

Number Four: She changing her career direction, instead of being this 'baddie' model she tries to portray herself as she's turning to the 'mommy' influencer route. Exposing and posting P is part of that, an almost 'look at me I'm a mom who's so good and I also model'.

and finally Number Five: Her and Max are falling apart behind the screens of social media and cameras, and this is her last ditch effort to push P to Max so they don't split. Everywhere they've been this year P has been with them, they honestly don't seemed to have been alone since Qatar last year. Which is normal for a couple with a child, you normally go places as a family but this isn't the norm for them. Kelly has no problem leaving P and she still doesn't she went to LA, PFW and probably the Nederlands to shoot that video (as it looks like the hairdresser NL studio) so why does it seem she now can't leave her to be with Max alone?

And with Kelly chronically capturing every moment on her camera and then posting it, it seems Max didn't spend that much time with them in the 2 weeks they were there and went into the city like 4 times.

She also is doing the same thing she did last year where she'll go to a GP but somehow its magically aligned with some 'work' she has there

e.g. before the Barhain GP she had to go to the gym and promote Alo and do a papz walk

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13137465/Kelly-Piquet-Dubai-Formula-1-Gulf-Air-Bahrain-Grand-Prix-2024.html

Then Australia GP she went to LA before hand so it was like 'oh I had a job in LA and then I've flown to Australia to see my kid'

Japan GP she did a Replay ad in Tokyo and apparently go 'invited' to the Tiffany and Co exhibition, but really it was a 3 week holiday 1 week skiing, then the GP and then the 2 weeks after in Tokyo.

And now for the Miami GP she's got a Patbo dinner that she's 'co-hosting' and so other event she went to.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6cbTCURF35/?img_index=1

I can't help but laugh at her caption 'our annual lunch' like girl be for real what do you do for either of those brands, like they do so much for you.

“You won’t crop me out” 😭😭

[luvhards]

 application :

✧˚  ༘  ⋆｡˚  well,  well…  it  appears  that  aria  eden-west  will  be  a  part  of  new  york's  social  season  once  more  !  according  to  guildsource,  the  twenty  -  seven  year  old  is  most  known  for  being  an  heir  to  a  jewelry  empire  /  youtube  show  host  &  magazine  editor  ,  and  is  constantly  spotted  hanging  around  the  brew  club  —  seems  as  if  you've  heard  of  them,  too.  they  initially  made  a  splash  on  the  gossip  site  after  falling  down  the  steps  at  the  met  gala  ,  and  they've  been  the  center  of  attention  ever  since.  the  public  tends  to  view  them  as  being  nosey  and  critical,  but  people  close  to  them  say  they're  actually  captivating  and  thoughtful…  i'll  believe  it  when  i  see  it.  they  tend  to  remind  me  of  the  glossy  coat  on  the  pages  of  a  magazine  ,  the  blinding  sparkle  of  a  jewel  when  it  hits  that  perfect  spot  of  sunlight  ,  the  warmth  of  tequila  as  it  slides  down  your  throat  &  the  comfort  of  throwing  on  your  favorite  youtube  video  while  eating  a  meal  .  which  says  the  most  about  them.  i  wonder  if  they'll  be  seen  wearing  their  tiffany  &  co.  elsa  peretti  open  heart  necklace  to  the  social  events  this  year,  but  nevermind  all  that.  the  social  season  is  upon  us,  and  guildsource  is  always  watching.

statistics :

faceclaim  :  dua  lipa  name  :  aria  catherine  eden  -  west  birthday  :  april  eighteenth   birthplace  :  london  ,  england   age  :  twenty  -  seven   occupation  :  magazine  editor  ,  interviewer  &  youtube  show  host   education : bachelor’s in film and media studies from columbia. height  :  five  feet  ,  eight  inches   scent  :  dolce  &  gabanna  light  blue 

family heritage :

aria eden west is the newest carat in her family’s gold lineage, next in line to the throne of her family’s crown jewel , weston co.  founded by catherine west , weston co. was risen from the ground up , determined to give the ‘ every day woman ‘ access to jewelry that was both stylish and durable , allowing them to pay no mind to the usual wear and tear that came with being a twentieth century housewife . j.c penney was the first to invest , lining their accessories sections with their first ( and what would soon become their most famous ) cuff bracelet , an indisputable hit during the holiday season which made penney’s rich and catherine even richer . weston co. only blossomed from there , over the next hundred years she’d break the glass ceiling of the j.c penney’s jewelry section , open her own boutiques , little by little inching closer to the edge of rodeo drive where the weston co. now resides with the rest of the world’s greatest designers . weston co. prides itself on being made for women , by women — though , now it’s certainly popular and amongst anyone who enjoys fine jewelry — so the company now rests in the hands of eleanor eden - west , and eventually , it will become aria’s too .  ( weston co. is equivalent to a brand like cartier or tiffany & co. )

some lore about aria’s signature jewelry : the weston co. ( hehe ) open heart necklace in silver and gold is now an archival piece , released for a limited time in the late mid 2000s as an ode and celebration of the re-marriage of eleanor west and thomas eden .  west women are notorious for wearing almost exclusively gold jewelry , so the heart in gold is meant to represent both aria and her mother while the heart in silver symbolizes thomas , the two welded together in ( almost ) perfect matrimony . along with the necklace , she can almost always be seen wearing a random assortment of rings on her fingers , never so many to the point where it gets cluttered but there’s always at least one on her hands at all times . 

past :

you grow up with the world at your fingertips . everything you want is given to you before you have to so much as ask . it’s the typical life that’s afforded to a child like you , educated in the nation’s best private schools , never without the newest toys or latest book in whatever series you were obsessed with at any given time ( some even before they were released to the public ) . it’s comfortable , you’re comfortable , but why does that make you feel so guilty ?

technically the first “ true “ nepotism baby in your family considering that your mother didn’t get to reap the benefits of weston co.’s success until she was well in her 40s and your father built his entire career from the ground up . not that you’re complaining , people would kill for this life and you know that you’re lucky to live it . you don’t resent it , in fact you cherish it , but you can’t help from asking yourself one thing : what have you done to deserve this ?  a question both you and the tabloids seem to keep asking .

you want more out of life , as grateful as you are for your parent’s support you feel terrible taking it from them — is it true what everyone says ? would you really be nothing without your family name ? going to college feels like the only way to get away from it all , to silence that voice in your head that tells you the only thing you’ll ever have to show for yourself is a company you don’t even really own . you go to columbia , but not without scrutiny . impossible not to overhear the whispers of your peers that swear they have you pieced together , that are completely certain your family’s name ( or perhaps their generous donation ) is the only reason you’ve made it this far . they put a chip on your shoulder , and it’s only up to you to figure out how to get it off . 

you make two friends while you’re in college , it’s all you can really afford as someone who spends as much time in the library as you — one on occasion they quite literally had to drag you out of there kicking and screaming . you spend your first two years completely immersed in your studies , trying to prove to everyone ( read : yourself ) that there’s more to you than what your parents have given you , that you’re smart , independent , worth something on even your own .

it’s not until your senior year that you find the thing that would eventually become your life’s purpose . céline was meant to be nothing more than your final project , a theoretical magazine complete with three articles on art , entertainment and current events that was supposed to be for your professors eyes only . but you’ve never found yourself work so hard at something in your life , not only determined to make your final project your best one yet but actually interested in the process at hand . you found yourself excited to go home to write an research , so many nights spent watching the sun rise while you fooled around indesign tweaking the smallest details until they sat just right on the page . 

you’re not quite ready to own a company yet , the thought of inheriting the one that’s had your name signed on it sign the day you were born still sometimes makes you feel sick , so you’ll have to find another way to turn this into something more sustainable for the person you are right now .

you reach out to a couple of friends who reach out to a couple of friends and before you know it you’re being asked to pitch an idea for a youtube series , one that puts a new edge on the predictable world of celebrity interviews — and thus , pub crawl is born . it’s probably not the best idea , inviting celebrities for a day of recorded and publicized drinking all while asking them questions about their lives and careers , but maybe that’s exactly the point . pub crawl becomes an instant success , rising to viral fame after tom holland came to the show and completely spoiled the upcoming avengers movie after he’d gotten tripped up by one of your tricky questions . 

it’s been a hit ever since , each season only growing bigger and bigger until you find yourself being invited to interview celebrities at the red carpet of some of entertainment’s biggest events . people love you , they find your interviewing insightful yet playful , flirtatious yet elegant , captivating in every way as is obvious by the millions of views garnered by your interviews at the grammy’s , oscars and of course , the met gala .

you get three seasons deep into pub crawl before you realize that though hosting this show makes you happy , it doesn’t make you feel complete . sure , it’s fun picking your guests brains about their most recent projects but it doesn’t feel like enough . you want to talk about what’s really going on in the world , about art , history , fashion , design , and give voice to the people who do it best . so  , céline is pulled back out from the depths of your google drive , an dream you’re now determined to make into a reality especially now that you have all of the resources to do it on your own . for the next year , any time that isn’t spent filming pub crawl is dedicated to turning cèline into the publication it’s meant to be , gathering a team of writers , editors and designers to make certain that it lives up to the potential you’ve always known it had .

it’s been a year since it’s official launch , and while most of the reception has been positive you definitely won’t be winning a pulitzer any time soon . the critics sound like a broken record , dubbing céline as yet another passion project by an out of touch product of nepotism baby funded by money that was never yours in the first place . you’re tired of feeling like you have to prove yourself to people , trying to make them see that your worth is in more than just who you are, but what you can do — so , you stop trying to .

[wags-confessions]

Anto is lazy and we can’t using her having kids as an excuse because we all know she has help or a nanny. She fine to spend all them nights partying in Miami with elena and sofi without worrying about her kids She just chooses to live of Messi popularity without doing anything herself Atleast Geo tries to present herself and personality to the public //

You’re giving jealous oml anon give it up!

I don’t know why you feel the need to bring down a woman to praise another. It’s 2024 jesus fucking christ. Laziness is not restricted to their wanting to work a job. Anto and Gio are both gorgeous, hardworking people, maybe in different senses. Someone who’s ‘lazy’ wouldn’t attend all of their sons’ football matches, but you make it seem like she does nothing at her house and parties every night? She literally models for Alo quite often, and attends Tiffany&Co events and LV Fashion Week. You only ever see Anto outside Instagram when she’s with Messi. Since she’s not a celebrity, paparazzis don’t stalk her. If she doesn’t want to be a full-fledged celebrity like Gio, there is nothing wrong with that. Also, there is nothing wrong with having nannies especially when Anto is raising 3 rowdy boys?

I personally don’t like Gio that much because of how she portrayed herself in her Netflix documentary, however I’ll give it to her for seemingly maintaining a good motherly relationship with Cris Jr. and raising her children (even with help from a nanny) while working the red carpets and modeling! She built herself a brand as a celebrity, therefore she appears in the public eye frequently and does more model work. She’s just more popular as an individual than Anto.

I think people like you should remember that you (most likely) don’t know these people. You don’t know how their daily lives work, and they certainly are not required to get a job (whatever that means to you) just to prove themselves to you. All we see is what they choose to show the public or what the paparazzi takes, and for Anto’s case it’s her modeling for a brand, or she’s sometimes seen partying with Messi and their friends which isn’t even that often.

TLDR: They don’t have to prove themselves to you. Gio wants to be a celebrity, Anto wants to stay as a model for brands she likes. Both are okay. Anto isn’t required to be in the public always.

.

[dgtn]

Are you ready?

Tiffany’s flagship store in NYC is finally reopening after an extensive 3 year renovation!

Wanna know what’s even more exciting than that?

Jimin will be there!!!

Afterall, he is the Global Ambassador to Tiffany & Co. And this reopening is huge!!! This is the start of a whole new vision of the brand…. it’s a “cultural phenomenon showcasing incredible architecture, as well as cutting-edge art and design”, says Tiffany president and CEO Anthony Ledru.

Check out the full article below:

There will be a private pre opening party on April 27th that Jimin will be in attendance at. I can fully understand why Tiffany & Co. has asked their Global Ambassador to be a part of such a monumental event in the company’s history. This reopening is the beginning of a new chapter for Tiffany & Co. just like signing Jimin as their Global Ambassador was. He has brought so much to the brand in such a short amount of time.

And let’s be honest , this new flagship store exudes class, sophistication, beauty, and style……just like Jimin.

And one thing for sure, no diamond in that store will shine brighter than Jimin 💜💜💜

[retrosofa]

Let's dive into some trivia for Cutie Honey episode three: "Traps Set By the Red Axe."

Screenwriter: Susumu Takaku

Art Director: Mataharu Urata

Animation Director: Joji Kikuchi

Director: Osamu Kasai

Natsuko is pretending to practice zazen, a type of sitting meditation. It originates from the teachings of Buddha, and is meant to give insight into your true nature of being.

There’s a poster of singer Tom Jones hanging up in the teacher’s lounge. The “poster” is actually the Japanese vinyl cover of Tom Jones: Live in Las Vegas.

The shop featured in this episode, "Tihenny Jewelers", is a parody of the renowned real-life jewelry brand, Tiffany & Co. or Tiffany’s from New York City. Tiffany’s opened their first Japanese store in October 1972, a whole year before Cutie Honey premiered. This momentous event likely served as inspiration for this episode.

Although never addressed within the episode, production materials reveal Tomahawk Panther’s human alias is “Lydia.”

The shot of Seiji screaming the English word “help” is lifted straight from Casino Royale, the 1967 film adaptation of the first James Bond novel. In the film the character Evelyn Tremble (played by Peter Sellers, best known for playing Chief Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films) is tortured by experiencing a series of psychedelic hallucinations. At one point he sees himself walking alongside a marching band while the word “help” is animated flying out of his mouth.

[chineseredcarpet]

Na Ran for a Tiffany & Co. brand event

[vengorabafan]

at another Tiffany & Co. brand event

[cnladies]

TANG YAN 唐嫣 in Alexis Mabille 2023 F/W Haute Couture | Tiffany Wonder Exhibition in Tokyo

Tang Yan: more photos here brand event: more photos here

[fromtenthousandfeet]

https://x.com/datdidzz/status/1798319901511442509?s=46

Every time I think about what power Hybe possesses I can’t help but worry about Jimin. It’s pretty much established that he is the unwanted child there, but what more can this company may do is what stresses me most. “Free Jimin” but it seems as Mission Impossible part 8

You are right to worry. Sigh. The music business is a dirty industry and HYBE is as unethical as any other label. Jimin's fandom is truly incredible, resourceful, creative, dedicated, you get the idea. They work wonders with streaming and filling the gaping marketing void Big Hit has created, however, there's only so much the fandom can do. If the label refuses to either record or release Jimin's music, there's simply nothing to stream or hype. To me, this is the biggest fear. If Jimin stays with the company they might only let him release solo music when they need an infusion of cash. They 100% use him for generating revenue but do they care about nurturing his growth as an artist?

Consider:

Full priced songs on iTunes. No discounts like for others. The price of FACE vinyl was absurd. $50 USD for 7 songs.

Cheap, homespun fan-facing events rather than proper venues and set designs.

Paid content rather than free content. Jimin's Production Diary being the only one on HYBE-owned Weverse. And it was expensive to purchase.

No or very few ads, no or very little playlisting.

Jimin is a walking bank for HYBE. You know what's most infuriating about this? It's the fact that the company can neglect Jimin and they know his fans will respond by buying more of his albums, songs, merchandise, and they stream more. So the worse the company treats him, the more his fandom buy and consume. The company is laughing while they rake in the $$$. Mistreatment is a good business strategy.

I worry that Jimin has been so acclimated to mistreatment (because I think they've been mistreating and undervaluing him since day 1) that he may not stand up for himself or take the necessary steps to free himself from the company.

Now, why should we be hopeful? I'm tentatively hopeful that Jimin may take his solo career to another label and here's why.

ZM-illenial products and the freestanding store in Japan feels like a move towards independence. I'm sort of surprised HYBE hasn't gone after Jimin's father, especially after the company shut down all the tourist destinations associated with BTS.

Dior and Tiffany global brand ambassadorships. Jimin gained additional world-wide exposure and leaned into and grew the immense earning power of his personal brand.

Collaborations with Ha Sungwoon (WIth You), Taeyang (Vibe), and Fast X's Angel Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 show a willingness and eagerness to expand his horizons beyond HYBE.

The trend among K-Pop idols to open their own companies and sign with other labels for their solo careers. Shinee's Teamin moving to the same company as Ha Sungwoon for his solo career feels like a big deal. And he's not alone. There has been a whole movement of K-pop idols signing with different labels for their solo work. The biggest one to me is Lisa of BLACKPINK signing a contract with RCA (and she keeps her masters!). Considering Jimin's extraordinary success with Like Crazy and his faithful fandom, not to mention the huge success of his brand deals, every western label should be salivating at the thought of signing Jimin.

The last reason to be hopeful is that HYBE has the real potential to collapse upon itself before all members of BTS return in slightly more than a year from now.

First, it's becoming increasingly clear that the company can no longer rely on every BTS solo song/album release to be a huge hit. And judging from the response to the lazy Festa merchandise, fans are feeling increasingly taken advantage of. And then there's the growing frustration solo fans feel about the uneven rollouts of the members' individual projects and the obvious favoritism towards Jungkook. I said months ago and I will say again, Bang PD alienates the fandom to his own peril.

Second, HYBE is skating on thin ice when it comes to public opinion. The Ador/HYBE conflict has made Bang Si-hyuk look like a petty tyrant - at least to the general public in Korea and non-BTS or TXT fans. Fans of other HYBE Labels groups don't care about the Big Hit/HYBE origin story or the mythology of Bang PD being its genius founder and precious father figure. If fans feel like the group they like is being neglected, sabotaged, or simply mismanaged, that will impact brand value and the company's ability to attract new investors. Never underestimate the power of public perception.

The company may be forced to treat Jimin better simply because they need the money he generates. And if they go out of business, I assume he and the others become free agents.

I leave you with this article posted yesterday that actually made me laugh out loud. Nobody with a functioning brain thinks a 0.25% increase in stock price in a single day is considered "skyrocketing" - especially when the stock price fell by 0.75% the very next day.* This reeks of desperate media play.

*I did see ARMY hyping this up on Twitter, though. OMG.

Let's keep our chins up for good things in Jimin's future!

[waitingforyouapm]

Jimin and Yoongi at the Met Gala?

Tiffany store opening + Met Gala + surprise guest at the August D concert -- could a Jimin bias be so lucky?! I guess lucky would be if I actually had tickets for the concert. 😔

From the article:

To go back to the Tiffany & Co opening then, a lot is riding on the reopening for Alexandre as he makes his bid for the crown. 

Which is why a lot of celebrities will be called in for the assist. And that includes celebrities from around the world, like BTS’s Jimin, who was seen leaving South Korea today en route to New York. Jimin was named global ambassador for Tiffany earlier this year. BLACKPINK’s Rosé also reps Tiffany. I would imagine that Tiffany would be calling in as many stars as they can for their event so there’s a good chance Rosé will there too. 

And of course this is taking place basically right before the Met Gala on Monday. Jimin signed with Dior a few months ago and they probably wouldn’t mind getting allllll kinds of attention thanks to Jimin, especially when you consider the spending power not only of BTS’s ARMY but the East Asian consumer market in general. As I’ve previously mentioned, Asia-Pacific is the largest consumer of luxury goods in the world. These brands KNOW that much of their income comes from that side of the planet. 

But Jimin could be checking off multiple boxes while he’s in the US. His bandmate, Suga, just released his new album, D-Day, last Friday and is kicking off his tour this week. There’s been fan speculation that Jimin might join Suga at one of his shows. But Suga also happens to be in the New York area this weekend and has a free night on Monday – and he’s an ambassador for Valentino. So… will Suga and Jimin be at the Met Gala? 

!!!

[gamergirljournalist]

The "ethics" of using clone keycaps - a discussion about counterfeits

Images by @cutie-keebs

In June 2021, I joined a group buy for epbt Dreamscape, a keycap set inspired by BTS's album, Love Yourself. This keycap set was originally scheduled to be shipped around 2022. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Due to the long wait times these sets have and how limited they are, this led to my decision to use clones. As expected, not everyone is happy with this for good reason. But based on the current state of the hobby and how manufacturing times have increased since the pandemic, surely there is some fair argument for using counterfeit.

What are clone keycaps?

Clone keycaps are copies of sets made by designers. "Shady" people and companies would notice a demand for these products and produce a cheaper and in-stock version of these sets.

Normally, GMK sets would be the ones that get heavily copied. However, as more sought-after sets from different manufacturers enter group buy, it comes as no surprise that a company would copy these items.

Why are clones bad?

The simple answer to this is because "you're not supporting the original designer."

The Verge published a really good article about this in 2022, where it interviewed designers who had their designs cloned by others. These designers expressed their disappointment as people would go for the knock-offs and all their hard work went to waste. Especially when the novelties are original sketches.

However, there is an argument to be made that "you can't copyright colours." (Well, technically you can but you have to be a huge company like Barbie and Tiffany & Co. to have some sort of trademark on specific shades).

The concept of purchasing clones and knock-offs isn't new. From high fashion to trading card games, the ethics of using counterfeits has become a topic worth discussing, especially now as the cost of living increases.

Vice Australia released an article about the "twisted ethics" of purchasing high fashion dupes and people are mostly buying them for the brand. Meanwhile, Swifties began looking for alternatives to the Wonderstruck perfume that came out around 2011-2012 in preparation for the Eras Tour. In the Magic The Gathering scene, the discussion about proxies continues to be an ongoing thing, especially when there are good cards that won't be reprinted. This led to Wizard of the Coast releasing an article in 2016, stating that Proxies are fine, just don't use them in sanctioned/official events.

So clearly, there is a demand for these items, especially if they came in limited batches or if they're no longer being sold for various reasons.

My stance on using clones

My original stance on clones is this:

"You can use them during your very first keyboard build. Perhaps even your second. But the moment you're willing to invest in this hobby, you have no excuse to not support the original designer."

Your first build is to see if you would like to be part of this hobby. For starters, the keyset that you want may not be available due to missing the group buy date or will be entering this process. So, of course, clones would be your go-to.

My first build used KAT Arctic clones that I got from Ali Express. It was used on an NJ80, a cheap keyboard that cost less than $200 AUD. And guess what, I was happy with it. But the more I got into this hobby, I knew I couldn't rely on clones forever, especially due to their cheap quality and how it affects designers.

However, when keycaps take forever to be released, being patient isn't worth it anymore. Especially when you have a board just waiting to be used.

Case in point - the dreamscape build.

Why did I use clones?

The clone version of these keycaps was a good temporary measure since I really wanted to use my Ikki Aurora build and get an idea of how the finished product would look. Sure, it wasn't as pretty compared to the original. At the same time, the manufacturer that sold this set had a really bad reputation in the keyboard community.

But the fact this keyset took 2 YEARS for it to be shipped was overkill. The same can be said for KAT Artic. The group buy for this set ended in 2020, but extras in the Australian market weren't available until 2023. THAT'S THREE YEARS TO GET EXTRAS. I had to rely on multiple aftermarket purchases just to get a set. This led to duplicates and fortunately, there was a nice person who lived near my area who was willing to get them off my hands.

The "ethical way" to use clones

So, we know clones are bad. It affects designers and there are companies with shady reputations that would produce these sets. However, there is a demand for sets that either: had their group buy end years ago or are taking their sweet time to be produced.

Is there a good way to grab hold of sought-after keycaps? YES.

The answer: Make IN-STOCK VERSIONS!

The best part, this actually happening. The photo above is an official clone of GMK Modern Dolch Light called OTC Modo Light. While the spacebar was from the official GMK set, the rest of the keycaps were remakes of an old GMK set. These keycaps are still available for purchase on Omnitype.

Meanwhile, CannonKeys announced NicePBT in 2022 and had sets that were based on GMK sets. The store offered refunds to those who pre-ordered GMK keysets and wanted to opt-in to the in-stock version.

And don't get me started on the influx of various GMK Olivia keysets that float in various marketplaces like NovelKeys and Wuque Studios.

While it is very unlikely that every keyset ever made will have an in-stock variant, it's interesting to see that vendors and designers became open-minded to producing available keysets based on designs they've sold before. Not only are they cheaper than the GMK variants, but they also give those who are starting in the hobby to grab hold of official sets, even if the manufacturer is different. It's also important to point out that designers and vendors are opting for the in-stock model, which reduces the production of clone variants.

Unfortunately, there will be people who will go after clones. And that's fair since this hobby is so damn expensive. But if there is a key set that you want and was sold years ago, there is a slight chance that an in-stock variant exists somewhere.

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — October 9-15

<<< previous week || all posts || following week >>>

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

10-09 → Gong Jun posted seven of the Vogue event photos to his Xiao Hong Shu, caption: “Wuhu  Happy!” and his Instagram, caption: “Happy 😁😁😁” 

→ Vogue posted another photo of Gong Jun from the event. They later posted an additional one to advertise the VogueWorld exhibit, which will be open until 10-23, where Gong Jun’s short film “Hello, Hello” is being shown.

→ Tiffany and Co. posted two of Gong Jun’s photos, highlighting their jewelry. 

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted seven more photos from the event. Caption: “The brilliant aesthetics of gradient colors, congratulations to boss @ Gong Jun Simon for finally getting what he wanted, the cool autumn has arrived, and the grandeur is as good as ever.”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a douyin of behind the scenes footage from the photoshoot. Caption: “Welcome to boss @ Gong Jun Simon's ‘eating and broadcasting’ paradise 😏” BGM is Another Day of Sun from La La Land.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a behind the scenes video from the photoshoot. Caption: “Ding 🔔 You have a mysterious call from boss @ Gong Jun Simon to be answered from the Wonderland of Oz 😎~” BGM is Warm Nights by LAKEY INSPIRED.

→ 361° posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Vogue posted a group photo of all the celebrities they had included in their promotional photos from the exhibition.

10-10 → Youku posted four of the green suit photos to Twitter.

→ AllSaints made a post highlighting their biker jacket worn by Gong Jun in “Hello, Hello”.

→ Gong Jun posted a photo of himself with a newly announced Sanrio Tangle Teezer collab design to his Xiao Hong Shu.

→ A planted Zhang Sanjian supporter posted “insider info” saying that Zhang Zhehan won a music copyright lawsuit; a cryptic post by Xie Yihua seemed to back this up. No evidence has been found for this lawsuit actually existing.

→ VogueFilm posted a collection of photos from VogueWorld, one of which shows “Hello, Hello” being shown.

→ Vogue posted a promotional video for VogueWorld featuring Gong Jun, shortly followed by a photo ad. Charlotte Tilbury reposted both of these. [1] [2]

10-11 → 361° reposted a paparazzi video of Gong Jun arriving to work for Fox Spirit Matchmaker’s filming wearing their brand’s clothing.

→ Gong Jun posted four photos to his Xiao Hong Shu of himself posing with a SKULLPANDA Between Light and Dark figure. Caption: “You don’t say (别说)  Really do like it” Fan Observation: This was the second year anniversary of the release of Zhang Zhehan’s Another Me EP, which included the song Don’t Say (不说). [candy breakdown]

→ Vogue posted a short commercial featuring Gong Jun for VogueWorld.

→ Costa began selling cups with a cartoon jellyfish they used last year in their endorsements with Zhang Zhehan, disproving old rumors that he had copyrighted the design for his solo fans.

→ Hogan posted the photos of Gong Jun with the SKULLPANDA figure highlighting their shoes he’s wearing in them.

→ Honor posted a photo ad with a caption that includes 瀚海 (han from Zhehan, hai from haizhe). 

Addition 10-21: ELLEMEN Fresh posted an article about period drama costumes, in which they included a section talking about Gong Jun’s costuming in Word of Honor.

10-12 → Flora posted about a recent tactic being used by planted Zhang Sanjian fans where they’re using KOL-promotion hashtags on Weibo to spread photos of Zhang Sanjian to the general public. Followups: [1] [2]

→ Colgate posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun.

Addition 10-21: The Instagram posted photos of Xiao Yu and Zhang Zhehan from the filming of Retro Detective, wishing Xiao Yu a happy birthday. I’m sure he was thrilled. /s

10-13 → Colgate posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

10-14 → A song performed by Gong Jun entitled Little Shoulders was released. [music video] [solo audio with translated lyrics] [Spotify] The song was written to encourage the dreams of children, and was recorded for an initiative sponsored by the Culture, Art and Audio-Visual Communication committee of the China Federation of Radio and Television Associations, which Li Xuezheng is a vice president of. It will also be used as a dedication to the National Congress. Fan Observation: The song shares its lyricist with Zhang Zhehan’s song Heart Towards the Sun.

→ Gong Jun made a post promoting the song. Caption: “Little shoulders carry big dreams. I wish all children can be full of hope and bravely pursue their dreams!” This was reposted by his studio with the added caption, “‘Little shoulders also have big responsibilities’, boss @ Gong Jun Simon joins hands with children in the new era to sing a dream movement, living up to their youth!” (10:04 and 10:06 respectively, possible 511 and 1640 kadians with the date) It was also reposted by 361° and MUJOSH.

→ #Gong Jun’s new song Little Shoulders# got on Weibo hotsearch.

→ Hsu Fu Chi posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Vogue posted a commercial for VogueWorld that briefly features Gong Jun.

→ 361° made a post promoting Little Shoulders.

10-15 → Kangshifu posted three photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ Flora posted a translation of an exposé done by a Chinese fan sharing a personal account of attending offline fan-meetups of Zhang Sanjian supporters designed to brainwash skeptics. These meetups are held in remote locations where it’s more difficult for attendees to leave, use various tactics such as psychics and “insiders”, and are designed to target CPFs in particular. The account is a play by play description of cult indoctrination tactics.

Addition 10-21: The producer of Little Shoulder posted a sample clip of it to his Douyin, including photos of Gong Jun with him and the children from the music video.

Additional Reading: → Flora’s daily fan news thread → More followups about Peter from throughout the week: [1] [2] (< added to last week’s post, you may have seen these already depending on when you read that) [3] [4]

<<< previous week || all posts || following week >>>

This post was last edited 2022-10-21.

[castillon02]

007 Fest 2022 Masterpost

I struggled through this year’s Fest, but I still managed to do a few recipes! I’m particularly proud of completing the minor characters prompt table.

Tiago Rodriguez’s Spanish Tortilla - Tiago/OMC

Contributed a voice (M!) to the USS Skyfall podfic

Wai Lin’s Egg Flower Soup - Wai Lin/Brosnan!Bond

J.W. Pepper’s New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

3 Haiku on an Aloe Leaf - a scavenger hunt task featuring Jaws, Nomi, and Paloma

Headcanon: Felix the Egg Troll - James/Felix

Paloma’s Garlic Aioli - Paloma/Camille

Tracy di Vicenzo’s Zabaglione - Tracy/Lazenby!Bond

Gala Brand’s Eggs Benedict - Gala Brand/Tiffany Case

Attended two events (Cards Against Bondmanity)

Beta’d one fic

143 comments

with bonuses, a total of 335 points!

Thank you to Team 00 for being an amazing team; to our Team 00 captains, Celandine, Rose, and Coward; to my co-mods, Lin and Christine, for co-running this shindig; and to everyone who participated, because what an amazing dashboard party! Even though it wasn’t my most productive fest, I still had tons of fun thanks to everyone’s enthusiasm <3