su•per•la•tive
/suːpɜːlətɪv/
adjective
1. Of the highest kind, quality or order, surpassing all else, or others. Supreme.
No Manners wraps up every month with a finely curated list of fashion, entertainment and pop culture’s “most” and “best” moments—the world’s hottest news, biggest stars and anything that made headlines worldwide.
Marking the end of the summer, August was abuzz with pop culture action and headline-worthy moments across fashion, beauty and entertainment.
US darling Taylor Swift dominated conversations with their engagement announcement and the reveal of her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl. Elsewhere, Latin American superstar Karol G set the internet ablaze with news that kept fans talking for days. Meanwhile, Katseye ruled over the advertisement realms with a nostalgic and energetic team-up with Gap.
Read on as No Manners guides you through this month’s highlights, from Tiffany & Co.’s arrival in Thailand with the “Legendary Legacy” exhibition to the rise of goth style spearheaded by Jenna Ortega. These are the top announcements, campaigns and trends heralding the new season and setting the stage for a packed September.
The Most Talked-About: Taylor Swift
US music mogul Taylor Swift broke the internet (twice) with the announcement of her upcoming album and her engagement to boyfriend Travis Kelce.
It all started on August 13 when the singer made a rare podcast appearance on New Heights, hosted by Kelce and his brother. Swift discussed anything and everything, from her Eras Tour to her relationship with the NFL star. However, the real highlight was the cover reveal of her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl. It took no time before the cover image was plastered all over the internet. The world collectively dived into the album’s branding and design elements, theorizing about the message behind Swift’s upcoming work.
An Engagement for the books
Two weeks later, and still riding on the buzz of her album announcement, Swift shared the news of her engagement on social media. The caption spoke directly to her fans, but reactions were equally spectacular. From headlines to memes, the news was everywhere and impacted all industries, including fashion.
According to data company Launchmetrics, which monitors fashion and luxury spaces, the Ralph Lauren dress Swift wore for the occasion drove $5.8 million in Media Impact Value (a proprietary algorithm that benchmarks brand activity and impact across various channels) within 48 hours. It accounted for 10% of the brand’s total August impact. Meanwhile, her engagement ring, designed by NYC-based jeweler Artifex Fine, generated $7 million. Media outlets reported that Swift and Kelce’s engagement even influenced the stocks of publicly traded jewelers.
Oh, by the way, Swift’s appearance on New Heights received so much attention that it broke records. On August 26, the Guinness World Records website announced that the episode had reached the “most concurrent views (1.3 million) for a podcast on YouTube.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what the world knows as “The Swift Effect.”
The Most Watched: Kpop Demon Hunters
Speaking of records, Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters officially became this summer’s biggest film phenomenon. Co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the story follows K-pop girl group HUNTR/X as they fulfill the mission of protecting the world from evil forces.
First released on streaming in June, the animated musical has experienced unprecedented success. By the third week of August, the film became Netflix’s most-watched film, surpassing the 2021 hit, Red Notice. While Kpop Demon Hunters accrued 236 million views on the streaming platform, the film grossed about $18 million at the box office over just one weekend, where it was showcased as a limited sing-along experience in North American theaters. As a musical sensation, the movie has also delivered top-charting music hits. Four featured songs simultaneously reached Billboard’s Hot 100 chart — a first for any soundtrack in history.
Breaking records and setting new standards for animated films, Kpop Demon Hunters’ success is a testament to multicultural storytelling and the power of fandom.
Best Press Run: Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega has taken method dressing to a whole new level to promote the return of Netflix’s Wednesday. The actress, who is already recognized for her goth-infused wardrobe, has brought the best of her style repertoire on tour. Sporting quintessential goth brands like Vivienne Westwood or updating pieces by Willy Chavarria and Gap Studios, Ortega has introduced a new era of gothic style just in time for the spooky season.
Ortega is not alone in the pursuit of a gothic fashion revival. Fashion-specialized media and social media users are also pushing the agenda. Headlines announcing the rise of Goth Fall have taken over fashion magazines and digital platforms, while content creators reintroduce gothic looks into the mainstream. Will goth become this autumn’s biggest trend? We can’t wait to find out.
Best Denim Ad: Katseye x Gap
Global girl group Katseye and US clothing retailer Gap rose as the winners of the August advertisement race. Amid controversial campaigns and product drops eroding the image of brands such as Adidas, Swatch and American Eagle, Gap’s nostalgia-driven campaign struck the right chord among Gen Z and Millennials.
Titled “Better in Denim,” the campaign went instantly viral, resonating with diverse demographics. Dancing to the Y2K classic, “Milkshake,” the highly choreographed ad outperformed Gap’s traditional Instagram content by 100 times. Per Launchmetrics, the announcement reel garnered $822K in Media Impact Value within 3 days.
The Most Legendary: Tiffany & Co.’s Legendary Legacy in Thailand
French designer Jean Schlumberger’s fascination with Southeast Asia has been widely documented. The designer, who is credited with ushering a new era in jewelry design by the hand of American jeweler Tiffany & Co., drew inspiration from countries such as Indonesia and Thailand to create groundbreaking and nature-infused pieces.
Paying homage to this relationship, Tiffany & Co. touched down in Bangkok to celebrate its first-ever exhibition in Thailand. Titled “Legendary Legacy,” the exhibit takes visitors on a journey, discovering the longstanding creative partnership between the brand and Schlumberger.
Tiffany & Co. inaugurated “Legendary Legacy” on August 21 at One Bangkok Tower 4. House ambassadors and friends from the Asia Pacific region, including Thai dinamos Win Metawin, Baifern Pimchanok, Yoko Apasra and Faye Peraya, lit up the event with their presence.
The Best Archival Jewelry: Win Metawin
Channeling Jean Schlumberger’s love for nature and nodding to Tiffany & Co.’s history, the brand’s first Thailand and Southeast Asia House Ambassador, Win Metawin, sported one of the rarest achival jewelry pieces to the “Legendary Legacy” opening.
The item was none other than a Strawberry brooch, featuring round rubies and 18-carat marquise diamonds. Originally conceived in 1956, the jewelry clip is eerily reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy’s signature berry brooch, which she received as a gift from her husband, President John F. Kennedy.
Making the most of the rare opportunity to display such a unique item in public, Win put a youthful spin on classic elegance. The star paired the seldom-seen piece with a black shawl lapel jacket, worn sans shirt — another fashion win to add to his style book.
The Most Booked-and-Busy: Felix and Karol G
What do K-pop star Felix Lee and Colombian sensation Karol G have in common, you might wonder. The answer is simple. Throughout August, both superstars had fans glued to their screens with one buzzy announcement after another.
On one hand, Felix reigned over the fashion and beauty headlines. First, the Aussie star officialized his partnership with Hera, heralding an international expansion era for the beauty brand. Then, the K-beauty label unveiled Felix’s first campaign as a global ambassador and a new lip gloss, inspired by the star, aptly named Brownie Boy.
In between album promotions alongside his group, Stray Kids, and juggling duties as a Louis Vuitton ambassador, Felix also starred in a teaser of Tamburins’ upcoming fragrance campaign, kicking off his partnership with the Seoul-based perfumer. Additionally, a sunglass collaboration between the K-pop darling and K-fashion giant Gentle Monster was announced for September. Not to mention that rumors of additional fashion partnerships have been circulating across social media spaces.
Karol G Takes Over the Music Scene
On the other hand, Karol G took over the music scene’s event calendar. The singer announced her participation in YouTube’s first exclusive NFL live broadcast as a halftime show performer. The match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers will take place in Brazil on September 5. Karol G will then set off to Europe to perform at Grace For The World on September 13. Held at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, the concert will close the third edition of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity. Andrea Bocelli, Pharrell Williams, John Legend, Teddy Swims, Jelly Roll, BamBam and Angélique Kidjo complete the event’s lineup.
Wrapping up a busy month, Karol G will make history in France as the first Latina guest performer at Crazy Horse Paris. Following in the footsteps of Dita Von Teese, Viktoria Modesta, Violet Chachki, and Lisa from Blackpink, Karol will perform exclusive shows inspired by her latest album, Tropicoqueta. “Latin beats at Crazy Horse Paris are unprecedented in more than 70 years of history — but I didn’t hesitate for a second,” said Andrée Deissenberg, Chief Creative & Brand Officer at Crazy Horse Paris Group.
