Fashion

Acapulco’s Recovery Moves Ahead In Fits And Starts After Hurricane Otis Devastation

Published

1 year ago

2023-11-12

Kiara Grace

ACAPULCO, MX (AP) — On a recent afternoon, the 58-year-old lady, a cook by trade, worked inside a beautiful apartment with panoramic views of the Pacific, stuffing Gucci and Dior shoes into a suitcase to carry to her employer. Only the skeleton of her flat and piles of garbage remained, the walls and windows shredded by Hurricane Otis.

Rufina Ruiz, on the other hand, was upbeat. Her house, in a suburb near Acapulco’s entrance, was just flooded, while others in the surrounding neighborhood were “buried.” And she still works, even though she was not at home when the government census of hurricane victims was performed, which would have resulted in relief. “I’d rather work,” she responded.

More than two weeks after Otis raced from tropical storm to Category 5 hurricane in a record 12 hours, catching authorities and people off guard, this 1 million-person city, a mix of large hotels and impoverished suburbs, tourism and drug crime, is attempting to rebuild at a similarly uneven pace.

Cars may now drive down the city’s main thoroughfares, past rubble and downed palm palms. There are signs all across town that say “free food.” There are lines everywhere for water, food, and pharmacy access.

Acapulco’s wealthiest citizens, who evacuated before or shortly after Otis, began to return to assess the value of their seaside properties.

A young man hauled tables and chairs from a modest restaurant along Acapulco’s coastal avenue, which formerly bobbed with yachts. Workers nearby nailed boards over damaged business windows.

Soldiers and National Guard personnel outnumber the once-ubiquitous palm trees in the major streets.

Some residents are upset that officials did not provide greater information about what would happen. Even many who had heard that Otis had become a Category 5 storm had no idea what it entailed.

Acapulco’s Recovery Moves Ahead In Fits And Starts After Hurricane Otis Devastation

Mariel Campos used to work at a hotel and now lives in one of Acapulco’s poorest hillside neighborhoods. She claims she was offered the opportunity to keep her job — cleaning up debris instead of making beds — but declined since it would have cost her more than half of her daily wage of $16 to cover increasing transportation costs to and from her damaged home.

Officially, Hurricane Otis killed at least 48 people and left many more missing. Otis destroyed 80% of the hotel infrastructure and 96% of the businesses in a city that relies heavily on tourism, although it lost some luster in recent decades as organized crime tightened its grip.

The federal government unveiled a $3.4 billion restoration plan earlier this month, including aid for families, small business owners, and hotels, and claims that basic services have been nearly restored. The government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called an end to the state of emergency on Thursday.

“It’s outrageous that they think living in these conditions is not an emergency,” said Ana Mextlitzin Méndez, a 44-year-old psychologist whose neighborhood is still without power, away from the tourist corridor.

Acapulco’s Recovery Moves Ahead In Fits And Starts After Hurricane Otis Devastation

Neighbors across the city have banded together to pile branches and clear paths through the streets, but they haven’t been able to clear all of the debris. It is being burned in certain spots while other streets remain closed.

Humanitarian organizations such as Doctors Without Borders have warned of the risk of diseases such as dengue, and many damaged hospitals are already overcrowded. The muggy air is thick with dust, and mosquitoes abound.

Méndez acknowledged that the government cannot do everything independently, but she stated that residents require guidance, which they have not received.

The losses were enormous, but so was the dread, at least in the immediate aftermath of the blow.

“You heard gunshots, screams,” said Alci Garcia, 36, who had to get his wife and 2-year-old daughter out of the city as quickly as possible since his daughter became ill. “Save yourself,” he said, without electricity, water, food, or security. They have yet to return to Acapulco.

Daniela Fiesco, 40, admits that she was among the residents who went to stores straight after the hurricane to get what they needed. She dashed for water, milk, and dog food, carrying whatever she could. But she was also among her neighbors who banded together to build barriers on their street and keep an eye on each other’s backs.

“They said people were breaking into homes and everyone panicked,” she said. “It was really crazy.” Young males were armed with sticks and machetes. She believes the city has become a state of “collective hysteria.”

There were also acts of solidarity, which often come before any government assistance.

A community kitchen opened before Fiesco’s house and was only closed a few days ago.

Alejandra Hernández protected numerous neighbors’ families when Otis struck on Oct. 25 because her in-laws’ house was one of the few made of concrete in the disadvantaged neighborhood.

Except for the iconic — and now ancient — Volkswagen Beetles, popularly known as “vochos,” very few cars make it through the neighborhood’s narrow streets.

The only relief here, where the Acapulco Bay stretches out before inhabitants, has been from individual citizens or churches, said Victorino Justo Bolaos, from where his house stood. There is now only a concrete room and a patch of ground where a kitchen once stood. However, the roof and wooden walls were blown away along with the kitchen.

A couple of teenagers nearby discovered something nice among the devastation. Anthony Sánchez, 16, said as he watched their homemade kites dive and soar, “now that there are no wires, we can fly.”

SOURCE – (AP)

Fashion

New Croc Clogs Mean Matching Togs For Your Dogs

Published

1 month ago

2024-10-13

Kiara Grace

Crocs, the foam footwear company, is known for its quirky designs, which range from cowboy boots to fried chicken-scented charms. Crocs is putting its best paw forward this month with the release of a range of clogs for dogs.

Crocs has partnered with pet supply provider and subscription service BARK to develop Pet Clogs as part of their annual “Croctober” campaign, which features a fan-inspired product.

New Croc Clogs Mean Matching Togs For Your Dogs

Companies frequently release promotional or limited-time merchandise to increase brand awareness. Special flavors of sodas or candies, collaborations with influencers or other brands, and even items that aren’t meant to be taken seriously can all help a company gain attention and stand out in a crowded marketplace among shoppers fighting inflation and looking to stretch their dollars.

“(The market) is returning, from my perspective, to what it was before the pandemic, which is that key promotional periods are extremely important,” CEO Andrew Rees told analysts during an earnings call in August. “We believe you have to participate in those promotional periods to get your fair share of consumer spending.”

Americans have spent more money on their pets during the last decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pet expenses climbed by 77.9% between 2013 and 2021.

Pet owners spent a total of $147 billion on pet-related expenses in 2023, with that figure expected to rise to $150.6 billion this year, according to the American Pet Products Association.

However, observers believe Crocs’ entry into the pet industry is more than simply another eye-catching marketing stunt; it is a show of the power of its devoted fan base.

The Power of Fandom
Despite — or perhaps because of — regular ridicule from fashionistas, Crocs has carved out a niche for themselves in mainstream culture. Its meme status and proclivity for going viral are aided by star-studded collaborations from Justin Bieber to Bad Bunny.

And sales of the footwear brand skyrocketed in 2020, owing to the increase of casual fashion during the pandemic.

“Crocs has a very strong base of fans, and it is very good at engaging with them via social channels and marketing campaigns,” said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData.

New Croc Clogs Mean Matching Togs For Your Dogs

If you need proof of the power of its fans, look at how rapidly limited-edition releases sell out. In 2021, a pair of adult clogs modeled by the Disney/Pixar character Lightning McQueen from the film “Cars” sold out in less than an hour after debuting on the Crocs website.

Crocs’ continued success with its fans, which Saunders described as “cult-like,” may be due to its active interaction with its consumers, making even the most seemingly ludicrous fan requests a reality (see: Crocs inspired by the DreamWorks movie character “Shrek”).

According to Saunders, the introduction of Pet Crocs, which the business describes as “one of the most highly requested products in brand history,” is another move aimed at younger, more social media-savvy consumers.

“In many instances these will be fun purchases which people will share on social media, helping to amplify the Crocs brand,” according to him.

SOURCE | CNN

Fashion

Exploring the Best Mechanical Watches in Today’s Market

Published

2 months ago

2024-10-02

Geoff Brown

Curiously enough, despite the arrival of the smart watch with all its multitasking allure and its flashy functionality, mechanical watches have grown a lot in popularity over the past few years.

And though the Quartz revolution has made watches so much more affordable and accessible to everybody, the advance in manufacturing technology has brought to us in recent decades some outstanding mechanical timepieces that rival the affordability of higher-end Quartz ones.

If you’re looking for a mechanical watch that is worth it and is also affordable, you’ve come to the right place because today, we’re going to be listing the best mechanical watches in 2024.

Best Mechanical Watches

Seiko Recraft

The Seiko Recraft is a wacky collection, out of which we prefer the SMK P27 with its lovely green dial and the rectangular case shape with slightly curved edges. It’s a rarity in the watch world, a vintage-inspired timepiece, reminiscent of the 1970s. The watch comes with only 50 meters of water resistance, an automatic movement without hacking function and without hand winding, and just a mineral crystal hard lex protecting the dial, but it’s an impressive timepiece nonetheless, and it costs a humble $275.

Tissot Everytime Swissmatic

An elegant and affordable piece that costs around $400. It’s one of the best mechanical timepieces you can get for the money. The simplicity of its dial, the clean and minimalistic esthetic with that lovely contrast between the stark the dial and the silver hue of the case, hands and indices, really make for a stunning watch. And inside, there’s a reliable Swiss automatic movement with a hearty power reserve of 70 hours with an accuracy of plus or minus 10 seconds a day, proving to be quite a capable mechanical caliber, especially for that price.

Citizen NJ0100 Automatic

One of the big Japanese names in affordable watches is Citizen and their NJ0100 Automatic proves to be quite a sight, powered by a Myota 8210 automatic movement with a water resistance of 50 meters. The price doesn’t exceed $150, so it’s perfect, but the fact that it’s an older model and not in production anymore makes it a little harder to find. But if you look around the internet, you should find plenty.

Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Blue Moon

The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Blue Moon is a real stunner. It may be a little more expensive at $440, but still on the affordable side, and it’s worth all those bucks. It comes in a 40.5 millimeter stainless steel case with an automatic four R-3-5 movement as it’s ticking hot, reliable, and with a 41-hour power reserve. But the most captivating part of this timepiece is that dark blue sunburst style, giving the watch an artistic and captivating look.

Tufina Sahara Mechanical

The Tufina Sahara is among the most popular mechanical watches out there, one with a dressy look and plenty of variants to choose from. Our favorite is the rose gold one, which boasts a remarkable silver dial with an intricate skeleton composition, playing with light in such a way that it creates a mesmerizing show. On the technical side, it comes powered by a mechanical movement with 17 rubies, a 3 ATM water resistance, rhodium plated case, Alpha photoluminescent hands and a superb sapphire coated lens protecting the dial. The thin bezel and classic guarded crown gives this watch a very elegant look, and the fact that you can find it for about $990 makes it that much more appealing.

Orient Kamaso

The Orient Kamaso is a worthy divers watch, bringing some impressive features for less than $300. The sapphire crystal glass, for example, is a rare feature on affordable watches. Then there’s the rugged stainless steel case that is depth rated for 200 meters, another feature that usually comes with higher price tags. When it comes to appearance, the Kamaso has a stunning black, blue, red, or green sunburst dial, complemented by the rotating vessel, finished in the same color. Under the dial, there’s an automatic Orient Calibur F692, a movement that’s said to be reliable and accurate.

Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver

Remaining in the diving watch world, the Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver, a tribute to the Compressor case dive watchers that were the thing back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It comes with the Seco NH-3 five automatic movement, water resistance of 200 meters, and in two case sizes, 40 millimeters and 44 millimeters. What we’re most impressed with is the beautiful and refreshing dial. It’s a classic, but it’s also one that departs from the similar designs that most divers have.

Fashion

Shein Faces Scrutiny In Italy Over Possible Greenwashing

Published

2 months ago

2024-09-26

Kiara Grace

Italy’s antitrust police are looking into Shein, the online fast fashion behemoth, for potentially making false statements about its environmental efforts.

The country’s independent competition commission said in a statement that the greenwashing investigation would focus on Infinite Styles Serves Co. Limited, a Dublin-based company that manages Shein’s website and app.

Shein Faces Scrutiny In Italy Over Possible Greenwashing

Shein was started in China and is now headquartered in Singapore. It has risen to prominence in the retail industry, thanks to a business model that enables it to produce garments in real-time and deliver it straight to clients from factories mostly in China.

That has allowed the company to sell things at extremely low prices and attract customers who can go to its website and buy $11 sweaters, $2 cellphone cases, and other items from a constantly updated range of stuff.

However, Shein’s detractors have long contended that the company’s tactics foster overconsumption and environmental waste, both of which the retailer claims it is attempting to address.

However, Italian regulators accuse the corporation of misleading customers with statements about the environmental sustainability of the apparel it sells. Environmental organisations have claimed that similar deceptive methods, known as greenwashing, occur throughout the corporate sector.

Italy’s anti-trust office, known in Italian as AGCM, claims that some of the environmental references on Shein’s Italian website are misleading or omit information. Images advertising Shein’s garments as sustainable are also made “through generic, vague, confused, and/or misleading environmental assertions,” according to the authority.

The watchdog specifically mentioned information from Shien’s “evoluShein” line, claiming that it may have misled consumers into believing that the clothing they purchased could be recycled.

AGCM also claimed that Shein’s website’s declared commitment to decarbonisation was in “apparent contradiction” with the increases in greenhouse gas emissions listed in Shein’s sustainability reports for 2022 and 2023.

The online shop stated that it would assist with the Italian probe.

Shein Faces Scrutiny In Italy Over Possible Greenwashing

“We would also like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to complying with the laws and regulations in the markets where we operate and to maintaining transparency with our customers,” Shein said in a news release.

Shein has also faced issues in other parts of Europe. Critics and advocacy groups, including Amnesty International UK, have protested the company’s potential listing on the London Stock Exchange due to labour and environmental issues.

SOURCE | AP