Beauty
Batsheva Hay and Régime des Fleurs Collaborate on a Limited-Edition Perfume
Designer Batsheva Hay bottles her madcap sensibility with a new fragrance collaboration with Régime des Fleurs….
You can tell a lot about a person’s life from their fragrance history, and New York–based lawyer turned designer Batsheva Hay has already left quite a trail. Sweet orange blossom from Cacharel’s original eau de parfum scented much of her childhood growing up in Queens, and to this day, even a slight whiff of patchouli brings her back to Palo Alto, California, where she used to buy the earthy oil from a local farmers market as a Grateful Dead–loving undergrad at Stanford University.
Now 39 and in full command of her eponymous four-year-old brand dedicated to frilly, one-off frocks torn from the pages of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Hay is at something of an olfactory impasse. “I’m not afraid of a strong scent, but it’s been tricky for me to find one that’s exactly right,” she reveals of the impetus behind her new collaboration with the conceptual perfume house Régime des Fleurs, which translates Hay’s madcap, more-is-more approach to fashion into a maximalist’s fragrance fever dream.
“I was surprised that she really likes perfume—and that she likes so many different kinds that are totally unrelated,” admits Régime founder and creative director Alia Raza, who, after meeting Hay through friends five years ago, took her on a research trip to the perfume department at Barneys’ now-shuttered Madison Avenue flagship. “It felt like going into a fabric store and picking swatches,” Hay says of the creative process. But instead of calico prints and vintage gingham, Raza worked with smoky bergamot and a surprising water-lily note for an ethereal, aquatic quality.
“There had to be some unpredictable aspect to it,” muses Raza, who purposely shied away from the more obvious fruity floral notes that you might expect from Hay—the woman who has almost single-handedly made “cottagecore” a mainstay on red carpets and Instagram feeds, helped along by a lengthy list of supportive indie darlings and rock icons. (Courtney Love is a loyal fan.) Instead, the fragrance leans heavily on a leather-laced, heady nostalgia that reminds Hay of draping herself in her mother’s clothes and jewelry as a young girl. Her signature florals have their moment via a limited-edition custom-designed printed-glass flacon that arrives in a keepsake pouch made from a matching cotton fabric. “I love how there’s a romance to Batsheva’s clothes but also a lot of mystery when you wear them because you’re all covered up,” Raza says of Hay’s modest cuts. The look is “layered and complex,” she continues—and now atomized.
Régime des Fleurs Batsheva Eau de Parfum, $245, is available at regimedesfleurs.com
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.