Collab edition

l UA/Balenciaga
l Restaurants
l Travel
l Architecture
l Photography
l Fendi










l Woke awakening Pop culture
l UA + Balenciaga Sport/Fashion collab. l Planar British hi-fi tech.
l Japanese London Four hot spots in town. l NPR Music Tiny Desk and more. l When in Europe France/Portugal.


New Pop Culture Sociology
Gaming has been one of the fastest growing industries of the 21st century and is arguably the most profitable, if not one of the most controversial, under the entertainment umbrella. With the February 2023 release of Warner Bros Games Hogwarts Legacy, it’s no surprise that a lively ongoing debate has been resurrected online between Harry Potter fans and those from the transgender community. The question is, why?
A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. J. K. Rowling, the author of the famed Harry Potter series, has had much to say about the trans community; specifically trans women and their relation to her experience of being a biological woman. It started with a notorious tweet published in June 2020 in response to an article on devex.com titled Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate.
‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for these people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?

Sociology
Regan says..... Analysis by Regan Kilkenny.
After a barrage of backlash, Rowling doubled down, landing her the label of TERF: a trans-exclusionary radical feminist.
If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.
It isn’t hate to speak the truth. With this new development causing outrage from those in the trans community, a plea was made to boycott anything and everything Harry Potter because, obviously, to support the work of someone with such controversial opinions meant you also supported her ideas. Right?

With the release of Hogwarts Legacy, this is the concern for many Harry Potter fans that are just itching to play the new game. A nostalgic glimpse into the Wizarding World that so many found solace in. A young person's escape. Are they no longer
What does the future look like?
an ally if they want to relive their childhood?
So, the question that remains is this: when does the art outgrow the artist? Will we be forever limited to what we can enjoy if the creator is at all bigoted in any way? And are you a transphobe if you want to play a silly little game where you pretend to be a wizard?
It would not be a stretch to say that access to the internet has turned people soft, with some of the public having too much time on their hands, leading to so called online activists ready to burn anyone at the stake for sharing an opposing opinion, from the comfort of their own home. With younger generations more politically aware than ever, they have a place to express their voice, yet remain anonymous behind a computer or phone screen. Yet one thing can be said for certain – the added attention upon the release of this new game did absolute wonders for its sales.
Quotes - There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.
We become what we behold. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us.
Marshall McLuhan
fresheye looks at a melding of fashion, sport and style...
The Balenciaga | Under Armour Series first seen during the Balenciaga Spring 25 show in Shanghai launches globally. The products within this launch—men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, sneakers, bags, jewelry, sunglasses, and accessories—appear in a dedicated campaign lensed by photographer and videographer Joseph Kadow, and will be available in select stores worldwide and on balenciaga.com.
The
image
Slow motion videos depict models Léa and Gedeon running in products from the Balenciaga | Under Armour Series, captured in the dynamic style of archetypal sportswear commercials. Stills from the video footage are combined with still-life imagery that focuses on products that meld American sportswear manufacturer Under Armour’s technical expertise with Balenciaga’s savoir-faire and silhouettes. The UA logo, centered over a classic Balenciaga stamp is ubiquitous throughout the series, appearing as insignias, prints, and embroideries, alongside the House’s signature Loop Sports Icon logo.
Pieces
Ready-to-wear items including UA’s hallmark athletic base layer pieces, and innovatively constructed reversible garments including windbreakers, quarterzip pullovers, and track suit separates. A nylon tracksuit jacket reverses into a denim zip-up jacket, while soft jersey and fleece interiors on other items simultaneously act as comfortable linings, and offer the wearer two distinctive styles in one garment.

Modes of collaboration

Sport Fashion
Availability Immediately available on Balenciaga’s website following the runway showofferings include a hoodie, along with oversized sweatpants, t-shirt and shorts, plus a dad cap and socks, all of which are co-branded with the Balenciaga and Under Armour logo.




Sport Fashion
Throughout the line, several archetypal garments are actually hybrid trompe-l’œil designs (like crewneck short-sleeves with sports bras and the aforementioned layered track pants), which appear as layered garments but are actually combined into a singular silhouette.


Collection
The unisex Balenciaga x Under Armour range features a plethora of ready-to-wear, sneakers, bags, jewellery, sunglasses, and accessories.

Footwear
The collection includes co-branded versions of the Balenciaga Runner, 3XL and the Hyper Sneaker, while the jewelry offering supplies heavy choker neckalces, hoops and stud earrings with turn-lock clasps modeled after the UA motif. The entire line is an amalgam of actual workout gear and bespoke fashion that’s probably best suited for streetwear collectors .

Sport Fashion
Standout
Standout pieces include the Under Armour Hoodie Bag, which transforms a regular zip-up hoodie into a shoulder carrier with the collaborators’ dual iconography on what would be the chest. Elsewhere, reversible tracksuits, windbreakers, layered track pants, denim trousers, cycling bodysuits, flared sweatpants, sweatsuit hoodies and more activewear pieces flaunt the UA logo atop the classic Balenciaga stamp.



Fusion
Balenciaga and Under Armour have teamed up to create a high-fashion athletic collection.






Collection
Sport Fashion
The sportswear fusion line houses a bounty of men’s and women’s ready-towear, bags, jewelry, sunglasses and sneakers - all blended concoctions of Balenciaga’s tonguein-cheek savoirfaire and Under Armour’s pragmatic functionality.




Hybrid
The French fashion house is crossing over with the Baltimore-based sportswear brand.

Rega Plana
Bringing the purity and simplicity of British technology home by Dennis Sterne.
The Rega Planar 3, together with its successors, the P3 and RP3, is a wellknown budget audiophile turntable by British hi-fi manufacturer, Rega Research available since 1977. It was a belt-drive deck that broke from convention, by employing a solid plinth in lieu of the compliantly-suspended chassis or sub-chassis used in many quality turntables since the early 1960s.
The product has lived through several guises and name changes, any of which are often referred to simply as “Rega 3”. It is highly influential, and has made its small British manufacturer’s name synonymous with hi-fi turntables, and gave the company the widest brand recognition in this product sector in the US. Its relative simplicity and affordability made the Rega 3 a “bedrock of analog playback for well over 30 years”.
In 2016, Rega released its 5th generation of Rega 3 turntables, and returned to its original name, Planar 3. A significant redesign, the 2016 Planar 3 features almost all new parts but still shares its basic engineering with its older siblings.
History
The turntable has been through four principal guises: Planar 3 (1977–2000) (2016-), P3 (2000–2007), P3-24 (2007–2012) and RP3 (2012–2016). The first Rega turntable, the Planar 2 was launched in 1975. This was followed by the launch in June 1977 of the Planar 3. The two decks are of identical design but built to different budgets. The Planar 3 turntable established itself as a “threshold” or entry-level for high quality turntables. It became hugely popular and is one of the most well-known turntables ever produced.
u



Rega Planar - Delivering a class-leading combination of sound, build and ease of use.

A Planar 3 might take centre place in the system of many audiophiles as a “serious turntable” until they could afford the coveted Linn Sondek LP12. It became a reference for simplicity and value, confirming Britain as an important player in the specialist hi-fi industry.
Design
Rega went against conventional wisdom of the time, preferring to make their decks lightweight and rigid as a means of controlling unwanted resonances. Their belief was that mass absorbs energy and results in lost music. In other senses, the turntables are deliberately minimalistic and neither require nor justify any ‘tweaking’ by users, except adjustment to the vertical-tracking-angle (VTA) of the cartridge. It is a belt-driven design incorporating a driving ‘sub-platter’ mounted on a high quality oil-lubricated bearing, which is fixed directly to a medite (MDF) plinth supported by three simple rubber feet.A heavy


glass platter sits atop the sub-platter, which is driven by a mechanically-isolated 24V synchronous motor through a rubber belt. A 2mm-thick mat sits on top of the glass platter.
The turntable is without suspension, and the rubber feet provide limited mechanical isolation from floor-transmitted vibrations.

From the stable - Planar 8 is engineered to extract as much detail from the vinyl surface as possible. We have used the most advanced materials and engineering solutions built around a supremely lightweight plinth to ensure the greatest level of performance





Japanese London Endulge your Asian persuasion, choose the capital
for your Japanese restaurant.
Any world-renowned city should have culinary diversity represented in its choice of restaurants.
London is most certainly among those cities sighted as being rich in cultural diversity, this is reflected in the restaurants on offer.
As people become better acquainted with what denotes popular dishes of an international variety, Japanese food has attained its rightful recognition for delicious dining and the health benefits that are aligned with its template that has been employed for centuries. Even your layman by now will recognize the terms Bento, Sushi, Noodle, Satay, Soy, Sesame, Ramen, Tempura, Miso, Udon, Katsu, Soba etc. If you don’t, then it’s time to dive into Japanese food. The time to expand awareness of a broader persuasion around food is always the here and now.
fresheye highlights 3 London dining spots
to tempt your Japanese persuasion. Think of the health benefits too of a Sushi meal. Two of the most healthy diets in the world are undisputedly Japanese and Mediterranean. Both regions reporting the lowest heart disease rate amongst its populations. Fish, fish oil and omega 3 are common in our understanding of good health and diet. Equal to the enjoyment of Japanese food is the dining experience. When eating within a Japanese inspired interior however traditional or modern, the senses are prompted to experience from a Japanese perspective. Using chopsticks too should authenticate the feel and mood. If you really want to indulge in authenticity then take a few slurps of your favourite soup. The flavours of the noodles and soup are multiplied when slurping. Slurping creates oxygenation which is said to enhance the flavour.
Joy to the lovers of good Japanese food where ever the price range be.
Set within the heart of Piccadilly, Engawa is one of London’s most authentic and traditional Japanese restaurants, specialising in the delicacy of Kobe beef alongside a stunning selection of fresh sushi and sashimi.
2 Ham Yard, London, W1D 7DT



Engawa - One of just a handful of Japanese restaurants in London to offer Kobe – the most exclusive beef in the world often called the ‘caviar of meat’.




Restaurants
that takes the name from the special breed of free-range chickens renowned for their robust flavour and freshness in Japan. Staying true to this ethos, we use the freshest free-range birds, delivered direct from Yorkshire, utilising every part of the chicken.



Jidori - A rare London spot dedicated solely to yakitori and the art of the Japanese grilled chicken skewer.



The Line
fresheye
looks
at The Line: A 170-km long future city in Saudi Arabia’s desert.

Timeline: The plan was announced in January 2021 by Saudi
The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2030. But that is not all: The Line is only one part of a much bigger development called Neom with a price tag of 500 billion USD.



The Line, Saudi Arabia
The Line is a linear smart city under construction in Saudi Arabia in Neom, Tabuk Province, which is designed to have no cars, streets or carbon emissions.


Architecture
Mission: Work is now well underway and a new video provided by Neom shows the world’s largest earthworks stretching across the desert into the distance, with excavators and lines of trucks busy preparing the necessary foundations for the building. The scale is incredible and work continues 24/7 to move around millions of cubic meters of soil and water each week.




The Line is a revolutionary city that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving its surrounding nature.



Architecture
Spec: A 170km long and 200m wide linear development in the desert, The Line is a “cognitive city” being built in Saudi’s Tabuk Province. Bordered by two 500m-high walls, mirrored on the exterior, it is planned to be home to 9M residents in its 34km2 area and will be filled with interconnected mixed-use community spaces in its 135 modules. It will run as completely carbon net zero and have no roads or cars, but public electrified transport running along the outskirts.
Aerial photos showing the early stages of the 170km long city The Line in Saudi Arabia have been shared by Neom’s chief operating officer.

As well as measuring 170 km (105 miles) in length, it’ll have a height of 500 m (1,640 ft) and a width of just 200 m (656 ft).



Architecture
Spectrum: The Line is just one part of the overall Neom project, which some are describing as a gigaproject, and is being undertaken by the Saudi government in an attempt to diversify its economy away from oil and gas exports.
Location: In the temperate northwest of Saudi Arabia, NEOM’s diverse climate offers both sun-soaked beaches and snow-capped mountains.



A massive mirrored structure that is expected to house a city of around 9 million, which is a population roughly equivalent to that of New York City.


Architecture
Latest addition: UK architecture and engineering studio Atkins is the latest studio to have been officially announced as working on The Line megacity.
Size: Neom is arguably the world’s largest and most controversial architecture project.
Prospect: The Line is the most notable part of the upcoming Neom giga-project in Saudi Arabia but there have been an incredible number of other projects underway in the country too as it attempts to transition from a primarily oil-based economy to that of a tourist destination.




The Pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China, and now the Line. It sounds hyperbolic but that’s the sort of scale and ambition that the creators of Saudi Arabia’s city sized skyscraper are aiming for.

NPR Music offers podcasts, live concert webcasts, reviews, music lists, news, studio sessions, and interviews to listen to from NPR and partner public radio stations across the country, as well as an index of public radio music stations streaming live on the Internet.
Tiny Desk Concert
Intimate video performances, recorded live.
NPR Music is a project of National Public Radio, an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization, that launched in November 2007 to present public radio music programming and original editorial content for music discovery. The Tiny Desk is a unique space that presents your favorite artists like you’ve never heard them before. Since 2008, NPR Music welcomed beloved musicians from across genres — everyone from Adele to Chance The Rapper, from T-Pain to Yo-Yo Ma — to perform behind the desk of Bob Boilen, host of All Songs Considered and creator of the Tiny Desk concert series. Since the launch of the series, more than 900 performances have been recorded at Boilen’s festive workspace at NPR headquarters, which is adorned with years of music mementos and memorabilia.
The new
As much as the Tiny Desk is about celebrity, it’s also about discovery. So in 2014, they launched the Tiny Desk Contest: their nationwide search to find the next great undiscovered musician to come play a Tiny

Desk concert. Winners also go on tour with NPR Music, in partnership with NPR Member stations across the country. The previous winners have gone on to sign to major labels, perform across the world and even win Grammy awards.
And while there is only one yearly grand prize winner, every artist who enters the Contest benefits from joining the Tiny Desk Contest community. Entrants are regularly featured on NPR Music’s All Songs Considered blog, at the stops on the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour and even sometimes in a Tiny Desk concert down the line. No matter what kind of music you make, NPR Music wants to hear it. Send them a song that’s totally you. https://tinydeskcontest.npr.org/2020/open/ NPR offers a wide range of shows and podcasts (also find on YouTube). Check out what’s featured and what’s offered daily, or browse all NPR shows: news and conversations, storytelling and humor, and music. If you don’t see a show or podcast you’re looking for, it may be produced by your local NPR station or another public media organization.



is the second-largest city in Portugal and one of the
Peninsula’s major urban areas. A coastal city in northwest Portugal known for its stately bridges and port wine production. In the medieval Ribeira (riverside) district, narrow cobbled streets wind past merchants’ houses and cafes.

When in Europe
A Portugese and French discovery
by our dancing traveler Hillary Sukhonos.
Months of self-isolation have stoked desire to travel. For some of us, armchair travel is our only option right now. While Europe and Asia proceed to open travel and tourism, the UK and Americas remain stymied in the pandemic quagmire. Well, while the world falls into the new dark age, I shall dream of brighter days… like care free airline travel, sidewalk cafes, and watching smiles, not masks, appear on people’s faces. I invite you to imagine the fresh air of a beach escape and recall the wonderment you feel when exploring narrow village streets. I offer two European spots, both known for their regenerative and smile-inducing qualities. Find relief from these uncertain times within the colorful, relaxed, and flavorful seaside city of Porto, Portugal; and secondly, the reclusive, moody, and effervescent Etretat, France.
Porto, Portugal
If your travel passions are art, architecture, and design then head to Porto and stay in the art district known as Rua de Miguel Bombarda. Rows of art galleries nest beside new fashion creators, upcycle boutiques, and my personal favorite, tea parlours. Breathe in the rich scents at Rota Do Cha on Rua de Miguel Bombarda 457, a veritable oasis of calm, tea, and bohemian atmosphere. Notes of street musicians will rise in the cobblestone street as the sunset casts long shadows. Evenings can be enjoyed strolling across the famous bridges over the river Douro. Let the night take you.
Etretat, France
If kayaking, cliffs, and caves call your name then dream of Etretat, a noble seaside village in north-western France. Striking white
Etretat, France - A hidden gem of Normandy, France. Etretat is a perfect offbeat day trip from Paris. u
Porto, Portugal - Smaller and cuter than its big sister Lisbon. Porto gently emerges and has a lot to offer in terms of culture, leisure and gastronomy with its historic center.



alabaster cliffs plunge into calm seas where you can rent kayaks to explore the arches and inlets of this striking shoreline. Explore some of Monet’s favorite bluffs on foot trails that lead past the sculpture garden of Alexandre Grivko and Notre Dame de la Garde chapel. What is the must do activity in Etretat? Watch the sunset! Cure for 2020 woes are certainly found in the natural setting of this Normandy village.
At this tumultuous moment in history, make it a priority to escape to your balcony, backyard, or local hotspot. Surely, if there was ever a time to enjoy local get-a-ways it is during a pandemic. If you are lucky enough to be allowed travel, check with official health and embassy sources. Or, like travel writer, Sarah Khan, just live vicariously through your friends social media feed!
COVID-19 travel guidance
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Travel to some countries and territories is currently exempted.
This advice is being kept under constant review. Travel disruption is still possible and national control measures may be brought in with little notice.






25/4/25

Hols Snap
fresheye celebrates the holiday snap caught on your smartphone. Never underestimated the power of new technology. Remember, it’s the camera you have with you at all times.
Photo Gallery


Travel photography is all about bringing the world to people and exposing what else is out there.



It’s about educating people about the customs of other cultures, showing them how they differ from their own.



“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.”
Steve McCurry



“Sometimes I arrive just when God’s ready to have someone click the shutter.”
Ansel Adams



The world is made better by travel photography.
IMX Nissan Concept
The IMx concept is said to represent the ‘three brand pillars’ that represent Nissan Intelligent Mobility. But behind this newspeak, there’s a genuine desire at Nissan to push electrification and autonomy, and the IMx is the visualisation of this plan.
fresh eye
Concept Car




A steering wheel that folds away when autonomous drive is selected, and a 180-degree OLED screen that replaces the traditional dashboard. This is mounted at the base of the windscreen and augments the view into the road, with further information.

Forward development
Nissan has made huge investment into its EV development program, and by 2022, it aims to have a family of 12 EVs on sale,

The innovative concept vehicle provides a glimpse into the future of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, Nissan’s approach to changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated with society.

Design synergy
It’s designed to strengthen the link between car and driver as a close, reliable partner that delivers a safer, more convenient and more enjoyable drive.


Nissan intelligent mobilityRedefining how we move
Imagine a whole new driving experience, moving through life with greater exhilaration, confidence, and connection to the world around you. This is Nissan Intelligent Mobility, and it’s already a reality in Nissan’s you can drive today – in cars that park themselves, watch what’s happening around you, and step in to keep you out of trouble. Now imagine a near future with cars that can actually learn from one another, and Electric Vehicles that recharge as they drive along, no strings attached. Nissan Intelligent Mobility is making all this, and more, part of a bold, bright tomorrow.


It sits on a bespoke EV platform and is powered by an uprated high-power battery that runs a pair of electric motors, mounted on each axle. The numbers are impressive – 429bhp and 516lb ft.
Designed by Delfina Delettrez Fendi in Milan, Italy. Fendi FW25, the essence of the brand is reimagined, blending sensuality with Roman precision, and merging irony with restrained humor.
Woman Fendi
fresh eye


Fendi celebrates 100 years
For Fall/Winter 2025 Fendi brings back luxurious fur by making it into scarves, outer jackets and bags. At the collection also apply Fur as embellished of the details, on pleated skirts with fur sewn onto the bottom side and beautify A-line skirts in pleated silhouettes with additional fur on the pleated edges.


Fendi AW2025
In the wake of Kim Jones’ departure, Silvia Venturini
Fendi took the reins for a special co-ed A/W 2025 collection marking the house’s centenary
Modernity and maternity have intertwined across time at Fendi to beget a form of fashion eternity - or at least 100 years of it so far and counting. For this first womenswear
Fendi season of its centennial year, Kim Jones both considered and collaborated with the four generations of women who have shaped its course.


“Fendi reminds me of the future. I didn’t want to spend too much time dwelling on the physical archives. For me, Fendi 100 is more about my personal memories – real or imagined of what Fendi was and what Fendi means today.”
- Silvia Venturini Fendi



Fendi
Heritage
Fendi is famous for its luxurious fur, which has been a main element of its style for decades, combining modern elegance with craftsmanship. The brand is also known for combining lace, which adds softness and femininity to its designs. The combination of fur and lace in the Fendi collection creates a balance between luxury, strength and softness.


Fendi’s Autumn/Winter 2025 show - a rousing journey through the meaning of Fendi - respectful, but never retro, simultaneously looking forwards and back.
Egg Hunt
A rebirth in the taste of chocolate...
However you like your Easter eggs, fresheye makes the hunt a lot easier for you. With our own discerning summary of 5, here is our version of the best chocolate taste test. And of course let us not forget what the Easter period is all about and what it means. Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD.
1. Waitrose No.1 hidden truffles egg
A thin egg but it has a rich and creamy texture and a pleasant taste, studded with rubbly almonds and a touch of salt. Quite a low-key creation, but the chocolate isn’t sickly sweet and has a good mouthfeel.
2. Rococo eggs
Proving that Easter eggs aren’t just for children (you’d better find an extra good hiding place
for this one), Rococo creates its own, grownup iteration from velvety smooth chocolate that comes in a range of delectable flavours - from sea salt to raspberry or honeycomb (there’s a wholly vegan version, too).
3. Hotel Chocolat
Whether you’re looking for a fun twist on an Easter classic, Eggs & Soldiers truffles or want to crack into their ridiculously thick Easter Eggs, look at Hotel Chocolat.
4. Divine
A boldly citrus flavour sings out from the softly set chocolate shell (don’t expect a clean snap). No bells and whistles, just a nice basic egg that delivers on all its promises. Simple but successful.
5. Melt chocolate egg
Indulge this Easter with handcrafted, luxury Acorn Easter Egg from Melt Chocolatesnow with completely plastic free packaging. Exquisite milk and dark chocolate Easter egg with a nutty capule almond rocher.





Divine Chocolate Limited - is a purveyor of Fairtrade chocolate. It was originally established in the UK in 1998 as a company limited by shares co-owned by the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers’ co-operative in Ghana.

