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Elon Musk or Larry Ellison could buy TikTok, Trump says

(Composite image) Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Larry Ellison.
Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Larry Ellison.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • President Donald Trump said he would be open to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison buying TikTok.
  • Trump previously floated a joint venture, saying that the US should own half of the app.
  • Trump has signed an executive order that gives TikTok another 75 days to figure out a new game plan.

A day after his inauguration, President Donald Trump said he'd be on board with Tesla CEO Elon Musk or Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison buying TikTok.

In a Tuesday press briefing announcing a $500 billion artificial intelligence joint venture with Oracle, Trump said he was open to the idea of Ellison or Musk buying TikTok.

When asked by a reporter if he would be open to Musk buying the app, Trump said, "I would be, if he wanted to buy it, yes."

"I'd like Larry to buy it, too," he added.

While Musk has not directly expressed interest in buying TikTok, he said on X on Sunday that he has "been against a TikTok ban for a long time" because it "goes against freedom of speech."

A handful of big-name investors have shown interest in buying the app. "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary has said that he, in collaboration with former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, would be interested in purchasing the app.

YouTuber MrBeast also said in an X post on January 13, "Okay fine, I'll buy Tik Tok so it doesn't get banned." MrBeast has joined a group of investors led by tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley, who have expressed interest in buying the app, the group's spokesperson told Bloomberg.

In 2024, ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese owner, said it would rather shut down TikTok in the US than sell it.

For now, TikTok's fate in the US hangs in the balance after the Supreme Court on Friday upheld the divest-or-ban law. This law requires ByteDance to divest from the platform in the US, or stop operating in the country.

TikTok went dark for its 170 million US users on Saturday. Hours later, its operations were restored.

Shortly after his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order to pause the ban, which gives TikTok another 75 days to figure out a game plan.

Trump also suggested on Monday that the US should own half of TikTok.

"So I think, like a joint venture, I think we would have a joint venture with the people from TikTok. We'll see what happens," Trump added, without specifying who he wanted to have as TikTok's US partner.

Trump's order to delay the TikTok ban has prompted some opposition from within the GOP.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas — who sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska wrote in a joint statement on Sunday that there is "no legal basis" for TikTok to get an extension.

In the statement, the senators lauded Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft for complying with the ban.

"President Trump said he signed the executive order to 'make a deal to protect our national security,'" Ian Swanson, Ricketts' press secretary, told BI.

"Senator Ricketts agrees that protecting our national security is paramount and that can only be done by ridding TikTok of all ties with Communist China," Swanson added.

Representatives for Musk, Oracle, and Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

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China's huge talent pool gives it an edge in the global EV race, says CATL exec

Pan Jian of CATL at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland 2025
Pan Jian of battery maker CATL at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Jakob Polacsek/World Economic Forum

  • China's talent pool of software engineers has boosted its EV industry, CATL's co-chairman said.
  • Pan Jian told the World Economic Forum that companies such as Xiaomi and Tencent had given China an edge.
  • Sales of EVs in China are set to overtake conventional cars this year for the first time.

A talent pool of software engineers and startups is giving Chinese manufacturers a key advantage in the global electric vehicle race, the co-chairman of the world's largest EV battery manufacturer said.

Pan Jian of CATL, a key Tesla battery supplier, said: "They have the benefit of tapping into a very huge talent pool, a software engineer talent pool, cultivated by the internet consumer and smartphone businesses in the past." They included companies such as Xiaomi and Tencent.

That meant Chinese automakers could draw on a wealth of technical expertise compared with rivals in the US and Europe.

Pan made the comments at a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday.

The session was moderated by Jamie Heller, Business Insider's editor in chief, and other speakers included Jakob Stausholm, the Rio Tinto CEO, and South African science minister Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande.

CATL makes batteries for EVs and was added to a Pentagon blacklist earlier this month.

Booming sales

EV sales in China are set to jump 20% this year to more than 12 million, overtaking conventional car sales for the first time.

Government incentives and intense price competition among players including BYD, Xpeng, Zeekr, and Nio have boosted EV sales in China.

Smartphone giants like Xiaomi and Huawei have also entered the EV market, with Xiaomi's $30,000 SU7 electric sedan surpassing 100,000 sales last year and wowing Ford CEO Jim Farley.

Xiaomi SU7
Xiaomi's SU7 has been a big hit with Chinese consumers — and the Ford CEO.

Mark Andrews

Amid a brutally competitive environment, automakers have faced pressure to offer affordable EVs packed with advanced technology.

Models such as the SU7 and Xpeng's P7+ come with voice control, giant infotainment screens, and advanced autonomous driving features, while luxury options including BYD's Yangwang U8 are packed with futuristic extras such as on-board drones.

Pan said that while government incentives had helped set up the market, these "intelligent" features were a big factor in booming sales of Chinese EVs.

"It's a perfect common marriage between electrification and intelligence," he said. "Electrification enables intelligence, so that offers a whole suite of new features to consumers which cannot be offered with traditional combustion-engine cars."

In contrast, electric vehicle sales growth in the US has slowed, with a host of automakers scaling back plans in favor of hybrids in response to tepid demand.

Several have also backed away from advanced technologies such as robotaxis, with General Motors cutting funding for robotaxi firm Cruise last year.

BYD Yangwang U8
BYD's Yangwang U8 SUV has high-tech features including an on-board drone.

VCG/VCG via Getty Images

"I think for the US and European market today, the bottleneck really lies in the software development capability with the traditional auto companies," said Pan.

He said Western companies needed to "embrace automaking in the new era, which has a heavy software component in it."

Supply chains

China's EV dominance extends to the supply chain, with numerous US and European automakers dependent on batteries made by CATL or BYD, the two largest battery manufacturers, to power their EVs.

Attempts to challenge China's battery giants have met with mixed success, with Swedish battery startup Northvolt filing for bankruptcy late last year amid stuttering demand for EVs in Europe.

As a result, some Western manufacturers are forging links with CATL. Stellantis announced in December it would build a battery factory in Spain with the Chinese company, and Pan said other automakers could soon follow the Jeep and Ram owner's lead.

"Hopefully this year, we will be able to announce some other major joint venture efforts in Europe with other automakers," he said. "It's not healthy … to concentrate too much production capacity in one place."

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What Melania Trump, Jill Biden, and other notable guests wore to Donald Trump's inauguration

Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Melania Trump standing side-by-side and looking straight ahead.
Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Melania Trump at Monday's events.

Evan Vucci/AP

  • President Donald Trump took the oath of office as the 47th president of the United States on Monday.
  • Both Jill Biden and Melania Trump wore outfits by American designers.
  • Usha Vance, the second lady, wore a pink coat, while Ivanka Trump wore a green skirt suit.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance took the oath of office on Inauguration Day on Monday.

Political spouses, Trump family members, and other VIPs attended the festivities, which included the official swearing-in ceremony and black-tie events.

Here are the most notable inauguration outfits.

At the vice-presidential dinner on Saturday, Usha Vance, the second lady, wore a custom black velvet Oscar de la Renta gown.
JD Vane and Usha Vance walking together and holding hands. He's wearing a suit and black bow tie and she's wearing a black strapless gown.
JD Vance and Usha Vance.

Eric Thayer/Getty Images

Ivanka Trump wore a custom Oscar de la Renta dress embroidered with crystals and pearls to an inaugural dinner on Sunday.
Ivanka Trump speaking with others, including Elon Musk, in a formal dining hall. She's wearing an embellished off-the-shoulder dress.
Ivanka Trump.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

On Inauguration Day, Melania Trump, the first lady, wore a navy coat and skirt by the American designer Adam Lippes with a wide-brimmed hat by Eric Javits.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump walking together outside. he's wearing a long black coat, and she's wearing  a fitted navy coat and a navy wide-brimmed hat.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump.

Jeenah Moon/REUTERS

Jill Biden, the former first lady, wore a purple coat and dress designed by Ralph Lauren, a color often worn to symbolize bipartisan unity.
Jill Biden and Joe Biden walking together on a red carpet outside the White House. She's wearing a purple outfit with a matching coat, gloves, and shoes. He's wearing a navy suit and tie.
Jill Biden and Joe Biden.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Former Vice President Kamala Harris wore a black pantsuit with zipper detailing.
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Deb Fischer standing with their hands clasped, looking down. Harris is wearing a black pantsuit with a silver zipper.
Kamala Harris, center.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Usha Vance wore a pink Oscar de la Renta coat and scarf with tan Manolo Blahnik boots.
Usha Vance holding onto JD Vance's arm as the walk together on the street. She's wearing a light-pink coat and scarf with tan gloves and boots. He's wearing a black coat and a red tie.
Usha Vance and JD Vance.

Matt Rourke/AP

Many of Trump's children and their families wore dark blues.
Eric Trump, Jared Kushner, Elon Musk, Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. standing together, with Eric and Donald holding up their phones.
Lara Trump, Eric Trump, Jared Kushner, Elon Musk, Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. after the inauguration.

Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images

Ivanka Trump wore an asymmetrical forest-green Dior skirt suit to the inauguration with a matching beret and black stilettos.
Ivanka Trump walking with her family next to three big black cars. She's wearing a dark-green skirt suit and beret and black heels.
Ivanka Trump wore a deep-green Dior skirt suit with black stilettos.

Chris Kleponis/via REUTERS

Tiffany Trump accessorized her blue velvet dress with Christian Louboutin boots.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos walking together outside. She's wearing a long blue velvet coat and black leather boots, and he's wearing a long navy coat and red tie.
Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos.

Jeenah Moon/REUTERS

Trump's granddaughter Kai Trump wore a gray turtleneck sweater dress and a necklace with a gold heart pendant.
Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter, Kai Trump, arrive before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Kai Trump.

Melina Mara/The Washington Post via AP, Pool

Former President George W. Bush wore a navy suit and blue tie. The former first lady Laura Bush wore a rust-colored dress with a pearl necklace and pearl earrings.
Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Barack Obama standing with others. Laura Bush is wearing a rust-colored dress with a pearl necklace.
George W. Bush and Laura Bush.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Former President Bill Clinton and the former secretary of state Hillary Clinton coordinated in deep-blue outfits. Hillary Clinton wore a Stella McCartney pantsuit and accessorized with a Peace on Earth brooch from the jewelry designer Ann Hand.
Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and George W. Bush talking and laughing.
Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and George W. Bush.

SHAWN THEW / POOL / AFP

Former President Barack Obama wore a black suit and a striped blue tie. The former first lady Michelle Obama didn't attend the inauguration.
George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Barack Obama standing together, smiling.
Barack Obama, third from left.

Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images

Former Vice President Mike Pence wore a black suit and blue speckled tie.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives ahead of the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States.
Mike Pence.

Ricky Carioti/Pool/Getty Images

Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos' fiancée, wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace bra.
Lauren Sanchez at the inauguration.
Lauren Sánchez, second from the left.

Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP

Melania Trump let her hair down and changed into a black-and-white dress by Hervé Pierre for the Commander-in-Chief Ball.
President Donald Trump and his wife First Lady Melanie Trump attend the Commander-in-Chief Ball after Trump's inauguration.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump.

Carlos Barria/REUTERS

Usha Vance switched to a sequined blue dress as she appeared with her husband, Vice President JD Vance, at the Commander-in-Chief Ball.
Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance arrive at the Commander-in-Chief Ball.
JD Vance and Usha Vance.

Ben Curtis/AP

Ivanka Trump wore a Givenchy haute-couture gown to the Liberty Ball. Kushner matched her look in a black tuxedo.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at the Liberty Ball.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.

Carlos Barria/REUTERS

Kai Trump wore a sparkly Sherri Hill dress to the Liberty Ball.
Kai Trump and Donald Trump Jr. at the Liberty Ball.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kai Trump.

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

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Champagne exports are slumping because people aren't in the mood to celebrate inflation and conflicts, chief of French producers' association says

Champagne sales slumped in 2024.
Champagne sales slumped in 2024.

Ricardo Mendoza Garbayo/Getty Images

  • The global exports of Champagne fell 9.2% in 2024, with 271.4 million bottles shipped out from France.
  • Consumers are just not in the mood for celebration, the chief of the French Champagne producers association said.
  • It said that global political and economic crises have dulled the festivities.

People around the world aren't in the mood for glasses of bubbly.

Shipments of Champagne have slumped in 2024 because consumers are not in the mood for celebration, according to Comité Champagne, the Champagne producers association.

Global exports of Champagne totalled 271.4 million bottles in 2024, but that was a 9.2% decrease from 2023, the association said in a statement to BI.

Maxime Toubart, co-president of the Comité Champagne, said in the statement that Champagne is a "true barometer of consumer mood."

"And this is no time for celebration, with inflation, conflicts around the world, economic uncertainty and a political wait-and-see attitude in some of Champagne's biggest markets, such as France and the United States of America," Toubart added.

John Noble, the director of Comité Champagne's Australia bureau, added that customers are "justifiably cautious" about buying the luxury product, given the "current economic environment with high inflation and cost of living concerns."

In July, LVMH, the world's largest luxury conglomerate, also sounded concern over its bubbly sales, attributing it to a bleak global outlook.

Sparkling wine sales spiked significantly in 2021 following the relaxation of pandemic restrictions, particularly in the US. But it was a short-lived high.

According to LVMH's 2024 first-half earnings report, the company's revenue from Champagne and wines declined 12% in the first half of 2024 compared to the year before.

"Champagne is quite linked with celebration, happiness, et cetera," LVMH's finance chief, Jean-Jacques Guiony, said in the earnings call in July. "Maybe the current global situation, be it geopolitical or macroeconomic, does not lead people to cheer up and to open bottles of Champagne. I don't really know."

Champagne is not the only luxury product facing a reckoning. In 2024, overall luxury spending stagnated, with big brands seeing their share prices drop.

Kering, the owner of Gucci, YSL, and Balenciaga, saw its stock fall more than 40% last year.

LVMH's sales declined by 3% in the third quarter of 2024, partly because of weakened consumer confidence in China.

The industry was also hit hard by "aspirational" luxury shoppers — those who spent big bucks on luxury immediately after the pandemic — reining in on their spending.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Loud luxury and logo-mania need a big revival and quiet luxury needs to die if brands want to keep making money, BofA analysts say

People line up before the Louis Vuitton store in Melbourne, Australia, during Christmas Eve.
People line up before the Louis Vuitton store in Melbourne, Australia, during Christmas Eve.

Alexander Bogatyrev/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

  • The quiet luxury trend is a big reason luxury brands are performing poorly, Bank of America analysts say.
  • The analysts said the trend makes it easier to replicate luxury brand looks with low-cost dupes.
  • The analyst note comes after a particularly bad year for luxury retailers in 2024.

Quiet luxury is a big source of the luxury industry's woes, Bank of America analysts said.

BofA analysts, led by Ashley Wallace, said in the Thursday note that the retail trend of leaning toward subtle, logo-less designs has hurt the luxury industry.

"'Quiet luxury' is still in fashion. But it has created lower barriers to entry/scale and fuelled copycats/dupes," the note read.

For instance, quiet luxury has made the combination of a "beige cashmere jumper with wide gray pants" one of the top fashion styles, the analysts said. This fit, however, is easily replicable when shopping at stores like COS or Uniqlo, the BofA analysts added.

They added that the trend toward products with no logos has lowered barriers of entry into the luxury market, which has allowed for "the rise of niche players like The Row and Khaite as true competition for share of luxury wallet."

The Row, Khaite, and Loro Piana are known for releasing clothes and accessories in solid colors and simple, structured designs.

The analysts suggested that the luxury industry should "pivot back to creativity, fashion content, and newness" instead of leaning harder into simplicity.

"In order to reestablish stronger barriers to entry, we think the logo and fashion content is important," the analysts wrote.

Quiet luxury has boosted some big brands — including Hermès, which managed to reap rewards with classic designs. Hermès's revenue of 11.2 billion euros, or $12.1 billion, for the first nine months of 2024 was up 14% from the same period in 2023.

Chinese luxury consumers, who have long been logo-hungry, also started adopting a quiet, old-money aesthetic in 2023.

The BofA note comes after a bad year for the luxury market. In 2024, luxury spending stagnated, and big brands saw their share prices drop.

The luxury industry was also hit by "aspirational" luxury shoppers — those who spent big bucks on luxury immediately after the pandemic — scaling back on spending.

Kering, the owner of Gucci, YSL, and Balenciaga, saw its stock fall more than 40% in 2024.

Luxury giant LVMH, the parent of brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Burberry, also saw its sales slide by 3% in the third quarter of 2024, partially due to weakened consumer confidence in China.

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The CEO of Sephora says your teenager only needs to be buying 3 skincare products

A Sephora store in Chongqing, China.
A Sephora store in Chongqing, China.

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

  • Sephora's CEO said teenagers only need three products in their skincare routine.
  • "Just cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF for a 13-year-old," CEO Artemis Patrick said.
  • Gen Alpha customers have gone viral for snapping up Sephora's expensive skincare products.

Sephora's CEO said teenagers only need three skincare products and need to stop buying products inappropriate for their age.

In a keynote speech at the National Retail Federation's Big Show on Monday, CEO Artemis Patrick said that she was all about "using the right appropriate skincare for the appropriate age."

She said that she had a conversation with her co-speaker, PWC's retail expert Kelly Pedersen, about his 13-year-old daughter "trying to buy products that she shouldn't be putting on her skin."

She said, "And I told him to tell her the CEO of Sephora told her not to do that."

"Just cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF for a 13-year-old. That's all you need," Patrick added.

Patrick's comments come after numerous reports of younger Gen Alpha shoppers going ham on expensive skincare and makeup products at Sephora.

The "10-year-old girls in Sephora" retail phenomenon went viral on TikTok last year, with Sephora customers and employees alike posting about how they spotted young shoppers shelling out on expensive skincare products.

Doctors and dermatologists previously told BI that teenagers needed only cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreens for their skin and did not need to think about antiaging products like retinol or vitamin C serums.

"Most young people do not need to use any of these products. Their skin is young and does not have the photodamage of those in their 30s and 40s," Jamie Glick, a dermatologist with the New York Dermatology Group, told BI in May.

Apart from talking about skincare for teens, Patrick also said in her Monday chat that Sephora would be getting a major facelift, with all of its North American stores getting redesigns in the next five years.

Patrick said it will be the "largest capital project for Sephora in its history and that the redesign, as a whole, aimed to give Sephora customers in different regions a consistent experience.

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Brandy Melville just set up shop in Seoul's answer to Brooklyn, and it's sparking a shopping craze

A Brandy Melville store in Madrid, Spain.
A Brandy Melville store in Madrid, Spain.

Cristina Arias/Cover/Getty Images

  • Brandy Melville is expanding in Asia with a new store in Seoul, South Korea's capital.
  • The store is in Seongsu-dong, a hip neighborhood often likened to Brooklyn.
  • The store saw snaking queues and products flying off the shelves in its first week of operation.

Brandy Melville, the teen-favorite clothing store that offers a "one size fits all" sizing approach, just opened a new store in Seoul's answer to Brooklyn — and it's a big hit.

The store, located in the hip Seongsu-dong area, opened on January 3 and was flooded with customers in its first week of operation, according to The Korea Herald.

Snaking queues formed outside the store in its first week of operations, as seen in TikTok videos posted by customers.

Other TikTok posts about the store's opening showed customers spending hours waiting in line.

The videos showed a well-stocked inventory, with full stacks of clothes on islands around the store. Products were snatched up fast, with staff having to restock the shelves frequently, per multiple reports from South Korean media outlets.

TikToker users have also been quick to post their shopping hauls from the new store, showing off their new sweaters and cami purchases. Other videos called it a "must-visit" store and one of the "new trendy places" in the Seongsu-dong neighborhood.

The Seoul store adds to the chain's small but growing presence in Asia. Brandy Melville currently has five other stores in the continent — one each in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, and two in mainland China.

Founded in Italy in the 1980s, the brand gained popularity after expanding to the US in 2009 and establishing its image as the go-to retailer for teenage girls in the US.

Representatives for Brandy Melville did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

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At 55 years old, Sephora is getting a facelift

People walking past a Sephora store front in Melbourne.
 

Alexander Bogatyrev/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

  • Sephora is embarking on the largest capital project in its history — a complete redesign of its stores.
  • Sephora CEO Artemis Patrick said the redesign would change how its North American shops look.
  • She said the refresh aimed to provide a consistent consumer experience across all stores.

Sephora is betting big on its brick-and-mortar strategy by giving its entire fleet of North American stores a facelift.

The LVMH-owned beauty retailer, which operates over 2,700 stores in 35 countries, will revamp the design of all its North American stores in the next five years, CEO Artemis Patrick said at the National Retail Federation's Big Show on Monday.

Patrick said it will be the "largest capital project for Sephora in its history." She added that while some stores will only see minor changes, others can expect "major redesigns."

She said the company talked to "millions of consumers" and used heat maps to understand its customers' shopping habits.

One thing the retailer is rethinking is gondolas — stand-alone islands in its stores that display products from one particular brand. She said that the gondolas are "quite expensive."

"We're not a cheap date," Patrick said. "And we don't want our brands to be spending a ton of money on building these amazing fixtures, and then it's not productive and doesn't work out."

Instead, she said that Sephora was testing out a new layout format focused on Sephora's four key product categories — makeup, skincare, fragrance, and hair care — which would make updating stores easier.

Another change shoppers can expect to see is the location of the beauty studios, which will be moved to the sides of the stores.

"We talked to our millions of consumers, and the reality is, they didn't want their makeup being done in the window," she said. "Not shocking."

Patrick said that Sephora is also rethinking the section near the checkout counters where the mini sizes of products are placed.

She said that with Sephora's staff billing a fourth of customers via mobile devices around the stores, the minis section could be broken up and moved to the front of the stores instead of near the checkout counters.

She added that the redesign, as a whole, aimed to give Sephora customers in different regions a consistent experience.

"One of the things that was really, really important to us was ensuring that no matter what, where you are, whether you are in our Soho store, you're in Boise, Idaho, or you're in Vancouver Island, that experience is the same no matter where you go," she said.

She added, "Because we do believe we have that consistency with our beauty advisors, but maybe not necessarily in all our retail stores."

Sephora contributed heavily to LVMH's "selective retailing" division. In the first half of 2024, ending June 30, the division raked in $8.6 billion in revenues and saw a 7% increase in profits from recurring operations compared to the year before.

Its biggest competitors in the US include the cosmetics store chain Ulta Beauty and department store chains Nordstrom and Macy's. Macy's recently announced that it plans to shutter 150 stores by the end of 2026.

Representatives of Sephora declined to comment in response to a request from Business Insider.

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I'm a luxury bag authenticator and I can tell the viral Walmart Birkin isn't the real deal from afar — here's how

Photo collage featuring Walmart 'Birkin' Bag and a hand holding a HERMES Birkin 35 Handbag Bag
 

Walmart; Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

  • Koyaana Redstar, a luxury bag authenticator, has decades of experience identifying fake Hermès Birkin bags.
  • She said that the viral "Walmart Birkin," or "Wirkin," has several telltale signs of being a dupe.
  • But Walmart is also not trying to convince anybody that the Wirkin is the real deal, she added.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Koyaana Redstar, the head of luxury buying at Luxe Du Jour, an online luxury boutique for vintage designer handbags. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I've worked for Rebag, The RealReal, and other vintage consignment stores and have 20 years of experience in the resale industry.

To me, the Hermès Birkin and Kelly are the most iconic bags in fashion. They are classic and retain value more than almost any other bag.

So, of course, I have thoughts on the viral $78 "Walmart Birkin" bag.

Signs that the Wirkin is an obvious dupe

First, the proportions of the Wirkin wouldn't look right to anyone who knows their stuff — and knows Birkins.

The handles are too long, and the fact that it comes with a crossbody strap is a dead giveaway — the Birkin doesn't come with one. To my knowledge, the only Birkin with a strap is the Micro Birkin if you exclude Jane Birkin's first Birkin.

The hardware is also almost too gold and has a slightly green undertone, which a real Birkin wouldn't have.

From afar, the imitation leather-like material looks almost puffy, which also throws off the shape. I can also tell the size of various components isn't of regular Birkin proportions.

As far as I'm concerned, the Wirkin's design doesn't seem to have been intentionally created to convince anyone that it's a Birkin.

It does look similar — but major changes have been made to avoid confusion, and they haven't used trademarked branding that would lead someone to believe that it's a real Hermès Birkin.

I think it's likely not the last we'll see of Birkin dupes from other brands, partly due to the demand for this particularly iconic style.

Dupes are fair game

The Birkin is the most coveted handbag in the world, so it's not surprising that there are so many dupes and replicas.

Replicas are attempted duplicates of a luxury bag, down to the types of hardware, fonts, materials, and branding.

Dupes are not branded, like the bags they are trying to imitate. They use a style or concept, alter it, and remove its branding. However, these products may use similar materials and have similar functionalities.

I don't approve of replicas, but I can get behind the idea of dupes because they aren't made to trick people into confusing them with the real deal.

I do find that consumers I've interacted with have become more conservative about spending on luxury products. Now, what I see is that there is brand loyalty — especially among consumers who enjoy buying products from specific brands.

However, an uptick in prices and the idea that dupes are readily available could drive some people to find cheaper alternatives to items that are way out of their budget.

A word of warning, though. Knowingly purchasing, distributing, or shipping inauthentic items is illegal under federal law.

It constitutes "trafficking in counterfeit goods," which can result in significant fines and potential jail time depending on the severity.

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Jack Smith's final report about January 6 is out. Read it here.

Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered his final report on January 6.
Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered his final report on January 6.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

  • Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered his final report about the January 6 insurrection.
  • The report is his final word on the 2020 election interference case.
  • Smith concluded by saying that Trump would have been convicted had he not won the 2024 election.

Special counsel Jack Smith just delivered his final report on the January 6 insurrection.

The 137-page document, sent by the Justice Department to Congress on January 7 and made public early Tuesday, summarized years of Smith's investigation into the 2020 election interference case involving President-elect Donald Trump.

The report concluded that Trump would have been convicted in the case if he had not been elected president in 2024.

"Indeed, but for Mr. Trump's election and imminent return to the Presidency, the Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial," Smith wrote in the last line of the report.

In the report, Smith wrote that evidence showed Trump had disrupted a democratic process that had "operated in a peaceful and orderly manner for more than 130 years."

Trump wrote an early Tuesday post on Truth Social responding to Smith's report, calling the prosecutor "desperate" and "a lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the Election."

In November, shortly after Trump's election victory, Smith asked federal judges for permission to drop the case against Trump, saying it would run counter to the long-standing DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

Read the full report here:

Representatives of Trump and Smith did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Starbucks says you're going to have to buy a drink to sit around at their stores

A Starbucks store in Hong Kong.
A Starbucks store in Hong Kong.

Sebastian Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

  • Starbucks is reversing its open-door policy, which lets non-paying guests sit around or use its loo.
  • This means you'll have to make a purchase — or accompany someone who does — to use Starbucks facilities.
  • The chain told BI that the change was made to prioritize paying customers.

You'll have to buy a cuppa to sit around at Starbucks or use its loos.

The coffee chain said on Monday that it would be reversing its open-door policy, which allows non-paying guests to use its restrooms or hang around in its stores. It will now reserve its cafés, patios, and restrooms for its customers and staff.

"Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers already have and is a practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafes or need to use the restroom during their visit," Starbucks' representative, Jaci Anderson, told BI in an emailed statement.

Anderson said the change will go into effect on January 27 in all its North American stores. She clarified that a customer is anyone making a purchase or accompanying someone making a purchase.

She also shared a company memo, which said that signs with the new code of conduct will be displayed in every store, which "makes clear that our spaces, including our cafes, patios, and restrooms, are for use by paying customers and our partners."

Anderson said its staff will be trained to enforce the code of conduct and ask anyone violating it to leave. She said they may also get support from local law enforcement if the situation calls for it.

The change reverses the company's open-door policy, which it implemented in 2018 after a controversy in one of its stores in Philadelphia.

Two Black men who had been sitting at the store were arrested after one of them asked to use the restroom. He had not purchased a drink and was denied entry by the store staff, who called the police.

The reversal of the open-door policy comes after CEO Brian Niccol in September announced his vision for the chain to become a third space for people to hang out in.

"Our stores will be inviting places to linger, with comfortable seating, thoughtful design, and a clear distinction between 'to-go' and 'for-here' service," he said in an open letter in September.

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Los Angeles braces for fires to get even worse with 'extremely dangerous' wind forecasts for the next two days

Firefighter fights Palisades Fire with a chainsaw
The LA wildfires threaten to spread this week with the National Weather Service warning of high winds. Already, the Palisades Fire tore through Malibu, destroying this structure and many others.

Ringo Chiu/REUTERS

  • Los Angeles is bracing for high winds that could worsen ongoing wildfires.
  • The fires have burned more than 40,500 acres and destroyed 12,300 structures. Authorities reported 24 dead.
  • Evacuation orders are in effect for more than 92,000 people as fires threaten more areas.

After nearly a week of wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, the area is bracing for worsening conditions as high winds on Monday threaten to spread the flames.

The fires have burned through more than 40,500 acres in and around Los Angeles County, displaced hundreds of thousands of residents, and killed at least 24 people. More than 12,300 structures have been destroyed, local authorities have said.

Firefighters made some progress containing the blazes over the weekend — the Palisades Fire, the largest, is 14% contained, and the Eaton Fire, the second-largest, is 33% contained as of Monday afternoon, according to Cal Fire, a state agency.

Cal Fire reported that a new blaze, the Auto Fire, had broken out in Ventura County on Monday night. As of press time, the fire had burned through 56 acres and was 0% contained.

Strong Santa Ana winds are forecast to pick up again Tuesday, with gusts up to 75 miles an hour creating "extremely dangerous fire weather conditions" across coastal southern California, the National Weather Service said.

The NWS said these high winds have the potential to cause widespread power outages, worsen existing firefighting efforts, and make the ignition of new fires much more likely.

The NWS issued a "particularly dangerous situation red flag warning" for parts of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles Counties through Wednesday. The red flag warning signals fire danger. Though the winds aren't expected to reach the same highs as last week, they still pose "a high risk for large fires with potential for very rapid spreading of any fires that may develop."

Burned-out lot with cars next to ocean in Malibu
Burned-out cars were left behind in Malibu off the Pacific Ocean outside LA on Sunday — remnants of the Palisades Fire that tore through and still threatens Los Angeles County.

Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images

The fires are predicted to become the worst natural disaster in US history, and the death toll will likely rise, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday.

"I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope," Newsom told NBC. "I've got search-and-rescue teams out. We've got cadaver dogs out. And there's likely to be a lot more."

Around 92,000 people near the Palisades and Eaton fires are under evacuation orders, and another 89,000 are under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a Monday morning press conference.

Palisades Fire

Firefighter pores water over a structure in the Pacific Palisades
A firefighter poured water over a structure in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Sunday. Winds are threatening to spread the fires again this week.

Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica has burned through over 23,700 acres and was 14% contained as of Monday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the fire, which started on Tuesday morning, is still under investigation. It threatens to spread into Brentwood, Encino, and Westwood.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has reported eight deaths tied to the Palisades fire so far.

Eaton Fire

Structures left behind in the Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire tore through the neighborhood of Altadena in Los Angeles. Chimneys of homes were left behind on Sunday.

David McNew/Getty Images

The Eaton Fire, which has devastated parts of Pasadena and Altadena since it began on Tuesday, has now burned through more than 14,100 acres, according to Cal Fire. It is 33% contained as of Monday afternoon.

"In my career, I've never seen the amount of devastation and destruction that exists here. So, a lot of work. It's going to be long-term," Ernie Villa, an operations section chief for the California Interagency Incident Management Team, said at a Sunday press conference.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has reported 16 deaths tied to the Eaton fire so far.

Hurst Fire and others

The Hurst Fire, which began late Tuesday night in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, spread to 799 acres and is 97% contained as of Monday evening, Cal Fire said.

Though the fire has been mostly controlled, Los Angeles City's Fire Chief Kristin Crowley warned Monday morning, "We are not in the clear as of yet." She added, "We must not let our guard down, as we have right now extreme fire behavior."

The most recent fire, the Auto Fire in Ventura County, started late Monday night. According to Cal Fire, it has spread over 56 acres and is 0% contained as of press time.

Several other fires have also sparked over the last week, together burning more than 1,400 acres.

The Kenneth Fire erupted at the Victory Trailhead near the border of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties on Thursday, burning just over 1,000 acres before it was fully contained.

The Sunset Fire broke out in the Runyon Canyon area of the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday, quickly spreading to scorch over 40 acres and threaten major LA landmarks before it was fully suppressed.

A large structure fire consumed two large homes in the Studio City area but firefighters were able to stop its forward growth at just one acre and prevent another brushfire, Crowley said.

Yet another fire, the Lidia Fire, started Wednesday in Acton near the Antelope Valley, about 20 miles northeast of the San Fernando Valley. It consumed 395 acres but is now 100% contained, according to CalFire.

The Woodley Fire, which began Wednesday in the southern part of the San Fernando Valley, burned 30 acres before it was contained.

Bad actors are taking advantage of the situation by looting

Worker walks past fire-ravaged property in Malibu from California wildfires
The LA wildfires threaten to spread this week with the National Weather Service warning of high winds. Already, the Palisades Fire tore through Malibu, destroying this structure and many others.

AP Photo/John Locher

LA officials have reported instances of looting, burglary, and other crimes in wildfire-ravaged areas.

Luna, LA County's sheriff, said at Monday's press conference that his officers have made 34 total arrests — 30 in the Eaton Fire area and 4 in the Palisades Fire area.

Those arrests were related to burglary, looting, illegal drone operations, people entering restricted areas with guns and narcotics, and curfew violations, Luna said.

LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Monday that his officers had made an additional 14 arrests related to the fires — for things like felony vandalism, impersonating a firefighter, possession of burglary tools, and shoplifting.

In at least one instance, which is under investigation, an individual near the scene of the Palisades fire wore a firefighting jacket and helmet in the course of an attempted burglary, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said during a Monday afternoon press conference.

"This behavior is despicable. We cannot tolerate it, and as we continue to help people heal through this suffering, we cannot allow people to pray on the devastation that has already happened," Horvath said. "And I want to be clear that goes not only for individuals who are preying on these locations, but also for the corporations and the businesses and the price gouging and the ways that they're taking advantage of people in this very difficult moment."

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office had already seen instances of price gouging for medical supplies and hotels, as well as landlords overcharging above the legal limit. During a state of emergency, businesses are prohibited from raising their prices on essential goods and services above 10% beyond what's normal.

"For the criminals who view this as an opportunity, let me again give you this warning, an absolutely unmistakably clear warning, that if you go ahead and you want to rip off people and the system and governments that are trying to help the people who have suffered from these tragedies, you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and we will seek maximum punishment against you," Hochman said Monday.

Jason Oppenheim, the star of "Selling Sunset" who co-runs real estate brokerage the Oppenheim Group, has also reported seeing landlords engaging in suspected price gouging.

Hochman also urged residents to be vigilant against scams related to the recovery efforts, like possibly fake GoFundMe fundraisers and insurance scams.

California's insurance crisis will only grow

Helicopter over burning house
Homeowners in Southern California already faced a property insurance crisis; the fires are expected to make it even worse

David McNew/Getty Images

The devastating fires this week will likely only worsen California's ongoing insurance crisis, where many homebuyers already struggle to get approved for loans, home insurance, and fire insurance — even in areas outside the typical risk zones.

And while some insurance companies have stopped signing new policies in the region entirely, there are other ways companies try to cut down on disaster payouts.

Some companies go so far as to hire private firms to protect their policyholders' homes, both before a fire breaks out and after it has passed.

David Torgerson, the CEO of Wildfire Defense Systems, previously told Business Insider that his company partners with dozens of carriers to seek to protect homes before they are in the line of fire — and that his employees have been "actively working" to help combat the LA wildfires.

"We are typically working hours in advance, or days in advance of the fire passing over a property, and we call that the pre-suppression," Torgerson told BI. "We're preparing the property to survive the amount of time that the fire is in proximity to the structure, and then we quickly come back in after the fire is passed to secure the property."

His company takes proactive steps to fire-proof homes, like applying fire-blocking gels, removing flammable materials, cleaning out gutters, and running sprinkler systems, according to a company fact sheet. After a fire has passed through a neighborhood, Torgerson's staff go back to insured homes to extinguish remaining spot fires and assess further risk, he said.

And while some homeowners pay high premiums for special fire protection perks, it's not only the wealthy whose homes are protected by these services.

Celebrities and many others have lost their homes

The Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles has long been a draw for celebrities. Some Hollywood stars lost their homes in the Palisades Fire.

Paris Hilton, Milo Ventimiglia, Billy Crystal, Mel Gibson, Miles Teller, and Anthony Hopkins all said the fire had destroyed their houses.

Of course, not everyone in the area is a celebrity. One 22-year-old renter told Business Insider that she'd had to evacuate her apartment in the Pacific Palisades — and feared that everything could be lost after seeing news footage showing buildings on her street that had burned.

A journalist and her husband and their two daughters told BI they evacuated their Palisades home on January 7 — only to find out later that the fires destroyed everything. They're now staying in a hotel.

Meanwhile, an $83 million mansion that had been featured in HBO's "Succession" also was destroyed.

LAX is open, as is Disneyland — but some attractions are closed

Plane takes off from LAX with Palisades Fire in the background
LAX is operating as normal, even with the Palisades Fire having been burning in the background.

Kim Chapin/Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles International Airport is open and is "operating normally," the airport said.

LAX has remained open throughout the fires, though over the weekend, around 500 flights were delayed, and around 13 were canceled.

The airport said customers should check with their airline to make sure there are no issues before starting their journeys.

Los Angeles attracts around 50 million tourists each year — and visitors to the area will find some things aren't open. Disneyland was open as of Monday, as was Universal Studios Hollywood. Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Hollywood said it would be closed through Tuesday.

The famous Griffith Park and its Griffith Observatory were both listed as closed through at least Wednesday. And Lake Hollywood Park, a city park beneath the famed Hollywood sign, also was closed.

The Getty Center said it would be closed through Thursday. The Getty Villa survived the Palisades fire.

The Santa Monica Pier was open, but warned of air-quality issues on its website. AccuWeather listed the air quality in the area as "poor" as of Monday morning local time.

This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.

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Gavin Newsom says he's already 'reimagining LA 2.0' post-wildfire, and that California needs a 'Marshall Plan' to rebuild

California Gov. Gavin Newsom surveys the damage in Pacific Palisades with CalFire's Nick Schuler and State Senator Alex Padilla.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom surveys the damage in Pacific Palisades with CalFire's Nick Schuler and State Sen. Alex Padilla.

Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images

  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom is already looking ahead to an "LA 2.0" post-wildfire.
  • He said he is "organizing a Marshall Plan" to hasten the city's recovery efforts.
  • The fires, which started last week, burned through more than 40,300 acres of land and resulted in at least 24 deaths.

As the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles continue to rage, Gov. Gavin Newsom is looking toward rebuilding an "LA 2.0" post-fire.

Newsom was asked in an NBC "Meet the Press" interview on Saturday if California would be ready to host the World Cup, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics over the next couple of years in the aftermath of the wildfires.

Speaking against the backdrop of a fire-ravaged neighborhood, Newsom said that he's already "organizing a Marshall Plan" and already has a team "looking and reimagining LA 2.0."

The Marshall Plan harkens back to the post-World War 2 period when President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. The act saw more than $13 billion invested in rebuilding Western Europe's economies, bringing investments into the region, and stimulating the US economy by building a market for American goods.

When asked for details of the new "Marshall Plan," Newsom said he was talking to city, civic, business, nonprofit, and labor leaders about recovery efforts and working to "galvanize the community."

"We have got to be thinking three weeks, three months, three years ahead; at the same time, we're focusing on the immediacy, which is life safety and property," he told NBC.

Representatives for Newsom did not provide further comments in response to queries from Business Insider.

Newsom said in the interview that the wildfires will likely be one of the worst natural disasters in the country's history, in terms of the costs associated with it and its scale and scope.

AccuWeather, a weather forecasting service, estimated the total economic damage to land between $52 and $57 billion. JPMorgan analysts estimated that insured losses could reach $20 billion.

The wildfires have ravaged over 40,300 acres of land across Los Angeles. At press time, at least 24 people have died, and according to CalFire statistics, more than 12,300 structures have been damaged.

As the fire passed through the wealthy Pacific Palisades neighborhood, the homes of several Hollywood A-listers, like Paris Hilton, Milo Ventimiglia, and Billy Crystal, burned down.

The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, are only 11% and 27% contained, per CalFire.

The governor said he had also ordered an investigation into why fire hydrants ran dry and lost water pressure in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, hindering firefighting efforts.

Newsom's latest statements come as he faces criticism from President-elect Donald Trump for his handling of the wildfires.

In a Truth Social post, Trump called Newsom "incompetent" and said he was to blame for the wildfires.

Newsom said in the NBC interview that Trump's comment was "inaccurate."

He then invited Trump to "come out" to California and "take a look for himself." Newsom's team has also launched a fact-checking website to combat misinformation about the fires.

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Day 7: Strong winds forecast in LA, making its raging fires even harder to fight

Firefighters fight the flames from the Palisades Fire burning the Theatre Palisades during a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The fast-moving wildfire is threatening homes in the coastal neighborhood amid intense Santa Ana Winds and dry conditions in Southern California.
Firefighters fight the flames from the Palisades Fire during a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025.

Apu Gomes/Getty Images

  • Wildfires are ravaging the Los Angeles area, spreading rapidly due to dry and windy conditions.
  • The fires have burned through over 40,000 acres. Officials report that at least 24 people have died.
  • Analysts estimate damages caused by the fires may top $50 billion — breaking previous state records.

Across Los Angeles, a series of wildfires fanned by the powerful Santa Ana winds have been leveling homes in the area for nearly a week, leaving a path of record-breaking destruction in their wake.

The largest of the fires, ripping through the wealthy enclave of the Pacific Palisades, was just 13% contained as of late Sunday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

On Sunday, it was moving toward the densely populated neighborhood of Encino in the San Fernando Valley.

About 30 miles northeast, the Eaton Fire, which is now 27% contained, is threatening the city of Altadena.

Over 40,000 acres have burned in four separate blazes, and the LA County Medical Examiner has reported 24 deaths related to the fires so far.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Sunday the fires would likely be the worst natural disaster in US history, noting that the death toll is expected to rise.

"I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope," Newsom told NBC's Meet the Press. "I've got search and rescue teams out. We've got cadaver dogs out. And there's likely to be a lot more."

Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said during a Sunday morning press conference that over 100,000 residents near the Palisades and Eaton fires are now under evacuation orders, and authorities have told another 87,000 to be ready to leave at any time.

The National Weather Service said in a Monday update that "extremely dangerous fire weather conditions" were due to develop across coastal southern California, with gusts of up to 70 mph by Tuesday.

It issued a high wind warning early Sunday morning for the mountain areas near the Hurst and Eaton fires, and a high wind watch for the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area from Monday evening to Wednesday afternoon.

"We're expecting north, northeast wind gusts anywhere from 35 to 55 miles per hour, maybe locally stronger on Tuesday, very low humidity, and again, the vegetation is still very, very dry," NWS meteorologist Rich Thompson said during a Sunday afternoon press conference.

"That leads a recipe to produce some very critical fire weather conditions," he added.

Dennis Burns, a fire behavior analyst for the California Incident Management Team, said during a Sunday press conference that, in addition to fanning the existing flames, the anticipated winds over the coming days increase the risk of new fires breaking out.

"With the predicted winds, we could potentially see spot fires up to two miles away, maybe even farther," Burns said.

A representative for the electric services company Southern California Edison said on Sunday that around 63,000 residences were without power, a number that has grown due to implementing power shut-offs for public safety.

Local water districts have also issued numerous water advisories, warning residents not to drink or use the water, which may be contaminated with debris from the fire.

Moderate air pollution has also been reported in many parts of LA.

Helicopter aerial view of the Palisades fire in Los Angeles.
The Palisades Fire near Mountain Gate Country Club, with Brentwood and Pacific Palisades visible in the background, January 11, 2025.

Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Amid the devastation, residents have also faced opportunistic looters targeting empty properties, inaccurate evacuation orders sent out in error through the county's emergency alert system, and rapidly spreading misinformation online regarding evacuation zones and the cause of the fire.

Analysts from JPMorgan have estimated that the blazes tearing through the region may lead to about $50 billion in total economic losses — including over $20 billion in insured losses.

If the estimates prove to be accurate, the damage caused by the current fires would be significantly more severe than the 2018 Camp Fires, which racked up $10 billion in insured losses.

California has, in recent years, been subject to a mass exodus of major insurers, including State Farm. The company announced in 2023 that it would stop accepting new home insurance policies in the state, citing risks from catastrophes.

Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica has burned through over 23,700 acres and was 13% contained as of late Sunday, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the fire, which started on Tuesday morning, is still under investigation.

Over 5,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed. Officials have confirmed that more than 420 homes in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades have been incinerated.

A home burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 8, 2025.
A home burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 8, 2025.

AGUSTIN PAULLIER/AFP/Getty Images

The wealthy enclave houses many celebrities who have now lost their homes, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Milo Ventimiglia.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has reported eight deaths related to the Palisades fire so far.

Eaton Fire

The Eaton Fire, which has impacted the Pasadena-Altadena area since it began on Tuesday, has now swept through more than 14,100 acres, according to Cal Fire. The blaze is 27% contained.

"The firefighters have made good progress coming up the west side of the shoulder of the fire," Ernie Villa, an operations section chief for the California Interagency Incident Management Team, said during a Sunday afternoon press conference.

However, as wind conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days, firefighters will have their work cut out for them to keep the area safe, he said.

"In my career, I've never seen the amount of devastation and destruction that exists here. So a lot of work. It's going to be long-term," Villa added.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a press conference on Sunday morning that more than 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire.

Firefighters battle the Eaton Fire in strong winds as many homes burn on January 7, 2025 in Pasadena, California
Firefighters battle the Eaton Fire in strong winds on January 7, 2025, in Pasadena, California.

David McNew/Getty Images

Sixteen deaths have so far been attributed to the Eaton Fire, according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office report.

Other fires

While the Palisades and Eaton fires have grown to be the largest in size, additional smaller fires have been reported throughout the region.

The Hurst Fire, impacting the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, started late Tuesday night and spread to about 800 acres. According to Cal Fire, it was 95% contained as of late Sunday.

Evacuation orders for the area were lifted on Thursday afternoon.

The Kenneth Fire, now 100% contained, has covered just over 1,050 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties after starting on Thursday, per Cal Fire. The evacuation orders related to the blaze have been lifted.

Further North, the Lidia Fire broke out Wednesday in the Angeles National Forest and burned 395 acres in three days before being 100% contained, Cal Fire said.

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The Kremlin said Greenland is in Russia's sphere of 'national and strategic interests' — and it's got its eye on Trump's claims on the territory

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

  • The Kremlin is closely watching Greenland after Trump expressed interest in the US acquiring it.
  • The Kremlin's press secretary said the Arctic is a zone of national interest for Russia.
  • Trump said earlier this week that he would not rule out using military force to seize Greenland.

Russia is keeping a close eye on President-elect Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland.

The Kremlin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said that Russia is "watching the rather dramatic development of the situation very closely," according to a report by Reuters.

"The Arctic is a zone of our national interests, our strategic interests," Peskov said. "We are interested in preserving the atmosphere of peace and stability in the Arctic zone."

Russia has ramped up its military presence in the Arctic in recent years. For example, it has deployed a substantially larger fleet of icebreaker ships — which break up ice in strategic waterways and increase maneuverability for other ships — to the Arctic than the US.

Trump, who expressed interest in buying Greenland as early as 2019, resurfaced his proposition in December and has since doubled down on his stance.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Trump said that he would not rule out using force to secure Greenland, which is an autonomous Danish territory, and regain control of the Panama Canal, a critical waterway for trade.

When asked for assurance that he would not resort to "military or economic coercion" to seize the two, he said, "I can't assure you."

"I'm not going to commit to that," he added.

"People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for National Security," he said of Greenland in the press conference.

He then threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark "at a very high level" if the Scandinavian country resisted giving up control of the Arctic territory.

Russia's statement comes after Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., landed in Greenland on Tuesday and met with locals in Nuuk, the capital city, according to his X posts.

A Tuesday video on his X showed the president-elect calling his son to talk to Nuuk locals.

In response to Trump's comments, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said to a local news outlet on Tuesday that Greenland is "not for sale."

Greenland's Prime Minister, Múte Egede, said in a December Facebook statement, "We are not for sale and will never be for sale."

Trump, meanwhile, has also talked about seizing control of the Panama Canal, a roughly 50-mile canal built in 1914 to link the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It was under US control until it was given to the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) in 1999.

Trump called for the canal's control to be returned to the US, slamming "exorbitant" fees for US ships passing through it.

Representatives of Trump and the Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

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Day 5: Evacuation zone for Palisades Fire expanded as LA blazes now span 38,000 acres

Firefighters stand guard at a home on Mandeville Canyon road as the Palisades fire spreads toward Encino on January 11, 2025.
Thousands of firefighters are battling the Palisades Fire, one of several burning around Los Angeles County.

Jason Armond/ Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

  • Wildfires are burning across Los Angeles County.
  • Hundreds of thousands of people are under evacuation orders or warnings.
  • Insured losses could top $20 billion, JPMorgan analysts estimated — the most-ever in California.

The Los Angeles area is battling a series of massive wildfires that continue to rip through its picturesque mountains and hillsides — creating a hellscape of burned-out neighborhoods and upended livelihoods that could ultimately be the most costly fire disaster in California history.

Authorities on Friday night expanded the evacuation zone related to the largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, east toward Santa Monica, less than 1.5 miles from the iconic Santa Monica Pier. The zone now encompasses the famous Getty Center, home of the Getty Museum.

Officials have now ordered over 153,000 residents to evacuate and warned another 166,000 to be ready to leave if the fires continue to spread. About 38,000 acres have burned. Officials have reported 13 deaths related to the fire as of Saturday.

At a press conference on Friday evening, officials managing the Eaton fire, which now spans over 14,000 acres and is one of the largest and deadliest, said they did not expect the blaze to spread significantly over the weekend due to more moderate wind conditions. However, officials said they are anticipating another high-wind event early next week. It was strong Santa Ana gusts of up to 90 miles per hour that first whipped the fires into a frenzy earlier this week.

JPMorgan analysts said the blazes tearing through the region could lead to over $20 billion in insured losses — and about $50 billion in total economic losses. That would make these conflagrations "significantly more severe" than the Camp Fires that struck the state in 2018 and racked up $10 billion in insured losses, the current record.

Smoke seen from downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles skyline in the distance, surrounded by smoke and haze on Thursday morning.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the scene in LA as apocalyptic, as thick bands of smoke surrounded the city. Los Angeles County is home to about 10 million people.

"Not since the 1990s, when Los Angeles was hit with the fires, the flood, the earthquake, and the riots, have I seen such disaster occur here in our city," Hochman said at a briefing, referring to the Northridge Earthquake and the disturbances in the wake of the Rodney King verdict.

Erroneous emergency alerts telling residents to evacuate areas unaffected by the fires further heightened panic in the region. Kevin McGowan, the director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, apologized for the messages at Friday's conference.

"There is an extreme amount of frustration, anger, fear, with regards to the erroneous messages that have been being sent out through the wireless emergency alert system. I can't express enough how sorry I am for this experience," he said.

He reassured residents that resolving the issue is his "top priority" and that he has technical specialists working to identify the root cause. "I implore everyone to not disable the messages on your phone," he said.

Late Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration warned civilians against flying unauthorized drones in areas undergoing firefighting efforts, after a firefighting plane sustained wing damage from a civilian drone and had to be grounded.

Satellite images of the LA fires showed the destruction left in their wake.

Starlink, Elon Musk's SpaceX subsidiary that provides satellite internet service, said Thursday that people in the Los Angeles area can use the company's network to text loved ones, contact 911, and receive emergency alerts.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday announced that he's doubling the number of California National Guard personnel on the ground to 1,680 members.

"The men and women of the California National Guard are working day and night to help Los Angeles residents during their greatest time of need," he said in a statement.

Here's a look at the latest happenings in the main fires spreading throughout the area:

Palisades Fire

Beachfront homes are destroyed
Beachfront homes are destroyed by the Palisades Fire.

Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica was the first fire to strike the region on Tuesday morning. It has spread to over 21,500 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Around 11% of the fire is contained, it says.

Five people have died in the Palisades fire, according to the medical examiner's office.

Los Angeles City's Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a press briefing earlier this week that the Palisades Fire had damaged or destroyed over 5,300 structures.

Crowley would not confirm reports that the fire started in a resident's garden, saying the origin is still under investigation.

Some celebrities have lost homes in the blaze, including Paris Hilton and Billy Crystal.

On Thursday, a drone hit the wing of one of two Super Scooper planes fighting the wildfires, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a Friday press conference. He said the plane was under urgent repairs and set to be flying again by Monday. "If you fly a drone at one of these brush fires all aerial operations will be shut down," he said.

Eaton Fire

Man walks along burned-out street in Los Angeles County
A man walks past a fire-ravaged business after the Eaton Fire swept through on Wednesday.

AP Photo/Ethan Swope

The second-largest fire in Los Angeles County is the Eaton Fire, which started on Tuesday evening in the Pasadena-Altadena area at the foothills of the Angeles National Forest.

Eight people have died in the Eaton fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Commander Tania E. Plunkett said at a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

The blaze has spread to over 14,100 acres, Marrone said at the Saturday conference, adding that over 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed and 15% of the fire is contained.

The cause of the fire remains "unknown," Marrone previously said.

Hurst Fire

Hurst Fire in California
The Hurst Fire burned in the hills above the Sylmar area of Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Hurst Fire, which began late on Tuesday night in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, spread to 799 acres and is 76% contained, per Cal Fire.

In an X post on Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the mandatory evacuation order for the Hurst Fire had been lifted.

Kenneth Fire

On Thursday, a small brush fire erupted at the Victory Trailhead near the border of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Marrone said that the fire had been stopped. It burned just over 1,000 acres, but no structures were reported damaged. It is 80% contained, per Cal Fire.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for several neighborhoods near the fire.

LAPD said it had detained a possible arson suspect but could not confirm any connection to the fire.

An evacuation notice intended for residents impacted by the Kenneth Fire was mistakenly sent out across LA County due to a "technical error," County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in an X post.

Sunset Fire and others

image of firefighters in front of truck
Firefighters halted the forward progress of the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills.

Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Sunset Fire broke out in the Runyon Canyon area of the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday evening, quickly spreading to scorch over 40 acres and threaten major LA landmarks.

As of Thursday morning, firefighters were able to stop the fire's forward progress, Crowley said.

All evacuation orders related to the Sunset Fire were lifted as of 7:30 a.m. Thursday, she added.

A large structure fire consumed two large homes in the Studio City area but firefighters were able to stop its forward growth at just one acre and prevent another brushfire, Crowley said.

Yet another fire, the Lidia Fire, started Wednesday afternoon in Acton near the Antelope Valley, about 20 miles northeast of the San Fernando Valley. It consumed 395 acres but is now 100% contained, according to CalFire.

The Woodley Fire, which began Wednesday morning in the southern part of the San Fernando Valley, has been suppressed and there are no current threats, Crowley said.

Patrols were monitoring the area for any flare-ups, she added.

Events canceled and landmarks closed as smoke chokes LA

Major and minor events alike have been canceled or postponed across the Los Angeles area as the city battles the fires.

The 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards, set for Sunday night, were rescheduled for January 26. A National Hockey League game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Calgary Flames, scheduled for Wednesday night at Crypto.com arena, was postponed. The LA Lakers rescheduled Thursday night's game.

Music venues across the city were also canceling or postponing their shows, including The Troubadour, The Wiltern, The Echo, the Kia Forum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and others.

Flights into and out of LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Ontario International Airport, and Santa Ana's John Wayne Airport were also experiencing delays and cancellations. LAX, however, remains open.

The fires are also shuttering tourist destinations in and around Los Angeles, which attracts nearly 50 million visitors a year.

The fires forced some Los Angeles-area landmarks to close, including the Hollywood sign, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Broad Museum, the Norton Simon Museum, the Getty Villa and Getty Center, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk, and the Griffith Observatory.

Airbnb told CNN that it would be allowing refunds for bookings in areas affected by the wildfires, following a viral social media post from a customer who said the company refused to offer her a refund.

California already struggled with an insurance crisis

The devastating fires this week will likely only worsen California's ongoing insurance crisis, where many homebuyers already struggle to get approved for loans, home insurance, and fire insurance — even in areas outside the typical risk zones.

In recent years, some insurance companies, like State Farm, have stopped accepting new home insurance policies in the state entirely, as wildfire risks have only increased.

Experts told Business Insider that prices are likely to continue rising for those who can still get insurance.

"I've seen numbers go up 200%, 300%, even 500% in a year," Nick Ramirez, the owner of a California insurance agency, told BI.

And as the fires' estimated damages already climb into the billions of dollars, some homeowners will have to rebuild without the help of insurance payouts.

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Buying a Rolex watch just got more expensive

A Rolex Day-date watch.
A Rolex Day-date watch.

Christian Vierig/Getty Images

  • Rolex has hiked prices for some of its most popular pieces.
  • This comes after the price of gold surged in 2024.
  • As of Thursday, the price stood at about $2,700 per ounce.

Rolex, one of the world's most premium watch brands, just got even more expensive.

The Swiss watchmaker hiked up the prices of certain models made of gold by as much as 8% on January 1, Bloomberg reported, citing watch prices from Rolex's French website.

This comes as the price of gold surged in the past year, with a nearly 30% increase since the start of 2024. As of Thursday, the price stood at about $2,700 per ounce.

Models that saw price hikes included the yellow gold Day-Date watch with a 40-millimeter black dial, which increased from €41,000, or about $42,090, to €44,200 on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported, citing Rolex's listed prices.

The outlet wrote that the price of another model, the yellow gold GMT-Master II, increased from €41,300 to €44,600.

The brand has historically raised prices on January 1 of each year, but this year's hikes are higher than last year's, per Bloomberg.

Rolexes start at around $6,900 for entry-level models like the Oyster Perpetual and can cost millions on the upper end.

Why the price of gold surged in 2024

The gold surge in 2024 was due to factors including rising demand from central banks like in Turkey, India, and China. The World Gold Council said that central banks had bought a record 483 tons of the metal in the first half of 2024.

Rising geopolitical tensions amid the Russia-Ukraine war and the Middle East conflict have also increased the demand for gold, which is seen as a stable asset.

Analysts expect the price to keep rising into the new year. Goldman Sachs expected it to reach $3,000 per ounce by the end of 2025.

Rolex representatives did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement after 8 years

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in 2015.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in 2015.

Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI

  • Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement after eight years.
  • Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, two years after the pair got married.
  • Her representative said in a statement to BI that she was exhausted but relieved it was over.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement.

"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family," Jolie's lawyer, James Simon, told Business Insider on Tuesday.

"This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago," Simon said, adding that Jolie was "exhausted" but "relieved this one part is over."

Jolie and Pitt signed off on the settlement on Monday, Simon told People.

Pitt's representative declined to comment when contacted by BI.

Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, became an item after working together on the 2005 film "Mr and Mrs Smith." At the time, Jolie was in the process of divorcing actor and director Billy Bob Thornton, while Pitt was married to "Friends" actress Jennifer Aniston.

Pitt and Aniston were idealized as Hollywood's perfect couple, which made rumors that Pitt and Jolie were having an affair all the more shocking.

A month after Aniston filed for divorce in March 2005, Pitt and Jolie were photographed on vacation in Kenya.

In the years that followed, the couple built a family: Jolie adopted her son Maddox in 2002 and her daughter Zahara in 2005 while she was with Pitt. In 2006, their first biological child, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, was born, and they adopted Pax a year later. In 2008, Jolie gave birth to twins: Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline.

The couple got engaged in 2012 and secretly married in France in 2014.

They were photographed together for the final time in July 2016, and Jolie filed for divorce later that year, citing irreconcilable differences and requesting primary custody of their six children.

That September, Pitt was accused of physically abusing one of his children. After an investigation, the FBI agency said no charges had been filed and it would not pursue the case further.

What followed was what is widely regarded as a messy split, with the couple disagreeing over child support, custody, and how to divide their respective stakes in a winery that they bought in 2008, and where they married in 2014.

In 2022, in an FBI report obtained by Rolling Stone and Puck, Jolie alleged Pitt assaulted her on the 2016 flight, was intoxicated, and caused $25,000 worth of damage to their private jet.

At the time, spokespeople for Jolie, Pitt, and the FBI did not respond to BI's requests for comment.

A divorce lawyer for Pitt told the New York Times at the time that while he accepted responsibility for some things in his past, he would not accept responsibility for what he did not do.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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3 telltale signs of a fake luxury watch, according to a watch authenticator

A Patek Philippe watch.
Patek Philippe is one of the most expensive brands.

FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images

  • A premium watch authenticator said there are telltale signs of fake watches.
  • He said with counterfeiters getting more skilled, it is often difficult to tell the real from the fakes.
  • From the paint on the hands to the magnification of the date window, here's how to check.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ng Yong Shen, a vice president with Re-Loved Luxury, a Dubai-based secondhand luxury retailer. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My journey in watch authenticating started during the pandemic when I became a purchaser for Valuence, a secondhand luxury goods company.

I went on to pursue similar roles, first as an authenticator for Carousell Group, an online marketplace, and later as a commercial manager at Luxehouze, a marketplace focused on pre-owned luxury goods.

Now, after four years in the industry, my day involves procuring secondhand pieces from online marketplaces or vintage shops, authenticating pieces for corporate clients at midday, and then working as Re-Loved Luxury's vice president, trying to scale up its business.

Through these roles, I have been exposed to a large volume of luxury items on a daily basis. In addition to watches, I can also detect fake bags and jewelry.

The traditional way to authenticate a watch is to open the back case, check for movement, and check for the integrity of the movement.

But the fakes have gotten better lately. I have had cases where the watch was opened by the watchmaker, approved, and then brought to me, when I realized it actually had a fake movement.

Over the years, I've found some telltale signs of a fake watch across different brands. Here are some small things to look out for when checking for the real deal:

1. Details in the date window

The difference between the date windows in a real and fake Rolex watch.
The difference between the date windows in a fake (left) and a real (right) Rolex watch.

Ng Yong Shen

The first thing to look out for is the date window.

These two photos compare two vintage Rolex two-tone Datejust watches.

The one on the left is fake. Pay attention to the date window. The fonts and the spacing of the square are noticeably different.

You can see they both have different fonts. The one that's fake, you can even see some "bleeding" in the lines of the number, while the number on the real deal has crisper edges.

2. Cut and paintwork of the hands

Paintwork on the hands of an Audemars Piguet watch.
Paintwork on the hands of an authentic Audemars Piguet watch.

Ng Yong Shen

The hands feature some very fine details and can be good giveaways for counterfeits.

They are supposed to have a very fine polish. For some fakes, you can see that at the edges, they look like they have been laser cut, snapped off, and stuck onto the watch.

These are ways for counterfeiters to skimp on costs. The very good, authentic ones shouldn't have all of these traces.

Another detail is the paintwork. If the hands have color or paintwork on them, the paint should be even and not bleed down the hand. This can be seen in the authentic Audemars Piguet watch shown above, with its hands painted in orange.

If you see a teardrop or dip in the paint, something is not right. It's better if you have a loupe — a magnifying glass — to check for the fine details.

3. Construction quality

The Rolex crown on the claps of two watches that Ng owns.
The Rolex crown on the claps of two real watches that Ng owns.

Ng Yong Shen

Premium watchmakers take time and precision to craft these pieces, and this is reflected in the small details.

For example, the lines of the embossed crown logo on the watch's clasp should look crisp and clean, and the area surrounding the crown should not be elevated.

Better safe than sorry

I advise that the best thing to do is to bring your watch to an experienced authenticator for a proper check.

Counterfeiters are getting better, and there are a lot of "Frankenstein" watches with mixed parts.

Sometimes, they use a real watch, meaning that 60% of the components are real. If you open up the watch, you can see the movement is real.

They may just change the dial or maybe the bracelet. If they remove the bracelet — swap the real bracelet with a fake one — they can make thousands.

So be careful and buy from a reputable seller, or get it checked by an experienced authenticator.

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4 telltale signs of a fake Van Cleef & Arpels piece, according to a secondhand luxury retailer

Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra bracelet and Cartier Love bracelet on wrist
A Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet with its signature clovers.

Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images

  • A luxury jewelry authenticator said there are some telltale signs of a fake Van Cleef & Arpels piece.
  • The real deal is made with precision and quality, and counterfeiters often miss the small details.
  • Here's what to look out for, from thickness to shape.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ng Yong Shen, the vice president of Re-Loved Luxury, a Dubai-based secondhand luxury retailer. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I got into the business of authenticating luxury goods during the pandemic when I was hired as a purchaser for a secondhand luxury goods company.

In that role, I was exposed to a large volume of luxury items on a daily basis. Bags, watches, and jewelry have become my strong suits when it comes to authentication.

I went on to pursue similar roles, first as an authenticator for Carousell Group, an online marketplace similar to Craigslist, and later as a commercial manager at Luxehouze, a marketplace focused on pre-owned luxury goods.

Now, after four years in the industry, my day involves procuring secondhand pieces from online marketplaces or vintage shops, authenticating pieces for corporate clients at midday, and then working as Re-Loved Luxury's vice president, trying to scale up its business.

I also buy and trade vintage luxury pieces for my personal collection.

One question I get asked a lot as an authenticator is: How can I distinguish a real Van Cleef & Arpels piece from a fake?

For me, the fakes are easy to spot. A friend recently asked me to look at a piece, and just eyeballing it was enough to tell it wasn't authentic.

But to the untrained eye, I can see how it wouldn't be so straightforward. So here are four things to look out for when checking if the Van Cleef piece you're interested in is the real deal.

1. Shape of the clover prongs

A closeup of the Van Cleef & Arpels clover pendant.
A closeup of the Van Cleef & Arpels clover pendant.

Ng Yong Shen

The first thing to check is the shape of the four prongs.

The prongs that make up the clover pattern of Van Cleef & Arpels' pieces are very distinct and round, but the fake ones have a more elongated shape.

The fake ones often look almost teardrop-shaped, while an authentic piece has a more even and rounded profile.

2. The spheres surrounding the center stone

The spheres surrounding the center stone should be evenly sized.
The spheres surrounding the center stone should be evenly sized.

Ng Yong Shen

Then, look at the small spheres that outline the clover stone.

If you look closely at the fake ones, you can see that the spheres surrounding the stone are not very uniform.

Van Cleef & Arpels is a high-end jewelry brand, so the workmanship is premium. But with replicas, counterfeiters often work faster and may skimp on these small details.

The spheres are often either too big or too small on fakes. Whereas on the real ones, you can see that they are very fine, and very easy on the eyes.

3. Hallmark on the jump ring

A dent on the jump ring is one identifying factor of a real Van Cleef & Arpels piece.
A dent on the jump ring is one identifying factor of a real Van Cleef & Arpels piece.

Ng Yong Shen

One crucial telltale sign is the clasp. You can open and close the clasp, and then you loop it into the jump ring.

Look at the jump ring closely. It has a small dent in it. If you flip it around and look under the loop, you will find that the dent on an authentic piece has a very small hallmark pressed into it.

Upon closer inspection, you will see that the jump ring is imprinted with an eagle's head, the French hallmark for 18-karat gold jewelry.

That's a detail that a lot of counterfeiters tend to miss out on.

4. Neatness of the side profile

The side profile of a Van Cleef & Arpels piece should look neat and tidy.
The side profile of a Van Cleef & Arpels piece should look neat and tidy.

Ng Yong Shen

Finally, turn the piece to examine its side profile. The rounded area on a fake bracelet is often messier compared to a real one, which is a lot crisper and sharper.

There is also a certain thickness to the center stone itself. You will notice that the fake ones are often thin, which can be another dead giveaway.

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