Need to Know
22 : 08 : 23

Global – Italian luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana has joined forces with British media conglomerate Sky Group to introduce a unique twist to an existing smart tv model. Unveiled during Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda fashion week, the limited-edition 65-inch Sky Glass Carretto Siciliano showcases the brand’s iconic print, hand-painted by a Palermo-based artisan. The design draws inspiration from western Sicily’s traditional geometric patterns and extends across the television’s bezels and back end.

The collaboration enhances the Sky Glass model, which already offers integrated content, major free-to-air channels and streaming apps. Replacing the Sky insignia is a carefully crafted Dolce & Gabbana icon.

The release marks the fashion house’s continued move into the world of home products, following its recent partnership with Italian appliance company Smeg for a Blu Mediterraneo-themed appliance collection. This project offers insight into how fashion brands are stepping into our homes and the next iteration of creatively branded homeware we can expect to see more of.

UK – The drive to bring more British workers back to the office poses a risk to the increase in working hours among women, which was made possible by pandemic-induced flexible and remote working options. Analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that women in the UK are working more than ever due to hybrid working policies that allow greater opportunities to balance childcare and work. ONS data shows that hours worked per woman are up almost 5% on levels before Covid-19 struck. Analysts worry this trend will be reversed if businesses reduce flexibility.

On the other hand, men are spending fewer hours at work, a trend that began in the decade before the first lockdown, but which has accelerated since. In order for the government to bring down inflation rates, they need to fill vacancies, which in the UK labour market remain at near record highs.

Overall, women have shifted from part-time to full-time working, ONS data reveals, reiterating the importance of offering employees Work State solutions. The threat of this being taken away – JPMorgan Chase, Amazon, Blackrock and Goldman Sachs have asked staff to spend more time in the office – can have large-scale economic repercussions.