Top artist defies hate mob
UNIVERSITY chiefs are to defy a hate mob by hosting a top British artist whose previous appearance was cancelled after she was accused of being transphobic.
Rachel Ara will give a speech and online workshop at Oxford Brookes University on March 3. Critics had a similar event pulled in November 2019 after the feminist artist was accused of bigotry for sharing two tweets criticising moves to let people self-identify as women. Ms Ara, 56, a former artist in residence at the V&A Museum, said she was not anti-trans, but felt women’s rights were ‘under attack’.
The university said Ms Ara’s appearance was one of a series of School of Arts events, adding: ‘The talk will go ahead in March.’ It comes days after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson warned universities to uphold freedom of speech.
SOME call it the Emperor’s New Perfume, an expensive fragrance that most people cannot even smell.
Yet sales of Molecule 01, which costs £72 for a 100ml bottle, are soaring thanks to the backing of celebrities and influencers such as TV presenter Davina McCall.
It is a single chemical which boosts other smells, so when it comes into contact with pheromones on the skin, it produces a scent unique to each person – which the wearer themselves often cannot detect.
Molecule 01 has become the bestselling fragrance ever at luxury department store Harvey Nichols, whose former boss Daniela Rinaldi says that when she first tried a sample ‘I smelt nothing at all’.
But on her journey home, people told her she smelled ‘amazing’. So, she said: ‘I went into the office next morning and placed the biggest order they could handle.’ McCall said: ‘People say to me all the time “you smell amazing” [but] I can’t smell it on myself.’
One online influencer, Lanirex, said: ‘The controversy will never end with this one. Some think it’s a waste of money but I can smell it.’
And an industry insider said: ‘This perfume is taking off on Instagram. What better medium for selling something that is 90 per cent marketing, ten per cent product!’
Nevertheless, makers Escentric Molecules say sales are so strong they will next month bring out more ‘ fragrances’ with no fragrance.
PRINCE Charles was said to be teary-eyed after visiting his father Prince Philip yesterday.
But the Duke of Edinburgh was said to be ‘in good spirits’ at the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London, where he has been since Tuesday evening.
The Prince of Wales, 72, wearing a face mask, arrived at 3.30pm and spent half an hour at his father’s bedside.
He was the Duke’s first visitor since he was admitted. An aide said that as the 99-year-old had been ‘longer than expected in hospital’, the Prince had decided to visit him.
It is understood that Charles, who has received his first Covid-19 jab, made a 200-mile round trip from his home in Highgrove, Gloucestershire, to the hospital, which is currently only considering visitors in ‘exceptional circumstances’ due to the pandemic.
The Duke, who will turn 100 in June, had been expected to be discharged after a few days but is now likely to remain in hospital for ‘observation and rest’ into next week out of an ‘abundance of caution’. It is thought Charles had not seen his father since before Christmas because of coronavirus restrictions – with the Duke staying at Windsor Castle with the Queen.
Today is Philip’s sixth day in the private facility in London and comes as the fallout from the news about Harry and Meghan’s departure from working royal life continues.
He is understood to have been aware the announcement on Harry and Meghan was due to be released last week.
Philip walked unaided into King Edward VII Hospital on Tuesday evening on the advice of his doctor.
A Royal source said: ‘Following consultation with his doctor, he is likely to remain in hospital for observation and rest over the weekend and into next week. As we have said previously, the doctor is acting with an abundance of caution.
‘The Duke remains in good spirits.’