Lakers Coach Credits Success to his Championship Ring Scheme

Anyone who watches or keeps up with a lot of professional basketball knows that championship rings are a high honor and highly coveted, and just so, everyone who has seen an NBA championship ring is well aware of how, well, unconventional they are in appearance. We won't call them downright ugly --there's a taste for every style out there, in the end--, but for many style mavens it can be quite the chore to find the somewhat reluctant beauty in these bulky pieces. Typically, championship rings make it into the news whenever big games are won, and a quick flash of the collective sports media camera gives us a glimpse of the year's big rocks and engraved profiles as they find their homes onto the hands of the country's best basketball players. But recently, the rings have surfaced for a fairly new honor: Lakers coach Phil Jackson has declared that the "switching up" of his NBA championship rings was responsible for the team's big win last week.
Jewelry's role in superstition is certainly nothing new. Everyone from sports fans to avid gamblers to heavily invested businesspeople have touted their luck with jewellery pieces from rings and watches to pins and other bits of sparkle. But Jackson's claim is certainly one of the more outrageous attributions of luck to jewelry's special charm. Speaking in an interview after winning his record-breaking tenth title on Sunday, Jackson recalled that he first began wearing championship rings during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls. He recounted how the former general manager of the team had encouraged him to wear a ring, even though Jackson had complained that it was too bulky.
But shortly after faithfully donning his substantial golden show of NBA prowess, Jackson lost a diamond in the ring while tapping his finger waiting for an order at a local restaurant. Though he was dismayed at the loss, discovered once he had returned to his hotel and noticed the particular gleam of the ring was missing, Jackson was assured that the diamond could be replaced, and was encouraged to continue wearing the piece. Throughout the events leading to his victory Sunday, Jackson recounts that unlike previous years, he decided to "switch up" which rings he wore, deciding on an arcane combination whose mysterious meanings and magic interactions we're not likely to know.
Though his team put on an impressive performance to achieve their win, Jackson has appeared convinced that the real tip in the fierce competition --professional basketball players often are, after all, so talented and experienced as to blur simple distinctions as to who is "good"--, was his particular mix and match game of wearing various championship rings. Though we can't say we'll be procuring our own personal specimen anytime soon, we hope this year's championship rings brings the victorious players lots of luck.

Designers Tread the Red for Annual Gala

The red carpet, that is. While we're used to seeing scores of stars strut their stuff down the scarlet rugs at major events year round, typically donning adventurous gowns and suits that get dissected and discussed in magazines for months afterwards, it's rare that we're treated to a glimpse of the designers themselves. One exception to be depended upon is the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America gala, which is held to commemorate the efforts of national fashion moguls who present their new collections each season, and to select a group of especially impressive talents to serve as honored winners and stars of the fashionable show.
Sometimes referred to as the "Oscars of the fashion world," the CFDA gala attracts major designers and those who are breaking into the industry alike, as well as many notable celebrities and models. Project Runway host Heidi Klum, who was dazzling in a multifaceted silver gown showing off the notion that expectant moms can still be glamorous, arrived on the arm of Michael Kors, a judge on the show and one of America's most prolific and well-loved designers.
Other notable appearances included Vera Wang, distinguished by her famous bridal and formalwear collections. Wang chatted with reporters, straying from revealing any truth to rumors that she's slated to appear on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. New designers took home several awards in many categories, highlighting the industry's continual ability to produce quality designs and creative minds despite an economic slump that has had a profoundly negative impact on the luxury industries and related fields.
In fact, the concern over the global financial crisis was largely absent form the gala's proceedings. Stars and designers alike showed non of the aesthetic reticence that has cropped up at some of the year's other red carpet events, opting for extravagant outfits that fully embrace the freedom and creativity of the fashion world. Jewellery was in ample supply, with everything from classic diamond chandelier earrings to bib necklaces and sparkling bangle bracelets adding their fair share of oomph to the atmosphere.
One especially notable feature of the event was the outspoken host; Tracey Ullman, whose comedic talent is fare more highly praised than her particular penchant for fashion, kept the audience entertained and ensured that the show ran smoothly as awards were handed out and the year in design was reviewed. Jimmy Fallon, of Saturday Night Live fame, was also part of the proceedings, serving as an award presenter for men's fashion design.
The mood Council of Fashion Designers of America's sumptuous red carpet event is a good sign for the fashion fans waiting with baited breath for a verdict on the health of the designer industry. As spirits were high and couture was higher, the night held the promise of perseverance.