The Trump tariffs have the potential to transform the fashion industry. Higher prices may push consumers to purchase fewer items and extend the lifespan of their clothing.
Harvard University has become the latest target in the Trump administration’s approach to fight campus anti-Semitism, with the announcement of a new “comprehensive review” that could jeopardize billions of dollars for the Ivy League college.A federal anti-Semitism task force is reviewing more than $255 million in contracts between Harvard and the federal government to make sure the school is following civil rights laws, the administration announced Monday. The government also will examine $8.7 billion in grant commitments to Harvard and its affiliates.The same task force cut $400 million from Columbia University and threatened to slash billions more if it refused a list of demands from President Donald Trump’s administration. Columbia agreed to many of the changes this month, drawing praise from some Jewish groups and condemnation from free speech groups, who see it as a stunning intrusion by the federal government.Dozens of other universities have been put on notice by the Trump administration that they could face similar treatment over allegations of anti-Semitism. The federal government is a major provider of revenue for American universities through grants for scientific research.Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Harvard symbolizes the American Dream, but has jeopardized its reputation by “promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry” and failing to protect students from anti-Semitism.“Harvard can right these wrongs and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and truth-seeking, where all students feel safe on its campus,” McMahon said in a statement.Harvard President Alan Garber acknowledged that anti-Semitism exists even on his campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but he said Harvard has done much to fight it.“For the past fifteen months, we have devoted considerable effort to addressing antisemitism,” Garber said in a statement. “We have strengthened our rules and our approach to disciplining those who violate them.”Harvard will ensure the government has a full account of the university’s work, Garber said. If federal funding is pulled, he added, it will “halt life-saving research and imperil important scientific research and innovation.”The elite university is among more than 100 colleges and school systems facing investigations for anti-Semitism or Islamophobia following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel. The Trump administration has promised tougher action than its predecessor, naming anti-Semitism as the top priority for civil rights investigations.Monday’s announcement didn’t say whether the government had made any specific demands of Harvard. The Education Department, the Health and Human Services Department and the U.S. General Services Administration are leading the review of its contracts and grants.Those agencies will determine whether orders to halt work should be issued for certain contracts between Harvard and the federal government, the government said. The task force is also ordering Harvard to submit a list of all contracts with the federal government, both directly with the school or through any of its affiliates.“The Task Force will continue its efforts to root out anti-Semitism and to refocus our institutions of higher learning on the core values that undergird a liberal education,” said Sean Keveney, acting general counsel for Health and Human Services. “We are pleased that Harvard is willing to engage with us on these goals.”Some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges have faced extraordinary scrutiny from Republicans in Congress following a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that started at Columbia and spread across the country last year. Presidents of several Ivy League schools were called before Congress over allegations that they allowed anti-Semitism to fester.The hearings on Capitol Hill contributed to the resignation of presidents at Harvard, Columbia and Penn. The interim president who took over at Columbia, Katrina Armstrong, resigned last week after the school agreed to the government’s demands.Trump and other officials have accused the protesters of being “pro-Hamas.” Student activists say they oppose Israel’s military activity in Gaza.Instead of going through a lengthy process that allows the Education Department to cut funding from schools that violate civil rights laws, the Trump administration has found quick leverage by pulling contracts and grants. The tactic is being challenged in a federal lawsuit brought by the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers.
Holly Ramer contributed reporting from Concord, New Hampshire.
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Collin Binkley, AP Education Writer
Its April Fool’s Day today, but unfortunately for Tesla investors, the companys latest vehicle sales numbers out of Europe are no joke. Over both the past month and calendar quarter, Tesla sales in several key markets on the continent have plummeted, according to data viewed by Reuters.
Heres what to know about the latest Tesla sales data from Europe, as well as how the companys stock is reacting today.
Tesla sales in several key European countries plummet
First, let’s break down Teslas March sales in several key markets. This is the sales data available for several European nations for March 2025 versus the same month a year earlier:
France: down 36.83% to 3,157 car sales
Sweden: down 63.9% to 911 car sales
Norway: down 1% to 2,211 car sales
Denmark: down 65.6% to 593 car sales
Netherlands: down 61% to 1,536 car sales
Spain: up 34% to 1,983 car sales
And here is how Tesla sales performed in key European markets over the course of the calendar quarter, from January to March 2025, versus the same period a year earlier:
France: down 41.1%
Sweden: down 55.3%
Norway: down 12.5%
Denmark: down 56.4%
Netherlands: down 49.7%
Spain: down 12%
As you can see from the numbers above, Tesla saw significant sales declines in the six European nations for the first quarter. The only slight glimmer of light for the company in the countries above was in Spain, which in March alone saw 34% sales growth in the Iberian nation.
Yet Spains sales jump in March does little to sugarcoat the fact that Teslas sales on the continent are facing significant declines.
Teslas largest European market is the United Kingdom, for which there are no public March sales numbers yet.
Why are Tesla sales cratering in Europe?
There are two main reasons Tesla sales on the continent continue to decline, notes Reuters.
The first is increased competition. As Reuters points out, Teslas offerings on the continent are aging, and its competitors are offering newer and cheaper electric vehicles. This includes both European carmakers and Chinese automakers that sell their cars on the continent.
But the second reason is arguably the more difficult one for Tesla as a company to address. Simply put, as is the case in America, Tesla CEO Elon Musks political antics are driving customers away from the brand. Elon Musk is not only firmly entwined with the Trump administration in U.S. political circles, but he has also voiced support for far-right parties in Europe.
This has made both Musk and the Tesla brand toxic in many Europeans’ eyes, and those Europeans are now abandoning the Tesla brand in droves. Many Europeans also joined in worldwide protests outside Tesla stores over the weekend, highlighting the degree to which many have become fed up with Musk, and by association, his company.
How has TSLA stock reacted?
Despite the negative European sales news, Tesla shares (Nasdaq: TSLA) are up about 1.6% in early market trading as of the time of this writing. Currently, TSLA shares are sitting around $263.40.
There are a few reasons why investors might not be freaking out so much over the reported European numbers. First, Europe is a relatively small market for Tesla compared to the United States, its largest market, and China, its second-largest.
Second, Tesla shares have already crashed hard this year. Year to date, TSLA stock is down over 35% in 2025.
It’s likely that many investors are taking a wait-and-see approach to just how badly Tesla sales have been affected worldwide in its most recent quarter. Tesla is expected to announce its Q1 2025 results later this month, likely during the week of April 22.
Despite a triumphant world premiere at Cannes last May, the politically unsparing Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice was stuck in cinematic limbo. Distributors had snapped up rights in Canada, Japan, Germany, and several other countries, but after a cease-and-desist letter from Trump himself, domestic distributors opted to pass. Lacking any better options to promote the movie and prove public demand, The Apprentice team turned to Kickstarter.
The filmmakers campaign hit its $100,000 target in just 12 hoursand ultimately raised four times that amount. (The campaign eventually quadrupled it.) That grassroots support not only funded marketing and screening opportunities, it raised the films profile, helping it secure stateside distribution. The Apprentice went on to earn Oscar nods in February for stars Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. It also proved how the publics faith in a creative project can counterbalance Hollywoods risk aversionespecially when Kickstarter is involved.
The Apprentice campaign is a powerful example of how creatorseven those with established platformsare using Kickstarter not just to fund projects, but to secure agency over their work and forge more direct connections with their audience, says Taylor K. Shaw, senior outreach lead of Kickstarters film division.
The leading crowdfunding platform for creative projects, Kickstarter has helped hundreds of thousands of creators raise a total of over $8.6 billion since its 2009 launch. Its also proved to be a crucial resource for budding artists, some of whom have gone on to do major Hollywood films. (Directors Jeremy Saulnier and David F. Sandberg, for instance, both used the platform before making the Netflix hit Rebel Ridge and the superhero blockbuster Shazam, respectively.) Kickstarter projects have also collectively netted 19 Oscar nominationsincluding The Apprentices twoand four wins.
And now, in a post-pandemic, post-Double Strike landscape, in which major studios are reassessing their budgets and productions are down 40% from 2022, creators of all sorts are starting to see Kickstarter as a vital means of support.
That marks a major shift in the way creators view the platform. There was a time when crowdfunding tools like Kickstarter were primarily seen as a way for creators to get projects off the ground, not sustain careers. Directors Zach Braff and Rob Thomas received backlash when they used Kickstarter to fund their different projects in 2013, with some claiming theyd exploited their own fans loyalties in order to skirt typical funding challenges.
While crowdfunding a Marvel movie remains inconceivable in 2025comic book movies are now among the only remaining films to still reliably receive studio backingmassive shifts in the entertainment industry have since flipped the script around other kinds of projects. In the age of streaming wars and fragmenting viewership, when some studios would rather ditch completed films for a tax write-off than possibly see them underperform, the challenges creators now face in making passion projects are too often insurmountable.
Most filmmakers, both emerging and established, are being told that there is little to no funding available for their original ideas, says Shaw, who works directly with creators to shape their Kickstarter campaigns. They go from pitching everyone they know and getting lots of nos, to having to decide if they want to create their film independently or not. Kickstarter is where they go when they cant wait for a greenlight.
But its not just the industry that has changed over the past decadeaudiences perceptions of crowdfunding have evolved, too. Fans who understand the mechanics of Hollywood are more likely to view crowdfunding as a legitimate path for projects of any pedigree, and seem to understand that many creators are turning to their communities for support out of necessitynot convenience.
According to Shaw, the projects most likely to get funded on Kickstarter arent necessarily those with ultra-topical plotlines or with big names like Sebastian Stan attached. Rather, its those with a clear vision and a direct line to an engaged audience.
Creators with locked-in fan bases, like the hosts of Dungeons & Dragons podcast Critical Role, for instance, can handily bring an existing community to a Kickstarter campaign, as those hosts did with their TV series The Legend of Vox Machina, which raised over $11 million and eventually landed a distribution deal with Amazon Prime. (The show recently concluded its third season.)
As for what sort of film and TV projects will be getting funded on Kickstarter in the future, the platform is doubling down on a handful of genres in 2025.
Weve seen especially strong engagement around animation, horror and thriller, short films and comedy, where fan bases are incredibly passionate and communities around those projects tend to be especially active, Shaw says. Because those categories already have strong traction, were leaning in with more focused outreach and support to help those creators take full advantage of the momentum that exists.
In the meantime, the platform is also supporting all creators who use it by continuing to evolve its arsenal of tools for planning and promoting campaigns and engaging backers. Most recently, Kickstarter rolled out an integrated set of pledge management tools that streamline the logistical processes creators go through after successfully funding projectslike collecting backer info, offering add-ons, and shipping out rewardsall directly through the Kickstarter platform.
The company also just launched a new feature called Pledge Over Time, which gives backers the option to split their pledge into four equal payments. Most Kickstarter campaigns offer different rewards for different sizes of contribution, and this latest feature allows cash-strapped fans to access higher-tier rewards for the projects they most want to see in the world.
By helping to provide what creators need and what fans want, at a volatile time in Hollywood, Kickstarter has emerged as a welcoming oasis of greenlights for creators of all stripes. As gatekeepers become increasingly reluctant to fund projects outside of well-established intellectual properties, the platform is redistributing the right to decide whether or not the show must go on.
President Donald Trump’s pick to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, will face questions from senators during his confirmation hearing Tuesday about his qualifications to become the top U.S. military officer.Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership positions in multiple special operations commands and in some of the Pentagon’s most classified programs. He does not, however, meet the prerequisites for Joint Chiefs chairman, although they can be waived by the president.Caine was nominated by Trump in February, one day after the president fired the former chairman, Gen. CQ Brown Jr., in a purge of general officers whom he and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth viewed as endorsing diversity, equity and inclusion in the ranks.Caine met Trump when the president visited troops in Iraq in 2018 during his first term. Trump has told political supporters the encounter left an impression on himand that Caine put on a red “Make America Great Again” hat at the time, something Caine’s inner circle has said is not true.Caine has been described by former military colleagues as a deeply serious career officer who has spent the past few weeks meeting with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, said a former U.S. official who has helped Caine prepare for the confirmation process and spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details on Caine’s nomination. Hegseth notably refused to meet with many Democrats when he was going through the confirmation process.Because he retired in December, Caine would need to be sworn back into active duty. That would take place after he is confirmed, and then he would be promoted to four-star general, the official said.Caine’s nomination following the ouster of Brown is likely to raise questions from some Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee about whether he will remain independent of Trump.During Trump’s first term, his relationship with then-Chairman Gen. Mark Milley soured as Milley pushed back and took steps to try to prevent what he saw as an attempt to politicize the office, such as by reminding military service members they take an oath to the Constitution, not to a president.The relationship soured to the extent that within hours of Trump being sworn in office in January, Milley’s portrait as chairman of the Joint Chiefs was removed from the Pentagon. Trump and Hegseth have subsequently stripped Milley of his security clearance and security detail.Caine does not meet prerequisites laid out in a 1986 law, such as being a combatant commander or service chief. The law, however, allows presidents to waive those requirements to fill the position with someone they are most comfortable with.While Caine would be the military’s top uniformed officer, his chief duty would be serving as the president’s top military adviser.But Caine has spent time inside the Pentagon, leading its Special Access Programs Central Office, which oversees what classified information on weapons programs is shared with foreign governments.He also served as the commander of the joint special operations task force in Iraq in 2008 and as the assistant commanding general of joint special operations command at Fort Bragg. From 2018 to 2019, he was the deputy commanding general of the special operations joint task force for Operation Inherent Resolve, countering the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.He also was associate director for military affairs at the CIA from 2021 until he retired in December.Caine transferred into the National Guard in 2009 and began working in the private sector, including as an adviser at an investment firm run by the brother of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.He has more than 2,800 flying hours in the F-16 and has earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, among other awards.
Tara Copp, Associated Press
A bitcoin investor who bought a SpaceX flight for himself and three polar explorers blasted off Monday night on the first rocket ride to carry people over the North and South poles.Chun Wang, a Chinese-born entrepreneur, hurtled into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket steered southward over the Atlantic, putting the space tourists on a path never flown before in 64 years of human spaceflight.Wang won’t say how much he paid Elon Musk’s SpaceX for the 3 -day ultimate polar adventure.The first leg of their flightfrom Florida to the South Poletook barely a half-hour. From the targeted altitude of some 270 miles (440 kilometers), their fully automated capsule will circle the globe in roughly 1 hours including 46 minutes to fly from pole to pole.“Enjoy the views of the poles. Send us some pictures,” SpaceX Launch Control radioed once the capsule reached orbit.Wang has already visited the polar regions in person and wants to view them from space. The trip is also about “pushing boundaries, sharing knowledge,” he said ahead of the flight.Now a citizen of Malta, he took along three guests: Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar guide Eric Philips.Mikkelsen, the first Norwegian bound for space, has flown over the poles before, but at a much lower altitude. She was part of the 2019 record-breaking mission that circumnavigated the world via the poles in a Gulfstream jet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s moon landing.The crew plans two dozen experimentsincluding taking the first human X-rays in spaceand brought along more cameras than usual to document their journey called Fram2 after the Norwegian polar research ship from more than a century ago.Until now, no space traveler had ventured beyond 65 degrees north and south latitude, just shy of the Arctic and Antarctic circles. The first woman in space, the Soviet Union’s Valentina Tereshkova, set that mark in 1963. Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, and other pioneering cosmonauts came almost as close, as did NASA shuttle astronauts in 1990.A polar orbit is ideal for climate and Earth-mapping satellites as well as spy satellites. That’s because a spacecraft can observe the entire world each day, circling Earth from pole to pole as it rotates below.Geir Klover, director of the Fram Museum in Oslo, Norway, where the original polar ship is on display, hopes the trip will draw more attention to climate change and the melting polar caps. He lent the crew a tiny piece of the ship’s wooden deck that bears the signature of Oscar Wisting, who with Roald Amundsen in the early 1900s became the first to reach both poles.Wang pitched the idea of a polar flight to SpaceX in 2023, two years after U.S. tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman made the first of two chartered flights with Musk’s company. Isaacman is now in the running for NASA’s top job.SpaceX’s Kiko Dontchev said late last week that the company is continually refining its training so “normal people” without traditional aerospace backgrounds can “hop in a capsule . . . and be calm about it.”Wang and his crew view the polar flight like camping in the wild and embrace the challenge.“Spaceflight is becoming increasingly routine and, honestly, I’m happy to see that,” Wang said via X last week.Wang said he’s been counting up his flights since his first one in 2002, flying on planes, helicopters, and hot air balloons in his quest to visit every country. So far, he’s visited more than half. He arranged it so that liftoff would mark his 1,000th flight.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Marcia Dunn, AP Aerospace Writer
You know the feelingyour calendar is packed, your inbox is overflowing, and every decision, big or small, lands on your desk. Leadership today isnt just about managing teams and making strategic calls; its about navigating an endless stream of meetings, emails, and expectations.
While burnout is widely recognized, most solutions focus on time management rather than cognitive bandwidth management. The real issue isnt just being overworkedits being oversaturated. Leaders are drowning in information, decisions, and interruptions, leaving little room for the deep thinking required for creativity, strategic foresight, and high-quality decision-making.
A study from the University of California found that it takes an average of 23 minutes to refocus after an interruption. Multiply that by dozens of daily distractions, and its clear why many leaders struggle to see the bigger picture. The ability to make sound, high-impact decisions isnt about working harder; its about creating space for deep thought.
The Hidden Costs of Constant Busyness
Many leaders equate productivity with busyness, believing that the more they do, the more they accomplish. However, excessive cognitive load leads to decision fatigue, diminishing the quality of choices over time. The constant need to process information can also limit strategic foresight, causing leaders to operate reactively rather than proactively. Without time to reflect, innovation suffers, and leaders struggle to connect disparate ideas or generate fresh insights. Perhaps most importantly, the mental strain of constant cognitive overload erodes the ability to inspire, connect, and energize teams, leading to emotional exhaustion.
Through my work advising leaders, I have seen the biggest shift happen when they gain clarity on what is most important for them to focus on. When they create space to think, they move from reactive firefighting to intentional, high-impact leadership. To support this shift, I developed a structured approach that helps leaders pause, reflect, and see things differently before diving into the next wave of demands. By making reflection a habit, they regain control over their time and amplify their ability to lead with purpose.
White space isnt a luxuryits a strategic imperative. But how can leaders reclaim time for deep thinking when everyone wants a piece of them?
Scheduling Uninterrupted Blocks for Reflection
If you dont protect your time, no one else will. Blocking thinking time on your calendar isnt just about setting aside hoursits about creating the right conditions for meaningful reflection. Some CEOs, like Bill Gates, take “Think Weeks” to immerse themselves in strategic visioning. While a whole week might not be feasible, micro-retreatssuch as two-hour deep-thinking sessions once a weekcan significantly improve clarity and decision-making.
To implement this, designate a specific time each week when you are completely unreachable. Use this time to tackle complex problems, review long-term strategies, or explore innovative ideas. Changing your environment can also enhance deep thinking; a walk, a quiet room, or a retreat space can be instrumental in shifting your mindset from reactionary to strategic.
Reducing Decision Fatigue by Delegating and Automating
Not every decision requires your input. Barack Obama and Steve Jobs famously simplified their daily choiceswearing the same outfit dailyto preserve mental energy for high-stakes decisions. Leaders should similarly identify which decisions they must own and which ones can be delegated or automated.
Start by categorizing your decisions: strategic ones require deep thinking, operational ones can often be delegated, and administrative ones are best automated. Empowering your team to take ownership of decisions within their expertise frees up cognitive space for you to focus on higher-impact areas. Batching smaller decisions into designated review sessions can also prevent constant context switching. Automation tools can also help eliminate repetitive tasks, allowing leaders to focus their energy on what truly matters.
Creating “No-Meeting Zones” for Deep Work
While necessary, meetings often disrupt the ability to engage in strategic work. Some companies, like Shopify, have introduced “Meeting-Free Wednesdays” to give employees uninterrupted time for deep work. Leaders can implement a similar approach by establishing specific time blocks where meetings are off-limits, enabling more focused thinking.
Redesigning meeting culture is another way to protect deep work. Encouraging asynchronous collaborationthrough well-documented memos, video updates, and shared decision logscan reduce the need for real-time discussions. Adopting a “50-minute meeting rule” also helps ensure that meetings dont consume an entire hour and allows for short breaks to reflect before diving into the next task. Another interesting approach I have implemented with my clients to enhance strategic discussions is to hold a silent meeting to allow leaders to read and reflect on strategic plans before engaging in a dialogue.
Being Selective About Information Intake
In an era of constant connectivity, leaders must be intentional about the information they consume. Too much input can be just as damaging as too little. Instead of passively absorbing every report, email, or industry update, curate your information sources carefully.
Limiting the number of newsletters, reports, and updates you follow can help reduce cognitive clutter. Setting specific times during the day to check emails and newsrather than reacting to every notificationprevents constant distractions. Another helpful practice is maintaining a “Reverse To-Do List.” Instead of listing tasks to complete on the list, you instead identify habits, commitments, or information sources you can eliminate to free up mental space. Structured reflection rituals, such as weekly reviews of key learnings rather than endless content consumption, can further sharpen decision-making.
Great leadership isnt about being the busiest person in the roomits about making the best decisions. The leaders who thrive in complexity arent those who power through every request but those who create the mental space necessary for clarity and innovation. If youre constantly overwhelmed, it may not be a workload problem but a thinking-time problem. Designing intentional white space isnt about stepping back; its about stepping into your most strategic, creative, and high-impact leadership self.
Hooters of America, LLC, owner of the Hooters restaurant chain, has announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The bankruptcy filing is aimed at helping the company restructure itself so it can transition from a company-owned restaurant chain to a franchisee-owned chain.
Heres what you need to know about Hooters bankruptcy and whether any locations will close.
Hooters to transition to franchisee-owned model
Most people think of Hooters as just one company, but the restaurant chain currently operates under a hybrid model. Hooters of America, LLC, owns the restaurants brand intellectual property and currently operates numerous Hooters locations in the United States and across the world. The company says it franchises and operates 410 Hooters restaurants in 38 states and 24 countries.
However, Hooters of America, LLC, also licenses out its restaurants to franchisees, allowing individuals and companies to operate Hooters stores. One of the largest Hooters franchisees is Hooters Inc., the company owned by the original Hooters cofounders. Hooters Inc. owns and operates over 20 restaurants in America.
Like many restaurant chains, Hooters has been struggling financially in recent years, and now the companys owner, Hooters of America, LLC, has decided that the best way forward for the brand is to restructure its business model. That restructuring will see Hooters move from a primarily company-owned model to an entirely franchisee-owned model.
Hooters of America, LLC, says that the restructuring will see a group of current franchisees acquire and operate the current company-owned locations. Among those franchisees is Hooters Inc.
It should be noted that the bankruptcy filing and the restructuring of the company only affect Hooters locations in America. Its worldwide locations are unaffected by the changes.
Are any Hooters locations closing?
If youre a fan of Hooters, then there is some good news. The company says that it currently has no definite plans to close any Hooters locations. In a press release announcing the bankruptcy filing, Hooters of America CEO Sal Melilli said, Our renowned Hooters restaurants are here to stay.
However, the announcement went on to leave open the possibility that some locations could close. As part of the Companys broader business transformation and planning, Hooters is evaluating the Companys operational footprint as part of its financial restructuring process to position itself to invest its resources in its strongest assets moving forward, the statement read.
What this means is that its possible Hooters could decide to close some locations as the bankruptcy process continues.
So, is Hooters going out of business?
The company has no plans to. Indeed, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, so it can keep its business going and locations open, albeit under a new franchisee-owned model.
In a dedicated website for customers who have questions about Hooters bankruptcy, the company says, Hooters is here to stay, and with a stronger financial foundation and streamlined operations on the other side of this process, we will be well-positioned to continue delivering the guest-obsessed hospitality experience and delicious food our valued customers and communities have come to expect well into the future.
How long will Hooters restructuring take?
Hooters of America, LLC, says it expects to move through the bankruptcy process swiftly. The company defines this as having the goal of emerging from Chapter 11 in about 90 to 120 days.
Restaurant chains have had a rough year
Hooters of America, LLC isnt the only restaurant company that has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy lately. In the past year, numerous other popular restaurant chains have as well, including Red Lobster, Tijuana Flats, Buca di Beppo, and Roti.
While the specifics of each bankruptcy will vary, many restaurants have faced the same problems in recent years. This includes diminishing foot traffic, higher costs, and diners who are cutting back on discretionary spending due to price rises fueled by inflation.
Countless hours, daysperhaps even weeksof my life have been spent creating Sims characters, building them houses, marrying them off, and making babies. Now, theres a new life-simulation game on the block hoping to expand beyond the American market.
inZOI debuted on March 28 at $40 and quickly climbed to the top of Steams most wishlisted and bestseller charts. The game’s appeal lies in its hyper-detailed character customization, free expansions, and immersive, realism-focused world. Unlike The Sims, which embraces cartoonish characters and lightheartedness, inZOI opts for lifelike graphics and a slower-paced gameplay experience centered on everyday interactions.
Designed with a broader audience in mind, inZOI stands out through subtle cultural details. For example, players digital humans are prompted to remove their shoes upon entering a home, and the games cities draw inspiration from Seoul and Santa Monica. The fridge is stocked with tteokbokki, a beloved Korean rice cake snack, and characters often wear trendy Korean streetwear.
I felt a lot of cultural barriers playing The Sims, Hyungjun Kjun Kim, chief executive officer of game publisher Kraftons inZOI Studio, told Bloomberg in a recent interview. Kim spent years developing online role-playing games, only to come home and play The Sims with his son. One day, his son asked why there aren’t other games like The Sims. That question stuck with Kim and eventually led to the creation of inZOI.
Once the prototype was ready, Krafton sought input from The Sims large and dedicated fanbase. They sent PCs to Sims YouTubers, encouraging them to livestream the game, while fans joined a Discord channel to request features they felt The Sims was lackingsuch as more inclusive hairstyles.
The Sims franchise has been a cash cow for Electronic Arts, generating over $5 billion in revenue and attracting more than 15 million new players in 2024, despite being more than a decade old. But with no Sims 5 in sight, EA has relied on expansion packs to keep players engaged, opening up a gap in the market that inZOI is eager to fill.
Still, if inZOI was banking on its competitor fading into obscurity, it may be disappointed. The Sims 4 recently hit its highest-ever average player count on Steam in February 2025, according to The Gamer. The anticipation surrounding inZOI perhaps sparked a wave of players to revisit their old favorite. Either way, The Sims franchise has shown it still has plenty of life in it.
Over the last year, Gap has been popping up in an unexpected place for a heritage casual wear brand: the red carpet. Last July, Anne Hathaway wore a white shirt dress with matching bralette and Bulgari jewelry. In December, Demi Moore appeared in a black knit jersey dress and moto jacket. And just this past February, Timothée Chalamet showed up in a black satin workwear set.
Zac Posen, Gap Inc.s executive vice president and creative director, had designed all of them under the new label, GapStudio. And now, Gap is bringing GapStudio to the masses as it officially launches the new, higher-end Gap sub-brand, designed to elevate Gap’s perception, extend its reach to younger consumers, and help regain its cultural caché.
Zac Posen [Photo: Mario Sorrenti/GapStudio]
GapStudio will launch four seasonal collections a year, along with select standalone drops starting with this Spring capsule, called GapStudioCollection 01. The collection includes a range of elevated basics that play into classic styles Gap is known for, but with contemporary and trend-driven silhouettes, and elevated fabrications and construction. Prices range from $78-$248, and will be available online and in select stores starting this Thursday.
Posens role is far-reaching across Gap Inc, but GapStudio seems to be the most direct expression of his crossover from the red carpet gowns of his former high-end designer label to Gap Incs accessible everyday denim. Posen led the collections design processes, creative directed its launch campaign with zeitgeisty photographers, models, and stylists from his network, and onboarded a team hes worked with for decades to bring it to life.
[Photo: Mario Sorrenti/GapStudio]
The move to revive a brand’s Americana cool factor
GapStudio is launching close to a year after Posen joined Gap Inc, where he oversees the creative direction of its brands, including Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, and Old Navy, for which he is also chief creative officer. He and his team work out of the GapStudio atelier (thats fashion for workshop), a new space in Gap Incs New York City headquarters thats the epicenter of a new design vision for Gap.
After shuttering his namesake brand in 2019 and spending seven years at Brooks Brothers, Gap Inc hired Posen to revive the defunct heritage brand known more for its deep sales than for its fit. According to the companys fourth quarter earnings report, net sales were down 3% in its last quarter compared to the previous year. But the full 2024 fiscal year shows that online sales were up 4% and net sales were up 1%. In-store sales remained flat.
Posens first collection for GapStudio offers up a tangible sense of where he wants to take the brand. The collection includes a mix of polished but contemporary everyday pieces, including denim sailor pants, cropped white button downs, and dresses (the Anne Hathaway will be available in a new color), ribbed tanks and dresses, slinky slip dresses, a denim moto and a trench coat with a pleated back. You have to have that range within a very tight collection to be able to do that, says Posen of the mix between casual and elevated styles. He notes that the slip dress could be worn with shoes or heels. Daystomper, night stalker.
[Photo: Mario Sorrenti/GapStudio]
Brand elevation through construction, silhouette, and association
Posen applied a studied eye to the construction of the pieces. He showed me the collection in the Gap Inc showroom in NYC’s Tribeca neighborhood. I noted the curved seaming of the knit dress worn by Demi Moore, which gave the dress a slight bell shape. Those were Posens construction lines, he said, so the piece didnt have side seams. The seams themselves were made to have more dimension than a typical needle stitch, he pointed out. As he made his way through the collection racks, he pointed out more details: the $148 knit day dress, which is a fully fashioned knit, the dry hand of the rib tank, the sit of the shoulder and pick stitch of the khaki blazer.
Posen pulls out a white denim corset cincher. Like, why not? he asks. He paired it with a white tank dress, but it appears in a few different looks throughout the campaign, making the case for its versatility. The collection also has sweatshirts for when youre not in the mood to be so cinched. He thumbs to the slip dress, which has seaming he originally designed for a slip dress featured in a ballet his husband choreographed. Pajama glamour, he declared.Everyday street glamour. Red carpet to the street.
That sentiment covers the range of the collection pretty well. Thats so cute as a look, and really young, Posen says referring to the sweatshirt look. There’s an explicit play for Gen Z with GapStudio. It’s been really fun to be building a collection with that in mind, in terms of expanding our customer base.
[Photo: Mario Sorrenti/GapStudio]
One way he did that, in addition to leaning into nascent Gen Z trends like bloomers, is through the GapStudio campaign itself. He tapped fashion photographer Mario Sorrenti, stylist Alastair McKimm, and supermodels Alex Consani, Imaan Hammam, and Anok Yai. He described the process of building the images as elevating the iconic. He hopes to tap into contemporary equivalents of the brands past partnerships with renowned photographers like Annie Leibowitz and Steven Miesel.
GapStudio’s “elevated essentials”
Ultimately, Posen wants GapStudio to communicate a sense of elevated essentials, he says. Great items that become staples in a wardrobe. Beloved pieces you always look for. Things that have style and trends without being disposable. To do that, he aims to balance Gaps metrics-driven approach with his own taste. Experimentation at any level is essential, he says.
And it does appear that he is deeply involved with the GapStudio design team, including concepting, fitting, and fabrication. As we walked to the atelier down the hall from the showroom, he introduced me to team members hed worked with for 10, 15, and 20 years, who now work in the GapStudio label.
Muslin toile draping by Zac Posen for a future piece in the GapStudio atelier. [Photo: Ava Imperio/GapStudio]
As we talked and made our way through the atelier, he was distracted by the work of a designer who was draping and pinning a work-in-progress garment on a figure. I keep thinking about lowering the back on it, Posen said to the designer. You have to do a body suitthat’s what I said at like midnight last nightbut then we can go lower in the back and lower on the side. Hes comfortably in his element. I asked him what the piece was for. Thats a special project, he told me as we moved to the next station, without disclosing particulars.
Posen plans to invite other guest designers, a strategy that has worked well for bridge and mass market brands like Uniqlo and H&M. He sees the coalescence of longstanding relationships and skillsets into GapStudio as a starting point for innovation; a new chapter with old collaborators. The play is desirability, absolutely elevation, Posen says of GapStudio. The first collection, he says, is just the beginning.
