Fake injection pens of Ozempic, a hugely popular diabetes drug that went viral on social media as a way to lose weight, are circulating in...

As Refinery29’s fashion writer Frances Solá-Santiago previously reported, black wedding dresses are on the rise for brides-to-be. While wearing black is certainly the atypical route — white wedding dresses obviously still reign in the bridal category — the idea of a noir-as-night dress for nuptials is far from just a style trend. Solá-Santiago points out that plenty of notable folks have worn black as an alternative wedding dress: Chloë Sevigny got married in black for City Hall (and subsequently wore white for her actual ceremony and parties) and Sarah Jessica Parker wore black for her 1997 wedding (though she had told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live years later that she now regrets the decision).

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Pharrell Williams has revealed the muse for his first collection as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear – himself. The 50-year-old legendary producer opened up in his GQ Style cover story published on 15 August about his design process ahead of his spring-summer line debut on the historic Pont Neuf bridge in Paris. Williams confessed he never expected to be appointed the coveted position at the luxe French fashion house, and that not a lot of people did either, with the exception of Louis Vuitton’s CEO Pietro Beccari, who offered him the job. “It wasn’t an interview or anything,” Williams recounted. “It was like: ‘Will you accept this position? Will you accept this appointment?’ I’m looking at the water and I’m just like: ‘What?’” Williams is no stranger to the fashion world, having worked on a collection of sunglasses for Louis Vuitton previously and on long-time collaborations with Adidas and Chanel. However, after the sudden 2021 death of his close friend and predecessor at Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, he hadn’t considered himself as someone viable for the position until the opportunity was presented to him. In fact, the artist presented LVMH with a list of candidates he thought suitable to carry-on the Avant garde shift for the brand made by Abloh. “It’s the first time someone has had the daringness to pick a real worldwide star to helm a house,” Beccari remarked. “He has 13 Grammys and even Oscar nominations. “One could say he has a Midas touch. So, as a creative director, while it’s an experiment, I think it will be a successful one.” And it was. The “Happy” singer titled his collection “LVERS,” an ode to his Virginia roots. Before his star-studded June show, Williams performed a test run of his creative concepts for the lush clothing line in Virginia Beach during his annual three-day Something in the Water music festival. By offering $860 T-shirts and $1,310 hoodies that would be representative of the style cues in his spring-summer collection, he was bringing luxury fashion to his home for the first time ever. “From Paris to VA, VA to Paris,” he proclaimed. “That’s literally the narrative. All of this is seeding that. It’s a part of my story.” What’s more, with Williams’ artistic direction having been mostly channeled into his music, he relied on personal preferences when piecing together designs for the runway. “I look at myself like I’m the real customer,” the “Beautiful” creator admitted. “So I design for what it is that I want and what I’m going to need.” Pixelated prints and strategic tailoring formed the consumer collection, which mirrored his renowned wardrobe. He paid homage to ready-to-wear pieces he adored from brands like Roberto Cavalli and Chanel in the form of fur overcoats. Williams fused streetwear, athletes, and resort–wear, while keeping the desired Louis Vuitton buyer in mind – an elite class. Just as the models cloned Williams’ persona, his front row packed with A-listers including Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, LeBron, and Lenny Kravitz, whoo were pleased to don the collection embodying a new era of forward-thinking designers in luxury fashion by their friend. Read More Pharrell fuses entertainment and fashion for confident Louis Vuitton menswear debut Pharrell Williams makes his Louis Vuitton debut in star-studded Paris show Zendaya, Sophie Turner and Kerry Condon attend Louis Vuitton show TikToker urges parents to save all their old clothes for children to inherit Billy Porter criticised for calling Anna Wintour a ‘b****’ over Harry Styles cover Billy Porter hits out at Harry Styles and Anna Wintour over Vogue cover

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A recent investigation has found that some Ozempic and Wegovy patients suffered from severe gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, after taking the medications. In a report from CNN published on 25 July, two patients reported that their “stomachs are paralysed” after taking type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – a semaglutide injection known for its weight loss side effects. “I wish I never touched it. I wish I’d never heard of it in my life,” Joanie Knight, a 37-year-old from Louisiana, told CNN. “This medicine made my life hell. So much hell. It has cost me money. It cost me a lot of stress; it cost me days and nights and trips with my family. It’s cost me a lot, and it’s not worth it. The price is too high.” Emily Wright, a 38-year-old teacher from Toronto, said she vomits so frequently that she had to take a leave of absence from her job. “I’ve almost been off Ozempic for a year, but I’m still not back to my normal,” she said. According to CNN, both women have been diagnosed with severe gastroparesis, a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, per the Mayo Clinic. Wright has also been diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome, which causes her to throw up multiple times a day. Meanwhile, one Wegovy user claimed she began experiencing stomach problems after her doctor prescribed her the weight loss drug – which works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), regulating blood sugar levels and slowing down the rate at which food leaves the stomach to create the feeling of fullness. However, the medication caused her to vomit so much that she became dehydrated and needed to visit urgent care. Brenda Allen, from Texas, has since been managing her nausea and vomiting with a medication called Zofran and prescription probiotics. Now, the US Food and Drug Administration has said they’ve received reports of stomach paralysis among patients taking the medications. “The FDA has received reports of gastroparesis with semaglutide and liraglutide, some of which documented the adverse event as not recovered after discontinuation of the respective product at the time of the report,” the agency said in a statement to CNN. However, officials clarified that they were unable to determine whether taking Ozempic or Wegovy was the cause of stomach paralysis, or if it was caused by a different issue. “Gastroparesis can be a complication of diabetes that is related to long-standing or poorly controlled disease, further complicating the ability to determine what role the drugs played in the reported events,” they said. As for whether patients should be warned about taking the drugs, the FDA maintained that taking the medications, such as for treating diabetes or weight management, may still “outweigh the risks in some patients with gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying”. In response to reports of stomach paralysis, Novo Nordisk – the manufacturer behind Ozempic and Wegovy – noted that these drugs have been extensively studied in the real world and in clinical trials. “Gastrointestinal (GI) events are well-known side effects of the GLP-1 class,” the company told CNN. “For semaglutide, the majority of GI side effects are mild to moderate in severity and of short duration. GLP-1’s are known to cause a delay in gastric emptying, as noted in the label of each of our GLP-1 RA medications. Symptoms of delayed gastric emptying, nausea and vomiting are listed as side effects.” Last week, the American Society of Anesthesiologists also issued a warning that those who take GLP-1 agonists should avoid the medications a week before surgery because they may increase “risk of regurgitation and aspiration of food” while under anesthesia and deep sedation. Ozempic, a once-weekly injection used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has skyrocketed in use after people were reportedly prescribed the FDA-approved diabetes medication as an “off-label” weight loss drug. However, because of its increasing popularity, it has led to national shortages of the diabetes treatment - leaving those who actually need Ozempic without it. Meanwhile, Wegovy and Mounjaro are popular once-weekly semaglutide injections specifically approved for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. There are many side effects of taking medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. According to the FDA, the most common side effects of taking Wegovy are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and digestive disorders. The FDA has also warned about more serious complications that can occur from use of Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumours,” pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking. Taking Ozempic can also lead to possible thyroid tumours, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems. The Independent has contacted Novo Nordisk and the FDA for comment. Read More Clinics told to stop prescribing medicines as weight loss drug hits diabetes supply Influencer addresses ‘dangers’ of complimenting people’s bodies after weight loss comments Ozempic under EU investigation over reports of suicidal thoughts Mindy Kaling shuts down weight loss question as ‘people take it so personally’ What are weight loss injections and what’s the controversy? Raven Symone says people shouldn’t use Ozempic for ‘glamazon purposes’

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Thanks for reading Can We Talk?, a sex and relationships column that aims to tackle the burning questions about sex, dating, relationships, and breakups that you’re too afraid to ask your partner — or maybe even your besties. Today, relationship therapist Moraya Seeger DeGeare, LMFT, helps someone who wants to take their open relationship to the next level by inviting their partner to a sex party.