1. Céline Dion Is Back on Stage After Six Years, and Paris Is Listening
Céline Dion has returned to full-length live performance for the first time in six years, opening her new Paris residency before a sold-out crowd.
The Canadian singer performed a 25-song set after years away from touring following her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome. Her return follows several years of treatment, physical and vocal therapy, and work to determine whether performing at this level would be possible again.
Dion is scheduled for a 26-show Paris engagement extending into 2027.
Why it matters: Dion is returning at 58 after an illness that directly affected the instrument on which she built her career. She may perform differently than she once did, but returning to the stage after years of uncertainty and rehabilitation is a remarkable career story in itself.
Sources: Reuters | Associated Press
2. Testosterone Prescriptions for Women Have Surged 146%, but Medicine Hasn’t Caught Up
Testosterone prescriptions for women in the United States increased 146% between January 2023 and July 2026, according to Reuters, as more women seek treatment for symptoms associated with menopause and sexual health.
There is one significant problem. The FDA has never approved a testosterone product specifically formulated for women.
That leaves physicians prescribing male formulations off-label or using compounded products, while some women encounter pharmacy denials and difficulties obtaining appropriate doses.
Medical guidance is also considerably narrower than much of the conversation online. The Menopause Society supports testosterone for postmenopausal women diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, but evidence does not currently support many of the broader benefits being promoted online. More than 30 clinical trials are underway.
Why it matters: Women are asking more questions about menopause and demanding better options than previous generations had. That is a good thing. But consumer interest is moving faster than the medical evidence. Women need better research, appropriate female dosing and clear information about what these treatments have actually been proven to do.
Source: Reuters
3. Does Sex Still Sell? Fashion Is Asking the Question Again
Fashion has spent decades operating on the assumption that sex sells. But the version of sex appeal dominating social media may have increasingly little to do with how women actually want to dress.
A new Vogue analysis points to an interesting divide. Provocative clothing performs exceptionally well online, where an image has only seconds to command attention. In everyday life, women may have a much broader and more individual interpretation of femininity and sensuality.
Designers are responding differently. Some collections are embracing overt sexuality that immediately registers online. Others are returning to fabric, tailoring, transparency and suggestion.
Why it matters: Social media has changed more than how fashion is marketed. It can distort what appears popular in the first place. The clothes generating millions of views are not necessarily the clothes women want to buy or wear. For brands, understanding the difference between attention and actual desire is becoming increasingly important.
Source: Vogue
4. Carolina Herrera Turns 45 and Shows How a Founder’s Vision Can Outlive Her Tenure
Carolina Herrera is celebrating its 45th anniversary, more than four decades after its Venezuelan-born founder presented her first collection in 1981.
Herrera led the company for 37 years before handing creative leadership to Wes Gordon in 2018. Rather than erasing the founder’s identity, Gordon has continued to work within the visual language she established, including colour, femininity, tailoring and glamour, while moving the house forward.
The anniversary celebrations also bring the company’s history directly into its present, including a collaboration with the Warhol Foundation featuring Andy Warhol’s portrait of Herrera.
Why it matters: Building a recognizable brand is difficult. Building one that can continue successfully after its founder steps away is even harder. Carolina Herrera offers an interesting lesson in succession. A company can evolve without abandoning the qualities that made people recognize and value it in the first place.
Sources: Vogue | Town & Country
5. Canadian Parents Are Still Paying Their Adult Children’s Bills, Even Into Their Late 30s
Financial independence is arriving later for many Canadian families.
New RBC research released today found that 51% of Canadian parents surveyed had provided financial support to an adult child between 18 and 40 during the past year. Parents who provided assistance gave an average of $6,151.
This is not only help with a first home or tuition. Among parents providing support, 56% helped with groceries, 24% with rent, 21% with utilities and 12% with credit card or other debt repayments.
The support also continues surprisingly late. Among parents with children aged 35 to 40, 37% said they had provided financial assistance during the past year. Among parents in that age group who were providing support, 43% were still helping pay for groceries.
Why it matters: Parents have always helped their children when they could. What stands out here is how much of today’s assistance is going toward ordinary living expenses well into adulthood. When adults in their 30s still need help from their parents to pay for groceries, rent and utilities, household affordability deserves attention beyond the headline economic numbers.
Source: RBC Royal Bank
6. Canadian Research Finds Social Media Is Hitting Teenage Girls Harder
A large Canadian study is adding new evidence to the debate over teenagers and social media.
Researchers examined data involving tens of thousands of Canadian adolescents between 12 and 18. Their analysis found that additional time spent on social media was associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, as well as poorer measures of relationships, emotional regulation and overall well-being.
An additional hour of daily social media use was associated with a 15% higher likelihood of moderate-to-severe depression and roughly a 12% to 13% higher likelihood of comparable anxiety. Associations were particularly strong among girls in the study’s cross-sectional analysis.
Why it matters: Parents have been debating screen time for years, often without knowing exactly where reasonable limits should fall. This research does not establish that every extra hour causes a mental health problem, but the size of the Canadian study makes the association worth paying attention to, particularly for teenage girls. The conversation about phones and social media increasingly belongs alongside sleep, nutrition and other everyday habits that can affect children’s well-being.
Sources: University of Alberta research summary | Journal of Adolescence
