PHILADELPHIA: Brian Dwyer holds the Guinness World Record for largest collection of pizza memorabilia. He’s also the driving force behind Pizza Brain, which he calls the first pizza museum in the US
The quirky Philadelphia establishment is part art gallery, part restaurant. It’s a place to enjoy a slice or two of artisan pie while looking at pizza-related photos, records, knickknacks and videos.
“We thought it was a funny idea, and we started doing some research,” Dwyer said. “And when we discovered that nowhere on earth was there a physical place, a monument built to pizza, we said, ‘This is going to be huge.’“
Hundreds of people turned out for the Sept. 7 grand opening.
One wall is covered with framed pizza-related photos and magazine covers; another boasts dozens of vinyl records, like the soundtrack to “Mystic Pizza.” Display boxes show off pizza-bearing figurines from Homer Simpson and Spider-Man to the Tasmanian Devil and Pillsbury Doughboy. A cluster of small TVs plays pizza-related shows.
Dwyer, 28, said he had some pizza mementoes a couple of years ago when friends decided to create an art exhibit called “Give Pizza Chance.” Reaction was so positive that he continued collecting, becoming the world-recorder holder with 561 items in July 2011.
He now owns a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “Pizza Drop” arcade game and Star Trek Enterprise pizza cutter.
A few months later, Dwyer quit his supermarket job to work on Pizza Brain full time. He and his team bought the rowhouses and raised some dough online — more than $ 16,500 — through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter. Grassroots publicity and social media created major local buzz.
Dwyer said he was caught off-guard by the response. He calls pizza “the great equalizer.”
“I think that’s why pizza is so powerful — it’s inherently communal,” Dwyer said. “Pizza is one of the few things that everyone can agree on.”
Speaking of which, what about the food? The menu offers pies with an array of artisan ingredients and offbeat toppings including beef brisket, pulled pork and meatloaf.
On his first visit last week, customer Sean McGettrick played it safe with a plain slice garnished with basil leaves. He gave it a thumbs-up and pledged to return.
Inside Pizza Brain, world’s first pizza museum
Inside Pizza Brain, world’s first pizza museum
Georges Chakra presents new couture collection in Paris
- Chakra introduces ‘new Parisienne attitude’
- Top Arab designers also have shows in city
DUBAI: Lebanese designer Georges Chakra has presented his Spring/Summer 2026 couture collection at Paris Haute Couture Week, offering a contemporary interpretation of the house’s established design codes through refined silhouettes and detailed craftsmanship.
Drawing on the heritage of the maison, the collection revisited classic elements of elegance while introducing what the designer described in an Instagram post as a “new Parisienne attitude.”
Soft pastels, ivory and metallic tones defined the palette, moving between pale blue, blush, lavender and gold across the runway.
The show featured a range of sculpted looks, with structured bodices balanced by feathered appliques, floral embroidery and layers of sheer tulle.
Strapless gowns with petal-like embellishments appeared alongside column dresses finished with subtle shimmer, while ruffled sleeves, organza capes and sheer overlays created volume and movement.
White gowns formed a central part of the collection, ranging from minimal silhouettes with clean lines to more elaborate designs incorporating veils, hats and lattice-style embroidery.
Sequins, hand-applied florals and intricate beading appeared throughout the collection. The show concluded with a bridal look featuring sheer embroidery and floral detailing.
After beginning his career in Beirut, where he initially worked at his home studio following his graduation from an institution in Canada, Chakra founded his fashion house in 1985.
He later expanded his atelier to Paris, debuting on the Haute Couture Week calendar in 2002, and has since built an international reputation for couture and eveningwear, dressing a wide range of regional and global figures for major red-carpet appearances.
His designs have been worn by celebrities including Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Beyonce, Cara Delevingne, Tyra Banks, Jennifer Lopez, Helen Mirren, Molly Sims and Andra Day.
Chakra was among several Arab designers featured during Paris Haute Couture Week this season.
Georges Hobeika and Tony Ward had already presented their Spring/Summer 2026 couture collections earlier in the week, while Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, Ashi Studio and Rami Al-Ali are scheduled to show later on the official calendar.
