Black belt in karate: a test of skill and resilience
If you are even remotely aware of the world of ‘Rei’, ‘Yoi’, and ‘Yame’, then you will know that the biggest masters in karate — cue for Jackie Chan to flash before your eyes — are the ones who boast a black belt. However, the true test of human character, physical strength and mental resilience that it is, achieving a black belt is not the ultimate achievement... it is the start of a new journey, with a honoree still having to work hard to earn higher degrees, with the highest being the 10th ‘dan’ aka degree. Life isn’t easy. Being a black belt in karate — contrary to common perception — even less so. No such worries for most of us whose only black belt in our closets is made of leather.
Little black dress: versatile classic
Very little else in the world of fashion has bridged the gap between haute couture and accessibility as the little black dress. A timeless and versatile piece of clothing across generations, cultures and continents, the LBD is an indelible part of pop culture and has significant historical significance.
It originated with Coco Chanel in 1926, a revolutionary move because it flipped the black-only-for-mourning narrative on its head and was quickly labelled a classic. Vogue published a sketch of the simple black dress then, saying it would be “a uniform for all women of taste”. It remains so, a century later.
Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy LBD in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a permanent fixture on any Hollywood showreel. In the US, National Little Black Dress Day is observed annually on September 1 to raise awareness for heart health and stroke prevention in Black women. The day encourages women to dress up in a little black dress to celebrate their strength and to support the cause through events and education.
Vantablack: the blackest black
The brand name for a super-black coating made of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes that absorbs up to a whopping 99.965 per cent of visible light, Vantablack is not really a colour. Rather, it is a material that makes objects appear flat by absorbing light and eliminating reflections. With applications in art, aerospace and optics, the most interesting trivia about Vantablack perhaps is that only one man in the world has the right to use it. British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor is the artistic keeper of the world’s blackest black pigment, a right that he secured in 2016, and one that he refuses to part with.
Black hole: cosmic mystery pro max
A black hole is an astronomical body so compact that its gravity prevents anything from escaping, even light. A simple Google search will tell you that. What it will also tell you is that a black hole’s immense gravity warps space and time, causing time to slow down the closer you get to it. The prime candidates for this slowing-down-of-time spot? Lovers staring into each other’s eyes and students trying to beat the bell in an exam hall. Who wouldn’t want to be caught dead near a black hole? Someone doing a plank... where anyway a minute feels like an hour.
Tahitian pearls: beauty means exclusivity
Because of their darker hues, Tahitian pearls are commonly known as “black pearls”. A true black Tahitian pearl is extremely rare, and largely considered one of the most beautiful kinds of pearls in the world. The most valuable “Black Pearl” has been, without a doubt, soccer legend Pele.
Black swan: the outlier
Challenging the notion that all swans are meant to be white — literally and metaphorically — is the black swan theory. Traditionally considered to have a negative connotation, ‘black swan’ has travelled the gamut of space, time, generation and culture to now be increasingly used as the description for an outlier — a person outside the realm of normal expectations... when they appear or act, their impact is significant and profound. And, of course, who can forget Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 film Black Swan, a haunting tale of obsession that elevated visceral horror to the realm of compelling art.
Black List: Hollywood’s real treasure
The Black List is an annual survey of the most-liked unproduced screenplays in Hollywood, voted on by hundreds of film industry executives. At least 440 Black List scripts have been produced so far, grossing over $30 billion in box office worldwide. Black List movies have won more than 50 Academy Awards since 2007. Films based on these scripts have received 273 nominations in total, with some notable Best Picture winners including Spotlight, The King’s Speech, Argo and Slumdog Millionaire. Which just goes to show that good things come to those who wait — or are on the Black List.
Black credit cards: super exclusive club
Black credit cards generally refer to ultra-premium, exclusive credit cards designed for high-net-worth individuals, the most famous of which is the invite-only Centurion Card from American Express. The term has become a status symbol and has also been adopted by other card issuers for various premium (or even standard) cards. An estimated 200 or so wealthy individuals have received the card since its 2013 launch in India. The only way I can come close to a black credit card is by taking a printout of its Google image.
(Black) is the new black
The gold standard for everything. Or should we say, black?