Monthly Archives: February 2010

$36000 24-Karat Gold Fendi Bag

Fendi has unveiled a Fendi Peekaboo bag, dressed in 24 carat gold python skin to flaunt it out loud!

The exclusive bag was unveiled to celebrate the launch of Fendi’s new store in the retail palace Crystals in MGM CityCenter, Las Vegas.

The other exclusive piece launched at the event includes the exclusive Trevi Fountain Peekaboo bag.

Only 20 were made, each adorned with a numbered gold plate inside and retail for $4,550 apiece, while the super exclusive Fendi Peekaboo bag will adorn a whopping $36,500 price tag.

Via Vegas De Luxe

Karl Lagerfeld custom designs a safe with Döttling

Karl Lagerfeld has teamed up with German luxury safe maker Dottling to create the world’s most expensive personal safe, costing $339,000, WWD reports.

Just under six-feet tall and less than a foot deep, the steel body, sheathed in high-gloss chrome-plated aluminum, looks like an impregnable monolith.

But when activated by the owner, two doors butterfly open to reveal interior cabinets containing watch winders and jewelry drawers.
Continue reading →

2011 Jaguar XKR Speed Black Pack

For 2011 Jaguar is offering two new options packages for the top-of-the-line XKR coupe, the Speed Pack and Black Pack.

The Speed back boosts the XKR top speed from 250 km/h to 280 km/h with the aid of engine and transmission tweaks.

New aerodynamics including a sizable rear spoiler help keep it in check.

Body-coloured side sills and rear diffuser along with red brake calipers give it a bit of a visual edge as well.


Continue reading →

Elie Saab ES117 mega yacht concept unveiled by Oceanco and Weyves

The Weyves Couture yacht is the first of three designs to come from Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab and Weyves International Ltd.

The high profile fashion designer released his collaboration design yesterday, which is the first of three concepts.

It was stated at the unveiling conference that “the future owner of ES117 will not acquire a majestic superyacht but a piece of art”.

The 117 metre sleek and sharp design will have a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure crafted with the finest materials.

It was also stated by a keynote speaker that only the most skilled craftsman will be entitled to build the yacht, most likely why the two designers decided on building with world renowned Oceanco.
Continue reading →

Hybrid SUV set for Geneva unveiling

Luxury car manufacturer Porsche has confirmed that it will launch a hybrid version of its popular Cayenne SUV at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

The Cayenne S Hybrid is the cleanest car in Porsche’s top-end portfolio, offering fuel consumption of 8.2 liters/100 kilometres with CO2 emissions of 193 g/km.

By comparison, the Cayenne Turbo uses 11.5 liters/100 km, whilst the Toyota Prius, the world’s best selling hybrid vehicle, delivers 3.9 liters/100km.

The hybrid version can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h on emission-free electric power before switching to gasoline power.
Continue reading →

World’s biggest solar-powered boat unveiled

What its makers say is the world’s biggest boat powered by the sun was unveiled in Germany on Thursday ahead of its planned circumnavigation of the globe in 2011 — the first under solar power.

“This is a unique feeling to see in front of me today a boat which I so often dreamed about,” said Raphael Domjan, the boat’s future skipper.

The sleek, 31- by 15-metre (100 by 50 foot) catamaran, known as PlanetSolar, 35 metres by 23 metres when flaps at the stern and the sides are included, will be “silent and clean,” say its makers, also called PlanetSolar.

The vessel will be able to achieve a top speed of around 15 knots, (25 kilometres per hour), and can accommodate 50 people on its round-the-world voyage.
Continue reading →

Dubai Mall giant aquarium springs a leak

A leak in Dubai Mall‘s massive aquarium on Thursday led to shoppers being evacuated and boutiques closed around the major attraction, witnesses said.

The perimeter of the aquarium, said to be the largest in the world and which holds a number of different fish including sharks, has been cordoned off and shops around it closed.

“A leak was observed” at one of the points where the panels of the Dubai Aquarium intersect, Dubai Mall said in a statement.
Continue reading →

Absolut Vodka x Philipp Plein

The German designer Philipp Plein has collaborated with the famous brand of vodka Absolut. He has designed a new outfit for the legendary bottle.

The artist has decorated the one-off creation with precious stones and Swarovski crystals to highlight the skull-shaped creation on the bottle.

This collaboration with the arts has garnered 100 bottles to be sold either in his shop or on the web for 100 euros.
Continue reading →

6,225-Carat Emerald Discovered in Zambia

Gemfields has officially announced the discovery of an absolutely enormous rough emerald earlier this month in their Kagem mine in Zambia.

The emerald has been named “Insofu,” which means ‘elephant,’ by the indigenous Bemba people to both honor its size and pay tribute to the World Land Trust’s “Wild Lands Elephant Corridor Project.”

The emerald weighs in at 6,225 carats and is currently under the scrutiny of experts to determine its value and evaluate what possible futures it might have.
Continue reading →

Versace not working with Lady Gaga on range

Pop star Lady Gaga may be having an influence on sartorial choices in various parts of the world, but there is no project for her to work on a range with the Versace label, a spokesperson for the company said.

AFP earlier reported that British publication OK! Magazine revealed that Gaga would like to work with fashion mogul Donatella Versace for a range of clothing.

However a spokesperson for Versace indicated that such a collaboration was not in the works and therefore had no statement to make on the subject.
Continue reading →

eLuxury relaunches February 25

Former online shopping portal eLuxury, which closed last year, has been transformed into a web magazine called Nowness, officially launching Feb 25.

According to the site’s owner, French luxe conglomerate LVMH, Nowness will be covering the fields of fashion, art, design, culture, travel, beauty, food and wine, music, and entertainment.

In the run-up to its proper launch, the new web destination has been running a special story each day, including sneak peeks behind the scenes at Dior or recent New Generation winner Peter Pilotto.
Continue reading →

Audi, Maserati, Infiniti prep high-end releases for Geneva

Audi has announced that it will launch its new RS 5 at the Geneva Motor Show, which opens to the public on March 4.

The high-end coupe will boast a 4.2 litre V8 engine in standard configuration, capable of delivering 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h (280 km/h upon request).

The RS 5 is designed by Quattro Gmbh, the high-performance division of Audi that also pioneered the RS 4, RS 6 and R 8 sports cars.

The engine is a compact version of the V10 under the hood of Audi’s RS8 sports car. Sales of the new model will begin in the spring, priced at around €77,700.
Continue reading →

Luxur PLC – Forever Luxury !

A true specialist of the finer things in life, Luxur PLC is armed with a stunning portfolio of goods & services for the discerning clientele.

The company was established in the UK, with a global logistical operation, accomodating the requirements of high net worth individuals online, worldwide.

Uniqueness and Individuality is an ethos the group strives for to reflect Luxury.

Their portfolio consists of fine mobile phones, exquisite jewellery, beautiful hides of leather bags & purses & a breathtaking lighting collection incorporating gold & diamonds.
Continue reading →

Hotel to open first Amazon store

Luxury hotel brand Westin is to retail products through Amazon, the firm confirmed February 22.

From March 1, fans of Westin’s hotel experience will be able to purchase items from its merchandise collection on a branded Amazon site, making it the first hotel to have an Amazon.com storefront.

Products on sale will include the “Heavenly Bed” set, found in all Westin rooms and complete with mattress, pillows, duvets and sheets.

The hotel’s signature “Heavenly Bath” amenity collection and White Tea scented candles will also be on sale, alongside “like-minded” brands such as Gaiam, Kate’s Paperie, Tea Forté and Riedel.
Continue reading →

One Customer Gets 10 Aston Martin One-77

One rich Middle East buyer has decided to create a sensation in the auto world by having 10 whole Aston martin One-77s delivered, which cost $1.7 million apiece.

The unnamed buyer apparently paid a premium to get the cars sent to his desert demesne, bringing the total cost of the cars to $23 million.

He is reportedly planning to give one to each member of his immediate family.

Like the McLaren MP4-12C or Lexus LFA, the One-77 is made using a carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight at an absolute minimum – just 3,300 lbs.
Continue reading →

J Craft at Abu Dhabi Yacht Show

The luxury Swedish boat design and manufacturing company J-Craft Boats, will officially launch the 12.5M Torpedo in the UAE at the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show (ADYS), at Yas Mariana on February 25th. The ADYS is one of the most exclusive yacht events in the world.

The J-Craft boats which feature a classical design from a bygone era with the latest technology and bespoke options are typically seen on the shores of St Tropez but are sure to be a highlight in the Middle-East at this year’s show.

Continue reading →

Bentley Boutique Heads to Geneva 2010

Ultra-luxury car marque Bentley is to open a boutique at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, retailing some of the exclusive non-car items that carry its name.

Amongst the products, the handmade limited-edition “zai for Bentley” skis will be on sale, retailing at 9,800 CHF (€6,800).

Only 250 of the composite carbon fibre skis will be available, complete with a custom-designed and manufactured bag.

A range of “Estede for Bentley” glasses will also be on sale, available in a choice of silver palladium, 18-carat gold and platinum surfaces.

Each pair is individually numbered and can be engraved with the owner’s name and car details.
Continue reading →

Mercedes-Benz unveils “sliding doors” concept

Ahead of the Geneva Motor Show (March 4 – 14), Mercedes-Benz has released pictures of its latest concept, a car with sliding rear doors.

The F 800 Style research vehicle, dubbed the “sedan of tomorrow,” gives a glimpse into the vision that Mercedes Benz has for its future models.

Most strikingly, the rear doors of the vehicles pivot and slide backwards to allow passenger access, in the same manner as commercial vans commonly seen on today’s roads.
Continue reading →

Julia Roberts becomes new face of Lancome

Women’s Wear Daily reports that American actress Julia Roberts will be the new face of cosmetics brand Lancôme from next year.

The news represents a major move by the brand, since this will be Roberts’ first-ever beauty campaign in an industry that has just recently been able to attract real Hollywood ‘big shots,’ with recent examples including Demi Moore who just launched a YouTube campaign for Helena Rubinstein’s Wanted fragrance.

“By her remarkable personality and career, Julia Roberts is an emblematic woman of her time,” Youcef Nabi, president of Lancôme International, told WWD.
Continue reading →