Monthly Archives: February 2012

Faberge Big Egg Hunt

Fabergé create the world’s largest egg hunt

Faberge Big Egg Hunt

More than 200 beautifully crafted giant eggs, created by some of the world’s foremost purveyors of luxury, have been hidden in secret locations throughout central London, as the capital welcomes The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt.

Respected names including Mulberry, Candy & Candy, Nicky Haslam, Theo Fennel, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Quinn, Zaha Hadid and Selfridges have given their time to fashioning some of the most fabulous Easter eggs ever created.

Some of London’s premier postcodes will be home to the eggs, including Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Green Park and Canary Wharf.

The Dorchester London easter egg

Hunters have just 40 days and 40 nights to track down as many of the eggs as they can following hints and clues as well as just stumbling across them.

Find the unique keyword on each egg and for every correct one submitted, you’ll be entered into a draw for a chance to win the Fabergé Diamond Jubilee Golden Egg.

Diamond Jubilee Faberge Egg

To enter and be in with a chance of winning the grand prize (above), valued at over £100,000, simply text 80001 with the unique SMS keyword displayed on each egg.

After all the eggs have been found they will be displayed in an exhibition and then auctioned. They hope to raise over 2 million pounds for the charities Action for Children and Elephant Family.

richard isaac faberge big egg hunt

Log onto www.thebigegghunt.co.uk to download zone maps andfollow the Big Egg Hunt on Twitter and Facebook.

Ajay Padda easter egg

Vacheron Constantin Metiers dArt 2012

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis

Vacheron Constantin Metiers dArt 2012

You may recall from last year that Vacheron Constantin created a phenomenal piece unique for Only Watch 2011, the M.C. Escher-inspired “Dove” watch.

At SIHH 2012, Vacheron went on to show off 3 more M.C. Escher-inspired watches in the same style. These pieces are part of Vacheron’s Métiers d’Art collection.

The Dove watch features hand-guilloché work in its final phase of craftsmanship and one bird in this ethereal scene has been diamond-set with 38 brilliant-cut stones.
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Chef Table Ritz Carlton Hong kong

Ritz-Carlton HK unveils world’s highest Chef’s Table

Chef Table Ritz Carlton Hong kong

The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, located on the 102nd to 118th floor of the ICC building in West Kowloon, will soon be operating the world’s highest chef’s table.

Located on the 102nd floor of the hotel at 420 metres above sea level, the Chef’s Table is a private dining room with separate sofa area and an open kitchen.

All menus are tailor-made by executive chef Peter Find to suit guests, and the chef’s table is priced at a minimum spend of HK$14,000 (US$1,805) plus ten percent.
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privatejet

PrivateJet.com domain sells for $30 million

privatejet

Nations Luxury Transportation, LLC, has agreed to acquire the domain name PrivateJet.com from Don’t Look Media Group for $30.18 million in cash and stock.

Nations Luxury Transportation’s goal is to deliver the most efficient platform to facilitate worldwide chartering, aircraft acquisitions, and the selling of private jets.

By the end of 2012, it is expected that PrivateJet.com will be generating over 250,000 unique visitors per month from over 52 countries worldwide.
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Infiniti Emerg-e concept

Infiniti Emerg-E Concept

Infiniti Emerg-e concept

Infiniti has announced further details of a major new sports car concept set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Nissan-owned brand revealed February 3 that the model will be called ‘Emerg-E’, promising a low-emission, high-performance and high-technology car, with several firsts — and a new design direction for the brand.

The concept will use a range extender drivetrain, meaning that it will contain an electric motor and a gas-powered generator, as opposed to Nissan’s proven 100 percent battery technology used by cars such as the Leaf.
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restaurant flocons de sel

France gets 26th Michelin three-star restaurant

restaurant flocons de sel

The 2012 edition of the French Michelin guide has handed out a rare three-star ranking to a restaurant tucked into the French Alps, one of just 105 establishments deemed “worth the trip”, according to the secretive estimation of Michelin inspectors.

Chef Emmanuel Renaut’s restaurant Flocons de Sel in Megève, France has become the country’s 26th restaurant to join the ranks of establishments like Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée and Guy Savoy in the exclusive three-starred club.
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silversea silver whisper

The Most Expensive Cruise Ever

 Silver Whisper cruise ship

A 124-day luxury cruise trip has been unveiled by Six Star Cruises which includes a flight in a private jet, caviar and Dom Perignon.

The luxurious cruise departs in Los Angeles, US, and visits 28 countries including New Zealand, Malaysia and the Maldives.

Guests will be picked up from their home by helicopter and transferred to a luxury Boeing business jet where they can feast on Beluga Caviar at $5800 per kilogram and sip on the rare Da Hong Pao tea which costs over $3000 per kilogram.
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Jil Sander

Jil Sander Returns to Jil Sander

Jil Sander

Jil Sander has confirmed she’s returning to her namesake company following Thursday’s news of Raf Simons’ departure from the label.

“I am very happy and excited to be back. It feels like coming home after a brief journey,” Sander said in a statement February 24.

A release announced February 23 that Simons will step down as creative director at the Milan-based label Monday, February 27 — two days after presenting his final Jil Sander collection during Milan Fashion Week.
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Louis Vuitton Hong Kong Central store

Louis Vuitton launches international film series

Louis Vuitton Hong Kong Central store

Louis Vuitton launched a new short film series February 22 hoping to capture the essence of different cities from across the globe in relation to gender.

Hong Kong is the subject of the debut film, which presents the Asian destination as if it were a woman with appearances from students, various career women and rising star in Asian cinema Grace Huang.

Directed by Jean-Claude Thibaut, who has previously collaborated with Armani, the film is the first in a series to be uploaded on Louis Vuitton’s YouTube channel.
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faberge chocolate egg

World’s most expensive non-jeweled chocolate egg

faberge chocolate egg

A hand-crafted Faberge chocolate egg will vie to become the world’s most expensive non-jewelled chocolate egg sold at auction next month.

Britain’s best chocolatier Willam Curley is creating the giant egg using materials such as expensive Tuscan Amedei dark chocolate and Japanese Wasabi chocolate.

The auctioneers hope to break the current Guinness World Record price for a non-jewelled chocolate egg of £1,000.
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hotel Courbefy

Entire French village goes up for sale

hotel Courbefy

The French village of Courbefy, nestled in the Haute-Vienne in the Limousin countryside, has gone on sale for just 330,000 Euros.

For this price, you get 19 buildings, a swimming pool, a village hall, tennis courts and a swimming pool – all of which have been abandoned.

Buyers have until Friday to put in for the village, which is situated just under 30 miles from the city of Limoges, which has excellent rail and road links to Paris.
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Kate Moss Mango

Kate Moss for Mango Spring 2012 Campaign

Kate Moss Mango

Kate Moss has been revealed as the face of Mango’s Spring 2012 campaign, appearing in print and television campaigns captured by Terry Richardson.

While the Barcelona-based retailer had opted for actresses including Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz to front collections in recent years, Moss’s appointment marks a move further into the realm of high fashion for the brand.
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zhang daqian chinese painting

China’s Zhang Daqian tops 2011 art sales

zhang daqian chinese painting

The late Chinese artist Zhang Daqian was the best-selling artist at auction in 2011 while Spanish great Pablo Picasso dropped out of the top three.

Chinese artists dominate the top end of the art market. Zhang’s compatriot Qi Bashi was the second top seller and six Chinese artists in all were in the top ten, while Chinese art accounts for 40 percent of sales by value.

“China, which has held the top spot in art auctions since 2010, took two of its star artists to the head of the annual table in 2011,” said the founder of Artprice.
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marni for h&m ad campaign

Marni for H&M ad campaign

marni for h&m ad campaign

More images from Marni for H&M campaign have been revealed, with Chinese model Liu Wen and actress Imogen Poots appearing in the Moroccan-themed shots.

Staying close to the dreamy North African aesthetic seen in the Sofia Coppola-directed commercial, Wen and Poots are joined by male model Sam Hayes to showcase the designer collaboration.

Influences in the collection include African prints and Bauhaus modernity, while silhouettes range from sporty to feminine shapes.
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Carmina Campus MINI

Handbags made of recycled MINIs

Carmina Campus MINI

Carmina Campus, the label founded by Ilaria Venturini Fendi, has realised a truly unique collection realized in collaboration with Mini.

The bags use the materials left over from the prototypes of the Mini Roadster, which includes discarded color samples, seat leather, soft-top caves and body plates.

The capsule collection, very chic and inspired by the principles of recycling, includes weekend and city bags, both for men and women.
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Argyle Pink Jubilee pink diamond

Huge rare pink diamond found in Australia

Argyle Pink Jubilee pink diamond

Mining giant Rio Tinto has unearthed a “remarkable” 12.76 carat pink diamond in Australia, the largest of the rare and precious stones ever found in the country.

Named the Argyle Pink Jubilee, the huge rough stone was found at Rio’s pink diamond operations in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and would take 10 days to cut and polish, the miner said.

“This rare diamond is generating incredible excitement,” said Josephine Johnson from Rio’s Argyle Pink Diamonds division.
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New York City taxi cabs

New York taxis could get iPads

New York City taxi cabs

New Yorkers may be able to surf and ride at the same time if a plan to put iPads, or a similar device, in the back of taxis takes off.

A San Francisco company, Square, is proposing a pilot program to install tablet computers in the back of 50 taxis, replacing the little-loved miniature television screens used in all cabs since 2007.

Riders would be able to make Internet searches, play games or shop on the tablets. Square is due to present its plan to city authorities next month.

bugatti veyron grand sport vitesse

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse

bugatti veyron grand sport vitesse

Bugatti is set to unveil the most powerful roadster of all time at the 82nd International Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March.

With an increase in power up to 1,200 HP, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse has entered a new dimension of open-top driving.

Optically aligned to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which holds the current world speed record of 431 km/h, the Vitesse also impresses with its dynamic driving characteristics.
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