Monthly Archives: July 2013

Uma Thurman stars in 2014 Campari calendar

Uma Thurman Campari

Quentin Tarantino’s favorite actress is following in the footsteps of Penelope Cruz as the star of the Campari calendar, whose 15th edition will be released for 2014. The star will interpret “Worldwide Celebrations,” the theme of this year’s edition, to be photographed by Koto Bolofo.

In the 2014 calendar from the Italian spirits brand, each month will honor a certain culture and its signature holidays and celebrations. Rather than an everyday reference, this calendar is above all an artistic creation, sold in limited edition to collectors worldwide.

Uma Thurman will be the 15th star of the Campari calendar. She marks the end of Campari’s recent streak of selecting Spanish actors, as she was preceded by Benicio Del Toro and Penelope Cruz.

Saint Laurent closing Paris flagship for renovations

SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 7

Just three months after opening the flagship location on Paris’s Avenue Montaigne, Saint Laurent will close the boutique in August to tweak the space. According to reports in WWD, creative director Hedi Slimane wishes to alter a number of design elements including the black concrete floor.

The store was first opened in May in time to introduce Slimane’s new architectural vision for the brand (lots of black and white marble, and sleek mirrored elements).

The closure is intended to allow the work to be done ahead of the fashion shows in September: “August’s typically calmer pace allowed for an opportunity to finalize and perfect the space for the beginning of the season,” said a spokesperson for the brand.

The move won’t shock Parisian customers who are used to the city closing down for business during the traditional holiday period in August, but might surprise a few luxury-loving foreign visitors in town for the summer.

SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 2 SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 3 SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 4 SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 5 SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 6  SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP 8 SAINT LAURENT PARIS FLAGSHIP

Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2013 Campaign

Christian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaign

Titled “An Aura of Mystery,” the Parisian luxury house has unveiled its latest advertising campaign.

With confrontational stares and powerful, self-possessed poses, this season’s Dior woman is dressed in Raf Simons’s thoroughly modern reimagining of the first half of the 20th century. Photographed by fellow Belgian Willy Vanderperre, the domestic setting also comes with an Art Nouveau twist.

Daria Strokous, Mariacarla Boscono, Elise Crombez and Iselin Steiro model the clothes, which seem to pick their way through the fashion archives.

The pieces in the shoot include 1920s-style straight dresses, the classic 1947 Dior ‘Bar jacket’ and a reworked version of the Arizona coat, created by the couturier back in 1948.

Christian Dior Fall 2013 Campaign Christian Dior Fall Winter 2013 CampaignChristian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaign Christian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaign Christian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaign Christian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaignChristian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaign Christian Dior Fall Winter 2013 campaign

Bugatti Veyron Jean Pierre Wimille

Bugatti Veyron Vitesse Jean Pierre Wimille

Bugatti Veyron Jean Pierre Wimille

Bugatti will reveal a special “Jean-Pierre Wimille” edition of its Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance taking place August 16-18 in Monterey, California.

The extremely limited edition, consisting of just three models, is intended as an homage to the French champion driver, who won the Le Mans 24 Hour Race twice in the 1930s behind the wheel of a Bugatti.

This exceptional vehicle sports a unique blue exterior, with colors similar to those of the Bugattis driven by Wimille at Le Mans. This limited edition is the first of six new series dedicated to “Bugatti Legends,” celebrating the storied drivers who shaped the brand’s history.

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse is currently the world’s fastest roadster in serial production, with a record top speed of 408.84km/h. With its 8.0L W16 engine, capable of unleashing 1200hp, this Bugatti can go from 0 to 100km/h in 2.6 seconds.

bugatti veyron vitesse jean pierre wimille

With performance at this level, fuel consumption is inevitably high: the car burns through 23.1L in 100km over a combined cycle, emitting 539g of CO2 per kilometer.

Since his death at the wheel in a 1949 accident, Jean-Pierre Wimille has remained an icon of the 1930s and 1940s F1 racing scene. The driver was loyal to Bugatti for several years, and drove Bugatti cars to victory twice in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race (1937 with Robert Benoist and 1939 with Pierre Veyron). Later he won the Grand Prix in an Alfa Romeo after the end of World War II.

It is worth noting that Bugatti is presenting this exceptional model during the year marking the 90th anniversary of the classic Le Mans race.

Bugatti Veyron Jean Pierre Wimille back

How to Pack a Suitcase

Hate packing? Get someone else to do it

How to Pack a Suitcase

Fashionistas and business travelers with jetset itineraries and no time — or inclination–  to pack are being offered a variety of concierge services that will pack their suitcases for them.

It’s perhaps the least liked part of going on vacation: choosing outfits, packing, and unpacking. But a slew of lifestyle concierge services are available to help globetrotters shave off the time and hassle of emptying and refilling their closets, spots trade publication Travel Trade Gazette.

In the US, Garde Robe offers what it calls a ‘luggage-free valet’ service that will store, pack, and hand-deliver or courier suitcases to clients at the airport, hotel room or other destination.

Items left with Garde Robe in their “climate-controlled, air-purified loft” are photographed and catalogued in a Cyber Closet allowing clients to select the items they want delivered.

The service is pitched for multiple homeowners and those who may ski in Aspen one year, and Switzerland the next, says the company.

Stylists at Wardrobe Mistress will edit their clients’ wardrobes to pick the best outfits for their travel needs and pack each item professionally in tissue paper to make sure that clothes arrive crease-free.

London-based Vault Couture will likewise digitally archive the entire contents of a client’s closet so that instead of having to go through a mental list of their wardrobe , members can view their clothes online and create outfits destined for their upcoming beach holiday, or weekend city break. The company will then collect the outfits, pack them professionally and send them to any global destination.

Luxury concierge service The Bidwell Group in New Jersey offers similar services that will store off-season clothing, footwear and accessories in “museum-quality” preservation conditions, pack, and ship luggage around the world.

aston martin logo

Aston Martin announces AMG partnership

aston martin logo

With an announcement that is bound to send shivers down the spines of the British car company’s loyal client base while increasing the pressure on its Italian and German supercar competition, Aston Martin has revealed that its next-generation vehicles will be powered by AMG engines.

If all supercar contests were based simply on looks, rather than top speed, acceleration and cutting-edge technological features, Aston Martin would win. The somewhat eccentric British car maker more than any other seems to understand the strength and beauty of a sweeping line and how to use just the right amount of chrome to create a look that is both imposing and attractive.

Unfortunately, in recent years the company has been slowly falling behind the competition when it comes to what’s under the hood and inside the cabin. Its Cosworth engines pale in comparison to the latest Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Mercedes powerplants. This inability to keep up is due to the fact that the company is no longer under the stewardship of Ford and so no longer has access to the US company’s research and development, technical partnerships or deep pockets.

For those that don’t know, AMG is a German engineering company that hand-builds engines with ridiculous performance. Moreover, it also likes to take existing cars and give them the AMG treatment. Fast cars become supercars and supercars become hypercars, such is its magic touch.

AMG currently builds engines for Pagani but it is the company’s incredible work with Mercedes-Benz that has cemented its reputation and that in 2005 led to Mercedes buying the firm outright. As a result, all of Mercedes’ world-beating vehicles have AMG at their heart and very soon, Astons will also be beating to the same rhythm.

Still, in a typically reserved British manner, Aston Martin Product Development Director Ian Minards said of the agreement: “The opportunity to include content from Mercedes-AMG GmbH in our next generation sports cars is, clearly, good news.” Indeed.

Private Blend London by Tom Ford

Tom Ford creates exclusive scent for London

Private Blend London by Tom Ford

In celebration of his first London standalone store, Tom Ford is releasing a fragrance titled Private Blend London. It will be sold exclusively at the new location for its first six months.

The 8,000-square-foot store, which had a soft opening earlier this week, is located on Sloane Street in Knightsbridge, and stocks the full Tom Ford offer.

The scent opens with a mix of spices including black pepper, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cumin and coffee. It then opens up into floral geraniums and jasmine as well as incense and cistus oil. As usual with Ford’s scents there’s a woody base containing oud, cedar and torchwood, as well as birch tar oil.

Private Blend London is available in a range of sizes from 50ml (£140) up to a 250ml decanter (£320).

Maserati Ghibli photo

New Maserati Ghibli now available with diesel engine

2014 Maserati Ghibli

Unveiled in April at the Shanghai Motorshow, the next-generation Maserati Ghibli is now available for order. Prices start at €66,500 and the first shipments are expected to arrive in September 2013.

The Ghibli maintains the same basic structure as the Quattroporte (chassis, suspension), only 29cm shorter and 50kg lighter. The interior includes an 8.4″ Maserati Touch Control screen, Poltrona Frau leather upholstery, a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo system, a wi-fi router and adjustable foot pedals.

The new sedan, designed to be both luxurious and sporty, is offered primarily with a 3.0L V6 TDI biturbo engine, with horsepower of up to 410. The S Q4 model is the top performer in the range, with maximum speeds of up to 284km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds.

For the first time in Maserati’s history, the Ghibli is now available with a diesel engine. The Ghibli Diesel, featuring Start & Stop technology and fuel consumption of just 6L per 100km, was designed primarily for the European market.

The Ghibli, Ghibli S, Ghibli S Q4 and Ghibli Diesel all feature an 8-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift gate. The S Q4 stands out, however, for its all-wheel drive.

More than ever, the Italian luxury car manufacturer has now positioned the Ghibli as an alternative to more mainstream German sedans, such as the Mercedes E-Class, the BMW 5 Series or the Audi A6.

Sea trials

Mercedes-Benz unveils Silver Arrows Granturismo yacht

The design of the Silver Arrows Marine Granturismo, a motor-powered mini-yacht created by the Mercedes-Benz design team, will be on display at the Monaco Yacht Show September 25-28.

Mercedes-Benz Yacht Concept

Silver Arrows Marine called upon the design expertise of the German car manufacturer to come up with the concept for this 14-meter luxury yacht. To create the futuristic and sophisticated look of a seafaring sports car, the Mercedes-Benz team applied techniques from the automobile industry. Sea trials of prototypes were conducted to confirm the maneuverability and handling of the design.

Sea trials

It took the designers 12 months to finalize and perfect every detail, and the result is an innovative and elegant concept that brings to mind the brand’s GT roadsters.

Mercedes-Benz Yacht Concept

The design — which Silver Arrows Marine president Ron Gibbs sees as the blueprint for “an absolute world-class motor yacht” — includes a spacious cabin that opens onto the exterior, as well as a pool with a terrace giving direct access to the water. The curves on the hull and the materials used inside and out are more reminiscent of a luxury car than of a yacht.

Mercedes-Benz Granturismo yacht interior

Ahead of the production phase, full details on the Silver Arrows Marine Granturismo will be presented in late September at the next edition of the Monaco Yacht Show.

Silver Arrows Marine Granturismo mini yacht

Previous Mercedes-Benz Style projects include a cabin fitout for a special run of Eurocopter EC145 helicopters, and designer furniture pieces.

Mercedes-Benz Granturismo Yacht Concept

M missoni CD

Missoni creates new compilation CD

M missoni CD

Missoni has created a compilation CD to celebrate the opening of the brand’s new Las Vegas store.

Curated by Epic Records chairman Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid, the summer mix tape will be launched at a party in New York City Thursday evening to celebrate the M Missoni second line.

Pop acts Paloma Faith, Ciara, Avril Lavigne, Nyla, Kat Dahlia, Bonnie McKee’s, Sara Bareilles and Tamar Braxton all feature on the compilation.

Featuring the M Missoni ‘fish-eye’ image and a wavy spring-summer print, the colorful CD won’t be available to buy, but will be given away to customers at the brand’s new boutique in Las Vegas.

The label has also covered a luxury bus in Missoni print, which will run from the Hamptons to NYC from this week until August 18, with sporadic giveaways of the CDs.

prada real fantasies fall 2013 video

Prada reveals its ‘Real Fantasies’ [VIDEO]

Italian fashion house Prada has unveiled a new video lookbook containing pieces from its Fall-Winter 2013 collections for men and women.

Prada’s latest clip in its ‘Real Fantasies’ series, which debuted Monday, is a cut-and-paste, green-screen surrealist riot. The two-minute film, titled “Real Fantasies FW2013” shows off pieces that are currently hitting the brand’s boutiques.

Art-directed by creative team AMO, the visuals were created by Lok Jansen and Jeroen Koolhaas (the Dutch duo that made waves with their colorfully painted favela in Brazil), who developed another “distorted graphic universe” as a backdrop for the models.

Packed with “raw elegance and banal emotion,” the film is soundtracked by bleepy, jazzy ambient sounds created by Andrea Cassano, Alessandro Sicardi and Fabio Visocchi of 3o.

nike zoom hyperflight china pack

Nike Zoom Hyperflight Premium “China” Pack

Nike Zoom Hyperflight Premium China Pack

Nike has unveiled its full lineup of Zoom Hyperflights paying homage to China’s three largest cities: Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

The “China” pack offers three distinctive designs, with Beijing: Lion featuring a golden-copper synthetic upper and intricate weave patterns. The Shanghai: Shark references the famed port city with a silver-tone upper and aqua accents. Guangzhou: Tiger features an orange and black tiger-stripe pattern inspired by the city’s dominance as a trade and manufacturing hub.

The pack has already launched in China and will launch globally in early August.

Nike has also announced that along with special edition T-shirts, it will release one pair of shoes per week on nikestore.com.cn, at the Nike Huaihai Brand Experience Store and at designated retail outlets.

Nike plans to unroll 10 Shanghai-themed models — ranging from basketball to running shoes, as well as urban sneakers — all imprinted with the word “Shen,” the old name of Shanghai, and “Luwan Never Gone 310103,” as a tribute to Lu Wan District, the birthplace of street fashion in Shanghai.

Porec

Five good reasons to visit Croatia

Dubrovnik

On July 1, Croatia officially became the 28th member of the European Union. This Balkan country has been a hot tourist destination for about ten years now, drawing visitors with its idyllic landscapes and rich natural and cultural heritage. A look at the country’s must-sees.

zagreb

Zagreb

The Croatian capital is renowned for its warm, welcoming ambiance and its style of architecture, characteristically Central European. Historic monuments include the neo-gothic Cathedral of St Stephen.

zadar dalmatia croatia

Dalmatia

Located in the south of the country, the cities in the region of Dalmatia are among the country’s most visited areas: Dubrovnik, often called “the pearl of the Adriatic,” boasts medieval architecture and fortifications that are listed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites.

The center of Split is home to the iconic palace of Roman Emperor Diocletian (3rd century BC); and picturesque Zadar is known for its narrow white paved streets.

hvar croatia

The islands

More than a thousand islands and islets stretch along the Croatian coast, nestled with beaches. Hvar, the most famous island, is a haven for the jetset. Krk, in the northern Adriatic Sea, is the largest of the islands, while the island of Pag, renowned for its peaceful creeks, is also home to the town of Novalja, a favorite spot for beach parties.

Plitvice

National parks

There are eight national parks in Croatia, contributing to the preservation of the country’s ecosystem and natural heritage. These parks are full of various plant species as well as being refuges for wild animals (bears, lynxes, wolves). Plitvice and its 16 interconnected lakes and Krka with its dizzyingly high waterfalls are both must-sees.

Dubrovnik Summer Festival

Cultural events

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival (July 10-August 25) will be the main event of the summer, featuring performances of theater, ballet and classical music in stunning monuments.

Dubrovnik International Opera Festival

 

Opera is in the spotlight during the Split Summer Festival (July 14-August 14) and the Dubrovnik International Opera Festival (July 3-6).

Dubrovnik fireworks

Electronic-music fans meet up at the Tisno Garden Festival (July 3-10) while film buffs can enjoy outdoor screenings at the Pula Film Festival (July 13-27).

Krk

karl lagerfeld tokidoki montre digitale

Karl Lagerfeld tells time with Tokidoki necklace

Karl Lagerfeld Tokidoki necklace

Continuing its homage to Karl Lagerfeld, which began with the capsule collection available since July 1, Tokidoki has unveiled a necklace watch that resembles the famous designer.

The watch is a small figurine of Karl Lagerfield, cut off at the waist in characteristic Tokidoki style. The mini-Karl, outfitted with digital screens in his glasses, dangles from a 127 cm steel chain.

Pressing on the two buttons above the glasses displays the hours and minutes on this fun timepiece honoring Chanel and Fendi’s artistic director. This watch will be available from August 2013 for €199.

willie nelson and sons

Willie Nelson for John Varvatos Fall 2013 Campaign

John Varvatos has released its latest in a series of rockstar campaigns, this time featuring country legend Willie Nelson alongside his two sons.

Shot in Des Moines, Iowa by photographer Danny Clinch, the campaign also stars the musician’s sons, Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson. The trio feature in a three-minute video also directed by Clinch which sees the family band picking out a tune on guitars and a ukulele.

His sons talk about growing up on the road with their father, who refers to his own musical progression; “after you kind of rip off all the other artists, you wind up with your own self there.”

The video also features Nelson’s aged and pockmarked guitar, Trigger, which has been signed by over a hundred of Nelson’s famous friends and bandmates over the years.

Lukas Nelson enjoyed the shoot at the 1920s architectural gem Salisbury House: “we all seem to have a similar outlook on life and it was nice to have my whole family together in the same room for this shoot.”

Clinch was also excited to be able to shoot the boys with their dad: “Willie Nelson stands for living your life on your own terms and being respected for it. The shoot showed the strength of the Nelson bond and the film showed the camaraderie and special heartfelt connection between father and sons.”

John Varvatos Fall 2013

versus versace k-way

Versus Versace x K-way collection

versus versace kway

Announced last May, this exclusive K-way collection for Versus Versace is now available. The products of this unique collaboration — a zipped jacket and iPad sleeve —  can be found on VersusVersace.com.

For this special edition, the iconic polyester waterproof K-way zipped jacket features the black and white optical print of Versus Versace’s new collection. Reversible and foldable, the jacket also has an adjustable drip-preventing hood.

K-way also worked on a waterproof iPad sleeve for Versus Versace. The inside of the sleeve carries the black and white optical effect print, while the outside features the brands’ logos.

The jacket retails for €295 and the iPad sleeve for €75.

versace versus kway ipad case

Etihad first class meal

6 Airlines With Celebrity Chefs Onboard

Etihad Airway First Class Chef

If you’re getting ready for a long-haul flight to your vacation destination, you may not be looking forward to the on-board meal. Between soggy sandwiches and microwaved chicken cutlets, airplane food often leaves a lot to be desired. But there are exceptions: these airlines have called upon master chefs for in-flight cuisine that’s a cut above the rest.

Etihad Airways

The UAE airline took home the honors for “Best First Class Meals” in the 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Over the past two years, Etihad has recruited chefs from the world’s top restaurants. On board for select international flights, master chefs offer gourmet fare rivaling that of fine dining restaurants.

Fresh and organic ingredients take center stage. The eggs and honey used in the kitchen, for example, come straight from an organic farm in Abu Dhabi.

Air France

For its business class, Air France calls upon a new master chef every eight months to create gourmet fare for its long-haul flights from Paris. Through October 2013, travelers can enjoy the cuisine of Michel Roth, chef at “L’Espadon,” the restaurant of the Ritz in Paris. In first class, the menus are created by Michelin-starred chefs including Joël Robuchon and Guy Martin.

Qatar Airways

Last year, Qatar Airways recruited a gourmet all-star team to create a transnational menu. Starred chefs Nobu Matsuhisa (Japan) and Tom Aikens (United Kingdom), as well as Lebanese chef Ramzi Choueiri and  Indian chef Vineet Bathia have created dishes inspired by their home countries.

The cuisine has been prepared with two particular challenges in mind: limited preparation methods available and the possibility of an altered sense of taste in high altitudes. This globe-trotting gastronomy can be found in first and business class on international flights.

Lufthansa

The German airline’s first class service also includes a high-end culinary experience. On long-haul flights from German cities, master chefs take turns offering well-crafted and creative menus. This summer, Joachim Wissler, who holds three Michelin stars and was voted “Chef of Chefs” by his German colleagues, offers among other delicacies a green pea mousse with mozzarella and tomato basil sauce.

Flights to Germany also feature the cuisine of gourmet chefs, chosen from the best restaurants in the countries of departure. Next October and November, for example, passengers will savor the creations of French chef Marc Haeberlin of L’Auberge de l’Ill in the Alsace region.

Singapore Airlines

For several years now, the Singaporean airline has relied on a panel of nine internationally renowned chefs for its in-flight meals. The dishes served in premium and business class were created by French chef George Blanc, whose restaurant in Vonnas holds three Michelin stars, Italian chef Carlo Craco (two Michelin stars) and Alfred Portale of New York.

Delta Air Lines

Delta recently announced that it was giving its in-flight menu a TV twist, by creating a competitive culinary show that will see four top US chefs — Hugh Acheson, Linton Hopkins, Kelly English, and George Mendes — go up against one another for the prize of developing the dish ideas for passengers.

ducasse

Alain Ducasse is the New Chef of Le Meurice

restaurant Le Meurice

Globally acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse is taking over management of the kitchens at Le Meurice hotel in Paris, part of the Dorchester Collection of hotels.

Starting in September, Ducasse will begin re-imagining the property’s Restaurant Le Meurice, which has three Michelin stars, and Restaurant Le Dalí.

Ducasse has already revamped two other Dorchester Collection hotels: the Plaza Athénée in Paris and The Dorchester in London. The Plaza Athénée has since closed for restoration.

Ducasse commented, “I am honoured that Franka Holtmann, general manager of Le Meurice, with the support of François Delahaye, chief operating officer of Dorchester Collection, has asked me to join Le Meurice. French cuisine has a major place, a role and an impact in the world today. I am pleased to contribute to its success in the two finest locations in Paris: Hotel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice.”

Adidas by Stella McCartney swimwear

Adidas by Stella McCartney swimwear collection

Adidas by Stella McCartney swimwear

For athletic women who love both the water and donning something more exciting than a racerback swimsuit, Adidas by Stella McCartney just released its fresh collection of fashion-forward swimwear.

The line takes its inspiration from the trendy sport of paddle boarding and features bright color blocking as well as botanical and leopard prints, with cuts designed to flatter the female body. Included in the line are rashguard surf tops and wetsuits with separate wetpants in dark navy and red.

McCartney describes the collection as “outdoors driven and inspiring,” adding that “we are very much encouraging people to get outside to do sports.”

The collection is available now at the Adidas by Stella McCartney flagship store in London’s Brompton Cross. Shoppers can also find the collection at varying outlets and department stores around the globe, as well as online at www.adidas.com/stella.

Other options for your beach bag include the limited-edition swimwear line from DVF and Roxy. Comprising 35 pieces, the line includes swimwear, beach cover-ups, board shorts, and rash guards.

Julia Restoin Roitfeld Givenchy eyewear

Julia Restoin Roitfeld for Givenchy Eyewear

Julia Restoin Roitfeld Givenchy eyewear

Shot by fashion photographers Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, the new Givenchy eyewear campaign features Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, the daughter of former Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld.

The new shades, which feature small metallic triangle accents covered decorated with crystals, were apparently inspired by the brand’s best-selling Antigona bag.

Rising to fame in 2010 as the face of Tom Ford’s Black Orchid fragrance, Restoin-Roitfeld has previously appeared in campaigns for Givenchy, including the recent Fall-Winter 2013 ready-to-wear campaign which also starred her stylist mother, as well as cosmetics brand Lancôme.

Vilebrequin shop Paris

Vilebrequin to launch womenswear

Vilebrequin shop Paris

After testing the waters with a summer capsule collection for women, swimwear brand Vilebrequin are set to launch a full collection for the fairer sex.

Legend has it that Vilebrequin founder Fred Prysquel cut his first pair of swimming shorts from table cloth on the Cote d’Azur. Founded in Saint Tropez, France in 1971, Vilebrequin in was of the only luxury beachwear brands dedicated entirely to menswear. But it’s a boys’ club no more.

Select global boutiques including St. Tropez, London, Rome, New York, and Hong Kong stocked the debut women’s capsule collection, which is set to be followed up by a full womenswear range.

This November the brand will unveil a 30-piece collection of women’s swimwear and ready-to-wear priced between €120 and €300. Featuring the classic Vilebrequin trunks in a more feminine cut, and the label’s summerly linen shirts, the designs are a response to continued female interest:

“Women already represent half of our traffic in-store,” explained chief executive officer Roland Herlor to WWD; “We wanted to offer the Vilebrequin ‘spirit’ to her,” he added.

The brand is also expanding in Asia, where a Beijing pop-up will be open from July to September, and a Singapore store is planned for 2014.