Monthly Archives: July 2013

Rare whisky collection created for Harrod’s

Dalmore Paterson Collection

Scottish distillery The Dalmore has partnered with Harrods to launch The Dalmore Paterson Collection, named after master distiller Richard Paterson who assessed, nosed, tasted and selected each whisky blend for the lot of a dozen bottles. Whiskies range in date from 1926 to the 1990s.

The price tag for the world’s only collection of its kind? A cool £987,500 ($1.5 million).

Bottles are named after either important figures in Paterson’s life such as his father and grandfather, as well as James Whyte and Charles Mackay, the founders of The Dalmore’s parent company.

Bottles are handcrafted, full lead crystal decanters made by crystal house Glencairn, while luxury jeweler Hamilton & Inches hand-engraved the silver that embellishes the bottles.

All 12 bottles are presented in a wooden case that took cabinet maker Gavin Robertson more than 700 hours to design and craft.

Accompanying the collection is a calfskin leather-bound ledger detailing the process in Paterson’s own handwriting. Each page has been hand-folded and foiled in silver, before being bound.

Richard Paterson

Christie’s comes to India

Saurashtra

International auctioneer Christie’s said Tuesday it will hold its first ever sale in India as it seeks to capitalise on the country’s expanding art scene.

The London-based house, which has had an office in financial hub Mumbai for two decades, will stage its inaugural sale in December.

“The decision to hold auctions at this time is a reflection of the strong momentum in the domestic art marketplace,” Christie’s said in a statement. The sale also reflects “the increased international appeal of Indian art and the growing participation of Indian collectors across international sale categories.”

Christie’s chief executive Steven Murphy said the auction would be of domestic artwork and that other sales would follow. The auctions “will allow Indian collectors domestic access to works of art sourced by Christie’s (and) international collectors access to the very best of Indian art”, he said.

The plan follows a recent announcement by the auctioneer that it would hold its first sale in Shanghai in September, becoming the first international auction house to conduct a sale in mainland China.

Louvre

Top 20 most visited museums in the world

louvre museum paris

Europe is the leader when it comes to museum culture, with nine of the top 20 visited sites split between London and Paris.

Prepared by analysts at Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM, the 2012 Theme Index ranked the most visited museums in the world last year. With 9,720,000 visitors in 2012, the Louvre trumped every other museum to take the top spot.

Interestingly, while the most popular British museums on the list are free, the most visited museums in Paris including the Louvre, Centre Pompidou and the Musee d’Orsay, require paid admission.

The most visited and highest ranking museum in Asia, meanwhile, is the National Palace Museum in Taipei, which ranked No. 12 on the list.

Here are the Top 20 global museums by attendance in 2012:

1. Louvre, Paris, France, 9,720,000

2. National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C., 7,600,000

3. National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C., 6,800,000

4. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 6,116,000

5. British Museum, London, 5,576,000

6. Tate Modern, London, 5,319,000

7. National Gallery, London, 5,164,000

8. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, 5,065,000

9. American Museum of Natural History, New York, 5,000,000

10. Natural History Museum, London, 4,936,000

11. National Museum of American History, Washington D.C., 4,800,000

12. National Palace Museum, Taipei, 4,361,000

13. National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., 4,200,000

14. National Museum of China, Beijing, 4,100,000

15. Centre Pompidou, Paris, 3,800,000

16. Musee d’Orsay, Paris, 3,579,000

17. Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 3,232,000

18. National Museum of Korea, Seoul, 3,128,000

19. Geological Museum of China, Beijing, 3,000,000

20. Science Museum, London 2,990,000

2014 Mercedes S63 AMG

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Revealed: Video

A work of mechanical art, the latest AMG-infused Mercedes S Class sets new performance figures for the luxury car sector.

The S 63 AMG car, which starts off life as a Mercedes Benz S Class, before being handed over to the crack team of engineers that make up AMG, will make its official debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show where it will no doubt draw a huge crowd.

From a purely technical point of view, it’s easy to admire the work that AMG carries out and its approach to reinvigorating stock Mercedes Benz cars. And, as always, the handcrafted V8 engine, bedecked with twin turbochargers, that sits snugly under the hood of the S 63 AMG is a work of art.

In fact, the engine’s use of lightweight aluminum alloys, its eight cylinders and 32 valves, plus its 585hp make it more suitable for inclusion in an exhibition than in a luxury Merc.

Which raises the question of who exactly a luxury sedan capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds and one with a stiffened sports suspension set-up is aimed at.

Perhaps a chauffeur who moonlights as a racecar driver at weekends but who is in a financial position where he can only afford to run one vehicle?

Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG

Nevertheless, the car is a technical masterpiece, the engineers somehow managing to make the vehicle 100kg lighter than a stock Mercedes S Class without cutting back on luxury.

It is also faster than the last AMG iteration of an S Class and features a number of high-tech features including Magic Body Control — a stereo camera which scans the road ahead to identify road-surface undulations and adjust the car’s suspension settings in advance to retain ride quality.

The S 63 AMG will be available in short and long-wheelbase versions and pricing will be confirmed in September, following its Frankfurt unveiling.

Beach Front Pool Casita Suite

Expedia names world’s top 650 hotels

Beach Front Pool Casita Suite

Expedia.com, the world’s leading online travel agency, has unveiled its list of the top 650 hotels worldwide ranked according to overall customer service.

To determine which hotels made it into the Insider’s Select 2013 ranking, Expedia started by looking at customer ratings for the hotels listed on its site. An additional evaluation carried out by Expedia staff served to confirm the level of service.

The One&Only Palmilla Resort (pictured above), a five-star hotel in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, takes the top spot, earning the highest possible average rating from Expedia customers (5 stars).

The Arenas del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort in Quepos, Costa Rica and Marrol’s Boutique Hotel in Bratislava, Slovakia are in second and third place in this prestigious list, which recognizes exceptional customer service and attractive value for money. Five of the top ten spots are located in Mexico.

Last year, Expedia established a customer rating system preventing fraudulent reviews and ratings. By appealing to travelers upon their return from a vacation, the site collects ratings only from travelers who actually stayed in the hotel in question.

The World’s Top 10 Hotels according to the Insider’s Select 2013:

1. One&Only Palmilla Resort (5 stars, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico)
2. Arenas del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort  (4.5 stars, Quepos, Costa Rica)
3. Marrol’s Boutique Hotel  (5 stars, Bratislava, Slovakia)
4. Banyan Tree Mayakoba (5 stars, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico)
5. Hotel d’Europe (5 stars, Avignon, France)
6. CapellaIxtapa Resort & Spa (5 stars, Ixtapa, Mexico)
7. Welk Resort Sirena del Mar (4 stars, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)
8. Casa Velas Hotel Boutique & Beach Club (4.5 stars, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
9. The Knight Residence (5 stars, Edinburgh, Scotland)
10. The Leela Palace Bangalore (5 stars, Bengaluru, India)

Beach Front Pool Casita Master Suite

Escada 1978

Escada creates luxury handbag for 35th anniversary

Kendra Spears Escada Fall 2013 Campaign

To celebrate the German luxury label’s 35th anniversary, Escada is launching a new handbag in tribute to the year of its founding: 1978.

Simply named Escada 1978, this luxurious trapeze-shaped handbag is a patchwork composition of two different kinds of leathers — embossed calfskin for the central part and suede leather on the sides.

The signature bag features in the ad-campaign for Escada’s 2013-2014 fall/winter collection, starring American model Kendra Spears. The young woman is sitting on a couch with the handbag at her arm. The Escada 1978 is priced at €1080.

Carla Bruni for Bulgari

Former French First Lady Stars In Bulgari Campaign

Carla Bruni Bulgari ad campaign

Luxury label Bulgari has unveiled its new ad campaign starring Franco-Italian icon Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

The singer and former model is certainly no stranger to the world of fashion, having walked in some of the biggest catwalk shows and appeared in campaigns throughout the 90s, but had recently stepped out of the limelight while her husband Nicolas Sarkozy was in office as head of the French state.

The images, photographed by Terry Richardson show Bruni-Sarkozy in a series of glamorous Bulgari looks featuring the brand’s mega-luxe statement jewelry.

Previous faces of the Bulgari brand include actresses Julianne Moore and Rachel Weisz, who starred in the 2012 video for the Serpenti collection, directed by Annie Leibovitz.

Carla Bruni Bulgari campaignCarla Bruni Sarkozy for Bulgari

Lancome La Vie Est Belle Legere

Lancôme unveils a lighter take on La Vie est Belle

Lancome La Vie Est Belle Legere

The French brand celebrates the first anniversary of its fragrance La Vie est Belle with the soft and delicate Eau de Parfum Légère, out internationally in August.

Developed by perfumers Anne Flipo, Olivier Polge and Dominique Ropion, the lighter version contains iris and white musk scents, combined with jasmine sambac, orange blossom, pure patchouli essence and Pallida iris, finished off with a sweet touch of tonka bean, vanilla and praline.

Eau de Parfum Légère will be released on August 26, with a 30ml bottle going for 50€. Julia Roberts will promote the La Vie est Belle Eau de Parfum Légère as she did the original fragrance.

mandarin oriental Las Vegas suite

Would you sleep with a stranger for a hotel discount?

Kensington Park Hotel San Francisco deluxe room

In the latest sharing economy trend, another website has been created for travelers who don’t mind sleeping with strangers to save a few dollars.

The premise: given that hotels and resorts charge guests per room and night, Easynest allows solo travelers to shack up with fellow lodgers so that everyone can slash their hotel bill in half “…and make new friends.”

After signing up with Easynest, users link their profile with social networking accounts such as Facebook and Twitter for virtual introductions. The more complete and fleshed-out the profile, the more likely guests will send requests.

After listing the hotel with dates and location, fellow users with similar travel itineraries can peruse the site and contact hosts.

The concept behind Easynest isn’t far behind that of Couchsurfing, where homeowners open up their living rooms, guest rooms and couches to strangers.

Looking for a companion to keep you company for part or all of your trip? TravBuddy is another site that pairs up open-minded, adventurous solo travelers with likeminded holidaymakers.

Australia

Where the rich like to vacation

Australia

The dynamic, sun-soaked Land Down Under has emerged as the top dream destination for the third year in a row among the world’s most affluent globetrotters.

According to luxury travel magazine Virtuoso Life, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Ireland and France emerged as the top “dream destinations” overall among travelers for whom money is of little object.

The Travel Dreams Survey found that Australia was popular among a demographic of travelers Virtuoso categorizes as ‘The Go-Getter,’ defined as active, adventurous globetrotters, and ‘The Trendsetter,’ early adopters who have their finger on the pulse of the latest travel trends and destinations.

For culinary escapades, meanwhile, readers named the usual suspects, with Paris taking the top spot, followed by Rome, Florence, New York City, and New Orleans.

And when it comes to bucket list travel among the well-heeled, taking a cruise around the world topped renting a European villa and going on an African safari and photographing the ‘Big Five.’

Travel preferences among readers delineated clear groups of travelers, says Virtuoso, which identified five different types of travel personalities.

Along with Go-Getters and Trendsetters, there’s also ‘The Connoisseur,’ the sophisticated traveler who seeks out luxury, top-tier experiences, be it food, wine art, and hotels.

Classic Travelers are defined as being loyal to the places they love, returning multiple times to their favorite destinations, while the Relaxationist seeks out restorative, rejuvenating vacations that offer reprieve from everyday life.

Luxury travel network Virtuoso is made up of 340 agencies in 20 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand and publishes Virtuoso Life for top-tier clients. The Travel Dream survey was conducted between February 1 and March 31 and surveyed nearly 8,000 readers.

Consultancy group Resonance, meanwhile, found that wine country tours through Italy and France were the most coveted types of luxury travel, followed by cruising on a luxury liner.

Here are the top 10 Dream Destinations in the Travel Dream Survey:

1. Australia
2. Italy
3. New Zealand
4. Ireland
5. France
6. South Africa
7. The Caribbean
8. Greece
9. England
10. French Polynesia

Shangri-la Maldives launches private jet services

Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa

The Shangri-La hotel chain is launching a luxury travel package for wealthy Chinese consumers that includes a flight aboard a private jet to one of the most exclusive and remote parts of the Maldives, a favorite destination for affluent holidaymakers in China.

The Shangri-La Private Jet Journey program is billed as a personalized, upscale travel experience that will shuttle guests to the chain’s Villingili Resort and Spa in the Maldives aboard a Boeing Business Jet.

Though the plane has a capacity for 150 people, the luxury jet has been converted to seat 26 people for a more spacious journey.

Guests will land at the Shangri-La’s privately-owned airport —  the only hotel in the country to boast its own private executive airport terminal —  where they will be greeted by staff who will take them through the check-in process and facilitate their stay.

Amenities at the Villingili resort include a nine-hole golf course and bike tours of the islands. The property itself stretches along a 6-km coastline, with 2 km of fine, white sandy beach.

Guests will alternate their stays between the Water Villas, which are built on top of the resort’s lagoon and offer panoramic views of the ocean, and the Tree House Villas, an adult version of the treehouse.

The luxury travel package is being launched in collaboration with Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency and its top luxury brand HHtravel.

Shangri-La Maldives

Peter Saville creates no-logo Lacoste collection

lacoste collector peter saville

Graphic designer Peter Saville has created a line of polo shirts for Lacoste, for the brand’s 80th anniversary celebrations, without the brand’s iconic crocodile logo!

The Holiday Collector limited-edition series features green embroidery in various squiggles to a rough outline, instead of the Lacoste animal emblem.

Saville’s collection includes 80 polo shirts for men and 80 for women and will go on sale on November 15 at Lacoste flagships around the world, priced at  €420.

A larger commercial edition, in eight versions each for men and for women, will also be produced and sold in Lacoste’s regular distribution, priced at €120.

Each piece has a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by Peter Saville. Source: drapersonline

LACOSTE by PETER SAVILLE

Karmen Pedaru Elie Saab Fall 2013

Elie Saab Fall 2013 Ad Campaign

Elie Saab Fall 2013 Ad Campaign

First look of the new Elie Saab advertisement starring Estonian supermodel Karmen Pedaru as the face of label’s Fall Winter 2013 collection.

Elie Saab Fall Winter 2013 Ad Campaign

Photographed by legendary fashion snapper Craig McDean, the new campaign features Karmen Pedaru lounging around a luxurious apartment in the latest autumn-winter collection. Light moves from dawn to dusk in the photos, showing off the elegant lace and silk finishes on the pieces.

Elie Saab Fall 2013 Karmen Pedaru

Interestingly, the whole campaign is something of a family affair, as Pedaru’s husband Riccardo Ruini art directed the shoot.

Elie Saab Fall 2013 Campaign

Filmed behind the scenes, a one-minute long video directed by Antoine Asseraf shows off the clothes and accessories in the collection, soundtracked by “Long Days” by Belgian group I Will, I Swear.

Rag & Bone x Oakley Frogskin Sunglasses

rag bone oakley sunglasses

For Spring/Summer 2013, rag & bone has collaborated with world-leading eyewear brand Oakley to create limited edition sunglasses in their iconic Frogskin style.

Last year, Oakley and Rag & Bone created a special version of the M-Frame sunglasses for the label’s Spring-Summer 2013 womenswear show at New York Fashion Week.

Rag & Bone’s managing partners, British duo Marcus Wainwright and David Neville are enthusiastic about the collaboration:

“I’ve been wearing Oakleys forever and have always been in love with their Frogskins. They are one of the greatest inventions in eyewear ever, so it was really exciting to have the opportunity to work with Oakley – first on the women’s runway show and now on this special collaboration,” said Wainwright.

The glasses either come in all black ($125) or a digital camo print ($150), lifted from the Spring-Summer 2013 menswear collection. “We wanted to create styles that guys and girls alike would love to wear. We chose to create one classic pair and a fun print one,” added Neville.

The two styles are available exclusively in Rag & Bone’s retail stores in the US and online.

rag bone oakley frogskins

Fangio F1 Mercedes

Fangio’s rare F1 Mercedes sells for $29.6 million

1954 Mercedes Benz W196

A classic Mercedes-Benz race car driven by Formula 1 legend Juan Manuel Fangio has sold for 19.6 million pounds ($29.6 million) at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale auction on Friday.

The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 single-seater was driven by the five-time world champion racer when he clinched his second title in 1954. The Argentine drove the car to victories in the 1954 German and Swiss Grand Prix races.

Bonhams chairman Robert Brooks called this car the “most important historic Grand Prix racing car ever offered for sale”.

A Ferrari 330GT, first owned by John Lennon, fetched 359,900 pounds at the same auction. The late Beatle bought the blue Ferrari after he passed his driving test in 1965 and sold it three years later.

Marriott International launches Arabic website

Paris Marriott Hotel Champs Elysees

In a bid to woo an increasingly important market segment — affluent Arabic speakers and frequent flyers from the Middle East — the Marriott hotel chain has launched its international website in Arabic.

The new portal allows Arabic-speaking customers around the world to book stays across the chain’s 3,800 properties in 74 countries.

Marriott has asserted a strong presence in Dubai, where it boasts the tallest hotel in the world. The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai (below) stands at 355 meters and consists of twin towers each with 77 floors.

More than $100 million of revenue is booked annually via marriott.com in Arabic-speaking countries, the company says. The Marriott joins the Fairmont and the Hilton in offering website services in Arabic.

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai

Paul Gauguin cruise ship

Cruise package created for intellectuals and geeks

regent seven seas cruise ship

Curious intellectuals and self-confessed geeks may be interested in a new cruise package that sails from Miami to Peru with producers and personalities from the highest-rated science series on US TV.

Artful Travelers has announced the launch of a cruise along the Panama Canal with the people behind “NOVA,” an award-winning — and the most-watched — documentary series on US public television.

During the 14-night cruise, which departs Miami and winds its way to Lima, Peru, guests will be able to meet with the producers of “NOVA” and engage in thought-provoking panel discussions with speakers who specialize in politics, current events, and culture.

There will also be opportunities for one-on-one conversations, cocktail receptions and private dinners with personalities throughout the cruise.

The Regent Seven Seas Cruises ship departs January 2014 and ports of call include Curacao, Aruba, Colombia and Ecuador.

regent seven seas

Eat at every 3-Michelin-starred restaurant in the world

hong kong four seasons restaurant

A luxury, British website has created a once-in-a-lifetime epic travel itinerary that will take one couple to all 109, three-Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, for the cool sum of about $275,000.

It’s a six-month culinary odyssey that will take two people to the world’s top dining addresses across 12 countries, including Lung King Heen in Hong Kong, Sushi Yoshitake in Tokyo, Per Se in New York and Le Meurice in Paris.

Created by VeryFirstTo.com with www.holidaysplease.co.uk, participants will sample some of most iconic, famous and avant-garde dishes in contemorary gastronomy, such as “salmon poached in a liquorice gel” at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and “pineapple bubbles” at Juan Mari Arzak’s Basque restaurant Arzak. Visits will average one restaurant every other day.

According to the Michelin ranking system, restaurants that boast all three stars represent dining destinations which are “worth a special journey.” Dishes are nothing short of exceptional, distinctive and precisely executed and use superlative ingredients.

Participants will stay at five-star luxury hotels such as the Trump International in New York; the Conrad in Tokyo; the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo; and Claridge’s in London.

Meanwhile, the same website recently sold a luxury vacation package worth $1.5 million to a wealthy Chinese man this past spring that will take him to all 962 UNESCO World Heritage Sites over two years.

The Four Seasons has also created once-in-a-lifetime travel itineraries that include an around-the-world tour with stops in Bali, Bora Bora and Hawaii in 2014, while National Geographic has likewise launched an excursion and guided tour of ancient and historical sites aboard a luxury jet next year.

foie gras and figs

Israel on its way to banning foie gras

foie gras and figs

The war on foie gras continues, as Israel is poised to become the latest jurisdiction to ban the import and sale of the French delicacy.

In an early show of overwhelming support, 59 members of the Knesset threw their backing behind the bill this week in a preliminary reading, versus 10 opposition votes, reports the Jerusalem Post.

The production of foie gras was banned in Israel about a decade after being deemed abusive.

Should the bill pass first, second and third readings, Israel will become the next jurisdiction to ban the trade of foie gras after the state of California, which became goose-liver free last year —  a controversial move that continues to divide animal rights activists, chefs and gourmands.

The California ban spurred foie gras benders before the law was enforced last summer and has also created a black market for the delicacy.

The proposal in Israel was made in collaboration with animal rights groups, Anonymous for Animal Rights,  who charge that the geese are cruelly force-fed in order to fatten their livers.

“I believe that this law will not only contribute to animals but also to Israel’s image in the world,” said bill author MK Dov Lipman. “It’s time to eliminate this soul corrupting food from Israel.”

Animal rights groups have scored other victories against foie gras. Last year, the House of Lords in the UK banned foie gras from its in-house restaurant The Barry Room, while Harvey Nichols also took it off its menu after succumbing to mounting pressure from animal rights groups in 2010.

foie-gras-canard

North Korea Beach

North Korea plans to build beach resort

North Korea Beach

North Korea is currently in the process of transforming the city of Wonsan on the country’s east coast into three districts: a financial district, entertainment and sports area and tourist destination.

Wonsan is port city and naval base and was one of Kim Jong-il’s favorite vacation destinations in the country. The construction of a beach resort is seen as son Kim’s fulfilment of his late father’s wishes.

In 2007, the elder Kim rejected proposals from former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun to develop the city into an industrial park and complex, on grounds that the bay is a “holiday destination.”

To transform the region and turn it into a resort-town, the government plans to shut down the automobile plants and shipyards which operate in the city according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.