Monthly Archives: December 2008

First look: Claudia Schiffer for YSL

Claudia Schiffer is back in the spotlight; the German model has been named the face of Yves Saint Laurent and we’re thrilled with the new ads.

The Spring/Summer 09 ad campaign was beautifully shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin under the creative direction of Stefano Pilati.

The stunning shot is the first of the campaign to be released, and will feature on the cover of YSL’s must-have Manifesto newspaper, now in its fourth season, which will be distributed on Valentine’s Day next year.

Calvin Klein DollHouse, New York

Architect Joshua Prince-Ramus of Ramus-Ella Architects (REX) created the holiday attraction of the Calvin Klein store on 5th Avenue in New York.

It is a miniature four-storey dwelling complete with a landscaped rooftop. It is a miniature but it is not tiny. It weighs 1,000 pounds and is suspended in the air from steel hangers

The installation was created with Calvin Klein’s consumer image in mind. The stylish installation covers 4 complete floors, with a landscaped rooftop, and was constructed of acrylic sheet, steel, and stretch Spandex.
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Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Filigree Vase By Christofle

Perrier-Jouet presents the cuvee Belle Epoque 1998 in a magnum size, contained in a precious vase wrapped in silver lace, created by Christofle.

Perrier-Jouet and Christofle first worked together in 1935, and joined forces again in 2008 to take up a new aesthetic challenge: producing a work of art that re-interprets Emile Gallé’s anemone, created in 1902 for the Cuvee Belle Epoque, in a contemporary light, giving it the form of a vase.

The 2008 collaboration between the two houses yields a piece that doubles as a unique case to hold a magnum of the Cuvee Belle Epoque. Carved in metal, this silver-plate piece produced by Christofle serves as a lacework case for the Cuvee Belle Epoque.
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Gresso mahogany wood enclosed USB drives

Gresso has come out with limited edition USB drives enclosed in 200-year old Royal Mahogany Wood, further more it is engraved with the image of the bull and the hieroglyph associated with the year 2009.

The drive will be offered in four different models in 4 and 8GB capacities. Only 2009 pieces will be produced. The New Year Collection is exclusively distributed in Bely Veter Tsifrovoi’s stores in Russia.

Organic Workstation – A Comfortable Concept

The revolutionary concept of the Organic Workstation from the house of Miles of Design 07 – London is a wonderful solution for all computer centric beings.

Designed by Stevie Miles Brewu, it’s the closest one can go to create a fully adjustable ergonomic, interactive work and play environment. The features include; adjustable positioning with respect to angle of seating, screen, keyboard and foot rest.

The overall feel is highly ergonomic with a clutter free interactive environment. The Organic Workstation is a concept only, but it looks good enough to go into production !

Follow The Nissan Z Tour (video)

Over the years, the Nissan Z has earned quite a following. Now this legendary car is going on tour to pay tribute to it’s biggest fans.

Before the official launch of the all new Nissan Z, it will be showing up for a series of sneak peek pit stops across the country. It’s all part of the Follow the Nissan Z North American Rally.

Each tour event will provide it’s guest with unprecedented access to the Nissan Z as well as additional activities.
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Flower Power Glass Tiles From SICIS

SICIS has released a brilliant “Flower Power” glass tiles collection that are certainly worth a look for an upcoming redesign that classy bathroom of yours.

A whole wall can become a work of art, with a floor to ceiling pattern of flowers. Or, you can use the tiles to highlight certain areas such as the fireplace, sink or shower.

Though heavy on the eyes, this vibrant pattern and its rich colors of the sunflowers, daisies, waterlilies, gerberas and poppies will definitely turn your bathroom into a work of art !
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Zimbabwe unveils $500 million note

Zimbabwe’s central bank is introducing a $500 million note – the highest current denomination – as the once-prosperous southern African nation battles against spiraling hyperinflation.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last week introduced a new set of denominations, including a $100 million note, but that has not helped to clear long lines for cash at banks. Some people sleep outside banks after failing to get cash.

The $500 million note is worth about 8 U.S. dollars and enough to buy just eight loaves of bread. but prices change on an almost daily basis as businesses now peg their prices against the U.S. dollar.

Zimbabwe has had higher denominations than the $500 million note in the past. But over the past two years, the country has slashed zeros from the amount of its worthless currency, the latest being 10 zeros in August. Source : CNN / Photo: Reuters

House of VOILA awarded for its “Beijng Dream” Collection

Tourbillon a Swiss-German Magazine announced in its Fall 2008 Issue No15 the winners of the best designed Olympic inpsired timepiece and the Gold was awarded to the House of VOILA for its “BEIJING DREAM” Collection.

Pekings new national stadium, fondly referred to as the Birds Nest, was conceived by Swiss Architects Herzog and De Meuron and inspired Roger Khemlani, Creative Director of the House of VOILA to launch a rather unusual watch collection which he presented at Baselworld this year at his Soire de Superstars event – an evening marking the release of the Swiss Made Beijing Dream.
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LuxuryMart 09 Set to Welcome World’s Elite Brands to Shanghai

LuxuryMart09, the premier event for luxury brands targeting China’s fast-growing affluent population, is to be held in Shanghai on January 15th 2009.

Now in its third year, LuxuryMart09 is expecting to welcome around 250 senior executives from 120 top brands to attend the prestigious B2B matchmaking event at the Pudong Shangri-La.

The “luxury brand summit” is the leading annual platform for brands to exchange ideas and collaborate on marketing products and services for high-end Chinese consumers.

China is the world’s fastest-growing market for luxury brands, expected to rank second only to Japan by 2015. The country’s “Rich List” includes 1,000 individuals with more than RMB 0.7 billion (USD 1 billion) each in assets and 800,000 millionaires.
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L’Officiel’s Diamond Give-Away

The French fashion publication, l’Officiel, has embedded three diamonds each worth 26,000 Euros ($34,000 USD) in three of the magazine’s December issue.

The three magazines have been placed in news stands somewhere in France. This may be actually a first in the history of print media !

House N by Sou Fujimoto Architects

Sou Fujimoto Architects designed this unusual house located in Oita, Japan.

The house itself is comprised of three shells of progressive size nested inside one another. The outermost shell covers the entire premises, creating an covered, semi-indoor garden. Second shell encloses a limited space inside the covered outdoor space. Third shell creates a smaller interior space.

Photos by Iwan Baan / Via Archdaily
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The Handbook Of Style : A Man’s Guide To Looking Good

Every man should dress like the best, but many don’t. For those who need a little help, they can pick up Esquire’s “The Handbook Of Style (A Man’s Guide To Looking Good)”.

Don’t think the book is another way to tell Men what and how to look good. Nick Sullivan, Esquire’s fashion director said, while opinions do matter and everyone sure have their own, the book is most importantly a guide in dressing and the primer elements in Men’s fashion and styling.

Using plenty of examples from fashion icons, The Handbook Of Style explains what goes together, what doesn’t, and how to care for your clothing.
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Chen Changwei for Daum

Since 1878 Daum have been crafting world-renowned beauty in lead crystal using rare and ancient techniques. Daum´s perfect mastery of pate de verre has earned it a worldwide reputation for excellence.

This year, artist Chen Changwei breaks with tradition, reinventing the Chinese zodiac in a series of surrealist busts in the time-honored tradition of pâte de cristal. His style is daring and original with his busts of surrealistic animals, symbolic totems.

This complex process brings to life a staghead perched atop an elongated neck, an iridescent rendition of elephant and man and a Dalmatian head perched atop an elongated neck, adding stunning originality to your art collection.
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Wellness Sky by 4of7

Belgrade-based design studio 4of7 and London-based practice Superfuisonlab have completed the conversion of a former restaurant in Belgrade, Serbia, into a gym and spa.

The main volume of the building, triangular in plan, elevated 15 meters above the river, is supported solely by a central core which contains two elevator shafts and double spiral staircase.

Approximately 390 translucent, triangular, back-lit panels are suspended from the ceiling’s steel structure.

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Bourgie Table Lamp by Kartell

The revisiting of a classic: the baroque table lamp. The revolutionary feature of this lamp is that it is made entirely of transparent or batch-dyed polycarbonate. On the one hand, it is classical, rich and traditional, and on the other, it is innovative, transparent and ironic.

The baroque style base is composed of three decorated layers that interconnect, and the large lampshade is make with a plissé effect, to create maximum reflection and glamour.

Buy Bourgie on-line in the US at All Modern.com or Lumens.com starting at USD $360.00 (varies with options)

Dubai Prince Gifts Island To Michael Schumacher

The wealthy prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai has gifted the already rich former F1 racer his own piece of “The World”.

Situated off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, “The World” is a grouping of man-made islands developed to look like a map of the Earth.

Valued at roughly $7 million, Schumacher’s island will be located in the southern hemisphere, part of the “Antarctica” island cluster, when completed in a few years, presumably before the Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower in Abu Dhabi is completed.

Monaco Shelves Multi-Billion $ Expansion Plan

The Mediterranean city state of Monaco has shelved a multi-billion-dollar scheme to expand into the sea because of the global economic crisis, its ruler Prince Albert II said Tuesday.

Albert said Monaco had been forced to drop plans to build a huge artificial peninsula, which had been compared to Dubai’s island developments.

“In the current climate it would be irresponsible to launch a project of this scale,” the prince told AFP in an interview, explaining that the project had fallen short of its funding and environmental protection goals.
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Vertu creates special edition Boucheron 150 in solid gold

Vertu’s high-end cellphones always mix luxury components with off-the-beaten-track designs and luxuriously high price tags, but with this latest product you have to wonder if Vertu’s company dictionary even includes the word “recession”.

The Boucheron 150 cellphone that you see is crafted from a single piece of solid gold and is meant to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Boucheron jewelry house in Paris.

According to the designer, it took around 1,000 hours to cut into shape, 700 hours to hand polish, it as well as 500 hours to built in – all without the help of machines but relying on the power of human hands only.
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