Burberry introduced last week a social networking site, artofthetrench.com, to encourage people to share their own trench coat stories.
The street-style formula is simple: users post pictures of themselves looking as chic as possible in a Burberry trenchcoat and wait for others to cast judgment.
Those judgments are invariably positive, giving the users an ego boost. Burberry reaps free advertising and a new source of brand loyalty.
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The world’s new tallest building, the 818-meter-high Burj Dubai tower is set to open a new visitors’ area on January 4, featuring a panoramic view platform on its 124th floor.
Japan’s craze for Beaujolais nouveau has beaten the recession, with tourists taking a dip in a hot mountain spring coloured red with the fruity wine.
The Hakone Kowakien Yunessun spa resort celebrated the annual uncorking of the seasonal drop by having a sommelier pour a few bottles into an open-air hot spring bath as holiday-makers enjoyed soaking themselves.
It was the fourth annual bath using the produce of the French winery Laboure Roi at the spa, which also offers baths with green tea, coffee and sake.
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The Louis Vuitton auction, held last night at Sotheby’s on New Bond Street, saw seven special orders sold for a total of £495,000 in aid of the Red Cross.
Louis Vuitton offered six masters of savoir-faire the opportunity to create a unique special order that embodies their expertise in their respective professions.
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Tokyo has overtaken Paris as the city with the most Michelin three-star restaurants, cementing its status as the “world capital of gastronomy”.
The latest edition of the Michelin guide to the Japanese capital awarded 11 eateries the coveted three stars, against 10 in Paris.
Tokyo also kept its title as the world’s most-decorated city with 261 stars in total — 34 more than last year — awarded to 197 restaurants.
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Leica and Hermes have joined forces to create a limited edition camera due to be released just in time for the Christmas holidays.
The limited edition “Leica M7 Edition Hermes” traditional film camera comes bound in luxurious Hermes calf leather and sports silver chrome detailing.
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The Rome Cavalieri Hotel, set on a 15 acre private Mediterranean parkland and known as one of the city’s most prestigious address, has created the ultimate wedding package with a price tag of a million dollars.
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The winners of the 2009 AsiaSpa Awards were announced at a glamorous gala awards ceremony held at Armani Bar Hong Kong last Thursday.
The majority of Asia’s spa destinations won an award, including properties in, Thailand, The Philippines, The Maldives, China, Cambodia and Hong Kong.
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Jean-Charles de Castelbajac designs the Christmas lighting for the facade of the BHV (Bazaar de l’Hotel de Ville) department store this year in Paris.
A funky neon-lit facade will be lit up on November 17, with the help of powerful vocals performed by 28-year-old, Arkansas-born Beth Ditto of the group Gossip.
Two London-based designers have created a dress embroidered with 24,000 full color LEDs. It is touted to be the world’s largest wearable display.
The “Galaxy Dress†is the center piece of the “Fast Forward: Inventing the Future” exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
“We used the smallest full-color LEDs, flat like paper, and measuring only 2 by 2 mm,†say designers Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Il – who shuns air travel – has six luxurious special trains equipped with conference rooms, bedrooms and high-tech communication facilities, a South Korean newspaper says.
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Omega is kicking off a worldwide advertising campaign in celebration of the tenth anniversary of its revolutionary Co-Axial escapement.
The advertisements feature photographs of Omega’s brand ambassadors sporting loupes, the magnifying glasses favoured by watchmakers.
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While the rest of the world struggles to bounce back from the global financial crisis, China’s billionaires are living large, snapping up luxury products at a breathtaking pace.
Beijing’s Jinbao Street is the must-visit address for billionaires with yuan to burn.
Once a maze of alleys, the 800-metre (yard) stretch of road is now home to Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Gucci, Cartier, the exclusive Hong Kong Jockey Club and several five-star hotels.
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German automaker Porsche has released the first images of its 2011 Boxster Spyder, just one of many new Porsches scheduled in the next few years.
The 2011 Spyder, the lightest Porsche ever, has been redesigned with added power and is set to be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show, opening Dec 2.
Worldwide sales commence February 2010 with a base price of around $50,000 for the latest edition of the Boxster line.
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Madonna has joined forces with Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana to showcase their spring/summer 2010 collection in the brand’s forthcoming ad campaign.
The adverts will be Sicilian-themed and were shot in Brooklyn, New York, by renowned fashion photographer Stephen Klein.
“To have Madonna in our campaign is a dream come true,†Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana said in a statement.
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On October 23 Italian supercar maker Lamborghini announced the official opening of their franchise in Sao Paulo, its first store in South America.
The store will be located on posh Avenida Europa. Sao Paulo was chosen due to its status as one of the most modern and luxurious cities in South America.
This marks only the second Latin American store for “The Raging Bull,” which operates a shop in Mexico.
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To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its prestigious vintage cuvee, la Maison Ruinart commissioned dutch designer maarten baas to create art for the table.
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The Italian coffee company Lavazza has unveiled the 18th edition of its collectible calendar, shot by influential British photographer, Miles Aldridge.
The 2010 Lavazza calendar illustrates “The Italian Espresso Experience” through Italian music.
The 2010 Calendar, featuring six of the world’s most famous models, takes inspiration from six well known Italian songs, such as Nessun Dorma.
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Donald Trump is upgrading to a larger plane and put his personal jet up for sale yesterday.
The current jet, a 1968 Boeing 727 originally operated by American Airlines, is completely kitted out.
A plane like this usually has 134 seats but this plane was reconfigured to hold just 24 passengers in the lap of luxury.
It has “all the amenities that you would expect,” including gold-plated seatbelt buckles and sinks in the plane’s three bathrooms.
In addition, the plane has a master bedroom, bidet, and “abundant storage for fine china and crystal,” according to the seller’s website.
Todd Rome, president and founder of air charter broker Blue Star Jets, estimates the jet is worth between US$4 and US$8 million, but notes that it will be expensive to fly and maintain because of its old age. CNN
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To celebrate this holiday season, Moet & Chandon has unveiled a special limited edition Moet Celebration set, limited to just 500 units.
The set comprises of eight individual Champagne flutes and a bottle of Moet Imperial Magnum. Each glass has imperial golden bubbles, marked individually with Swarovski crystal colors.
The designer set was created in conjunction with the renowned Parisian jewelers and engravers La Maison Arthus-Bertrand.
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The world’s biggest and most expensive cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, was recently handed over to the Royal Caribbean cruiseline in Finland.
The vessel, worth 900 million euros (1.3 billion dollars), can accomodate up to 6,360 passengers and 2,160 crew members.
The cruise ship features a variety of traditional and new activities including swimming pools, a casino, pool surfing and a zip line above the boardwalk.
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