The distributor of Lexus has announced that it intends to apply 40,000 gold leaves to a Lexus LX570 during the Dubai International Motor Show next week.
At the end of the process, the vehicle will be finished off with varnish before being sold, making it the first commercial 24-carat gold car in the UAE.
The transformation will be completed by four craftsmen from French company Goldemotion, which works on conservation projects at the Louvre in Paris and other sites in France.
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After last year’s Moscow extravaganza, Chanel’s head designer Karl Lagerfeld relocated to Shanghai last week to present his yearly Maison d’Arts collection at the label’s freshly inaugurated boutique at the Peninsula Hotel.
As in past years, ‘King Karl’ has documented his creation process meticulously — videos can now be watched on YouTube.
All the videos have been removed from Youtube by Chanel
Beginnings — After a nostalgic black-and-white opening, the ‘Kaiser’ is shown sketching the first drafts for the collection.
Fittings — Models show Lagerfeld the first results of his work.
Fine tuning — Whatever the label’s creative head decides is implemented in Chanel’s Paris ‘ateliers.’
Shooting the movie — Coco Chanel never made it to Shanghai herself, even though she imagined the place as very inspiring.
Lagerfeld tried to capture her relationship with the city in a new short movie, which he can be seen directing here.
More fittings — The collection starts to take shape.
Working overtime — This is where the ‘Art’ in ‘Maison d’Art’ comes from.
Fit for the press kit — Lagerfeld photographs the collection for the press, as always with a little help from his ‘muse du jour,’ Baptiste Giabiconi.
Leaving on a jet plane — Chanel’s staff gets ready for the departure to China.
Shanghai impressions — The team arrives in the metropolis.
Getting ready — This short summary of the actual fashion show also gives you a few glimpses of the backstage scenery.
The show — Lagerfeld’s favorite models including Jessica Stam, Heidi Mount, Freja Beha Erichsen and Abbey Lee Kershaw paraded down the runway in richly embellished creations inspired by Asian art and antiques.
While the clothes didn’t fail to impress, the Kaiser’s ‘yellow-face’ make-up for the girls caused hot debate this week.
Hermès has newly released a book about the Carré Hermès, “a source of discovery and enchantment for lovers of Hermes”.
The book features around 150 scarves and “describes the life and history of the square of silk which has become legend.”
It is available in a limited collector’s edition (prestige version covered with a silk scarf) and a hardback version. The Scarf on both covers is Quadrige.
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A bottle of Vieux Cognac dating back to 1788 — the year before the French Revolution — sold at a Paris auction of wine and spirits for $37,000.
Paris’ landmark Tour d’Argent restaurant has cleaned out its cellar, considered one of the best and biggest in the world, putting 18,000 bottles up for auction.
The two-day sale, which ended Tuesday, brought in more than $2.2 million, the Piasa auction house said.
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The bulk of the biggest boat shows in the world will be held in Europe next year, according to data from the International Federation of Boat Show Organizers.
Nine of the ten largest and most influential events are in Europe, with the other in Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Below, our guide to the not-to-be-missed events both on and off shore.
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Iconic British luxury brand, Alfred Dunhill, have for the first time in 100 years let the cameras roll in their London workshop showcasing the same manufacturing techniques that has been employed for a century.
This initial movie showcases a Tradition Double Document Case (£1,800) being manufactured (by hand) from start to finish.
The movie reflects a desire for dunhill to showcase to its fans the quality workmanship that goes into every single product at their London workshop.
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By creating cutlery inspired by gardening tools, London-based Vladimir Rachev wants to remind us of the origins of our food. DailyIcon
Maybach, “The Legendary Automotive Brand for Premium Luxury Cars” is accelerating its commitment to contemporary art.
The latest highlight of Maybach’s artistic commitment is its collaboration with David LaChapelle, one of the world’s most prominent photographers.
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In California yesterday, space tourism company Virgin Galactic unveiled a craft designed to carry passengers on short flights into space.
800 press, future astronauts and VIP guests gathered in the desert for a press conference and to view the roll out of the world’s first commercial spaceline.
The design of SpaceShipTwo will be refined during an extensive test flying programme to commence shortly.
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The BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept car was showcased las week at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The newly unveiled Vision Efficient Dynamics car from BMW is mainly here to show us BMW’s new diesel-based plug-in hybrid drive system.
“Conceived with the idea of melding the performance of an M3 with exceptionally low fuel consumption, BMW claims a 0-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds”
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Dior has confirmed that filmmaker David Lynch will follow in Oliver Dahan’s footsteps, directing the label’s next Lady Dior ad.
The second ‘episode’ of the campaign, which started with Dahan’s secret agent-inspired chapter earlier this year, was shot in Shanghai this week.
Lynch, the maker of US TV series Twin Peaks and movies such as Mulholland Drive previously directed the ad for Gucci’s signature fragrance.
The Lady Noire Affair by Lady Dior – CHAPTER ONE (directed by Olivier Dahan)
BMW is poised to retain the crown as the world’s best-selling luxury car maker in 2009 after it reported an 11% rise in sales at its core brand in November.
“Since September, sales have been back on the growth track. In November we achieved another substantial increase in our global deliveries.”
“We intend to continue this trend in December,” BMW sales chief Ian Robertson said in a statement.
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Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer has re-issued one of its most coveted creations, the Silverstone Chronograph.
The Heuer Silverstone chronograph was originally introduced back in 1974, emulating the curvature of the famous English racing track, hence the name.
The original Silverstone timepiece housed the Chronomatic Calibre 11, the first-ever self-winding automatic chronograph with micro rotor.
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Construction is about to begin on “Utopia,†a 971-foot cruise ship that aims to be “the most luxurious in the world.â€
Samsung Heavy Industries has won the $1.1 billion order from Utopia Residences, a U.S.-based cruise operator, to build the luxury cruise vessel.
The 15-deck ship will have 200 private residences and 200 hotel rooms, along with the requisite restaurants, private clubs, a spa, casino, night club and swimming pools.
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Maitres du Temps have unveiled the Chapter Two collection which is one of the world’s most legible triple calendar mechanical wristwatch.
It has been designed by Peter Speake-Marin and Daniel Roth and hours and minutes are indicated by elegant diamond-cut, solid gold hands.
The combination of a big date and full text for the days and months confers upon Chapter Two a legibility unprecedented for a triple calendar wristwatch.
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A letter penned by George Washington praising the new Constitution sold for $3.2 million at an auction, the highest price for a letter by America’s first president.
The four-page letter was written in 1787 to the president’s nephew, Bushrod Washington, and urges adoption of the country’s new constitution.
Last year, a 1864 letter in which President Abraham Lincoln replies to the abolitionist pleas of youth sold for $3.4 million.
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Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has a new installation set up within Maison Hermes in Japan.
Based off a window display he presented in 2004, this new set up features a restructured design with an appearance by a famed Japanese actress.
The window is designed with an image of woman projected on to a monitor. The scarf softly sways in the air in response to the woman’s blow.
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Battery-powered illuminated liquor bottles are supposed to grab your attention when you’re trying to decide what to order at the bar.
That’s why Pernod Ricard-owned blended Scotch whisky brand is launching a bottle that flashes like a graphic equaliser in time to the music.
The dark blue bottle was created by London-based packaging agency The Core and is part of Ballantine’s ‘Listen to Your Beat’ campaign.
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For the colette team, it is a dream come true! No more long line on rue Royale .
Finally a Ladurée mini-corner at colette with the classic flavors in rotation and a brand new colette flavor of cotton candy.
Irresistible polka dot macarons box Ladurée x colette – From December 12th
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The Vanilla Trike was custom built by bike maker Sacha White for his daughter, which costs him around $10,000.
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Cartier revealed the ID One Concept to tell the world that is quite serious about being more than just another “fashion” brand in the world of high watchmaking.
Intended to never undergo any repairing and regulation after it’s been manufactured, the Cartier ID is beautifully housed in a Ballon Bleu case.
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