A Picasso masterpiece unseen in public for 43 years fetched more than twice its expected price at auction – going for £8.1million at last night’s Christie’s sale.
Tete de Femme (Jacqueline), a 1963 portrait of the artist’s second wife, had not been seen in public since 1967 and was expected to fetch £4million.
Jacqueline had an unusually short neck and it is said that Picasso would jokingly exaggerate its size in his portraits – as in this elongated example.
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French lingerie designer Chantal Thomass presented her first collection of mobile phone accessories in Paris amid fashion’s growing fascination with tech gadgets.
Thomass’ range includes glossy and rubber iPhone covers as well as velvet and vinyl cases, all in her signature black-and-pink, featuring lingerie themes such as lacing and bows.
The short film “First Film” is Prada‘s latest collaboratin with avant-garde filmmaker Yang Fudong.
Featuring young men dressed in Prada menswear, the black & white film portays a timeless, dreamlike realm where anything is possible.
The film was shot in Shanghai, according to Prada the film was inspired by the Chinese adage that “the whole year’s work depends on a good start in springâ€.
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Sustainable fashion brand People Tree has released its ad campaign starring actress Emma Watson.
Watson, who also collaborated on the design process of the collection, said in a statement:
“I think young people like me are becoming increasingly aware of the humanitarian and environmental issues surrounding fast fashion and want to make good choices but there aren’t many options out there.”
While the rest of the world in the past 12 months saw declining figures in the sales of high-end goods, China’s market continued to blossom.
And as well as its developing desire for brand names, the nation appears at the same time to be growing a very sweet tooth.
China’s chocolate market — driven by “designer” chocolate makers such as Belgium-based brand Godiva — was worth around seven billion yuan (740 million euros) in 2009 and is expected to grow by 11 percent through to 2011.
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Ferrari is expected to reveal a hybrid version of the 599 GTB during the 2010 Geneva International Motor Show in March.
The car should use a system based on lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor, both of which are respectively placed on either side of the rear transaxle.
Overall a reduction of about 35% in fuel consumption (equivalent to about 17 litres per 100km) will be achieved.
Italian fashion brand Armani announced that it is now accepting bookings for its first hotel, which opens March 18 in Dubai.
The luxe label has chosen the just-opened Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai) — the world’s largest tower — to host its first venture into hospitality.
More hotels are planned for Milan, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai and London, although no dates have been specified at this point.
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What is the highest-priced car in the world? The 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold for $8,700,000 in 1987. However, that fancy car and many alike will not be included in this list because it is not available on the market today.
DON’T MISS: THE WORLD’S PRICIEST VINTAGE CARS
US financial magazine Forbes published February 1 its annual list of the world’s most expensive cars, proving that exclusivity really does equal value. Forbes reviewed prices from all of the top end car makers and included only street-legal models that are currently in production.
The Koenigsegg Trevita took number one spot, clocking in at an eye-watering $2.21 million.
Only three of these exclusive models will be made by Sweden-based Koenigsegg, hence the name; “Trevita” means “three Whites” in Swedish.
The Trevita is a white, diamond-coated version of the Koenigsegg CCXR, meaning that for the first time, the world’s most expensive car runs on biofuel.
The regular CCXR appeared in seventh place on the list, with the CCX appearing eighth — an impressive three top-ten spots for Koenigsegg.
Millionaires’ favorite the Bugatti Veyron came in second place with its Grand Sport model.
Production of the softtop began in spring 2009 and with a top speed of 406 km/h, it is the second fastest car in the world.
Number ten on the list, the SSC Ultimate Aero, pipped it to the post as world’s fastest in 2007 at 414.31 km/h (257.44mph).
Both cars had limited production runs — only 150 Grand Sports were made, and 25 SSC Ultimate Aeros.
The World’s Most Expensive Cars
Data from Forbes
1. Koenigsegg Trevita – $2.21 million
2. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – $2 million
3. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster – $1.8 million
4. Lamborghini Reventón Roadster – $1.56 million
5. Lamborghini Reventón – $1.42 million
6. Maybach Landaulet – $1.4 million
7. Koenigsegg CCXR – $1.3 million
8. Koenigsegg CCX – $1.1 million
9. Leblanc Mirabeau – $765,000
10. SSC Ultimate Aero – $740,000
Audi will attend the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg this month, exhibiting a selected range of toy models and new products from the Audi children’s world.
The four-ring brand will be the first carmaker ever to present a selection of its products at the event, scheduled to take place between February 4-9.
“It’s an exciting project,†Caroline Gerberding, who is responsible for exhibitions and events at Audi AG, said in a release.
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Scarlett Johansson has designed a solidarity handbag for the Spanish retailer Mango to help raise funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
The bag design depicts an early cartographical representation of Haiti, and the words “supporting the people of Haiti, designed by Scarlett Johansson.”
The Haiti handbag will be exclusively available at over 1,390 Mango stores around the world from March 2010, retailing for $29.90.
China has unveiled the world’s largest chocolate wonderland in Beijing.
Among the 500 life-size figures exhibited in the fair there are chocolate shoes, clothes and also a life-sized BMW 1-series car.
According to a report in the official China Daily newspaper, 10 craftsmen needed four tonnes of chocolate and six months to make the car.
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Jak & Jil has taken some great shots of LV’s Fall 2010 lineup of accessories.
An array of many handbags in classic prints and quality leather will grace the shelves as well as an endless line-up of sleek loafers, boots and sneakers.
Hollywood star Johnny Depp has been voted as the world’ most stylish man, according to a new poll by GQ magazine.
The actor who has been consecutively named the magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive since last year has now topped GQ’s poll of the most stylish males.
Depp is lauded for being an “icon of eccentric cool” at the top of his game, and Barney’s creative director Simon Doonan extols his virtues in an accompanying squib.
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A half-smoked cigar abandoned by former British prime minister Winston Churchill has sold for more than $7,000.
The cigar was tossed aside by Mr Churchill as he headed to an urgent meeting of his cabinet in 1941, the auction house Keys said.
The 10-centimetre stump was saved by a servant at 10 Downing Street and later given to a friend as a gift. A relative took possession of it after the man died.
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The first in a series of Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ads featuring Michael Schumacher was released today.
It shows Schumacher driving the car through a tunnel at high speed, steering it off the road, up one wall, across the ceiling, down the other wall, before safely and smoothly getting the car back on the road.
Virgin Limited Edition, owner of Sir Richard Branson‘s Necker Island, has unveiled the latest toy available for its guests — an “underwater plane.”
The Necker Nymph is part submarine, part airplane, allowing guests of Necker Island or the Necker Belle yacht to explore the bottom of the ocean in comfort.
Two guests, accompanied by a Necker Nymph pilot, can dive to the bottom of the sea and stay there for up to two hours, with a clear view from the open cockpits.
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For a limited time, Québec plays host to North America’s only hotel made of ice. The Hotel only opens for four months a year, so guests need to be quick.
Open until April 4, it is created from 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice.
The 36-room ice complex features a 7.6 meter high igloo at the center, which will host exhibitions commemorating the tenth season of the hotel.
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Two international delicacies caviar and escargot (snails) have birthed a new trend in French luxury gastronomy that is captivating international chefs: escargot caviar also known as snail caviar/eggs.
Snail eggs are more akin to Japanese salmon roe than traditional caviar, as they are larger and plumper.
The taste is described as one-of-a-kind on various gastronomy forums, some compare the flavor to endangered sturgeon caviar.
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