Monthly Archives: April 2010

Top 10 Posts – Week In Review: April 12-18

In case you missed them the first time around, here are some of LUXUO’s top posts for the week of April 12-18.

1 – Veuve Clicquot Unveils its Latest Artist Collabs in Milan

Veuve Clicquot’s latest design collaborations have been revealed at the Milan Design Week.

2 – Mercedes-Benz Financial tops $2.5M in mobile payments

Since it has fist launched the iPhone app last October, Mercedes has received approximately $2.5 million in payments from customers via their mobile devices

3 – Istanbul to get “seven-star” Shangri-La hotel

The 200 room Shangri La Istanbul will be built in the central district of Besiktas and will aim at being listed among the top ten luxury hotels worldwide.

4 – Chef recreates Titanic’s last menu

Individuals will be able to taste the final menu enjoyed by the passengers of the ill-fated maiden Titanic voyage.

5 – Wealth Bulletin’s Top Ten Most Expensive Marinas

Italy is the most expensive place in the world to berth a super-yacht, where it can cost up to €2900 a night to moor a 24 metre-plus boat.

6 – Visa Black Card Ad Campaign

Visa Black Card recently released their newest national TV ad campaign featuring a female “James Bond” type character and the finest in luxury props.

7 – Abramovich buys the world’s largest expedition yacht

The world’s largest expedition yacht 115m Luna has been delivered to its new owner Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

8 – Saudi hotel expected to clock in as second-highest tower

Fairmont Hotels will manage the Makkah Clock Tower Royal Hotel, regarded as the most luxurious hotel in the Holy City.

9 – Noé Duchaufour creates the Flower Table for Perrier-Jouët

Perrier-Jouët have released a table designed by designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance who is known for his unique furniture designs.

10 – New Versace Home Collection Unveiled in Milan

To celebrate the opening of Milan Design Week, Versace have hosted a cocktail party at the Versace historical HQ in Via Gesù 12.

Usain Bolt Gold iPod Touch

The Olympic Gold medallist has released a “Usain Bolt gold iPod” complete with signature laser engraved onto its back case and famous“pulling of the bow” pose.

Embellished in 24ct. hardened gold each iPod Touch comes complete with a lifetime warranty against scratching or fading…

Since Bolt’s dominance on the track over the past three seasons, he has been in high demand for his image and signature.
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Armani Hotel Dubai Logo

Armani hotel: what’s in store?

After weeks of postponement — most recently caused by Europe’s volcanic ash cloud — Armani’s press office has finally confirmed the opening of the fashion label’s first hotel for April 27.

The first of several international hotels and resorts to follow, the Dubai location will host eight restaurants, shopping facilities (accessories and chocolates from the brand’s own Dolci range), an Armani/Fiori florist, and Armani’s first hotel spa.

Occupying 25,000 square meters in total — shared over floors one to eight, 38, and 39 of the new Burj Khalifa tower — the hotel boasts 160 rooms in eight different categories, with the cheapest ones currently priced from around €560.
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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Joining the launch of the very popular Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Mercedes-Benz have unveiled the SLS AMG GT3.

Designed to comply with FIA’s GT3 specifications, the SLS AMG GT3 is designed as a race car for “customers competing in sprints and long-distance races”.

Besides carrying a heftier price-tag, the SLS AMG Black Series will get a reworked 6.2L V8 engine that will boost output from 563-hp to 600-hp.
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Hublot becomes Official Watchmaker of FIFA

Hublot has become the official timekeeper for the next two editions of the Fifa World Cup.

The Swiss watchmaker will sponsor the tournaments in South Africa this year and in Brazil in 2014, with its logo appearing on referees’ boards when they show substitutions and stoppage time.

It will also provide a limited edition official watch range for each tournament, and has signed legendary Argentina coach Diego Maradona as a brand ambassador.
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Scarlett Johansson to star in Mango’s Summer Light

Scarlett Johansson poses for the new Mango campaign in sexy white sundresses, eminine florals, and more.

The campaign is dubbed ‘Summer Light,’ and that marks the fourth joint outing for Scarlett and Mario Sorrenti with the Spanish retailer.

This time, however, the duo has ditched the black eyeliner and vampy poses for a romantic, dreamy and natural look, punctuated by strongly defined eye brows.
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Dolce & Gabbana new Calcio underwear campaign

dolce-gabbana-calciatori-underwear

The Dolce & Gabbana Calcio underwear campaign honours 5 Italian football players: Antonio Di Natale, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Claudio Marchisio, Federico Marchetti and Domenico Criscito.

The campaign was shot in front of a locker room shower stall and was done by the internationally known fashion photographer Mariano Vivanco.
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Outlook brightens for Italian luxury sector

Prospects for Italy’s luxury goods sector are looking up thanks to strong sales forecasts in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Sales are expected to grow throughout the world – with the exception of Japan – and across all luxury product categories in 2010, the Altagamma Foundation said.

“These last two difficult years have spurred high-end companies to focus on consumers, to concentrate on their core business, and to further invest energy and resources on product design and innovation,” said Altagamma chairman Santo Versace, president of the Gianni Versace fashion house.

The global financial crisis severely dampened sales of luxury goods throughout 2009 as consumers postponed purchases or traded down for cheaper alternatives
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Donna Feldman for Visa Black Card

donna feldman visa black card

Visa Black Card recently released their newest national TV ad campaign featuring a female “James Bond” type character and the finest in luxury props.

This commercial is set to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” with the South of France and California as the backdrop and model Donna Feldman as the star.

The advertisement includes the heroine in black putting on her black Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, driving a Ducati Monster 1100 motorcycle, and being lifted to her Pershing 88 Yacht via a black MD 500 helicopter.
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Ferrari 599 GTO sold out

The Ferrari 599 GTO, the company’s fastest ever road-going car and is reported to have already sold out.

The 12-cylinder Berlinetta, made its first public outing last night at the Ducal Palace military academy in nearby Modena.

There it was unveiled to a crowd of 500 customers by the company’s top brass, including chairman Luca di Montezemolo and CEO Amedeo Felisa.

But according to a press release that accompanied the exclusive event for the existing Ferrari customers, the full run is already sold out !
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Lamborghini Embolado Concept

Andrei Avarvarii, a student getting his Master’s degree at Milan’s Scuola Politecnica di Design, designed this tasty electric Lamborghini concept.

This project took place under the supervision of Filippo Perini, the head of design from Lamborghini and it represents a possible future electric vehicle.

The electric Lamborghini is equipped with 4 asynchronous motors that divide power 70% to the rear and 30% to the front axle.

Electricity is supplied by a Li-Tec flatcell battery pack located in the rear doubled by a KERS system in the front.
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Worlds Most Expensive Mint Julep Cup

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has created the world’s most exclusive mint julep in collaboration with Tiffany & Co.

Only 73 of the sterling silver cups will be available at $1,000 apiece; purchasers will be served a julep in the cup at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, May 1st.

Owners of the luxury Mint Julep Cup will be served a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby featuring a unique set of ingredients.
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Rare jade elephants to go under hammer‎

A pair of jade elephants that sat on either side of a Chinese emperor’s throne are set to sell for millions of pounds after being unearthed in Dorset.

The important pale green pieces made for Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century have been sitting in Crichel House in Moor Crichel (UK) for the last 60 years.

Measuring 7.5 inches long and 6.5 inches high, the Asian elephants have tusks and were made by China’s finest craftsmen.
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World’s top 10 most expensive marinas

Italy is the most expensive place in the world to berth a super-yacht, where it can cost up to €2,900 a night to moor a 24 metre-plus boat.

The Italian resorts of Capri, Porto Cervo and Portofino topped Wealth Bulletin’s annual survey of the most expensive resorts in the world to berth a super-yacht.

Experts say Italy has retained its allure as one of the most-visited superyacht communities in the world – underlining the price paid at luxury marinas like Porto Cervo in Sardinia.

However, prices can fluctuate wildly during peak times, especially in the famed South of France marinas of Monaco, St Tropez and Cannes.
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Bang & Olufsen offers new BeoLab 11 subwoofer‎

If you need a better subwoofer for your home theater, then check out the upcoming BeoLab 11 from Bang & Olufsen.

Where it differs from the traditional square box in the corner is that it consists of two separate speaker cabinets that face each other, containing 6.5-inch drivers.

That introduces an acoustic balance, which means that it generates bass with minimal vibrations and can be placed wherever you like – even hung on a wall.
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New Versace Home Collection Unveiled in Milan

To celebrate the opening of Milan Design Week, Versace hosted a cocktail party at the Versace historical HQ in Via Gesù 12 yesterday.

The new pieces include the Sunburst, a crystal round table. Its base is composed by 14 elements in chromed metal that conveys the strength of a solar explosion.
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Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos 566 By Marc Newson

The Jaeager-LeCoultre Atmos 566 clock by Australian designer Marc Newson is a fantastic timepiece that gives an entirely new dimension to time telling.

The Atmos 566 is housed in a Baccarat crystal bubble (shown below in a stunning blue) which surrounds JLC’s new movement, the 566 calibre.

The movement features hour, minute, and month functions as well as equation of time and a sky chart displaying the night sky which is detailed with cardinal points and astrological signs.
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Iconic Hollywood sign in jeopardy

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are among the Hollywood royalty trying to save the landmark Hollywood sign from encroaching developers poised to erect four mansions or a hotel next to the 45-foot tall “H” letter in the Hollywood hillside.

Falling short one million dollars by the deadline spells trouble for a grassroots campaign to preserve the surrounding land.

The so-called McMansions would enjoy spectacular vistas of Los Angeles but the construction would ruin the popular view of tourists and other problems.

Film studios and Los Angeles residents have contributed to the $11 million raised to purchase the endangered 138 acres.
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istanbul skyline

Istanbul to get “seven-star hotel”

Istanbul is to get a new seven-star hotel, according to local media reports.

Luxury Shangri-La hotel group signed an agreement April 11 with local developer Tanrıverdi Holdings to build the hotel on the banks of the Bosphorus strait.

The hotel is to be built on the site of an old tobacco factory in the central BeÅŸiktaÅŸ district, Turkish newspaper Zaman reports.

The 200-room hotel is due to open in 2012. It will have seven storeys both above and below sea level and will cost an estimated $250 million to construct.
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