Discover the world’s most coveted masterpieces. From fine horology and high jewelry to luxury beauty and bespoke fashion, we curate the artifacts of modern desire.
Unexpected pairings and subverted functions. For his Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2020 Collection, Women’s Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquière presents a clash of styles for dressing without protocol.
The Louvre is currently closed to visitors due to staff concerns about coronavirus, but the Louis Vuitton show must go on. The museum reopened its doors on Tuesday evening for the world’s most valuable luxury brand to close Paris fashion week, with a catwalk show staged in the inner courtyard of the museum.
The last fashion show of a month in which the disruption of cancelled shows and the chilling images of designer face masks have been a circus hall of mirrors held up to an anxiety-ridden zeitgeist was, appropriately, a climactic costume drama.
A 200-person choir in period dress spanning 500 years was the backdrop for what designer Nicolas Ghesquière called a “collision of times”. A 17th-century Cavalier in curls and feathered hat sat next to a flapper in lacquered bob and strings of pearls; there was a 1950s housewife, and an Edwardian gentleman with watch fob and waistcoat. The choir’s wardrobe was the work of Milena Canonero, a costume design collaborator of Stanley Kubrick, whose films have spanned three centuries from the 18th-century setting of Barry Lyndon to 2001: A Space Odyssey and the dystopian future of A Clockwork Orange.
“I wanted a group of characters that represent different countries, different cultures, different times,” Ghesquière told Vogue. “I love this interaction between the people seated in the audience, the girls walking, and the past looking at them – these three visions mixed together.”
A model at the Louis Vuitton show in the Louvre on 3 March. The designer Nicolas Ghesquière called the collection a ‘collision of times’.Photograph: Pixelformula/Sipa/Rex/Shutterstock
Juxtapositions of fashion history are a signature of Ghesquière, whose catwalks have blended sci-fi with baroque, and the belle époque with the 1970s.
This collection mashed Toulouse-Lautrec petticoats with motocross jackets, and garish sportswear graphics with dandy tailoring. For the all-important accessories, Ghesquière travelled back in time to treasures in the Louis Vuitton archive. Classic luggage trunks and the logo-stamped Keepall holdall – which he called “a pure vintage piece that acquires a beautiful patina over time” – were scaled down in size and swung by shoulder straps.
The collection paired Toulouse-Lautrec petticoats with motocross jackets.Photograph: Pixelformula/Sipa/Rex/Shutterstock
As well as being a showcase for Vuitton’s next collection and a finale for Paris fashion week, the event was a curtain-raiser for the upcoming Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum. About Time: Fashion and Duration, which will open with the annual fashion extravaganza of the Met Gala on 4 May, is sponsored by Louis Vuitton and co-chaired this year by Ghesquière alongside Anna Wintour, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep and Emma Stone.
Curator Andrew Bolton told a press conference this week: “In recent years, time has dominated discussions within the fashion community. These talks are centred around the accelerated production, circulation, and the consumption of fashion in the 21st century. So we thought it might be an opportune moment to explore the temporal character of fashion from a historical perspective.”
A new Breitling watch commemorates the longest-ever partnership between a watch brand and an automobile manufacturer. The Breitling Premier Bentley Mulliner Limited Edition. Bentley’s partnership with Breitling can be traced back to 2002, when the iconic automotive brand was designing its legendary Continental GT. Bentley commissioned Breitling to create an onboard clock. The … Read more
This season, Berluti collaborates with British hand-crafted luggage brand Globe-Trotter to create a Travel Capsule collection featuring for the first time Berluti’s SIGNATURE Canvas.
@berluti x @globe-trotter
Artistic Director Kris Van Assche’s aim was to create a collection with a shared philosophy. “At the heart of both our work are quality and know-how that have remained unaltered throughout history.”
The Berluti x Globe-Trotter Travel Capsule includes eight hard cases in different formats. The pieces were unveiled at the Berluti Winter 2020 Show and will be available In-Store and on the E-Shop starting April 2020.
Each Berluti case is the result of combined expertise, starting with the solid yet lightweight base of Globe-Trotter’s luggage – obtained through a process in which 14 layers of Japanese paper are compressed to form an organically-textured shell -, and then completed with Berluti’s brand new SIGNATURE Canvas and iconic details, including hand patinated Venezia leather handles and corners, leather straps and nickel hardware engraved with the Maison’s logo, mostly assembled with the same set of tools Globe-Trotter has been using since its foundation.
The Globe-Trotter Travel Capsule includes eight hard cases in different formats: 2 rolling suitcases, a shoe trunk holding up to eight pairs of shoes, a shoe care kit case and a watch box, as well as day-to-day accessories such as a messenger bag, a backpack and a briefcase.
Globe-Trotter’s collaborations include projects with Paul Smith, England Polo, The Goring Hotel, and James Bond’s franchise No Time to Die.
Bond is back, and so is the official 007 luggage collection from Globe-Trotter.
Inspired by the suitcases created specially for the film, the No Time To Die luxury luggage collection from Globe-Trotter is the ultimate travel companion.
The brand-new vulcanised fibreboard suitcase is available in both carry-on and check-in sizes, with an innovative four-wheel design for adventure and espionage on every level. The case is available in a statement Ocean Green colourway, contrasted with stylish black leather trim. A matching luggage tag embossed with the No Time To Die logo completes the look.
New Fiat 500 “la Prima”. All-new, all 500, all-electric, all-in. Starring Leonardo di Caprio.
Bvlgari Fiat B.500 Mai Troppo; @FCA
Fiat debuts the new Fiat 500, the first fully electric FCA car. The third generation of the Fiat 500 is completely new: more space, higher technology, a new style, but still a Cinquecento. Fiat also launched three one-offs to be auctioned for charity: the Fiat 500 Giorgio Armani, the B.500 ‘Mai Troppo’ (Never Too Much) by Bvlgari and the Fiat 500 Kartell. Leonardo di Caprio is the ambassador of the project.
All the proceeds from the sale of the three unique models – the 500 Giorgio Armani, the B.500 “MAI TROPPO” by Bvlgari and the 500 Kartell – will go to one of Leonardo Di Caprio’s environmental organizations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9_upuvzDIY
Created with a common desire to increase sustainability and make a change, the project celebrates the arrival of the first fully electric FCA car from the outset.
The 500 has always been an Italian icon and is the best-selling FCA car globally. Fiat has selected the very best in Italian excellence for the New 500 project – Armani, Bvlgari and Kartell. Bringing together their values has brought to life three very special one-off creations, marked out in particular by their style, creativity and craftsmanship, based on the use of natural, recycled and regenerated materials.
2020 Fiat 500 by Giorgio Armani car; @FCA
2020 Fiat 500 by Giorgio Armani
Only Giorgio Armani, the undisputed king of Italian elegance, could interpret the style of New 500 with timeless tailoring and sustainability at its core. Using laser technology, Armani shaped the metal covering of the car’s bodywork with exclusive micro-chevron engraving, bringing it as close as possible to the texture of fabric. The result is further enhanced by an Armani grey-green “silk effect” colour. Even more so, the paint used for the exterior is innovative “top coat airlite”, made up of titanium oxide, which absorbs pollutants.
In addition, the “GA” logo is a strong feature of the wheel design and is also featured on the fabric of the soft top, while the amber-coloured windows raise the car’s level of sophistication.
The neutral and elegant nuances continue in the interior: the seats are upholstered in certified full-grain natural leather, sourced from Poltrona Frau, in a “greyge” colour with micro-chevron wool piping, embellished with details inspired by the craftsmanship of leather goods.
The natural materials are also emphasised by the sculptured dashboard insert, covered with reconstituted open-pore wood and embellished with thin layers of aluminium, inspired by the elegance and modernity of the Armani/Casa line.
The creation features a golden pearlescent paint, an iconic shade at Bvlgari inspired by the chromatic variegation of Roman sunsets. The “saffron” paint emphasises the character of the car as a “jewel”, based on the inclusion of gold powder, recovered from the scraps of the brand’s jewellery production. In addition to the “saffron” paint, the B.500 has side sills and front mouldings processed using a glazing technique; specifically designed wheels in the form of a star, the historical symbol of Bvlgari, along with black lacquer with gold trim and a side “jewel” badge in polished gold, with a diamond-paved B.500 logo.
The philosophy of re-use continues in the interiors, with a dashboard fascia made even more elegant by its upholstery with heritage Bvlgari silk scarves from the collections of the past. The seats are in teal embroidered leather, gold details and scarf inserts. The true jewel of the interior is three semi-precious stones – amethyst, topaz and citrine – set in a removable brooch, made by the master goldsmiths at Bvlgari and placed in the centre of the steering wheel.
2020 Fiat 500 Kartell; @FCA
2020 Fiat 500 Kartell
Creativity and innovation are the elements of inspiration for the Fiat 500 Kartell, from the iconic brand of Italian industrial design, which constantly experiments and researches new aesthetic and functional values for plastics. In recent years, Kartell has been involved in developing increasingly sustainable plastics.
The exterior features a “monoblock colour” concept where the different types of materials – metal, glass, rubber, plastic and fabric – are interpreted in the same colour: Kartell blue, derived from Yves Klein blue, an iconic hue of the brand. The surfaces of the bodywork are mirror-effect Kartell blue, obtained with environmentally friendly chrome paint. The two brands’ logos stand out from the bodywork thanks to treatment with a sandblasted polycarbonate, to convey a sense of depth.
The most symbolic elements of the exterior are the components made of recycled polycarbonate from end-of-life parabolic projectors, used in the front grille, wheels and mirror caps. These objects feature a unique design inspired by the pattern of Kartell’s Kabuki lamp, created and developed as a motif to lead the new car’s identity, with unique details that recall the texture of the lamp and become special elements of the car. The Kabuki pattern can be found throughout the interior, with a polycarbonate cover on the dashboard insert and on the seats.
The contrast between the Kartell blue of the exterior and the brightness of the interior is striking, providing a clear and light environment and combining warm and cool tones. The tactile plastics used in the interior are 100% recycled polypropylene, just like the chairs from the latest Kartell collection. The fabrics take on a natural, cosy look created using fully recycled polyester.
2020 Fiat 500 La Prima electric car; @FCA
Range and charging times are two key issues for electric car customers.
The lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 42 kWh give the New 500 a range of up to 320 km in the WLTP cycle.
To optimize charging time, the New 500 is equipped with an 85 kW fast charger system to charge the battery very quickly. For example, it takes only 5 minutes to build up a sufficient energy reserve to travel 50 kilometers, more than is needed for average daily use. And the fast charger can also charge the battery to 80% in just 35 minutes. The Combo 2 socket located on the rear right-side panel of the car powers the fast charger, for both AC and DC charging.
The engine has an output of 87 kW, providing a maximum speed of 150 km/h (self-limited) and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 9.0 seconds and 0-50 km/h in 3.1 seconds.
Bvlgari Fiat B.500 Mai Troppo; @FCABvlgari Fiat B.500 Mai Troppo; @FCA;Bvlgari Fiat B.500 Mai Troppo; @FCA;2020 Fiat 500 Kartell; @FCA2020 Fiat 500 by Giorgio Armani car; @FCA
Is all about celebrating the finer pleasures in life: Elite Moonphase Romeo Y Julieta. Elite Moonphase: Zenith and Habanos took their long-standing partnership to the next level with the first special edition watch for Romeo y Julieta cigars, the Elite Moonphase Romeo y Julieta. Last week, Zenith CEO Julien Tornare and Habanos VP … Read more
