Luxury World

WHILST we wait for climate appropriate outings for our leg-lengthening trousers and investment coats, what can one buy now, wear now but will still revere when the big chill is upon us? Dancing forward from the pre-collections is the kilt – complete with the time-honoured pleats, buckles and heritage spirit. Hannah MacGibbon for Chloe showed a killer take – re-spun with an asymmetric hem and a subtle black watch check. Miu Miu and Burberry London played them out with micro-hems and Ivy League pep. They feel just right now with a buttoned-up blouse, and a stretch of sun-blushed leg. Finish with preppy loafers or a mannish boot (think Liv Tyler in Empire Records – but remember a polished Chelsea boot moves it away from teen spirit Dr M’s). Later in the season make it a principle part of your layered look with woolly tights, high-heel hikers, Scandinavian knits, and a Mod cool parka (Vanessa Bruno’s is a hit, as is Rochas). On the catwalk, Newarthill-born Christopher Kane upgraded the school skirts of his youth, presenting a silver-buckled black kilt with Savile Row credentials (each skirt is handcrafted from over four metres of the finest Italian wool and takes two days to produce), that will have grown-ups delighting in it’s graceful swoosh. Clever Clare Waight Keller of Pringle of Scotland offered several conceptual updates, with hip tiers and leather straps, but the triumph was surely the shearling-lined number. We would give it a warm welcome into our wardrobes any day.

If you haven’t noticed, Rado has been engaged in a serious new brand push this year – trying to make themselves more relevant in the Western world. Any why shouldn’t they? Rado is the quintessential ceramic watch brand, and ceramic watches couldn’t be hotter. Rado really doesn’t want you to forget that they were one of the main reasons ceramic watches are as popular as they are. While most brands are stuck on black or white ceramic, Rado offers more colors. These Centrix pieces (for men and women) are in a silver-toned ceramic.

The larger men’s version has an automatic Swiss ETA movement, and a rather handsome appearance. The nice classy look is enhanced by the highly durable and long lasting ceramic case material. There are also Jubile models for women with mother-of-pearl dials and diamond accents. Available soon, these watches should have a starting price of about 570 euros.

Longines is proud to be the official partner and timekeeper for the Roland Garros French Open. In an extension of this partnership with the world of tennis, Longines has also become the official timekeeper for the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championship and of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf, that legendary pair of champions, are also Ambassadors of Elegance for the Swiss watch brand.

Now Longines is extending its commitment within the world of tennis by sponsoring the “Real Tennis HD” game on the iPad.

Meet up with the greatest players on the circuit in the best tennis game on iPad! Use the “accelerometer” controls to serve, as well as a joystick for a truly intuitive control method! Participate in Career mode and progress in the various tournaments on clay, grass or synthetic courts. Test your racquet skills against your friends in local multiplayer mode!

FOOTWEAR designer Michael Lewis has not only been recruited by Tom Ford to consult on his forthcoming womenswear collection but has just been snapped up by Harvey Nichols.

“Avril Oates came to our presentation in Paris and showed real enthusiasm when she saw the collection,” said Lewis. “It’s wonderful because buyers have so many individual designers and brands to see on their trips and crazy schedules, so to be seen and stocked by the best is a true compliment.”

 Lewis began working with Tom Ford in April this year and in May signed up to design footwear for Versace. Why does he feel his designs have such a broad appeal?

“When Tom offered me the position I can only describe it as having arrived,” Lewis told us. “Why I was chosen, only Tom can answer that question but I would like to think it had something to do with having no ego and feeling comfortable with the vision of Tom’s brand.”

In May Lewis was awarded NEWGEN sponsorship and will exhibit his own collection at Somerset House this September as a part of London Fashion Week. He has previously worked for Burberry and Marc Jacobs but it is Jacobs who, he says, gave him the ultimate design education.

“Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs were to become my true education in designing footwear,” he said. “Marc hired me with very little experience and I was both terrified and ecstatic! Together with Marc we would have shoe fittings for sometimes up to six hours – non stop developing and evolving product from concept through to completion.”

Michael Lewis’ footwear is currently sold at Dover Street Market.

Burberry  AND Burberry

LUXURY French label Hermès is celebrating its iconic scarves by launching a fanzine, website and a series of events showing fans how to wear the brand’s signature piece.

Hot off the back of Burberry’s successful Art of the Trench project, Hermès has unveiled its J’aime mon carré (I love my scarf) campaign. The label has recruited British photographer Matt Irwin and stylist Francesca Burns to create the project which sees four women wearing their favourite scarves.

According to WWD, the brand will soon launch a standalone website – jaimemoncarre.com – which will offer instructions on how to wear and knot your Hermès scarf. The site will also feature information on special scarf related events.

PETER MARINO, the architect behind Louis Vuitton’s new flagship “Maison” store in London, wants to rejuvenate the way luxury stores are designed.

“I want to be the first person to animate bags – everything done for handbags bores me to tears,” said Marino. “I want to make it more playful.”

Marino has previously created stores for iconic names including Chanel, Fendi, Dior and Zegna. The architect describes how he was the first to bring natural light into department stores, stemming from his own claustrophobia.

“[In my stores] there are no dead rooms,” he said to the International Herald Tribune. “It is in on one way, back out of the other – it is my humanistic side.”

Yves Carcelle, chairman and ceo of Louis Vuitton relies heavily on Marino’s input explaining how the architect has been involved in three “grand projects” in the last 18 months.

“We have an internal structure of architecture and every two weeks meet to look at all projects,” said Carcelle. “The team meets with Peter for two to three hours, I come in towards the end and generally Bernard Arnault then comes to encourage pushing forward the concepts in terms of ideas.”

THE London Fashion Week schedule is in: Micheal Van Der Ham, Mary Katrantzou, David Koma and Holly Fulton will make their catwalk debuts in September, while Swedish fashion house Acne will also show in London.

The mega stars are sticking around, too: Matthew Williamson, Antonio Berardi, Burberry Prosum and Jonathan Saunders will show for the third consecutive season.

And Giles Deacon is coming back, having shown in Paris for two seasons running.   
“Giles is a quintessential London label and I am extremely happy to be showing in London after two successful seasons in Paris,” said Deacon.
 
Another newcomer to grace the event’s catwalk include Savile Row tailor and ex Givenchy creative director Ozwald Boateng who will show menswear.

JUSTINE PICARDIE will bring a touch of Chanel to the proceedings of this year’s Port Eliot Festival. The author will launch her new book, Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life at its first Port Eliot Flower Show.
 
“I am delighted to be launching my new book about Coco Chanel on the Flower Show stage of the Port Eliot Festival. The language of flowers is part of Chanel’s legacy as a designer and creator of perfumes; the camellia a legendary element in her iconography, while rose and jasmine are essential to Chanel No.5,” says Picardie, who will share her Chanel findings.
 
The Port Eliot Festival will also include fashionable offerings from Barbara Hulanicki and Luella Bartley, who will be creating outfits for visitors to their new Fashion Tent, while Anna Sui will also present her new book.

As if you need another reason to love Las Vegas, Macanudo®, America’s number-one-selling premium cigar brand is teaming up Playboy to offer the opportunity to win an all-expense paid, three-day, two night trip to the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and the chance to win $2 million.

Debo Mukherjee, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of Macanudo comments, “The Macanudo Millionaire contest generated tremendous buzz and excitement last year. It was only fitting that we decided to run it again, this time upping the ante to $2,000,000. A weekend in Las Vegas, complete with a VIP evening at the Playboy Club epitomizes the brand’s connection to socializing with friends. The $2,000,000 prize speaks for itself.”

Saul wanted to create a fashion miu miu handbags brand that had echoes of a traditional English country, gentry lifestyle yet also was cutting edge enough to attract fashion conscious women of the day. Coupled with exquisite leather workmanship the miu miu bag soon became renowned for style and quality of the miu miu bags .

However, Mulber