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.

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

Prada handbags epitomize style and luxury in the designer handbag industry. In existence for almost a century, The House of Prada is a world-wide pioneer in simple, elegant, high-fashion handbags and purses. In 1913 the Prada label was founded by Mario Prada. Prada began by selling shoes, leather handbags, and trunks, and in a short time received widespread recognition with success in Europe and the US, and later opened two boutiques in Milan.

The early, signature Prada suitcase was made from a heavy walrus skin, which was not well suited for air travel, so Prada began to concentrate on fine leather handbags and accessories, incorporating new materials such as crystal, tortoise shell, and wood. Waterproof garments were also sold in US markets. With all of Prada’s successes, the company nonetheless began to decline in the 1970s, but a new age in history of Prada was on the horizon.

 Although is was well-made and practical, it was also high fashion and came with the high fashion price tag. This launched a whole industry of fashion replicas, which fueled the desire to own an authentic Prada handbag.

Valentino Rouches Napa Hobo is a new item from its spring bag collection, which definitely belong to a love or hate purse. If you are feeling or want to feel flirty, feminine and romantic, this one is just what’s you want, but if you try to create an experienced and capable image, this one would not your style. As for me, this Valentino piece is fabulous for its distinctive design and nice, staple color which can give me a fresh and unique spring.

Available in delightful ivory and timeless black leather, without its iconic rose design, this Valentino Purse creates something new and rare by the allover sculptural ruffles which are exquisitely accented up by contrast topstitching. Thanks to its refined craftsmanship and ingenious design, the purse would make you standing out among the crowd whenever and wherever you go. Moreover, it features gunmetal hardware, magnetic snap top and hanging logo tag which greatly ensure its form and function.

At very first sight, you may have the same wrong judgment as me that this fashion handbag is released by the house of bottega veneta. No, it is latest handbag from the U.S. fashion house, Coach. For the fashionable ladies, the woven leather handbags are not something new, but for the house of coach, it is indeed a fresh creation in this spring and summer. I guess after my introduction, a great many ladies would make a decision to add this coach Kristin woven leather drawstring large hobo into this season handbags collection.

Illustrated with the graceful white leather, this coach handbag is accented up with a touch of classic sophistication of woven details. Adorned with signature hand tags and premium detailing, the purse is suffused with modernity and delicateness as a designer purse. The drawstring design at the front of the bag gives the entirety a hint of distinctiveness, as well as can be used to adjust the size and change the shape of its appearance. In the hot and shiny summer days, this elegant white bag is just like a gentle breeze to add coolness.