Monthly Archives: January 2012

By ERICA M. BLUMENTHAL at TheNewYorkTimes

A new social-network shopping site, motilo.com, with links to high fashion e-commerce sites, makes online shopping with friends more like the real thing.

Think of it as Polyvore meets Facebook. Register and invite friends to create head-to-toe looks, all the while video-chatting with your fashion buddies. “It’s that power of referral that will often help tip you into making a purchase,” said Sofia Barattieri di San Pietro, the site’s chief executive, who came up with the idea on a shopping trip to Paris with a friend. All of the items featured are linked to retailers like net-a-porter.com and farfetch.com.

You will also find photo shoots; outfits put together by contributing stylists, including Anna Dello Russo, the designer Laetitia Crahay and the French fashion journalist Mademoiselle Agnès; and fashion available only on the site. Up now: the Muzungu Sisters, a collection of handmade pieces — Moroccan caftans, a Peruvian multicolor bolero — that the friends Tatiana Santo Domingo and Dana Alikhani have collected on their worldly travels.

  

By Christoph Rauwald at The Wall Street Journal

“If we bring this [SUV] to the market it will be positioned significantly above the vehicles that are currently available in this segment,” Bentley brand chief Wolfgang Duerheimer said Tuesday. Bentley also is considering new versions of its Continental model, he said.

U.K.-based Bentley said it swung to a profit in 2011 after two years of losses, helped by a 37% rise in sales to 7,003 vehicles, though it declined to disclose detailed full-year profit figures. In the January-to-September period last year, Bentley narrowed its operating loss to €6 million ($7.8 million) from €145 million in the same period in 2010.

Volkswagen, due to post full-year earnings for all its brands in early March, is set to make a final decision on Bentley’s SUV project “in the first quarter” of 2012, Mr. Duerheimer said. He added that he expects “a positive decision.”

In the meantime, Mr. Duerheimer said, strong global demand for Bentley’s Continental and Mulsanne models are likely to sustain sales this year. Bentley has “ambitious but realistic plans which reflect global economic conditions as much as our new product lineup,” he said.

Sales growth is likely to be “in the double-digit range” this year and could approach a record if the economic environment doesn’t deteriorate, Mr. Duerheimer said. He added that earnings also are expected to improve this year as Bentley keeps costs under control.

Mr. Duerheimer’s comments underscore how international demand for Europe’s luxury-car output continues to offset regional economic problems for manufacturers, with record sales for Volkswagen’s premium Audi brand as well as rivals such as BMW AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz.

Volkswagen’s growth plans for Bentley could mirror the expansion of models at Volkswagen affiliate Porsche Automobil Holding SE, said Mr. Duerheimer, a former head of research and development at Porsche’s sports-car unit. Bentley might launch derivatives of its Continental model, similar to what Porsche did with its 911 model, he added. Porsche’s SUV, known as the Cayenne, has been a hit since its launch in 2002.

“I can well imagine a new two-seater coupe, a racing version and a car with a new roof system,” Mr. Duerheimer said, referring to possible new versions of the Continental.

The U.S. continued to be Bentley’s largest market last year, with 2,021 cars sold—up 32% from 2010. China came in second. Sales volume there doubled to 1,839 cars last year.

Bentley sales in Continental Europe increased 53% to 1,187 cars, driven by strong demand in Germany. Bentley said it faced difficulties in the U.K. during recent months, but sales there still rose 5% to 1,031 cars in 2011.

Mr. Duerheimer said he sees further growth potential in the U.S., China and Europe, particularly in Switzerland, Austria, the Balkans and Russia.

Volkswagen, the biggest European auto manufacturer, bought Bentley in 1998 from Vickers PLC after a bidding war with BMW. Bentley was spun off from Rolls-Royce Motors, with the Rolls-Royce automotive brand ending up part of BMW. Rolls-Royce sales rose 41% to 2,441 vehicles in the first nine months of 2011, according to the latest BMW data.

  

by CPP-Luxury.com

CARTIER Time Art Exhibition at Artscience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Cartier opened earlier this month its highly anticipated Time Art exhibition at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. The exhibition marks the first time Cartier is showcasing such a sizeable collection of the brand’s work outside of Switzerland.Apart from discovering the history behind wristwatches through the very first collections of Santos and Tank watches, the guests, for the first time, witnessed the largest public display of mystery clocks.

These clocks are famous not only for the method that the clocks display time, but also for the fine intricate work in each creation.The 158 historical timepieces that will be presented at the ArtScience Museum have been selected from the treasures of the Cartier Collection, a unique array of vintage Cartier objects that date from its origins through to the present day. These artifacts are often exhibited in the world’s most important museums. Emblematic creations, such as theFor almost four years, Cartier’s Fine Watchmaking Collection has evolved from an unprecedented wave of creativity, where the innovation and imagination of Cartier’s designer-watchmakers have been combined with the expertise and excellence of the Manufacture’s craftsmen.

Santos wristwatch (designed in 1904 as a custom made watch and released in 1911), the large Portique mystery clock (1923) with the mysterious Billiken figure on it, a very rare jumping-hour pocket watch with a transparent case and the exceptional 1928 Tortue watch with minute-repeater, will be joined by the largest collection of mystery clocks ever displayed in public in one place, all waiting to be discovered. Following the exhibition, the guests can enjoy the Cartier ‘Gentleman’s Club’ and the Cartier ‘Lounge Club’ which were created within the museum itself. The exhibition will run from December 14th 2011 to February 12th 2012.

  

By Kayla Hutzler at Luxury Daily

French fashion empire Hermès has created a microsite called Hearts and Crafts that showcases the detailed craftsmanship and quality of its products through inside glimpses into the making of its branded products.

The Hermès Hearts and Crafts site features videos and interviews with the designers and employees behind the brand, from leather-cutters to silk-drawers. The Web site also features a full-length movie that was first shown in select movie theaters and museums this past fall.

Hermés’ microsite

“Through this new site, Hermès provides glimpses into their company and how their products are hand-produced,” said Dalia Strum, president of Dalia Inc., New York.

“More importantly, they are giving a voice to the craftsmanship of how Hermès is actually created,” she said. “It’s inspirational, as each worker truly has a passion for their vocation.” Ms. Strum is not affiliated with Hermès , but agreed to comment as a third-party expert. Hermès did not respond by press deadline.

Starring role The microsite can be found at http://hermesheartsandcrafts.net and is divided into four sections: The Film, The Craftsmen, The Visitor’s Book and Scheduling.

Hermès also gives site visitors a chance to change the language of the site in the upper-right-hand corner. The welcoming page features the title of the site, a subtitle that reads “the people that make Hermès” and an invitation to watch the feature film, which was created by Frédéric Laffont and Isabelle Dupuy-Chavanat.

The film is 48-minutes-long and spends about five to eight minutes each with various Hermès employees.

A leather cutter is featured in the video

A majority of the employees speak in their native French language and describe how they arrived at Hermès while going through their daily tasks. The video includes subtitles.

The video contains a sharing icon that lets viewers post the video to Facebook and Twitter or email it to friends.

The Hermès video played from August-November last year in more than 20 cities including Milan, Tokyo and New York.

Smooth selling Hermès’ Hearts and Crafts microsite also contains a tab dedicated to 10 of the behind-the-scenes employees of the brand.

The workers include a leather cutter, a saddler, a jeweler, two leather craftsmen, a polisher, two glass-makers, a drawer on silk objects and a colorist.

Each craftsmen has his or her own page within the tab that displays a picture and short text as well as a video.

The videos are one-and-a-half minutes long and highly serious. They explain what makes that individual so dedicated to their job at Hermès and how they became employed there.

The microsite also features a Visitors’ Book section.

Elise is a colorist for the brand

Under this tab, Web site visitors can share their thoughts and opinions on the microsite content, the feature film and the Hermès brand.

Hermès has been pushing the microsite though their Facebook page by posting links to the page and to the film.

Opening up the world of Hermès and showing the time, dedication and passion that is necessary to make the products helps Hermès defend its luxury status and explain its high-prices. “It’s important for luxury brands to provide behind-the-scenes glimpses to truly appreciate the heart, soul and craftsmanship that goes into each individual item,” Ms. Strum said. “In terms of Hermès’ luxury aspect, being able to actually see each item being handcrafted as opposed to manufactured in a factory, increases their individual value,” she said. “They are truly artistic pieces, created from the genuine passion of each artisan.”

  

Kunis appears with new versions of the Miss Dior handbag.

By MILES SOCHA at WWD

PARIS — Christian Dior is doing a fashion pas de deux with one of Hollywood’s hottest young talents.

“Black Swan” star Mila Kunis has been named a new face of the French house, and will appear in its spring fashion campaign, shot by Mikael Jansson and slated to break this month in international editions of Elle, Vogue and Madame Figaro, starting with China on Jan. 15, followed by Italy, Russia and France.

It is to debut in the U.S. in The New York Times on Jan. 29, followed by a range of American monthlies, including Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar.

“Mila Kunis is a very talented young actress; she embodies the true modern woman. Her performance in ‘Black Swan’ was remarkable. She is very gifted,” said Delphine Arnault, deputy general manager at Dior, lauding Kunis’ youthful energy. “We are looking forward to a long relationship with her.”

Arnault declined to disclose budgets, but described a “worldwide media plan” for the campaign.

Kunis was one of the most bankable magazine cover stars in 2011, and she exudes a smoldering chic — dressed mostly in black — in the new Dior spots, which showcase the latest versions of the Miss Dior handbag.

“I’m honestly just learning about fashion,” Kunis told WWD exclusively in a telephone interview, confessing she’s more of a “jeans and T-shirt” type. But on the eve of awards season, the Ukraine-born actress is relishing the chance to don Dior’s glamorous gowns.

“In my daily life, I don’t wear the most feminine pieces. But I love to feel feminine when I’m on the red carpet,” Kunis said, adding that Dior’s dresses exalt the figure. “I find that Dior is an incredibly grounded house. I always thought what Dior does is so sophisticated, feminine and beautiful.”

Kunis won wide acclaim for her turn in the 2010 ballet-themed Darren Aronofsky film, scooping up a Premio Marcello Mastroianni award for best young actor or actress at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. Her “Black Swan” performance also won her nominations for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award. (more…)

  

by Verena von Pfetten  at StyleIt

How will we remember 2011? Probably as The Year When All That Stuff Happened. There was no shortage of scandal and intrigue, public unrest and famous people dying. But there were also weddings, births, record-breaking auctions and amazing clothes presented on every catwalk. Which is why we’d like to remember this year’s best moments in fashion — as a reminder that when the rest of the world talks, the fashion world listens, responds and grows.

There’s nothing we love more than a good fashion video, but while the industry just loves to masquerade marketing in movie form, not all YouTube clips are created equal. And that’s why we took it upon ourselves to compile the 11 most entertaining fashion videos of 2011. Some are branded, some are personal, and some are just downright hilarious. (We’re looking at you, Kate Moss.) Take a look and tell us which one was your favorite.

Karen Elson, Raquel Zimmermann, & Alber Elbaz Dance Adorably For Lanvin

Lanvin had Karen Elson, Raquel Zimmermann, Lowell Tautchin, Milo Spijkers, and Alber Elbaz dance toPitbull‘s “I Know You Want Me”, and it’s totally amazing. The models (and Alber!) all adorably perform a routine that’s offbeat in every sense of the word. It totally reminds us of dancing in front of our bedroom mirror with our best friend when we were ten. It helps that the clothes are great too, of course.

Drunk Dude Vacuums Hotel Bed In Marc Jacobs Lady Dress

This resort preview is totally irreverent, starring a beer-guzzling guy vacuuming a hotel bed while wearing a $5700 embroidered dress and $595 plastic and lace pumps. The entire thing was shot in black and white, save for the green frock and shoes. And it’s so quintessentially Marc.

Chanel Cosmetics Dance Better Than You Do

This video involves characters cleverly crafted out of Chanel makeup products and tools. SO CLEVER. And the plot? “[The] characters embark on a journey that begins with a lipstick-powered automaton blasting through the clouds and ends on more familiar ground, with a model whose chic ensemble channels Mme Chanel herself.” You really have to watch it for yourself to understand the awesomeness. But trust us, it’s awesome.

Kate Moss Gets Drunk With A Depressed Teddy Bear

Meet Misery Bear. According to his website, he’s the “loneliest, saddest and drunkest bear in the world. Nothing ever goes his way… and he’s just trying to get through his depressing life in one piece. He drinks too much, hates his job, and can’t get a girlfriend.” Until the day he decided to spend 24 hours on a bouncy ball, meets Kate Moss, gets drunk, and realizes that even supermodels have their psychotic tendencies.

Tavi Gevinson Sings A Gorgeous Cover Of Joni Mitchell

If you needed another reason to love Tavi Gevinson, her gorgeous cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Case of You” (which she dedicated to Mindy Kaling, natch) should do nicely.

The Most Amazing Makeup Tutorial Of All Time

Cassandra posts tons of makeup tutorials under the YouTube name DiamondsandHeels14, and while the video in question is a year old, it only went viral this year. Cassandra suffers from severe cystic acne — the kind that no amount of medicine can seem to clear up. However, you would have absolutely no clue thanks to her flawless makeup job. We think it’s incredibly brave for Cassandra to show viewers what her skin looks like sans cosmetics, and pretty damn empowering to see how she deals with her insecurity. Three words: you go, girl. Also, do our makeup some time?

Bergdorfs Serves Up Holiday Spirit With A Side Of PUPPIES

Get ready, because this one is a tearjerker! For this year’s holiday video, Bergdorf Goodman went to the dogs. In what is ultimately the most adorable piece of luxury marketing we’ve ever seen, a group of well, erm, groomed canines take over NYC’s fanciest department store for some doggy-inspired holiday shopping. Watch whether or not you love dogs — and finish it for the seriously heart-warming ending.

Zombie Boy Sells Us What May Be The World’s Best Concealer

If you’ve ever wondered what Zombie Boy looks like without all his prodigious body art, this commercial forDermablend Leg and Body Cover will blow your mind.

Beyonce Tames A Hyena In Givenchy Haute Couture

We’re pretty sure the Fashion (with a capital F) in this video is what made this song so successful. Givenchy Haute Couture, Alexander McQueen, Norma Kamali, Pucci, and Gareth Pugh are just a few of the designers whose fierce creations make this video an optical explosion.

Awesome Step Team Breaks It Down In Target Frocks

This clip stars the Bronx’s Bad News step team performing in a number of Target’s re-released Go International dresses (and super cool glasses!). We love it not only for the clothes, but because of the girls’ sick moves.

Zooey Deschanel Goes Back To The Future In Courrèges

The video for “Don’t Look Back” by She & Him (yes, Zooey Deschanel’s band) begins with a dedication of sorts: “In appreciation of the stylists and designers of America,” the screen reads. The highly stylized Jeremy Konner-directed vid has Deschanel rocking Courrèges and Miu Miu, and a group dance number is more than a little reminiscent of those awesome Gap khaki ads from the ’90s. Maybe that’s the point! The whole thing reminds us how annoyingly twee Deschanel is, yet we love her all the same.

  

By Barbara Mcmahon by Mail Online

Roman Abramovich’s annual New Year’s Eve party in St Barts is one of the biggest showbiz events of the year. But looking at the guestlist this year, the invitation could have easily read ‘bring your own trophy wife/girlfriend’ given the age gaps on show. While the Russian oligarch, 45, was hosting the party with his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova, 30, a host of celebrity men arrived on the arms of their much younger partners.

Lets party! Roman Abramovich and girlfriend Dasha Zhukova chat to Wendi Murdoch at their New Year’s Eve party in St Barts

Welcoming in 2012: Wendi (far left) and husband Rupert Murdoch (2nd right) await the fireworks

Among them was media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, 80, and wife Wendi, 43; music mogul Russell Simmons, 54, and actress girlfriend Melissa George, 35; film producer Harvey Weinstein, 59, and fashion designer wife Georgina Champman,35; and George Lucas, 67, and his partner Mellody Hobson, 42.

On Saturday night, the Russian oligarch opened his French Caribbean paradise, the 70-acre Gouverneur Bay Estate, to 400 guests for a New Year’s Eve party.

(more…)

  

by The Telegraph

Sydney put on a spectacular 12-minute pyrotechnic display that drew more than   1.5 million people to the Australian city’s harbourside.