Luxist http://www.luxist.com Luxist http://www.luxist.com/media/feedlogo.gif Luxist http://www.luxist.com en-us Copyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/The Classicist: The Henley Royal Regattahttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/30/the-classicist-the-henley-royal-regatta/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/30/the-classicist-the-henley-royal-regatta/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/30/the-classicist-the-henley-royal-regatta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Earlier this month we reported on the Royal Ascot races, one of the highlights of the English social season. This week ushers in another classic British sporting event-cum-society pageant, the Henley Royal Regatta. The five-day Regatta, held on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, takes place over the first weekend of every July and runs from Wednesday the 2nd through Sunday the 6th this year.

International crews compete in various races at the Regatta, which has been held every year since 1839 except during the two World Wars, the main event being the Grand Challenge Cup for Men's Eights. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort, became the Regatta's first Royal Patron in 1851, a tradition carried on by the reigning monarch ever since, though unlike Royal Ascot they don't always deign to attend.

Even more so than at Ascot, Henley provides an opportunity for aristocrats from the sporting and social sets to dress in that distinctively British style which has inspired so many fashion designers over the decades. The commercialization of Henley, unlike Ascot, Wimbledon and cricket at Lord's, has been slower to take hold, and as Godfrey Smith writes in The English Season, it is something of "an Edwardian time warp."

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]]>British RoyaltyBritish styleBritishRoyaltyBritishStyleEnglandEnglish societyEnglishSocietyHenleyHenley Royal RegattaHenleyRoyalRegattaPimmsRegattasRowingRoyal AscotRoyal FamilyRoyalAscotRoyalFamilySporting eventsSportingEventsThamesJared Paul Stern2008-06-30T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: Veuve Clicquot Clicks with Riva Yachtshttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/23/the-classicist-veuve-clicquot-clicks-with-riva-yachts/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/23/the-classicist-veuve-clicquot-clicks-with-riva-yachts/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/23/the-classicist-veuve-clicquot-clicks-with-riva-yachts/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Renowned French champagne house Veuve Clicquot has teamed up with luxury Italian motoryacht maker Riva to produce an amazing new Grande Dame Cruise Collection of coolers and accessories for discerning yachtsmen. It's nothing short of a match made in style heaven of two very chic European marques. The top offering from the collaboration is an $80,000 made-to-order cruising trunk that resembles a small boat in itself and harks back to the golden age of traveling in style which we reminisced about recently. For something done on such a grand scale it's rather refined, a luxurious design without resorting to odious "bling" to attract those with more money than sense.

The trunk comes packed with four bottles (1988) and two magnums (1998) of Clicquot's coveted La Grande Dame champagne, six Riedel crystal champagne flutes and elegant table settings for six people. A smaller limited edition Cruiser Bag comes with a single bottle of Grande Dame and two flutes for more intimate occasions, and a matching ice bucket is crafted with marine flair to spare. All pieces feature the same lacquer work, mahogany inlay, chrome detailing and leather trim found on Riva's beautiful boats.

Riva, which dates from the 1800s, is an icon of the Italian Riviera's Dolce Vita style. The company first captured the attention of movie stars and the international jet set in the '50s. Its classic wooden craft, which inspired the Cruise Collection, have been owned by the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Aristotle Onassis and Prince Ranier of Monaco. Their yachts, including more modern designs, can be seen at the chic European seaside resorts where the bon ton gather, and they have their own line of elegant nautical-inspired clothing as well.

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]]>Brigitte BardotBrigitteBardotChampagneDolce VitaDolceVitaFranceItalian styleItalianStyleItalyRiedelRivaRivieraSophia LorenSophiaLorenveuve clicquotVeuveClicquotWooden boatsWoodenBoatsYachtingYachtsJared Paul Stern2008-06-23T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: Land Rover Celebrates 60 Years at the Tophttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/16/the-classicist-land-rover-celebrates-60-years-at-the-top/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/16/the-classicist-land-rover-celebrates-60-years-at-the-top/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/16/the-classicist-land-rover-celebrates-60-years-at-the-top/#commentsFiled under: ,


2008 is the 60th anniversary of storied British SUV manufacturer Land Rover, and to mark the occasion the company has embarked on a "Choice of Experts" tour showcasing its capabilities. The other day we caught up with them at the historic Astor Courts in Rhinebeck, N.Y, designed by Stanford White as a country retreat for John Jacob Astor IV in 1902. It was the perfect setting for a brand that has come to signify rugged elegance and luxurious rusticity, and while there we got the opportunity to drive a new Range Rover Sport on a hazardous off-road course that showed style and comfort needn't sacrifice anything in the way of practical ability.

We've owned both Land Rovers and Range Rovers over the years, and though these days we don't particularly miss pulling up to the gas pump we certainly pine for them whenever the weather turns particularly nasty or we're called upon to do even the slightest bit of off-roading, so it was something of a treat. Land Rover and especially the Range Rover is the automotive embodiment of a distinctly English aesthetic - regular readers of The Classicist will recognize this as a recurring motif - as portrayed in books like Bernhard Roetzel's British Tradition. The luxe Range Rover was first introduced in 1970, expanding upon the utilitarian Land Rover first designed by the Wilks Brothers in 1948.

The Queen of England drives a Range Rover in the country, and Prince Charles is a longtime enthusiast. His 1978 Range Rover was auctioned off on eBay in 2005. While out for sport in inclement weather he is said to have simply opened a special "huntsman" sunroof, stood on the back seat and poked his Asprey shotgun out to shoot from the comfort of the cabin. We can't say we've ever tried that maneuver and we daresay it isn't the sort of thing encouraged by the company these days. In any case there was unfortunately no shooting to be had at Astor Courts, only demonstrations about cooking and decorating and so forth, but such are the depredations of the modern era.

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]]>AspreyAstor CourtsAstor familyAstorCourtsAstorFamilyG4 ChallengeG4ChallengeLand RoverLandRoverPrince CharlesPrinceCharlesQueen of EnglandQueenOfEnglandRange RoverRangeRoverRhinebeckStanford WhiteStanfordWhiteThe EquinoxTheEquinoxJared Paul Stern2008-06-16T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: 10 Yrs. of Paul Smith at Westbourne Househttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/09/the-classicist-10-yrs-of-paul-smith-at-westbourne-house/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/09/the-classicist-10-yrs-of-paul-smith-at-westbourne-house/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/09/the-classicist-10-yrs-of-paul-smith-at-westbourne-house/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brilliant British designer Sir Paul Smith recently celebrated an important milestone in his colorful career: the 10th anniversary of his incredible flagship store in London's Notting Hill, Westbourne House. The perfect realization of a long term dream of Sir Paul's, the shop is designed to feel like someone's tastefully, quirkily lavish London home, and features a unique range of men's and women's clothes and accessories, housewares and knickknacks alongside a cllection of jewellery, books, art and antiques.

The architecturally-significant establishment is also the center of his exclusive bespoke tailoring operation. Smith says he still gets a thrill every time he walks in the door. To commemorate the anniversary, Smith and friends like shoe maestro Manolo Blahnik have created of limited edition products, available exclusively at Westbourne House, including watercolors, hand-painted plates, jewelry and a retro radio.

Smith, whose known for his signature multicolored stripes, opened his first clothing shop in 1970 and showed his first menswear collection under the Paul Smith label in 1976. Today Westbourne House is one of 14 Paul Smith shops in England; there are also outlets in Paris, Milan, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, Korea, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and others, as well as dozens in Japan, where Sir Paul is something of a cult figure. Today he has 12 different collections including Paul Smith, Paul Smith Women, Paul Smith Jeans, Paul Smith London, Paul Smith Bespoke, Paul Smith Shoes, Paul Smith Fragrance and Paul Smith Spectacles. The company's annual revenue as of 2006 exceeded $600 million.

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]]>BespokeBritish designBritishDesignDaniel Day-LewisDanielDay-lewisFashionLondonmanolo blahnikManoloBlahnikNotting HillNottingHillPaul SmithPaulSmithWestbourne HouseWestbourneHouseJared Paul Stern2008-06-09T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: Memories of Motoring's Golden Agehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/06/02/the-classicist-memories-of-motorings-golden-age/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/02/the-classicist-memories-of-motorings-golden-age/http://www.luxist.com/2008/06/02/the-classicist-memories-of-motorings-golden-age/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As a side note to Bonhams' classic car auction at the annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut this weekend, the sale also includes some reminders of a more elegant age of motoring. In addition to the amazing automobiles on offer, there are a few rare examples of perfectly-preserved traveling cocktail, picnic and tea sets in leather cases from the 1910s and '20s.

More elegant and elaborate antecedents of the kind of picnic sets still produced by the likes of Dunhill - such as the one my colleague Rigel Gregg wrote about the other day - these are the sort of cases one's servants would put into the boot of the Rolls for a day's motoring along with a hamper of delectables from Fortnum & Mason (which are still available today - see the gallery for a picture of their $200 Regent hamper featuring champagne, truffles, paté and port).

Included in the Greenwich auction is this gorgeous Dunhill traveling cocktail set from the 1920s featuring a nickel cocktail shaker, four stacking tumblers, a glass bitters bottle with a silver plated top and three silver plated spirit flasks, in a monogrammed honey leather carrying case, est. $3,000 - $4,000. If these days it seems a bit odd that so much thought and effort went into ways of drinking and driving, remember that as often as not one's chauffeur did the actual work behind the wheel.

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]]>AspreyBonhamsClassic carsClassicCarsCocktailsConcours dEleganceConcoursDeleganceDunhillFortnum MasonFortnumMasonLondonLuggageRolls-RoyceJared Paul Stern2008-06-02T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: A Bastion of British Style in the Burlington Arcadehttp://www.luxist.com/2008/05/27/the-classicist-a-bastion-of-british-style-in-the-burlington-arc/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/27/the-classicist-a-bastion-of-british-style-in-the-burlington-arc/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/27/the-classicist-a-bastion-of-british-style-in-the-burlington-arc/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Photo by Andrew Dunn

Classic English shoe brand Church's was founded in 1873, but its roots date back to the late 1600s when a Northampton cobbler named Church first set up shop. The traditional shoemaker is known for its elegant footwear, which has been the choice of well-dressed British gentlemen for over 130 years. In 1999 Church's was acquired by the Prada group, and while some traditionalists bemoaned the end of an era, little of the company's core values have changed. Its high-end models, which have names like the Consul, the Diplomat, the Chetwynd and the Gunthorpe, are still handmade in Northampton and cost in the neighborhood of £300 pounds, or about $600.

Prada has certainly set about modernizing the brand however, which is known for durable style. The company recently redesigned Church's historic shop in London's Burlington Arcade, Britain's first shopping arcade, which was built by Lord George Cavendish in 1819 and houses some of the world's finest boutiques. The revamped shop incorporates some modern design elements while retaining the important historical fixtures. In addition to shoes, the store also stocks neckties, gentlemen's accessories and leathergoods. Part of Prada's plan to boost the brand's presence internationally, new Church's shops were also recently opened in Venice and Bologna.

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]]>Burlington ArcadeBurlingtonArcadeChurchsEnglish shoesEnglishShoesJames BondJamesBondLondonPierce BrosnanPierceBrosnanPradaTony BlairTonyBlairJared Paul Stern2008-05-27T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: The Private Luxury of Loro Pianahttp://www.luxist.com/2008/05/19/the-classicist-the-private-luxury-of-loro-piana/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/19/the-classicist-the-private-luxury-of-loro-piana/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/19/the-classicist-the-private-luxury-of-loro-piana/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If I had the means I could easily wear nothing but Loro Piana for the rest of my life. They make the most comfortable, classic, stylish and subtly luxurious clothes I've ever had the pleasure of putting on. World-famous for their cashmere, the 200-year-old Italian company, which began as a textile merchant, has also branched out into other areas (including accessories and women's clothing) in more recent years with equal success.

Loro Piana's motto has it that true luxury is "knowing, not showing," i.e. dressing for yourself, not to impress others. It's "an inner satisfaction that comes from an aesthetic, intellectual, tactile pleasure, stemming from tradition, research and genuine quality." What could be better than that?

Their latest innovation is called Baby Cashmere(R). To make this fabric the company first had to spend several years convincing Mongolian and Chinese breeders to comb the fine underfleece of the Hyrcus goat kid when it is 3-12 months old. Each combing yields no more than 30 grams of the rare, precious and incredibly soft fibre. Baby Cashmere crops up in Loro Piana's luxe Fall/Winter 2008 collection, which is about to hit stores; as usual we want it all.

We love the knitted stretch cashmere Davenport jacket pictured here, which like a lot of their designs calls to mind a cross between Cary Grant and Steve McQueen. And also like many of their best designs it captures that ineffable quality of effortless elegance the Italians call sprezzatura. This is the kind of thing you wear for a drive to your villa on Lake Como in your Maserati Gran Turismo. Even better, merely putting on this jacket for a trip to the liquor store can make you feel like you're driving to your villa in a Maserati, which is the real test of its worth (The jacket retails for $3,995).

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]]>Cary GrantCaryGrantCashmereItalyLake ComoLakeComoLoro PianaLoroPianaMaseratiMens clothingMensClothingSteve McQueenSteveMcqueenJared Paul Stern2008-05-19T09:03:00 00:00The Classicist: Panerai Past & Presenthttp://www.luxist.com/2008/05/13/the-classicist-panerai-past-and-present/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/13/the-classicist-panerai-past-and-present/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/13/the-classicist-panerai-past-and-present/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Photo by Éric Sauvage and Nils Herrmann

Officine Panerai, founded in Florence in 1860, makes some of the most coveted wristwatches in the world. They only produce a limited number of timepieces every year, and there's usually a long waiting list for new models costing several thousands of dollars. The company is credited with perfecting the world's first underwater watches in the thirties; many have imitated its oversized style and the numerous devoted Panerai collectors around the globe are known as "Paneristi." Since 1996 the company has also produced a line of watches for Ferrari and serves as the marque's official timekeeper. An impressive new slipcased volume, called simply Panerai, about to be published by Flammarion, details the fascinating history of these beautiful watches.

Early on the company became the official supplier to the Marina Militare (the Royal Italian Navy), initially providing optical and mechanical instruments. In 1910 they began experimenting with luminous materials to make the instrument dials visible in the dark. In 1936 the Marina Militare asked Panerai to develop a wristwatch suitable for use by commandos under extreme conditions. Thus was born the oversized, water-resistant, luminous dial Radiomir, production of which began in 1938, cementing a place for Panerai in the pantheon of the world's great watchmakers.

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]]>Limited edition watchesLimitedEditionWatchesLuminorOfficine PaneraiOfficinePaneraiPaneraiRadiomirRichemont InternationalRichemontInternationalRoyal Italian NavyRoyalItalianNavySylvester StalloneSylvesterStalloneJared Paul Stern2008-05-13T09:07:00 00:00The Classicist: From the Queen to McQueenhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/05/06/the-classicist-from-the-queen-to-mcqueen/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/06/the-classicist-from-the-queen-to-mcqueen/http://www.luxist.com/2008/05/06/the-classicist-from-the-queen-to-mcqueen/#commentsFiled under: ,

The history of the illustrious London luxury goods maker known today as Swaine Adeney Brigg goes back over 250 years. They've been supplying various items to Britain's Royal Family for 200 of them, and as those monarchs tend to be a traditional lot, the firm has basically remained unchanged in all that time. However, even this storied, not to say stodgy, company has decided it's time to freshen things up a bit. They recently brought in Alexander McQueen's former accessories chief Dominic Laurelli as design director to give SAB a much needed facelift.

Laurelli's first creation is the new St. James luggage collection. Laurelli tells us he drew on the understated elegance of 1920s luxury travel and the great Coco Chanel for inspiration, and says the St. James line is intended to be "synonymous with both traditional English leather goods and contemporary, modern style" (two words seldom heard around SAB). The collection is made from a durable anthracite tweed-like fabric with a water resistant backing and bridle leather detailing.

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]]>Alexander McQueenAlexanderMcqueenBergdorf GoodmanBergdorfGoodmanCoco ChanelCocoChanelDominic LaurelliDominicLaurelliLondonLuggagePaul StuartPaulStuartQueen VictoriaQueenVictoriaRoyal FamilyRoyalFamilySt. JamessSt.JamessSwaine Adeney BriggSwaineAdeneyBriggTurnbull AsserTurnbullAsserUmbrellasJared Paul Stern2008-05-06T09:02:00 00:00The Classicist: Dior and YSL in Paris, 1962http://www.luxist.com/2008/04/29/the-classicist-dior-and-ysl-in-paris-1962/http://www.luxist.com/2008/04/29/the-classicist-dior-and-ysl-in-paris-1962/http://www.luxist.com/2008/04/29/the-classicist-dior-and-ysl-in-paris-1962/#commentsFiled under: , ,



In 1962, Esquire magazine sent photographer Jerry Schatzberg to Paris to cover the behind-the-scenes action at the Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent shows, at what promised to be an historic fashion moment. Indeed it was, and Schatzberg's shoot turned out brilliantly; the full results have finally been collected in book form, under the title Paris 1962: Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, The Early Collections. Schatzberg was no mere paparazzo; a renowned fashion photographer and filmmaker, he's perhaps best known for the cover of Bob Dylan's 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. His journalistic, documentary style ran counter to the usual carefully-posed fashion shoots of the time, which gave the 1962 session added urgency. But first, a little background.

Famed designer Christian Dior had died five years earlier, in 1957. Yves Saint Laurent, only 22 years old at the time, had been named as his replacement, creating a stunning new collection in a matter of weeks. Laurent held the appointment for only a short time, however, as he was soon conscripted to serve in the French army during the Algerian War of Independence. The fragile fashionista lasted less than a month before a nervous breakdown saw him committed to a mental institution. Meanwhile, Marc Bohan had taken over at Dior, leading Saint Laurent to file for breach of contract.

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]]>Christian DiorChristianDiorDiorEsquireHelmut NewtonHelmutNewtonJerry SchatzbergJerrySchatzbergJohn GallianoJohnGallianoLVMHParisPierre BergPierreBergYSLYves Saint LaurentYvesSaintLaurentJared Paul Stern2008-04-29T09:06:00 00:00The Classicist: A Savile Row Makeoverhttp://www.luxist.com/2008/04/22/the-classicist-a-savile-row-makeover/http://www.luxist.com/2008/04/22/the-classicist-a-savile-row-makeover/http://www.luxist.com/2008/04/22/the-classicist-a-savile-row-makeover/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Welcome to The Classicist, our new column devoted to timeless style, enduring elegance, and true, built-to-last luxury as opposed to mere extravagance....

Savile Row stalwart Anderson & Sheppard, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, is steeped in tradition, to say the least. Yet while other old-fashioned bastions of upper-class masculine British taste have been sold off or hideously modernized, A&S has managed to adapt and survive -- thanks to a strong-willed woman.

Anda Rowland, daughter of the firm's longtime owner, natty British millionaire Roland "Tiny" Rowland, who took over the business a few years ago, has set about bringing it into the 21st century without sacrificing one whit in the way of elegance.

The firm not only outfitted the great Fred Astaire - perhaps the best dressed man the modern world has ever known - but also Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, authors Evelyn Waugh and Somerset Maugham, Gary Cooper, Noel Coward, Sir Laurence Olivier, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Duke Ellington.

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]]>londonmanolo blahnikManoloBlahnikmenralph laurenRalphLaurensavile rowSavileRowtailoringvanity fairVanityFairJared Paul Stern2008-04-22T09:02:00 00:00