Berluti

Assouline Fields Polo Team at the Ambassador's Cup

Last fall luxury imprint Assouline published the ultimate book on the aristocratic sport of polo. This season they went one step further and fielded a polo team of their own at the 71st Annual Ambassador's Cup at the Mashomack Polo Club near Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York. The imprint's founders Prosper Assouline and wife Martine (above) flew in from Paris to cheer on their players, dressed in matching Assouline polo team shirts. Matches took place Sept. 24 – 26 with representation from countries including Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Hungary, Peru, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States. In addition to Assouline, other well known firms fielding teams in the event, run under the auspices of the Federation of International Polo (FIP), included Berluti shoes, Hunter boots, Hermes, Beretta, The Carlyle Hotel and Moncler, with the Hunter team emerging triumphant.

Gallery: Assouline Polo at the Ambassador's Cup

Tags: Assouline, Beretta, Berluti, books, Carlyle Hotel, coffee table books, equestrian, France, Hermes, horses, Hunter, Mashomack Polo Club, Moncler, New York, Paris, polo, Prosper Assouline, Rhinebeck, sports

The Classicist: Hennessy and Berluti Create the Ultimate Cognac Experience

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Shoes, Men's Style, The Classicist

Famed French cognac maker Hennessy, the world's oldest cognac house, has unveiled a $23,000 limited edition XO Mathusalem bottling in a bespoke leather trunk by famed shoemaker Berluti. The two luxe brands, both part of the LVMH luxury goods empire, teamed up to create the ultimate cognac experience; only 150 pieces will be made most of which will be sold in Asia and Russia. The XO Mathusalem comes in a six liter (1.6 gallon) hand-blown crystal decanter, originally designed for Hennessy by the Marquis de Geoffre in 1947 for Hennessy; each bottle has its edition number engraved upon it. Designed by Olga Berluti (the fourth generation of the Berluti family) every Hennessy Mathusalem by Berluti chest is signed by her. She based her design for the chest on a 400-year-old salt box she had inherited from her parents – a Venetian tradition whereby such boxes are presented to newlyweds who toss the salt over their shoulders for luck.

Etched with engravings and ancient maps, as a symbol of the treasured cognac contained within, the handmade chest features a crocodile-motif clasp and is designed to store a collection of watches or other precious objects and be handed down as an heirloom. "We wanted to create something that will remain beyond the sharing of the cognac," Hennessy chairman and CEO Bernard Peillon said at the chest's recent unveiling in China. "The chest and cognac become something very personal. Once you finish the bottle, you can keep the memory of it. Olga wanted to create something special that tells the story of her growing up in Venice and her family building gondolas. You can say it's a work of art. We like the poetry of it and the romanticism in Berluti's personal story." Each chest takes 70 hours to build and inside each one is a catenella, a wooden element found in Venetian gondolas upon which is carved the gondolier's initials and the boatyard's hallmark. A certificate of ownership accompanies each trunk as well.

Gallery: Hennessy Mathusalem by Berluti

Tags: Berluti, bespoke, brandy, cognac, crystal, decanter, france, Hennessy, leather, LVMH, trunk, Venice

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Berluti Briefcase

by Star Sutherland (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags

For the distinguished man on the go, the Ecritoire is a handsome two gusset briefcase by famed leather designer, Berluti. Berluti was started in 1895 by Italian born Alessandro Berluti, and is now run by his heir, Olga Berluti. A favorite among celebrities and in-the-know business men, past Berluti clients have included Robert De Niro and Andy Warhol. Berluti is known for the signature unique leather finishing, that can be seen on their shoes, belts, wallets and briefcases. With a locking front closure, and a sleek appearance, the Ecritoire says "Ciao" to boxy briefcase designs of yesterday. Available on Barneys.com, for $2,300.

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Tags: berluti, briefcase