Duke of Windsor

The Classicist: Paradise Lost - 40 Years of Cafe Society

Filed under: Art, Books, The Classicist, Wealth

In the 1920s, '30s, '40s and '50s the so-called Café Society in Europe drew together aristocrats, millionaires, artists, authors, couturiers, choreographers and musicians in a "glittering world of fashion and frivolity, opulence and ostentation", notes Thierry Coudert in his ultra-stylish new book, Café Society: Socialites, Patrons and Artists 1920 to 1960 from Flammarion. Those decades were the "apotheosis of an era that was to have a profound influence on the history of taste" Coudert writes, with the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Lady Diana Cooper, Diana Vreeland, Cole Porter, Noel Coward and Cecil Beaton setting the tone and deciding which artists, designers, and musicians were in vogue. The cover of the book (above) depicts heiress Barbara Hutton, then the Countess von Reventlow, at a tennis match in 1940, while Yves Saint Laurent, Orson Welles, Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau and many more make cameos in the impressive volume.

Gallery: Cafe Society

Tags: Aristocrats, art, artists, books, Café Society, Cafe Society, coffee table books, Diana Vreeland, Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Duke of Windsor, Europe, fashion, France, Noel Coward, socialites, society, style, wealth, Yves Saint Laurent

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The Classicist: The Ultimate Guide to Savile Row Style

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist, Luxury Shopping

When James Sherwood's brilliant book on bespoke tailoring called The London Cut came out in 2007, to accompany a Savile Row exhibition at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, we regretted only that it was in softcover and such a small format. Now Rizzoli has rectified that with a suitably statuesque volume by Sherwood expanding on the subject, lavishly illustrated and encyclopedic in scope. Bespoke: The Men's Style of Savile Row begins with the opening of Henry Poole & Co. in 1806 and follows the illustrious history of London's custom tailoring tradition. Famous adherents of 'The Row' through the years from Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, the Duke of Windsor and Winston Churchill to latter-day dandies like Prince Charles, Mick Jagger and David Beckham are also discussed.

From its rather humble beginnings Sherwood discusses Savile Row's role in tailoring for the sporting set, the military and Royalty, the phenomenal influence the houses have had in the sartorial style of the silver screen - where else would James Bond get his threads? - the Row's evolution as "bespoke" was challenged by the mod rock & roll fashion revolution, and its embrace of fashion-forward newcomers like Tommy Nutter, Richard James and Ozwald Boateng, leading a revival of an art form that looked at one time to be doomed to obsolescence, now flourishing in its 200th year.

The style of each of the street's premier tailors is presented in detail along with the immeasurable impact Savile Row style has had on the work of international designers like Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, and Tom Ford, who contributed a foreword to the book. "English gentlemen's tailoring, and in particular the tailoring of Savile Row, really set the standard for the way the stylish 20th-century man dressed," Ford writes. "This English style, in fact, became the international style for well-dressed men all over the world, and this influence has not waned even in today's more casual world. I suppose that when it comes to men's clothes I am an Anglophile and if I did not design my own men's collection, I would have virtually my entire wardrobe made on Savile Row."

Gallery: Savile Row Bespoke

Tags: bespoke, books, Cary Grant, coffee table books, Duke of Windsor, England, Fred Astaire, Henry Poole Co., James Bond, James Sherwood, London, mens style, Ozwald Boateng, Prince Charles, Ralph Lauren, Rizzoli, Savile Row, Tom Ford, UK, Winston Churchill

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Severn, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's estate, Severn, in Lattingtown, New York, is being marketed as the summer retreat of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The former king of England and his bride Wallis Simpson, spent the summer in the French Normandy-style estate in 1948. The home was built in 1935 and sits on four acres. The grounds include gardens, a cobblestone driveway and a four-car garage with a guest apartment. The home looks to have been extensively remodeled since the Windsor days including a new modern kitchen with an island. It is listed for $5.995 million with Daniel Gale Sotheby's.

[via Newsday]

Gallery: Severn

Tags: duchess of windsor, Duke of Windsor, estate of the day, King Edward VIII, lattingtown, new york real estate, wallis simpson

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Madonna Borrows Abramovich's New Yacht to Film Duke of Windsor Flick

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

Aging pop chameleon Madonna has borrowed Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's brand new superyacht while filming W.E., the new Duke of WIndsor movie she's directing in the South of France. No, not the gargantuan Eclipse – we're talking about the 377-ft. Luna (above), the world's largest expedition yacht which Abramovich just took delivery of in April. The luxurious yacht provides convenient accommodation for Madonna as she films the movie's beach scenes, London's Daily Mail reports. Each day she returns via tender to the luxe yacht which features two helipads, a swimming pool, games room and sunbathing areas, along with a beach club leading down to a swim platform. Abramovich, who generously lent Madonna the ship, apparently bought the yacht to tide him over while the Eclipse is being completed; afterward it will act as a support vessel for the megayacht.

Tags: celebrity, Duke of WIndsor, Eclipse, entertainment, expedition yacht, France, Luna, Madonna, movies, Roman Abramovich, superyacht, yacht

Design Genius Dyson Restores Classic Steam Yacht

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

The name James Dyson, the British industrial designer who re-invented the vacuum cleaner, is synonymous with cutting-edge technology. When it comes to yachts, however, the brilliant billionaire apparently prefers the classics. Dyson has just spent millions refurbishing a stunning 1930 steam yacht with an impressive pedigree, which has just been relaunched. The 300 ft. long Nahlin (above) designed by G.L. Watson was originally built for a British heiress and was later owned by the Romanian Royal Family. She was also chartered in the 1930s by England's King Edward VIII and was for a time the setting of his controversial romance with Wallis Simpson which led to his abdication and the couple's becoming the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Discovered some years back operating as a dilapidated floating restaurant on the Danube, she caught Dyson's eye via yacht broker Nicholas Edmiston who brought the ship back to the UK. With help from the G.L. Watson archives, the yacht was completely restored and refitted at Blohm + Voss in Germany (builders of Roman Abramovich's Eclipse) with new diesel engines and period-correct paneling and moldings.

[via JamesList]

Tags: billionaire, Blohm + Voss, designer, Duchess of Windsor, Duke of Windsor, industrial design, inventor, King Edward VIII, royalty, UK, vacuum cleaner

Goyard Limited Edition Book in a Bespoke Trunk

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books

Goyard, the luxurious Parisian luggage maker founded in 1853, is coming out with a limited edition book about the history of the illustrious firm fitted in a bespoke trunk (above). Goyard, whose cases feature a pattern of interlaced chevrons, has long had a devoted clientele of celebrities and royalty. Aristocrats such as the Grand Duke of Russia, the Maharajah of Kapurthala and the Duke of Windsor all traveled with Goyard luggage; as we reported in April, Chanel kingpin Karl Lagerfeld now brings dozens of Goyard trunks and suitcases with him on his journeys. The book is limited to just 233 numbered copies available by special order only complete with custom trunks priced at about $7,250.

Purchasers may choose from 12 different colors for the trunk, with monograms, stripes and other embellishments available at an additional cost. The number of the edition is painted on every trunk. Continuing the heritage of Goyard's prestigious collections from the 1920s, the book "resonates with and celebrates the golden age of luxury travel, from horse-drawn carriages to the great transatlantic ocean liners." Traditional letterpress techniques were used for the book, produced in collaboration with famed French art publisher Devambez and printed upon custom made vellum paper featuring its own watermarks.

Gallery: The Goyard Book

Tags: book, Duke of Windsor, France, Goyard, Karl Lagerfeld, luggage, luxury travel, Paris, royalty, trunk

Rare Hermès Crocodile Briefcase for $30,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

The Sac à Depeche crocodile skin briefcase from Hermès of Paris is one of the famed French luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. The ultimate gentleman's business accessory, the elegant model has long been a favorite of aristocrats, royalty, the international jet set and heads of state. The Sac à Depeche was first introduced by Hermès in 1937, and one of the first purchasers was the Duke of Windsor. John F. Kennedy famously carried an example in black crocodile given to him by Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, which he took with him on that fateful trip to Dallas in 1964. Kennedy's briefcase sold for $700,000 at auction in 1998. The Sac à Depeche in crocodile remains available by special order – with a 4-5 year waiting list. However, a rare and authentic 20th century crocodile Sac à Depeche is now being offered for sale by London's Pullman Gallery for about $30,000. Finished in tan Crocodilus Porosos, the very finest crocodile skin in the world, the exquisite case is in perfect mint condition, and comes complete with a key fob and two keys, signed Hermès, Paris.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: briefcase, crocodile, Duke of Windsor, exotic leather, Hermes, John F. Kennedy, luggage, mens style, Paris

A Tribute to the Sharp-Suited Gentleman

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, Men's Style

The history of men's suits, that indispensable item of sartorial armour, is examined in Eric Musgrave's excellent new coffee table book Sharp Suits. Exploring the evolution of the modern suit over the past century, the book is organized thematically in chapters that examine the single-breasted suit, the striped suit, the Dormeuil suit and more, looking at each decade's developments in turn. It features an introduction by Richard James, one of the more recent arrivals on London's famed Savile Row who bridges the gap between traditional tailor and designer. Sharp Suits also highlights the iconic suiting styles of entertainers through the years including the Beatles, John Travolta, James Brown, Warren Beatty, Al Pacino and Franz Ferdinand, in addition to well-known dandies from the Duke of Windsor to David Bowie.

Tags: Dormeuil, Duke of Windsor, mens style, mens suits, Richard James, Savile Row, suits

Creed Windsor, a Kingly Cologne

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

Creed of Paris, supplier of bespoke fragrances to royalty and aristocracy since 1760, has released a limited edition bottling of a cologne originally created for the Duke of Windsor in 1936 during his brief reign as King Edward VIII before he abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson.

Only 320 bottles of the kingly cologne, presented in a shatterproof 1.7 oz. leather-wrapped flask numbered and signed by sixth-generation master perfumer Olivier Creed, will be available in the U.S. for $400 apiece. It's made exclusively from ingredients grown in what was once the British Empire.

The subtle, elegant top notes of Creed Windsor are British gin, Jamaican lime and a touch of Scottish highland pine; the middle note the variety of roses now known as the "Duke of Windsor"; and the bottom notes Bahamian orange, Canadian cedar and a dab of Australian eucalyptus.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: British royalty, BritishRoyalty, cologne, Creed, Duke of Windsor, DukeOfWindsor, fragrance, Paris, perfume, royalty

The World's Most Expensive Lighter for $79,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Writing Instruments, Men's Style

The venerable Parisian luxury goods firm of S.T. Dupont has come out with the world's most expensive lighter (right) priced at $79,000.

The Ligne 2 Champagne lighter, part of Dupont's Prestige Collection, is made of solid 18-carat white gold embellished with 468 brilliant-cut diamonds.

Also available is a matching fountain pen in solid 18-carat white gold as well with rhodium finished trims and 502 brilliant-cut diamonds for $74,000.

S.T. Dupont, founded in Paris in 1872 by Simon Tissot Dupont, made bespoke pieces for the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Windsor . Daniel Craig also carried Dupont accessories as James Bond in Casino Royale.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: diamonds, Duke of Windsor, DukeOfWindsor, fountain pen, FountainPen, gold, James Bond, JamesBond, lighter, Paris, S.T. Dupont, S.t.Dupont, white gold, WhiteGold, worlds most expensive, WorldsMostExpensive

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO FEATURE: Essential Summer Style, Starring the Jaguar XK Convertible

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Gadgets, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wine, Cosmetics and Fragrance, Shoes, Books, Men's Style

Click above for high res image gallery and full credit info. Photographed by Adrianna Ault for Luxist.

Welcome to the first in a new series of exclusive photo features showcasing seasonal style essentials inspired by classic icons of elegance, sport and design, photographed with the most beautiful and coveted cars on the road. The emphasis is on luxury of course, but of the timeless variety as opposed to mere extravagance.

In our recent Classicist column on the 2010 Jaguar XK convertible coming out this August, we remarked on the sleek new cat's stylistic heritage dating back to 1948's XK120, as driven by the likes of Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, as well as later models like the D-Type (or XK-SS) made famous by the great Steve McQueen. The first in our new series of exclusive shoots is inspired by them and stars the XK in homage to these stylish icons, both man and automotive (read all about the new XK here).

In particular, the influence of Gable (with his XK120 in 1954, top right) and McQueen (with his XK-SS, center right) can be seen in the summery style essentials we've assembled for this shoot. For the pastoral setting we drew on another classic Jaguar reference, an image of writer Truman Capote in a Jaguar XK-E, the model most closely aligned with the new XK, in the Hamptons in 1965 (bottom right).

In the spirit of summer we've chosen a classic combination of navy and white, popular as fashionable resort wear for a nearly a century and still going strong in the right circles. While navy blazers of the type shown here originated as part of English cricket club scenery and other elegant sporting occasions such as the Henley Royal Regatta, without gold buttons it needn't be unnecessarily nautical or costume-y.

The jacket shown here, in tropical weight wool with soft shoulders by the dashing Italian house of Etro, references its sporting antecedents with grosgrain tipping on the lapels, pockets and cuffs; however, since it is finished in the same color as the jacket the effect is a subtle one, while the slim cut updates the look with Italian flair. A cream linen camp shirt by Paul Stuart and white linen pants by Polo Ralph Lauren round out the rest of the ensemble.

As an alternative on cooler days or evenings - which we've certainly had plenty of this summer - we've also included a variation of the navy blazer by Brooks Brothers made of butter-soft goat suede with spiffy sporting details including a throat latch, stand-up collar, action back and pure Irish linen lining, which calls to mind the jacket worn by Gable above.

While a polka dot foulard silk scarf by the venerable British clothier Turnbull & Asser (shirtmaker to the Prince of Wales) provides not only another classic touch and added dose of sprezzatura, it also protects against the elements while piloting the XK with the top down at serious speeds. A hefty dose of McQueen meanwhile can be seen in the rakish cap, sunglasses and watch. For the feet and the road, a pair of pebble-sold leather driving moccasins by Tod's keep the haute Italian vibe going.

The checked linen driving cap - this model is made by Brooks Brothers - of the type favored by McQueen has no brim to collide with a car's headrest, and is infinitely more elegant than a baseball cap. Also on view: iconic Italian Persol sunglasses, in particular the model made famous by McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Starring in this feature are a foldable version of McQueen's faves, as well as a couple of other killer Persol models; all are available at Ilori. Also included is a pair of shades by Paul Smith. The watch is a classic and vintage stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II, available at Tourneau, of a similar design to the Rolex Submariner model favored by McQueen (and which recently fetched a record price at auction). Read on for details of the rest of the accessories after the jump.

Gallery: Essential Summer Style 7/09

Tags: Adrianna Ault, AdriannaAult, Brooks Brothers, BrooksBrothers, camera, Clark Gable, ClarkGable, classic cars, ClassicCars, convertible, Duke of Windsor, DukeOfWindsor, Etro, Floto Imports, FlotoImports, hats, Ilori, Jaguar, Leica, lighter, Paul Smith, Paul Stuart, PaulSmith, PaulStuart, Persol, photography, Polo, Prince of Wales, PrinceOfWales, prosecco, Ralph Lauren, RalphLauren, Rolex, S.T. Dupont, S.t.Dupont, scarf, Steve McQueen, SteveMcqueen, summer, summer style, SummerStyle, sunglasses, teNeues, Tods, Tourneau, Truman Capote, TrumanCapote, Turnbull Asser, TurnbullAsser, Via dei Mille, ViaDeiMille

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T. Anthony Alligator Desk Set

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

In the electronic age the elegant executive's desk set is something of a throwback to a more Mad Men-ish era. In December we wrote about Bottega Veneta's luxe sterling silver version. Now Manhattan luxury luggage and leather goods company T. Anthony has come out with an even more luxurious set in genuine Louisiana alligator skin (above). Available by special order only with a production time of up to three months, the price depends on the market for the exotic leather, but was recently quoted at $13,000. Available in brown with polished gold fittings or black with polished nickel fittings, the set consists of a document tray, blotter, letter opener, scissors, memo pad holder and pencil cup. T. Anthony, founded in 1946, has a rich history of making custom luggage and travel items for the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Onassis.

Tags: Alligator, Crocodile, Desk, Desk set, DeskSet, Duke of Windsor, DukeOfWindsor, Luggage, T. Anthony, T.Anthony

Famed Trianon Palace Hotel's $30 Million Makeover

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

The legendary Trianon Palace hotel and spa in Versailles, France where the likes of Marcel Proust, René Lacoste and the Duke of Windsor once frolicked has just completed a breathtaking $30 million renovation. Situated just outside Paris less than a mile from Louis XIV's famed Château de Versailles, the 5-star luxury hotel's upgrades include a new wing, Gordon Ramsay's first restaurant in France, a refurbished Guerlain spa, revamped public spaces and glorious gardens. Noted interior designer Fiona Thompson, who oversaw renovations to the 199-room property, has managed to modernize the 1909 building without detracting from its historic magnificence.

Gallery: Hotel Trianon Palace