Exotic leather

World's Most Expensive Poker Set for $7.5 Million

Filed under: Gadgets, Men's Style, Wealth

Talk about high stakes – Geoffrey Parker, London-based maker of the finest games on the globe, is offering the world's most expensive poker set for $7.5 million. The bespoke set comes housed in a genuine alligator skin case finished in any color the client chooses, fitted with 18k white gold combination locks and hardware. The case' suede lining features an 18k gold and diamond frame holding 384 18k white gold chips, each inlaid on both sides in shagreen (stingray skin). The chips can be in any currency and denomination the client desires; the display set features chips marked €100,000 – or about $140,000 at today's rates.

The edge of each chip is set with precious stones – white diamonds for the white chips, sapphires for the blue, rubies for the red, emeralds for the green and black diamonds for the black. The dealer button is be a larger 18 karat white gold chip set with two rows of diamonds to the edge. The set will feature an estimated 22,364 stones in all, totaling 1,012 carats. Finally there are four platinum-plated decks of poker cards. Orders are now being taken with an expected delivery time of six to nine months; the price may go up if the precious stones and metals market fluctuates.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: alligator, alligator+skin+poker+set, alligatorskinpokerset, bespoke, cards, diamond, diamonds, exotic leather, gambling, game sets, games, Geoffrey Parker, gold, gold and diamonds, London, mens style, most+expensive+poker+chips, most+expensive+poker+set, mostexpensivepokerchips, mostexpensivepokerset, platinum, playing cards, poker, precious stones, shagreen, UK, white gold, worlds most expensive

The Classicist: Inside a Hundred Legendary Louis Vuitton Trunks

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books, The Classicist

Since 1854, when Monsieur Louis Vuitton opened his first store in Paris, his name has been synonymous with the ultimate in luxurious luggage. His incredible trunks with their now iconic canvas coverings, introduced that same year, combined pragmatism and elegance and were "perfectly adapted to the current means of transport and changes in the lives of his clients." That's the basis of the best luxury book of the year, Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks, just published by Abrams, Illustrated with 600 images taken from the Louis Vuitton archives in France and new, specially-commissioned photographs. From trains and ocean liners to the earliest automobiles and even hot air balloons, on journeys to all corners of the globe, the Vuitton trunk has crossed time and borders and remains an icon of the golden age of travel, epitomizing the glamour and elegant decadence of an era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style.

The trunks featured in the incredible book are "extraordinary in every way, for a hundred reasons," writes Patrick-Louis Vuitton, the fifth-generation descendant of Monsieur Vuitton who is now in charge of bespoke orders for the firm, "as much for what they carried as for the work, the care, the inventiveness and the ingenuity required to make them." The 100 featured trunks are divided into five sections according to the people who owned them: Explorers & Adventurers, Crowned Heads & Aristocrats, Dandies & Fashionable Ladies, Artists & Scholars, and Hedonists & Eccentrics. Many a Maharaja, actors from Douglas Fairbanks to Sharon Stone, couturiers from Jeanne Lanvin to Karl Lagerfeld, as well as the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Leopold Stokowski, and Damien Hirst have all traveled with Louis Vuitton trunks, often customized in various ways.

Gallery: Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks

The Complete Wardrobe made for Sacha Guitry, 1913

The volume of a Louis Vuitton trunk can be defined by the nature of its contents, the means of transport, its handling, etc.

The Mail Trunk made for Paul Poiret 1911

Tags: Abrams, Aristocrats, bespoke, books, coffee table books, exotic leather, France, Louis Vuitton, luggage, luxury goods, luxury travel, LVMH, Maharaja, Paris, travel, trunks

Continue reading “The Classicist: Inside a Hundred Legendary Louis Vuitton Trunks”

World's Most Expensive iPad Case & More from Designer-to-the-Stars David August

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Celebrity Shopping, Men's Style

Back in August we reported that famed Italian luxury goods firm Tod's was offering the world's most expensive iPad case in genuine alligator for $4,900. Now David August, the California-based boutique luxury brand that creates bespoke wardrobes for the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Will Smith, Robert Downey Jr. and various billionaires, has topped that with his new collection of exotic leather goods including an even pricier iPad sheath. Crafted of the world's finest alligator skin hand cut and stitched in Italy by a skilled family of artisans, the collection of five luxe pieces is available in both a glazed and matte finish in over 20 different colors.

The entire collection is priced at $37,800 with each piece also available individually. The five pieces include the iPad cover (above, center) for $6,900, a soft laptop attaché case for $12,900, a Dopp kit for $7,800, a watch holder for $7,800, and a change tray for $2,400. All items are made strictly to order with a 2–4 week delivery time and several personal customizing options are available as well. While far from the priciest item in the collection, the iPad case is nonetheless the world's most expensive cover for the trendy gadget, costing nearly 14 times as much as Apple's basic 16GB model itself.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: David August Exotic Accessories

Tags: alligator, alligator+ipad+case, alligatoripadcase, Apple, Arnold Schwarzenegger, bespoke, billionaire, California, David August, designer+ipad+case, designeripadcase, exotic leather, expensive+ipad+case, expensive+ipad+cases, expensiveipadcase, expensiveipadcases, gadgets, iPad, iPad cover, Italy, most+expensive+ipad+case, mostexpensiveipadcase, Will Smith, worlds most expensive

The Classicist: Bespoke Leathergoods from Norton MacCullough & Locke

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style, The Classicist

Norton MacCullough & Locke, the new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury which The Classicist first wrote about earlier this year, is introducing a new collection of custom-made small leathergoods. Founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe, Norton MacCullough & Locke creates only individual, hand-crafted pieces. NML's Head of Design Lester Ng and CFO David Manchee developed the collection to incorporate both function and practicality whilst retaining the Norton MacCullough & Locke aesthetic and principles. Ranging from iPhone and iPad cases to card holders, document wallets and passport covers, each piece in the new collection is hand-crafted in England by specialist leatherworking artisans, utilizing the finest materials and traditional techniques.

The firm offers a range of leathers, colors, finishes and personalization options to ensure that each bespoke piece is both unique and exclusive, giving the consummate bespoke experience. There's no need to travel to London to commission them however; the luxe accessories can be purchased by downloading the bespoke order form from the Norton MacCullough & Locke website. Following approval of a visual sample (and payment confirmation), the pieces will be created and delivered within 4-8 weeks. In addition to the styles, materials and personalization options offered via the site, Norton MacCullough & Locke will source specific leather types and colors for your piece upon request, specializing in exotics ranging from ostrich, crocodile and lizard skin.

Gallery: Norton MacCullough & Locke Bespoke Leathergoods

Tags: bespoke, crocodile, exotic leather, humidor, iPad, iPhone, leather, leathergoods, London, luggage, luxury travel, mens style, Norton MacCullough Locke, travel, trunks, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: Bespoke Leathergoods from Norton MacCullough & Locke”

A. Testoni Offers World's Most Expensive Men's Shoes

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style

For the astronomical price of $38,000 per pair, Italian luxury leather goods label A. Testoni is now offering the world's most expensive men's dress shoes. Testoni, founded in Bologna in 1929 by Amedeo Testoni, painstakingly handcrafts the Moro monk-strap model in the world's finest exotic alligator skin using the techniques of Norvegese, or Norwegian construction, for durability and added water resistance. Stiched with custom-made linen twine, the shoes are lined with glove-soft goatskin and adorned with a rich but discreet gold and diamond buckle. To make the eye-poppingly elegant footwear Testoni also employs a second proprietary process, called the piuma rapid, which requires some 200 manual operations to complete. Each pair is made up, deconstructed, and then put back together again in a patented method that results in a shoe as light as a feather yet which guarantees protection from hot, cold and humid weather.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: A. Testoni, alligator, diamond, exotic leather, gold, Italian fashion, leather, mens style, most expensive, shoes, worlds most expensive

Salmon Skin Upholstery - All the Rage for Eco-Friendly Superyachts

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Yachts & Sailing, Green

Some people find the very idea of an "eco-friendly superyacht" simply ridiculous. If you're willing to accept that a floating monument to conspicuous consumption can somehow be good for the environment however, you'll probably agree that it should have a decor to match. Hence the growing trend in "guilt-free" luxury furnishings designed to take the edge off all that over-spending. The latest of these is salmon skin leather (above), being touted as an environmentally-friendly, ecologically sound and cruelty-free upholstery suitable for the finest superyacht interiors. The leader in the field is a German company called Nanai, which sources the skins from fish raised on certified organic salmon farms in Ireland.

With an appearance similar to python skin, salmon hide looks convincingly like exotic leather when vegetable-tanned and dyed (and deodorized). It's light and thin, yet durable and resistant to tearing. As the skins form a by-product of the salmon industry, the fish are not specifically bred or killed for the stuff – which might keep eco-crusaders happy if they weren't opposed to salmon farming to begin with. It remains to be seen whether oligarchs like Roman Abramovich will send their superyachts back to have their stingray and alligator upholstery swapped for salmon skin. Cue the cracks about "something fishy" but don't hold your breath.

Tags: eco-friendly, environment, exotic leather, fish, interior design, Nanai, python, Roman Abramovich, salmon, salmon leather, salmon skin, superyacht, yacht

Asprey Londoner Luggage by Globe-Trotter

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style

Famed London luxury goods house Asprey has come out with a luxurious new line of luggage created in collaboration with Globe-Trotter, makers of fine travel cases since 1897. The five-piece Londoner Luggage collection, manufactured by hand in England, was designed by Bruce Hoeksema, Asprey's newly appointed creative director. The luggage comes in Asprey's signature royal purple with purple genuine crocodile handles and trim, and matte black with oxidized metallic corners and black crocodile handles and trim. The cases are lined in durable hemp linen with a leather hand stamped Asprey label and signature Asprey locks. The hand stitched crocodile corners were chosen to complement the classic regimental stripe of the removable webbed luggage straps that secure the suitcases.

Tags: alligator, Asprey, briefcase, crocodile, England, exotic leather, Globe-Trotter, leather, London, luggage, suitcase, UK

Tod's Launches World's Most Expensive iPad Cases, Plus an App

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Handbags

Back in May we told you about the world's most expensive iPad, a ludicrous solid gold version priced at $188,000. Now famed Italian luxury goods firm Tod's is offering world's most expensive iPad case, which in this case is actually in excellent taste. The luxurious case, finished in genuine alligator, is priced at $4,900 - almost ten times the cost of Apple's un-embellished 16GB iPad itself. The one-of-a-kind accessory is handmade in Italy from the world's finest grade alligator skin, and will be available in brown, blue and tan from Tod's boutiques worldwide beginning in November. If that's a little too rich for your blood, there's also a version in buff colored calfskin for $495. Meanwhile Tod's has also launched its first iPad app, called My Life Is In This Bag.

The app allows users to enter and experience the world of Tod's and browse the brand's collections, and also showcases virtual themed lifestyles. The app reveals the contents of six stylish and sophisticated women's 'D' bags, the famed Tod's model favored by the likes of Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba. Along with snapshots of each bag's contents, users can journey into the different lifestyles and personalities, including that of sexy socialite Lauren Remington Platt, and discover tips such as the most spectacular destinations around the globe with an insider's guide to art and entertainment. See more images of the luxe cases and the app after the jump.

Tags: alligator, app, Apple, computer, exotic leather, expensive+ipad+cases, expensiveipadcases, gadgets, iPad, iPad case, Italy, Lauren Remington Platt, most+expensive+ipad+case, mostexpensiveipadcase, socialite, tech, tods+ipad, tods+ipad+case, todsipad, todsipadcase

Continue reading “Tod's Launches World's Most Expensive iPad Cases, Plus an App”

Bottega Veneta $53,000 Alligator Suitcase

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Luxe Italian label Bottega Veneta has come out with a new version of its posh exotic leather luggage we first wrote about last summer. This season's take on the classic suitcase, made from the world's finest genuine alligator skin, is hand-crafted in soft-finished matte black and dubbed the Nero. Priced at $53,000, the case features burnished metal hardware with reinforced corners and locking mechanisms, along with matching black alligator handles. It also has a padded lining, internal elastic pocket and a removable garment bag. Designed to improve with age and withstand the rigors of travel, it's still obviously not the kind of thing you check on a commercial flight - unless you happen to own the airline.

[via LuxuryLaunches]

Tags: alligator, Bottega Veneta, exotic leather, Italian fashion, luggage, suitcase, travel

Andrea Levine Exotic Leather Dog Collars

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Pets

Some dogs wear clothes but for most their single chance to accessorize is in the collar, and Andrea Levine is delivering style in bundles with her Exotic Leather Dog Collars collection. Featuring all the skins usually reserved for handbags and shoes like python, lizard, crocodile, and even stingray, the collars come in a variety of colors and textures so you can best complement your pet's coloring, coordinate her with your outfit, or just show off your excellent taste. The polished stingray collar shown here sells for $210, plus you won't want to miss topping off the look with one of Levine's pretty diamond pavé charms.

Gallery: Andrea Levine Exotic Leather Dog Collars

Source

Tags: andrea levine, dog collar, dogs, exotic leather, pet collar, pets, Stingray

Bespoke Safari Boots from Frosdick of London

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags, Shoes, Men's Style

In recent months we've written about the resurgence of luxury expeditions to Africa and the New Safari Style. Now newly-minted British design firm Frosdick of London is launching its first line of bespoke, vintage-inspired safari-style boots called the "Out of Africa" collection. Taking design cues from the British Colonial "great white hunter's" classic attire, the boots are made entirely by hand in Northamptonshire, UK, using only the finest leather from Italian tanneries combined with pure cotton 20-ounce canvas woven in Scotland's Dundee. The boots, available for both men and women, are lined with the softest calf leather for comfort and durability and trimmed with elegant, Italian solid brass buckle fastenings. The canvas uppers can also be finished in genuine Burchell's zebra skin and ostrich leather, both ethically sourced in Africa.

In addition the firm is offering a range of made-to-order ladies' bags finished in exotic Kudu and Springbok hides. The authentic skins feature the natural markings that only a life in the wilds of Africa can bestow. One of the longest-horned antelopes, greater Kudu can have impressive spiral horns measuring six feet long. Each bag is lined with brightly colored pure linen and features a useful choice of straps and finest quality Italian brass fittings. The bespoke products will be available starting this summer with prices expected to begin at about $6,000 for boots and $4,000 for bags. Other items can be custom made and are limited only by your imagination. Contact davfro@btinternet.com for more info.

Gallery: Frosdick of London

Tags: Africa, boots, canvas, exotic leather, Frosdick of London, hunting, leather, London, ostrich, ostrich skin, safari, UK, zebra, zebra skin

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

Ildikó Gál Bespoke Exotic Leather Shoes from Hungary

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style

Hungarian bespoke shoemaker Ildikó Gál, which handcrafts exquisite footwear from exotic skins, makes its American debut this month. The brand has opened a new showroom in New York at 501 Fifth Avenue showcasing its first collection of men's handmade dress shoes, all constructed by third generation Hungarian cobblers. Ildikó Gál combines modern technology with Old World craftsmanship to produce luxurious products of unsurpassed quality. Constructing the perfect shoe starts with a state-of-the-art scanner that measures each foot from all angles. The foot scan data is instantly transmitted to the last makers, who create lasts that reflect a customer's unique feet.

From small towns and villages in rural Hungary where shaping leather into shoes is an art form handed down through generations, the shoemakers produce stunning, handcrafted footwear. Each shoe design is executed completely by hand using traditional methods and the finest skins, and takes about six weeks to complete. Each finished pair is stamped with the artisan's signature and delivered in a custom fitted wooden box with custom made shoe trees, silk shoe bags and special polishes. Prices start at about $2,500 per pair and exotic skins on offer include stingray (above), sharkskin, alligator, crocodile and ostrich.

Gallery: Ildiko Gal Bespoke Shoes

Tags: alligator, bespoke, crocodile, exotic leather, Hungary, Ildikó Gál, mens shoes, New York

Brioni Crocodile Skin Watch Box

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style

Need suitably stylish storage for those luxe timepieces Ariel Adams is always writing about? Check out this beautiful new watch box from luxury Italian clothing label Brioni, made of the world's finest genuine crocodile skin. Lined with suede and glove-soft leather, the box is priced at $5,000 and comes in classic brown, black and red. Featuring gold-plated hardware it holds six watches in removable compartments, along with a separate slim portfolio to hold additional watch straps. Famed for its hand-sewn custom tailored suits starting out at $4,000 and running as high as $47,000, Brioni provided 007's evening wear for several of the James Bond films and has also outfitted the likes of Al Pacino, Eric Clapton, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Brioni, crocodile, crocodile leather, exotic leather, Italy, watches

Louis Vuitton Offers $10,000 Alligator Wingtips

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style

At an astonishing price of $10,000 per pair, Louis Vuitton is offering what are perhaps the world's most expensive pair of men's dress shoes for Spring / Summer 2010. The Manhattan Richelieu wingtips are finished in waxed genuine alligator skin. Designed to embody the famed French firm's tradition of luxury and craftsmanship with a bit of vintage flair, the handmade footwear features intricate stitching and a subtle pattern of perforations. They are crafted using Blake construction, a shoe-making technique designed to impart immediate suppleness and comfort. The thread is embedded in the outsole, making it less vulnerable to wear and tear. The stylish shoes have a glove-soft leather lining, a Ruthenium-finish metal LV monogram cube embedded in the leather heel and a hand-painted leather sole.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: alligator, exotic leather, ExoticLeather, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, mens shoes, MensShoes

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