celebrity

Steve McQueen's 'Le Mans' Racing Suit for Sale

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist

The racing suit worn by the great Steve McQueen in his epic 1971 motorsports film Le Mans is being offered for sale by Toronto's Collector's Studio. The iconic two-piece flame resistant Nomex cream uniform made by Hinchman of Indianapolis bears the name of McQueen's character in the movie, Michael Delaney. It also features the insignia of Gulf, Heuer, Firestone, and the American flag. While the company has not put a firm price on the suit, there have been several serious offers so far, the highest of which is $140,000. The suit shows good signs of use and is fully documented, having been donated by Solar Productions / MGM to a British newspaper for a Le Mans themed contest in 1971. It was presented to the winner by British racing legend Richard Attwood, who won Le Mans in 1970 driving the famous Porsche 917K with Gulf livery made famous by McQueen. McQueen memorabilia is of course a proven earner; Antiquorum sold the actor's Rolex Submariner at auction last year for $234,000.

[via JamesList]

Tags: celebrity, Collectors Studio, entertainment, Heuer, Le Mans, memorabilia, motor racing, movies, Porsche, race car, racing, racing+suit, racingsuit, Steve McQueen

Simon Cowell Plays Second Fiddle to Sean "Diddy" Combs in St. Barths

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

American Idol bigwig Simon Cowell got one-upped by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs in St. Barths over the New Year's holiday where his superyacht played second fiddle to the rap mogul's state-of-the-art iPad-controlled craft. Cowell chartered his favorite yacht, the 196-ft. Slipstream (above) built by France's CMN Shipyard, for $450,000 plus expenses. With luxe accommodation for 12 guests plus a crew of 14, Slipstream features mirrors above a giant waterbed, a Jacuzzi, an observation lounge with panoramic views, gym and a sky lounge with a retractable roof. Diddy's yacht Solemates runs to $600,000 per week plus expenses and is a critical 12 inches longer than Cowell's. In addition to the iPad concierge Solemates accommodates 12 guests in six luxurious cabins and features a sun lounge wrapped around a Jacuzzi forward; a discotheque sound and lighting system turns it into an al fresco nightclub. Cowell's cruise was also somewhat hampered by the fact that he had several warring females aboard. While Diddy's yacht is blandly luxurious, Cowell's yacht has a bit more style; take a look at the images of both below and tell us what you think.

Gallery: 'Solemates' iPad Superyacht Charter

Gallery: Simon Cowell Superyacht 'Slipstream'

[via JamesList]

Tags: American Idol, celebrity, Diddy, iPad, P. Diddy, Sean Combs, Simon Cowell, simon+cowell+yacht, simoncowellyacht, Solemates, St. Barths, superyacht, yacht

Dennis Hopper's Furniture On Offer at Christie's

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Art, Architecture & Design

Last summer my colleague Deirdre Woollard covered the sale of Dennis Hopper's house and major works from his impressive collection of contemporary art. Now Christie's is offering a number of prized pieces of furniture that belonged the late actor, artist and aesthete. Tops among Hopper's design classics in Christie's Interiors sale in New York on Jan. 11 – 12 is a chrome and black leather chaise by Le Corbusier, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500; a cardboard "bubble chair" designed by architect Frank Gehry, estimated at $3,000 – $5,000; and an oak and black leather Eames chair with ottoman, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500. Also included are various photographs and works of art, including an Andy Warhol silkscreen of Marilyn Monroe estimated at $40,000 – $60,000, and even the actor's set of Tiffany & Co. teacups and desert plates, estimated at $200 – $300. A number of the items are being offered without reserve, so it's a good chance for Hopper fans to score a memento.

Tags: actor, Andy Warhol, art, auction, celebrity, Christies, contemporary art, Dennis Hopper, Eames, Frank Gehry, furniture, Le Corbusier, Tiffany Co.

P. Diddy Charters the $600,000-a-Week iPad Megayacht in St. Barths

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Yachts & Sailing, Celebrity Shopping, Wealth

The other day we told you about Solemates (above), the $600,000 per week 197-ft. superyacht charter designed by the great Espen Oeino and launched by Lürssen earlier this year, the first of its kind to offer clients control of its various high-tech systems via the iPad. Now none other than Sean "P. Diddy" Combs has turned up on the yacht in St. Barths, where he chartered the ultra-luxe vessel for a family vacation over New Year's with girlfriend Kim Porter, their daughters D'Lila and Jessie and son Justin before jetting to Las Vegas to party. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas visited as well. Via the iPad Diddy and co. can control the shipboard entertainment, climate and lighting systems and even summon crewmembers to bring refreshments.

The interior of the yacht, which accommodates 12 guests in six luxurious cabins, was designed by Glade Johnson in a blend of elegant, rich woods and textures and classical details paired with contemporary, sleek lines. The main and upper deck salons are awash with natural light and offer impressive spaces for formal or casual dining and entertaining. The sun deck features an outdoor dining area and a sun lounge wrapped around the Jacuzzi forward, and a discotheque sound and lighting system turns it into an al fresco nightclub. There are several toys and tenders aboard for a variety of recreational activities.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: 'Solemates' iPad Superyacht Charter

Tags: celebrity, Diddy, Espen Oeino, iPad, New Years Eve, p+diddy+ipad+yacht, p+diddy+yacht, P. Diddy, p.+diddy+ipad+superyacht, p.diddyipadsuperyacht, pdiddyipadyacht, pdiddyyacht, Sean Combs, Sean P. Diddy Combs, Solemates, St. Barths, superyacht, yacht, yacht charter

Hugh Grant Has a Breakdown in His Ferrari California

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Hugh Grant had an embarrassing incident on the way to a posh golf club in Kent, UK the other day when his $220,000 Ferrari California broke down leaving him stranded on the roadside. Grant purchased the flashy car for his 50th birthday in August but seems to have ended up with an expensive lemon. The actor was on his way to play golf at the nearby Royal St. George's club when the Italian stallion stalled out, the London Daily Mail reports. He tried to rev the engine back to life, leaving the fast lane blocked and forcing passing cars to swerve out of the way. Unable to get it started again he eventually managed to pull off to the side of the road, where he then called a tow truck. After a long wait during which the actor answered a call of nature in the bushes as drivers gawked at the spectacle, he eventually he had to beg a ride from a passing VW van in order to make his tee time. Grant later took the car in to a Ferrari dealership in London where he read them the riot act.

Tags: car crash, celebrity, Ferrari, Ferrari California, golf, Hugh Grant, London, UK

Demi Moore & Martha Stewart Party on Russian Billionaire's Megayacht

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Events, Wealth

Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Martha Stewart made the New Year's scene in St. Barths as guests of Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko aboard his Philippe Starck-designed megayacht 'A' (above). The awe-inspiring 390-ft. craft ranks as the 11th largest yacht in the world and cost an estimated $300 million to build. The celebs were in town for oligarch Roman Abramovich's star-studded New Year's Eve bash featuring the Black Eyed Peas at his lavish estate on the island. While on board the yacht Moore strutted around in a barely-there bikini and caught some rays.

She and Kutcher also played around on the vessel's jet skis. The yacht's interior features $40,000 bath faucets, $60,000 stair banisters, and an all-white, 2,583-sq.-ft. master suite wrapped in bulletproof glass and accessed by a silver-plated staircase with a fingerprint scanner at the door. Key decor accents include Baccarat crystal tables, alligator skin and Kudu horn chairs, stingray skin upholstered walls and hand-stitched leather paneling. Filling the A's gas tanks alone costs $500,000 a pop and running costs come to about $20 million a year.

Tags: Andrey Melnichenko, Ashton Kutcher, celebrity, Demi Moore, Martha Stewart, megayacht, parties, Philippe Starck, Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaires, St. Barths, superyacht, yacht

Brad Pitt Wears Burberry to 'The Tourist' Premiere

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events, Celebrity Shopping, Men's Style

When you've got Angelina Jolie on your arm in a thigh-and-cleavage bearing cream-colored cashmere confection, the best thing for a man to do is provide the perfectly elegant backdrop. Brad Pitt pulled that off with flair to spare at the premiere of Jolie's new movie The Tourist in New York the other night. The dashing actor's all-black outfit was topped with a ruggedly stylish military-inspired double breasted wool greatcoat with a capacious shearling collar from Burberry's acclaimed Autumn / Winter 2010 collection (one of their cool leather-trimmed bags appeared in our recent Fall Style feature). The actor accessorized the seriously warm coat, which has a quilted lining and half belt, with a casually tied black scarf. Add Angelina and you've got the perfect ensemble, not to mention the world's most stylish couple.

Tags: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Burberry, celebrity, coat, mens style, movie premiere, movies, The Tourist

Max Weinberg In New Jersey, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Back in August we mentioned that Max Weinberg and his wife, Rebecca, had their Los Angeles home on the market. The drummer and bandleader and his wife are serial house flippers. That home has now had a price cut from $3.399 million to $3.215 million (still a little above they $2.88 million they bought it for in 2009) but the Weinbergs have another home to sell.

Their home in Middleton, New Jersey is a seven-bedroom Colonial that they built from the ground up. The Wall Street Journal reports that the house sits on almost 17 of 40 forested acres that Mr. Weinberg bought in 1997 for less than $1 million. Whoever buys the house will be his neighbor, he's keeping the remaining 23 acres.

The 8,900-square-foot house was designed for family life. The couple is downsizing now that the children have left the nest and are building a smaller house near by. The home has a soundproof music room, a movie theater with a lobby and concession area and a pool. Other features include a guest house, a 3,200-square-foot barn and a three-acre skating pond that has bleachers and stadium lighting. It is listed at $6.499 million.

Gallery: Max Weinberg In Middletown, New Jersey

Tags: celebrity, estate of the day, Max Weinberg, new jersey real estate

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Brooke Shields Celebrates New St. Regis Resort

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events, Celebrity Shopping

Brooke Shields, pictured above with St. Regis Global Brand Leader Paul James, toasted the opening of the famed brand's 21st hotel, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico, at a cocktail party at the legendary St. Regis New York Wednesday night. The glamorous fête also celebrated the unveiling of the St. Regis Collection by Alexis Bittar, a collection of jewelry created exclusively for St. Regis in honor of the brand's latest luxe destination. Each piece in the St. Regis Collection pays homage to St. Regis' founding patroness Caroline Astor, mother of John Jacob Astor who opened The St. Regis New York in 1904, and her famed jewels which she displayed at New York's premier social events. For the celebration, hosted by stylish socialites Olivia Chantecaille and Ren Grady, Zani Gugelmann, Mary Alice Stephenson, and Lucy Sykes and Euan Rellie, the St. Regis New York's second floor was transformed into a warm, inviting salon where guests discovered the storied hotel's enchanting rooms.

With glowing candlelight and beautiful flower arrangements situated amongst rich wood tables, elegant sofas and leather club chairs gracing the rooms, the setting suggested an intimate home harkening back to the days of the private residences found in the iconic hotel during John Jacob Astor's time. Throughout the festive evening, guests enjoyed live music from Kat Edmonson as she crooned classic jazz numbers while accompanied by a five piece band, paying tribute to the St. Regis New York's jazz history; the hotel has played host to some of the finest jazz musicians since its opening over a century ago. Party-goers were also treated to a special menu of hors d'oeuvres created by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Vongerichten is the Chef of Fern, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort's highly anticipated and recently opened signature restaurant.

Tags: Alexis Bittar, Bahia Beach, Brooke Shields, celebrity, events, jazz, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, John Jacob Astor, Kat Edmonson, luxury hotels, Olivia Chantecaille, party, Paul James, Puerto Rico, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach

The Stunning Photographs of Stan Shaffer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

If you've never heard of photographer Stan Shaffer, who captured the cream of cultural bohemia in the golden age of the '60s and '70s, now's the time to rectify that courtesy of über-luxe German publisher teNeues. You Should Have Been With Me is a massive scrapbook culled from Shaffer's stunning archive, with intimate portraits of celebs of the day including Gloria Vanderbilt, Angelica Huston, Andy Warhol, Halston, Calvin Klein, Peter Beard, Cheryl Tiegs, Grace Jones, Jerry Hall, Brooke Shields and Mariel Hemingway. These are interspersed with sexy fashion snaps and outtakes of sessions with supermodels on yachts and in Porsches once the "work" was done. In diary form Shaffer shares extracts from his extraordinary life at the nexus of New York's art, fashion and cinema worlds, at glitzy parties "where everyone is somebody and they're all dressed to kill!" Shaffer's journey was that of a "voyeur, participant, invited guest and documentarian" wrapped into one; sadly he died during the final stages of production on this book, which now serves as a fitting legacy for an artist who deserves more recognition.

Tags: 1960s, 1970s, Andy Warhol, art, books, Calvin Klein, celebrity, coffee table books, fashion, Jerry Hall, New York, Peter Beard, photographer, photography, Stan Shaffer, style, teNeues

Treasures from the Archives of Alfred Hitchcock

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

The archives of the late, great director Alfred Hitchcock were made completely available for the first time for the publication of a remarkable new book on his life and work. Hitchcock, Piece by Piece by Laurent Bouzereau from Abrams is of course packed with photographs, letters, memos, sketches and other ephemera, many never before published, with the innovative enhancement that facsimiles of several items can be removed from special folders and examined close up. Bouzereau, an accomplished Hollywood producer and director in his own right, provides a personal guided tour of Hitchcock's private life, oeuvre of fifty films, and creative process throughout his sixty year career working with stars like Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Ingrid Bergman. Hundreds of photographs reveal the many facets of the master filmmaker, famed for classics like North By Northwest (one of our all-time favorites) and Vertigo, dating from the days of his youth, along with a a comprehensive filmography and bibliography. As Hitchcock's daughter Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell notes in her foreword, the book is a veritable Hitchcock museum and a must-have for any film buff.

Tags: Alfred Hitchcock, books, Cary Grant, celebrity, cinema, coffee table books, director, Hollywood, movie stars, movies, North By Northwest, photography

Reggie Jackson's $1 Million Ferrari & More at Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Sports

A rare 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder (above) formerly owned by both baseball great Reggie Jackson and famed daredevil Evel Knieval is expected to fetch up to $1 million at RM Auctions' annual Automobiles of Arizona sale in Phoenix on January 20 – 21. The car is one of a number of stunning Ferraris on offer in the stunning auction taking place at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa (previewed by my colleague Noah Joseph), including a gorgeous 1966 Ferrari Superfast Series I, estimated at $900,000 – $1 million; a fully-restored 1950 Ferrari 166 Inter Berlinetta, est. $400,000 – $600,000; a well-known 1995 Ferrari F50 Show Car, est. $600,000 – $800,000, the very first F50 built; and a stunning jet black 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC. Other classic European thoroughbreds set to cross the block include a 1921 Rolls-Royce 40/50HP Silver Ghost Phaeton, est. $350,000 – $475,000; a 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Newmarket Sport Phaeton, est. $300,000 – $450,000; and a 1958 Aston Martin DB2 Mark III, est. $200,000 – $250,000.

Gallery: RM Auctions' Arizona Ferraris

Tags: Arizona, Aston Martin, auction, baseball, celebrity, celebrity cars, classic cars, Ferrari, Reggie Jackson, RM Auctions, Rolls-Royce, sports

McQueen Motos & Memorabilia in Bonhams California Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

An impressive collection of Steve McQueen memorabilia including two classic Harley Davidson sidecars used in his famed 1963 flick The Great Escape (above) are being offered for sale Bonhams & Butterfields' Classic California Auction on November 13th at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The items come from the collection of McQueen's good friend, racer, stuntman and Triumph dealer Bud Ekins. The Harley sidecars date from 1936 and were used in the movie set during World War II, in which Ekins, acting as McQueen's stunt double, made the famous motorcycle jump over the wire fence.

The Harleys were disguised as German motorcycles and the sidecars were made to appear as Steib sidecars in the film. Later they were repainted for use in Badge of Courage, Steven Spielberg's 1941 and numerous other war films, and are estimated to fetch $6,000 – $8,000. Also included in the sale are a five page handwritten letter from McQueen to Ekins, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500; and assorted McQueen related memorabilia, including press clippings, four books, rare photographs and two copies of Life magazine, estimated at only $300 – $400; plus several vintage Triumphs, Harleys and more from Ekins' amazing collection. Check out the gallery for pix.

Gallery: Steve McQueen at Bonhams & Butterfields

[via JamesList]

Tags: auction, Bonhams, California, celebrity, Harley Davidson, Los Angeles, motorcycle, movies, Steve McQueen, Triumph

Famed Photographer Albert Watson Publishes Epic 40-Year Retrospective

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

Famed photographer Albert Watson, whose celebrity portraits and nudes of Kate Moss fetch astonishing prices at auction, has come out with a stunning new 40-year retrospective of his work. Titled UFO, which stands for "Uniﬁed Fashion Objectives", the massive monograph includes iconic shots of famous faces from 50 Cent, Christy Turlington, Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Uma Thurman, Beyonce and Jack Nicholson are interspersed with still lifes, fashion images and more, personally selected by Watson from his vast archive. The Scottish-born photographer's first celebrity photograph was a portrait of Alfred Hitchcock for the cover of Harper's Bazaar in 1973.

Since then he has amassed more than 200 Vogue covers and 40 Rolling Stone covers to his credit and has shot countless ad campaigns, TV commercials and movie posters. Many of the images in the book have never been published before and are presented here for the very ﬁrst time. The slipcased volume is also available as a limited edition book for $500 including an archival pigment print of 500 copies only, housed in a black acrylic case. Individually signed and numbered, the limited edition is available exclusively through galleries representing Albert Watson and selected retailers.

Gallery: Albert Watson's UFO

Scarlett Johansson, Interview, New York City, 2005

Joel West + Denise Gilpin, Little Italy story, Vogue Homme, New York City, 1995

Debbie Dickson + Christie Brinkley, American Vogue, Senegal, 1978

Tags: 50 Cent, Albert Watson, art, Beyonce, books, celebrity, Christy Turlington, coffee table books, fashion, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, nude, photographer, photography, supermodels, Uma Thurman, Vogue

New Chef & Fall Excursions at Richard Gere's Bedford Post Inn

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Celebrity Design

The Bedford Post Inn, actor Richard Gere's perfectly restored eighteenth-century country inn (above) located an hour outside New York City near the actor's Westchester estate, has a new chef and some special offers to welcome the fall season. Situated on 14 acres, the bucolic property is home to an exquisite eight-room luxury inn featuring marble baths, fireplaces and Frette linens, two restaurants and a yoga studio. Gere and wife Carey Lowell recently hired Jeremy MacMillan, formerly of A Voce Columbus and A Voce Madison in Manhattan, as the new chef at the Inn, where he will emphasize high-quality seasonal local ingredients at both its restaurants.

MacMillan will offer classic seasonal country cuisine at The Barn, the more casual of the Inn's two eateries, and hearty Mediterranean-influenced American fare at The Farmhouse. To celebrate the season the Inn is offering a number of different packages combining overnight stays with various dining options and yoga instruction, with rates ranging from $295 per night for a basic bed and breakfast experience to $630 per night for the Inn's King Deluxe room with a terrace, breakfast at The Barn, the Chef's Tasting Menu at the Farmhouse and a yoga class for two guests.

Gallery: Bedford Post Inn