Hillary Clinton Seen Wearing Chanel J12 Watch
Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Celebrity Shopping
See the original photo here.
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
chanel
See the original photo here.
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
The Fashion Statement: It Bags are Back to Basic
Filed under: Handbags, The Fashion Statement
Toss your roomy totes, slim clutches and bohemian bags with hardware and fringe to the back of the closet.
The It bags for fall are small and basic; ladylike, almost to the point of prim; and minimalist. Square-shaped or rectangular, the handbags often have long shoulder straps and feature a very simple fold-over envelope style flap with a simple clasp. Color schemes are fairly basic, too, with most in solid brown and tan leather and black.
These bags resemble the "pocket books" you once plucked from your mother's or grandmother's closet to play dress-up. They are ultra understated and have a conservative '80s power suit feel. With long shoulder straps the bags rest at the hip.
Hermès has resurrected the Constance, a model with an H clasp that can be worn over the shoulder or messenger style.
Phoebe Philo introduced Celine's Classic Box, a small bag with compartments, closed by a square gold clasp. The fashion flock has been seen with the bag in black, brown and red leather.
Ralph Lauren has one in shiny brown croc with a gleaming round gold clasp. Fendi has also brought back a classic: the Logo Square bag emblazoned with Fs.
The Berkeley's Roof-Top Midnight Movies, Martinis and Manicures
Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels
One of the chicest boutique hotels in London has just added a little more glamor by transforming the spectacular roof-top terrace of its spa into a midnight movie theater, complete with home-made popcorn, mini ice cream cones, martinis from its famous Blue Bar and even manicures.
The Berkeley, which is located in fashionable Knightsbridge, is offering the latest fashion documentaries on a big screen under the stars. On Friday nights until the end of August, hotel guests and Londoners alike are invited to The Berkeley to enjoy mini ice cream cones and home-made popcorn as they sit underneath beautifully lit palm trees watching documentaries that offer a behind-the-scenes look at some of the world's leading fashion houses. Featured documentaries will include: Le Jour D'Avant, featuring Karl Lagerfeld, Sonia Rykiel, Proenza Schouler and Jean Paul Gaultier, Signe Chanel, Valentino: The Last Emperor, The September Issue, Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton, and Lagerfeld Confidential.
As guests enjoy the featured presentation, therapists from The Berkeley Health Club & Spa will give manicures that feature a choice of Chanel's latest Les Pop-Up nail varnish. If you feel a chill in the air, mulberry blankets are on hand.
The Berkeley's Midnight Movies, Martinis & Manicures packages start at £485 ($725) plus VAT based on double occupancy and include an overnight stay with access to the roof-top cinema. A special Midnight Movies, Martinis & Manicures package is also available for Londoners for £85 ($127) per person which includes full access to the movie theater between 10 pm and midnight, two signature Blue Bar cocktails per person, snacks and a mini-manicure with Chanel's latest summer colors.
The package is subject to availability and is available on Fridays in June, July and August, weather permitting. Reservations can be made online or by calling the following toll-free numbers: (866) 599 6991 in the United States and 0808 238 0245 in the United Kingdom.
EXCLUSIVE: Posh Publisher Prosper Assouline's Ten Essential Luxuries, Part I
Filed under: Apparel, Gadgets, Books, Men's Style, 10 Luxuries
Luxist readers will be familiar with the beautiful and stylish books published by French imprint Assouline; perhaps less so with the man who founded and runs the company. A master of savoir faire, Prosper Assouline is known for merging the modern and the classical in publishing and creative design. The former artistic director of several French fashion magazines, Prosper's resumé includes creating and launching his own magazine, and the founding of a creative agency specializing in branding and advertising in the late 1980s. With a vision of true luxury in print, he founded Assouline Publishing with his wife, Martine Assouline, in Paris in 1995, creating a world of exclusivity in books and brand identity. Under the direction of Prosper, Assouline has invented a visual language that is internationally recognized for its excellence.
After establishing the imprint as the world's most renowned publisher of high-quality illustrated volumes on fashion and style, Prosper opened an office in New York in 2001, which became the brand's international headquarters. In the past 15 years, Assou has published over 750 titles across international markets ranging on subjects including art, architecture, design, fashion, gastronomy, photography, travel and viticulture. The first collection of monographs on the history of fashion, art, and design, Assouline's Memoire series, includes over 250 titles on such legendary names as Azzedine Aläia, Chanel, Charles James, Dolce & Gabbana, and Marc Jacobs. Assouline creates products that stand alone as objets d'art; they have a beauty and a point of view that make them desirable to own and incorporate into the most discerning collections. Click through to the gallery to see Part 1 of Prosper's 10 essential luxuries, from hats and yachts to bars and cars, and find out what makes them a must.
Chanel No. 5 Wins the Readers' Choice Award for Best Fragrance
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Trends come and go in the world of perfumes, but the classic Chanel No. 5 is one of the few exceptions to the rule. For nearly a century, it has been synonymous with elegance and sophistication-making. Chanel No. 5 is also the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award winner in the best fragrance category.
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel started her company in 1909 with a single Paris store. By 1913, she had expanded to the posh European resort towns of Deauville and Biarritz, France. As the winter of 1921 approached, she gave the first 100 bottles of the fragrance to her most loyal customers as a Christmas gift. The following year, Chanel No. 5 made its official debut.
The precise origins of Chanel No. 5 are the stuff of legend. At first, Coco wanted no part of the fragrance business. "Women perfume themselves only to hide bad smells," she famously said. But eventually French perfumer Ernst Beaux changed Coco's mind. According to one story, the formulation of No. 5 was Beaux's attempt to capture the smell of Europe's northern lakes in the midnight sun; according to another, it was the result of a mixing error by Beaux's assistant.
Whatever the origin, No. 5 remains popular as ever today, thanks in part to a vaunted advertising campaign. Spokespeople for the fragrance have included actresses Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman, and most recently, Audrey Tautou, star of Amelie. She's the muse for a Chanel No. 5 film directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet. The current campaign is Chanel's first to launch online.
Chanel No. 5 perfume is described as sensual, intimate, luxurious, and the new film portrays No. 5 women of today as serene, enchanting and free---all part of an effort to renew the brand in the eyes of younger consumers. The fragrance can be purchased through Chanel's website (1.2 oz: $61.50) or at most high end department stores.
The Nominees for Best in Beauty
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Best Men's Skincare Line
The first nominee has a straightforward name as well as no-nonsense naming and simple packaging, while the second nominee was launched high in the mountains of France nearly 50 years ago by an intrepid biologist. The third nominee offers one of the most extensive lines for men while the fourth is known for its longevity and expertise in men's skincare. The final nominee lives by its logo that says "be healthy and look great".
Anthony Logistics for Men
Biotherm Homme
Clinique Skin Supplies for Men
Lab Series Skincare for Men
MenScience Androceuticals
Best Cosmetics Line
The first nominee was created by a makeup artist who wanted to create a natural-looking makeup line that would allow a person's true beauty to shine through while the second one was started by a painter who later became a celebrity makeup artist. The third nominee is a favorite of runway artists and film stars alike while the fourth is an eponymous beauty brand known for highly pigmented products, cleverly slim and sleek compacts, and a fearless selection of shades for people of all colors. The final nominee first became famous for its revolutionary makeup brushes, followed by its innovative cosmetics.
Bobbi Brown
Laura Mercier
M·A·C Cosmetics
NARS
Trish McEvoy
Best Fragrance
The first nominee has been the scent of choice for sophisticates worldwide since the 1930's, while the second nominee has been synonymous with opulence for generations. The third nominee is an elegant and sophisticated octogenarian while the fourth nominee is a unisex newcomer that is packaged in perhaps the most innovative vessel ever created for a fragrance. The final nominee is immediately recognizable due to its famous logo.
Acqua di Parma Colonia
Bulgari's Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc
Chanel No. 5
Voyage d'Hermès
Polo Ralph Lauren
Best Bodycare Line
The first nominee is a Japanese line that was developed with the knowledge of Oriental herbal medicine while the second one has been concocting beautifying elixirs in New York City since 1851. The third nominee takes a scientific approach to beauty and the fourth makes distinctively aromatic concoctions that are handcrafted from fresh and organic fruits and vegetables. The final nominee is an upbeat, uplifting company with a product line that attempts to inspire its customers to live a better life by being better to themselves.
Kanebo's Sensai
Kiehl's
La Prairie
Lush
Philosophy
Best Skin Cream
The first nominee is made from a combination of natural ingredients including special sea kelp harvested twice a year off the coast of California, while the second nominee focuses on the inner balance and harmony of the body and soul. The third nominee uses two key ingredients: a natural extract derived from the root of the Shilan orchid as well as Koishumaru silk extract. The fourth nominee prides itself on understatement while the final nominee was launched by a Harvard-trained, board-certified dermatologist who's single product contains all the necessary ingredients to fight anti-aging.
Creme de la Mer
Darphin
Kanebo's Sensai Skin Care
Philosophy
37 Extreme Actives
The Fashion Statement: Short Cuts
Filed under: The Fashion Statement
Who likes short shorts?
Apparently everybody, as evidenced by the number of cropped breeches seen on the catwalks and red carpet recently. Ciara, Gwyneth, Nicole and a host of other celebrities have taken shorts out for a spin on the crimson. It doesn't seem to matter much whether it's cold outside or not. In fact, it was bitingly cold during fashion week in New York in February when Kylie Minogue decided to grace the front row in shiny black vinyl shorts.
Shorts have been around for centuries, of course. The descendants of kilts and togas, they were the look for young school boys. Soldiers stationed in hot places like Bermuda adopted the look for relief from the heat which then quickly influenced civilians. Women followed later. Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie O. were often photographed in shorts.
Once only appropriate to wear starting this weekend (Memorial Day) through Labor Day, cut to today and the look is so prevalent almost every designer inserted a pair of shorts in his or her fall/winter collections. A few highlights: If one were to wear shorts on to the North Pole, Chanel had an option-gray fur shorts with furry boots and a patterned ski sweater. Salvatore Ferragamo struck a '70s vibe with rust leather shorts shown under a rust suede maxi coat and brown belted cable knit sweater and further punctuated with rust suede boots and a brown cable knit cap. Dolce & Gabbana had shorts you could wear to a meeting on Wall Street-a mauve boiled wool short suit with the knee length shorts, cuffed and modest.
Chanel No. 5: Elegant and Sophisticated
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
Trends come and go in the world of perfumes, but the classic Chanel No. 5 is one of the few exceptions to the rule. For nearly a century, it has been synonymous with elegance and sophistication-making it an easy choice as a Luxist nominee in the best fragrance category.
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel started her company in 1909 with a single Paris store. By 1913, she had expanded to the posh European resort towns of Deauville and Biarritz, France. As the winter of 1921 approached, she gave the first 100 bottles of the fragrance to her most loyal customers as a Christmas gift. The following year, Chanel No. 5 made its official debut.
The precise origins of Chanel No. 5 are the stuff of legend. At first, Coco wanted no part of the fragrance business. "Women perfume themselves only to hide bad smells," she famously said. But eventually French perfumer Ernst Beaux changed Coco's mind. According to one story, the formulation of No. 5 was Beaux's attempt to capture the smell of Europe's northern lakes in the midnight sun; according to another, it was the result of a mixing error by Beaux's assistant.
Whatever the origin, No. 5 remains popular as ever today, thanks in part to a vaunted advertising campaign. Spokespeople for the fragrance have included actresses Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman, and most recently, Audrey Tautou, star of Amelie. She's the muse for a Chanel No. 5 film directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet. The current campaign is Chanel's first to launch online.
Chanel No. 5 perfume is described as sensual, intimate, luxurious, and the new film portrays No. 5 women of today as serene, enchanting and free---all part of an effort to renew the brand in the eyes of younger consumers. The fragrance can be purchased through Chanel's website (1.2 oz: $61.50) or at most high end department stores.
Vote for the fragrance that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through May 31st and winners will be announced on June 1.
The Fashion Statement: Cannes Style
Filed under: The Fashion Statement
Le Festival de Cannes got underway yesterday bringing Hollywood to the French Riviera. Among the highlights expected this week? The debut of Sir Ridley Scott's Robin Hood and Oliver Stone's Wall Street sequel.
But it's not the films that interest us. It's the fashion shows.
First up, the Robin Hood premiere: Kate Beckinsale and Eva Longoria (pictured above), in particular, did not disappoint the fashion gods. Both showed up in frilly frothy gowns with dramatic trains of tiered chiffon worthy of the crimson carpet. Beckinsale chose Marchesa. Longoria was in Emilio Pucci. (Pucci, by the way, has created a limited edition caftan to be sold in their Cannes boutique to celebrate the festival.)
Cate Blanchett attended a press conference in an elegant in a Giorgio Armani Privé daytime dress and later made an entrance (and headlines) in a black, off-the-shoulder gown designed by the late designer Alexander McQueen. The dress is emblazoned, front and back, with a silver eagle taking flight and was part of the last collection designed by McQueen before the designer killed himself in February.
Meanwhile, Salma Hayek debuted the first ever haute couture collection from Gucci Premiere in the form of a deep red Bordeaux silk one-shoulder draped gown. Yes, surprisingly, the Italian house has never in its history produced an haute couture collection.
Secret Chemicals in Top Perfumes May Pose Health Risks
Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance
A loophole in a 37-year-old federal law allows makers of perfumes, colognes, and body sprays to conceal the chemicals that comprise the fragrances---and some of those unidentified odor creators may be harmful to public health, according to two advocacy groups.Laboratory analysis was performed on 17 best-selling fragrance products, with tests revealing that the products together contained 38 chemicals not listed on product labels, reported AOL News today.
At the top of the list was American Eagle Seventy Seven with 24 secret chemicals. Chanel's Coco had 18 and Britney Spears Curious and Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio have 17, according to AOL News. View the list of offenders at AOL News.
"Every product we tested contains a mixture of secret chemical compounds not listed on the labels," Jane Houlihan, senior vice president for research for Environmental Working Group, told AOL News.
Worrisome for advocacy groups is that several of the undisclosed chemicals, including diethyl phthalate and musk ketone, contain hazardous properties or have a propensity to accumulate in human tissues.
Fragrances are not the only products that may contain undisclosed chemicals that can be hazardous. Many shampoos, lotions, bath products, cleaning sprays, and laundry detergents, contain ingredients that are not disclosed on packaging.
The Fragrance Materials Association of the United States (FMA) disagrees with the study's findings. "There is nothing 'secret' about the ingredients being used in fragrances," according to a statement issued by the FMA. The fragrance industry has published a listing of more than 3,000 fragrance ingredients that are currently being used in all forms of consumer products. This list can be found online.
"Scare mongering through the use of 'suggested' or 'potential' associations between fragrance materials and various toxicities is deplorable, particularly when present in a document that purports to be scientific,' said Cathy Cook, the association's spokesperson in a statement. The FMA further faulted the study because it was "self-published and not peer-reviewed."
World's Most Valuable Luxury Brands
Filed under: Apparel, Handbags
What is the world's most valuable luxury brand? According to a study released today compiled by market research firm Millward Brown Optimor, the most valuable brand is France's Louis Vuitton with a brand value of nearly $19.8 billion.
Hermes, with a brand value of $8.45 billion, landed in the second spot, followed by Gucci ($7.58 billion), Chanel ($5.54 billion) and Hennessy ($5.36 billion).
Millward Brown used an economic use approach to the valuation, with brand values based on the intrinsic value of the brand derived from its ability to generate demand. The values reflect the sum of all future earnings a brand is forecasted to generate, discounted to present-day value.
"The big takeaway is that brands that focused on heritage are the ones that topped the list," says Lauren Sherman, editor of Fashionista, a fashion news website. "Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Gucci all focused this year on heritage."
According to Sherman, Louis Vuitton's advertising campaigns focused on travel, which ties to its history of being a maker of steamer trunks, while Hermes began to again market their saddles and also sponsored a horse show in Paris, which they haven't done in years. "They are going back to the basics."
Gucci, on the other hand, is focusing on its vintage bags. The company recently formed a partnership with Christie's in which the auction house will provide appraisal services for owners of vintage Gucci leathergoods. "Gucci Collector: Presented by Christie's" provides auction estimates for vintage Gucci items that are of a type and value typically sold at Christie's. The service is provided free of charge.
"Gucci wants to bring back the company from mass luxury which it had become," says Sherman.
Millward Brown used the BrandZ database of its parent company, WPP, which owns several marketing, advertising and public relations firms, among others. BrandZ tracked sales and marketing for more than 1,000 brands over the course of a year to come up with the list.
The brand that saw the most growth on the list this year was Hermes, with an increase of 8%.
Perhaps most surprising about the list this year were the brands that didn't fare well. The brands that are more closely associated with trends and high fashion, such as Prada and Burberry, did not rank high on the list---in fact, Prada was knocked off the top ten list altogether.
Chanel's ranking dropped from where it was a year ago and lost 11% of its brand value. "Chanel will always sell perfume and leather goods which are classic products, but compared to Gucci and Louis Vuitton, they are more associated with high fashion," says Sherman. "Any brand where the runway is more important than the boutique, suffered a bit."
See Fashionista's report to view the rest of the top ten list of the world's most valuable brands.
The Fashion Statement: Brides, 2010!
Filed under: The Fashion Statement
In India, the color is red. In the West, the hue is white (off-white back in the day, if you were considered less than virginal). Even black is making a comeback. When it comes to bridal gowns these days, anything goes.
Historically, designers have created wedding gowns -- usually making their debut in the finale of their shows -- that are reflective of the cultural norms and political messages of the day. Coco Chanel caused a stir in the roaring '20s when she introduced a knee-length dress with a long veil, a look vastly different from the house's current collection (pictured above).
In 1968, Yves Saint Lauren sent brides down the catwalk in bikinis made of actual flowers to celebrate the sexual revolution (the look resurfaced again in the '90s as a nod to history). Remember Sharon Tate's mini dress that same year in the much published photo with Roman Polanski? In 1969, Yoko Ono sported the same short hemline as she walked down the aisle with John Lennon. In the '70s, pantsuits had a moment, no doubt because it represented the day's feminist ideal.
So what's the message in 2010? It seems everything old is new again. Vivienne Westwood has picked up where YSL left off with a two-piece, toga-like number. Azzaro gives us plenty of short minis à la Tate and Ono. And Tuleh makes the statement that shorts are perfectly okay on the aisle as are corsets. Reem Acra and Donna Karan are all about elegance, draping and Greek goddesses while Charles Anastase has raised the empire waist to a new level, sitting just above the breast line.
Sorry, Louis Vuitton - Lagerfeld Loves Goyard
Filed under: Celebrity Shopping
Once upon a time Chanel kingpin Karl Lagerfeld was so devoted to Louis Vuitton luggage that he had the famed French luxury goods house make him a bespoke trunk to house his iPods and a speaker system. Now however the Kaiser seems to have traded in his Vuitton for an enormous set of suitcases and trunks by rival Parisian firm Goyard. While every bit as luxurious as Vuitton, Goyard's wares have not quite captured the popular imagination like those of Vuitton and aren't nearly as famous; for that reason they can perhaps be said to be more exclusive. In place of Vuitton's famed monogram canvas, Goyard's cases feature a pattern of interlaced chevrons. Goyard 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. London's Daily Mail spotted Lagerfeld outside a downtown New York hotel the other day instructing helpers to load his dozens of Goyard suitcases and trunks into black vans. Lagerfeld was in town shooting a new Chanel ad campaign.
Chanel J12 Retrograde Mysterieuse Watch: I Can No Longer Remain Silent
Filed under: Timepieces / Watches
Chanel Bocce Ball Set for Summer
Filed under: Sports
In time for the lazy days of summer, Chanel is offering a vintage-inspired bocce ball set in a braided wicker and leather case. The set, priced at about at about $2,800, includes eight stainless steel bocce balls engraved with the Chanel logos and a wooden "jack" or target ball. The case is finished in two-tone brown and natural woven wicker with Chanel's trademark interlocking C's done in braided rope on top, and brown saddle leather straps and handle. The set resembles a vintage picnic case and is no doubt meant to be used on the lawn of a gracious country house. Given that Chanel is a French fashion house we're not sure why this isn't called a Pétanque set, but there you have it. Meanwhile, British model-turned-TV star Alexa Chung, who has gotten her hands on one of the sets in advance of their public offering, has been using the stylish case as a handbag.
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