designer

RLX Ralph Lauren Launches First iPad App

Filed under: Apparel, Gadgets, Sports, Men's Style

Ralph Lauren is launching its first ever iPad app for the brand's high-tech RLX line, utilizing some cool new technology. The RLX Ralph Lauren iPad app allows users to interact with world-class athletes on screen by tilting, rotating, flipping and tapping the iPad to manipulate different movements, colors and environments. There are 12 different "chapters" within the app that showcase the athletes wearing items from the new RLX line; each features an interactive key utilizing the iPad's built-in accelerometer, digital compass, assisted GPS and multi-touch screen capabilities to activate the stylish scenarios.

The application also allows users to shop the entire collection by creating a direct portal to RalphLauren.com. Created to answer the demand for superior high-performance outfitting, RLX for men and women unites the highest standards of luxury, technology and style. From cutting-edge functional gear for professional athletes to exceptionally luxe lifestyle apparel for modern living, RLX "defines the next evolution of design with a philosophy focused on purity of form, unrivaled construction techniques and the world's most innovative fabrications."

Tags: Apple, Apple iPad, apps, athletes, designer, fashion designer, gadgets, iPad, iPad app, Ralph Lauren, RLX, RLX Ralph Lauren, sports, technology

EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Lauren to Exhibit Car Collection Classics for the First Time

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, The Classicist, Architecture & Design

Ralph Lauren to Exhibit Car Collection Classics for the First Time

Images exclusive to Luxist, courtesy of Ralph Lauren; click for high-res gallery

Some of the most precious gems in famed fashion designer Ralph Lauren's incredible car collection will be exhibited for the the first time ever in Paris this spring. Lauren's collection, in our opinion the finest one in private hands on the planet, features impeccable examples of the rarest and most valuable vehicles in the world. We can reveal exclusively that four of his exquisite automotive works of art, which have never before been seen in public, will be on view at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from April 28 – August 28: a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM; a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti; a 1956/1958 Jaguar XKSS; and a 1931 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300.

13 other Lauren cars will also be on display during the exhibit, entitled The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection, including an amazing 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (above), a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, and a 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupé. The last two alone are worth about $30 – $40 million each, and are among the world's most expensive cars. The Paris exhibit will focus on European models created between the 1930s and the 1990s, "illustrating the evolution of car design in the 20th Century." They were selected by curator Rodolphe Rapetti and will be arranged by scenographer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, with the "kinetics" and sound of the vehicles conveyed by means of various films and recordings. The museum will also be producing a luxe book to celebrate the occasion.

Gallery: Ralph Lauren's Cars Headed to Paris

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Bentley, billionaire, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Bugatti, car collection, car design, celebrity cars, classic cars, designer, exclusive, exhibit, exhibition, fashion design, fashion designer, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, ferrari+250+gt, ferrari250gt, France, Jaguar, McLaren, mens style, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, museum, museum show, Paris, Porsche, Ralph Lauren, ralph+lauren+car+collection, ralph+lauren+cars, ralph+laurens+car+collection, ralphlaurencarcollection, ralphlaurencars, ralphlaurenscarcollection, supercars, The Classicist, worlds most expensive, worlds most expensive car, worlds most expensive cars

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Tory Burch Opens Flagship Boutique on New Bond Street in London

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Fashion house Tory Burch has opened a new boutique on New Bond Street in London.

The 4200-square-foot London flagship is located at 149 New Bond Street. The boutique resides in a 19th Century townhouse, and the interior has a corresponding residential feel. The first floor features company signatures like moss green floors, gold leaf mirrors, plum snow leopard curtains and orange lacquer details. It also includes unique residential elements like Imari vases, a regency shell chair and a George II claw foot side table.

The space has interesting structural details throughout, including a tented ceiling with a skylight. The second floor includes a living room for VIPs and special events as well as a library to relax in or to feature special collections. There are additional residential pieces upstairs including a knole sofa, raffia rug and plum and ivory diamond upholstery-all elements meant to make the customer feel at home.

Gallery: Tory Burch Opens Boutique on Bond Street in London

Tags: bond street, designer, Eliza Doolittle, fashion, Jacquetta Wheeler, joely richardson, Laura Bailey, London, Ophelia Lovibond, shopping, Thandie Newton, Tory Burch, Tory Burch boutique, tory+burch+bond+street, tory+burch+london, tory+burch+new+bond+street, toryburchbondstreet, toryburchlondon, toryburchnewbondstreet

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Upcoming Arlanch By Gerald Genta Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

This is something I really didn't see coming. Small Swedish watch brand Arlanch has commissioned the very well-known and talented Gerald Genta to design a new watch. There is no specific name for it yet - only being called the "Arlanch by Gerald Genta." The move is really quite strange, but the upcoming watch does look promising.

Gerald Genta, now in his later years - has had a remarkable and highly noteworthy career as a watch designer. For a while he had a brand under his own name that was later sold to the Bulgari Group - then absorbed in that brand. Before that Genta was responsible for some of the most popular designs from the world's best brands. These include such landmarks as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, and the Cartier Pasha.

Arlanch apparently asked Genta to recreate his signature look in a new way. The watch case and hands are very much in alignment with Genta's style. We have seen those things before. Not sure about the size or materials yet, but the movement will be a La Joux Perret made Swiss automatic with a big date indicator and a subsidiary seconds dial in the form of a moving disc with Arlanch's logo on it. The design in the end feels like a mixture of Patek Philippe and Cartier. I will look out for more details as they become available. I don't expect the watch to be particularly cheap. I believe this is the first watch designed by Genta that will be released since he did work for his own brand - though I could be wrong.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: arlanch, designer, gerald genta, watch

A Look Inside Ralph Lauren's Billion-Dollar Garage

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

We've written before about the automotive treasures in Ralph Lauren's car collection; now Vanity Fair has gotten an inside look at the lavish garage / gallery the designer recently built near his posh Westchester, NY estate to house them. Lauren transformed a former car dealership's storage facility into a shrine to the best in automotive design, with rooms dedicated to famous marques; the Ferrari room is pictured above, with a rare 1958 Testa Rossa taking center stage. The 60-plus ultra-valuable vehicles are all kept registered and ready to drive anytime the designer feels like going for a spin.

The eye-popping collection includes a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic worth an estimated $40 million alone – the world's most expensive car – a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix, a 1938 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia roadster, the world's only 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK "Count Trossi" roadster, a 1957 Jaguar XKSS, a McLaren F1, a 1929 "Blower" Bentley, a Ferrari 250 GT, and the only Lamborghini Reventon Roadster in the U.S. All have been maintained carefully since new, or restored to perfection – and "sometimes beyond perfection," the magazine notes, as some have been painted in colors that the billionaire decided were better than the originals.

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, car collection, classic cars, designer, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GT, Jaguar, Lamborghini, McLaren F1, Mercedes-Benz, Ralph Lauren, Vanity Fair, wealth, Westchester, worlds most expensive

Moss Lipow, Genius of Eyewear Design

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Moss Lipow (above), the avant-garde eyewear designer whose celebrity fans include David Bowie, M.I.A., Elton John and the Olsen Twins, was recently named a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, the first eyewear designer to be so honored. He appears in the November issue of Vogue photographed by Norman Jean Roy with Victoria's Secret stunners Jessica Stam (left) and Caroline Trentini (right) sporting his unique creations. "Moss really found a way to make eyewear and sunglasses creative again," Stam tells Vogue in a video documenting the shoot, "and for that he's really a genius." Describing Lipow's innovative designs Vogue notes their look "suggests the wearer is shielding superpowers from mere mortals." The New York-based designer is also working on an authoritative history of eyewear, replete with 1200 images from his museum-quality collection of vintage and antique pieces, as well as examples of his own incredible custom creations, to be published by Taschen next year.

Tags: Caroline Trentini, CFDA, designer, eyewear, Jessica Stam, models, Moss Lipow, sunglasses, Vogue

Luxist Giveaway: Win a 6pm.com Gift Card

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Shoes, Children, Men's Style

Just in time to shop for a holiday gift for loved ones or friends, Luxist has teamed up with 6pm.com, the designer shoe, bag, accessory, and clothing lover's haven. 6pm offers deep discounts on designer brands at all times, with just $6.95 shipping no matter how big your order. Shop for women, men, and kids. Use the site's handy holiday gift guide to narrow down the huge selection. As the site says, "It's time to get your brand fix!"

Thanks to our friends at 6pm.com, Luxist is giving away one $25 gift card to a winner selected at random. To enter, follow the instructions below.

* Leave a confirmed comment below telling us who you will shop for with this gift card.
* The comment must be left and confirmed no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 16, 2010.
* One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing and notified by e-mail.
* One winner will receive a $25 gift card for use on 6pm.com, to be delivered by postal mail.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See the complete rules here.

The contest is closed. The winner will be notified by December 17. Thank you for participating!

Tags: 6pm, 6pm.com, accessories, designer, discount, free, giveaway, giveaways, handbag, kids, luxist giveaway, shoes

Inside the Homes of American Fashion Designers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Decor, Books, Celebrity Design, Architecture & Design

Assouline has released the latest luxe edition in its American Fashion series, dedicated to the top-drawer designers who are members of the prestigious CFDA. American Fashion Designers at Home showcases the personal spaces of more than 100 fashionistas, including Diane von Furstenburg, Oscar de la Renta, Cynthia Rowley and Kate Spade. While some designer dwellings are extensions of the sensibilities embodied by their apparel collections, others exhibit a marked contrast. The domiciles range from studio apartments to sprawling estates, but all are linked by a keen aesthetic sense. Included are Carolina Herrera's grand Louis XV–influenced New York apartment; Betsey Johnson's girly glamourpuss garret; Ralph Lauren's luxuriously rustic Colorado ranch; Donna Karan's tranquil Turks & Caicos getaway; Tommy Hilfiger's over-the-top Greenwich mansion; Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa's ultra-modern Manhattan aerie; and Johann Lindeberg's converted Greenwich Village factory (on the book's cover, above). Check out the gallery for a preview of Randolph Duke's Hollywood spread (which he recently sold for $5.3 million), David Chu's chic digs and more.

Gallery: American Fashion Designers at Home

Tags: Assouline, books, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, CFDA, coffe table books, Colorado, David Chu, decor, designer, Diane von Furstenburg, Donna Karan, estates, fashion, fashion design, fashion designers, Greenwich Village, interior design, Kate Spade, New York, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Randolph Duke, Turks Caicos

Kate Moss to Launch Lingerie Line

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Design

Now that the eternally gorgeous Kate Moss has presented her final collection for the UK's Topshop, the supermodel-turned-designer is turning her attention to a new fashion project. Moss reportedly plans to partner with Topshop boss Sir Philip Green on a new line of luxurious lingerie taking on brands such as Agent Provocateur for whom she has modeled in past (above). Contrary to her image as a hardcore party girl, the secret to Moss' design success is attributable to her serious business approach, Green tells Vogue UK. "It was worked at in earnest," Green says of the Topshop collaboration. "In the market today, product is king. You've got to have great merchandise. We've been working at it as a business to build proper ranges with proper work going into the product and Kate trying all the pieces on." That last bit doesn't hurt, of course.

Tags: Agent Provocateur, designer, fashion, Kate Moss, lingerie, Sir Philip Green, supermodel, Topshop, UK

The Classicist: Win a Private Tour of Ralph Lauren's Car Collection & More

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events, Charity, Sports, Big Givers, Men's Style, The Classicist, Luxury Shopping

From now through Oct. 21, Ralph Lauren is auctioning off a number of extraordinary items and experiences to mark the 10th anniversary of Pink Pony, the designer's global initiative to raise awareness and funds in support of the fight against cancer. The online auction, the first of its kind for the Pink Pony cause, is being produced in partnership with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz. Highlights of the incredible event include several once-in-a-lifetime forays into the private world of the famed fashion designer and his luxury empire, including classic cars, polo, chauffeured Bentleys, sexy models and shopping sprees. You check out full details and register to place bids at www.charitybuzz.com/RalphLauren; meanwhile, here are The Classicist's top picks:

1. A private tour of Lauren's incredible car collection, estimated at $150,000: You and a friend will be shown the cars, including the ultra-rare 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic (above), worth an estimated $40 million, a $28 million Ferrari 250 GTO, Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, McLaren F1LM and more, by Lauren himself at his lavish estate in Bedford, New York. You'll also get a ride in one of these world-class driving machines and take home a signed copy of Speed, Style, and Beauty: Cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection.

2. A weekend at Lauren's private Round Hill Villa in Jamaica, estimated at $150,000: A priceless opportunity to spend four days and three nights for you and up to three guests at the designer's personal Jamaican paradise. The fully staffed villa, which sits on a magnificent, picturesque cliff over the crystal blue Caribbean Sea, has been featured on the covers of House & Garden and Architectural Digest. Enjoy a swim in the villa's infinity pool and private beach access, as well as complimentary tennis lessons and a yoga session.

3. Play polo with Nacho Figueras and stay at The Breakers in Palm Beach, estimated at $15,000: Take a lesson from Nacho Figueras, world class polo player and Ralph Lauren model. You and a guest will refuel afterward during lunch with Nacho, and you'll also spend three nights at the exclusive Breakers hotel in Palm Beach, including a spa treatment for two at the Breakers Spa; a round of golf for two; a $1,000 private shopping experience at the Ralph Lauren store at the Breakers; and VIP access to the U.S. Open at the International Polo Club.

4. Front row seats to the Ralph Lauren fashion show and an outfit from the runway, estimated at $25,000: Bring along a friend when you meet the designer and sit in the elite front row at his Fall 2011 Fashion Show in New York. Then, select your favorite look from the runway to add to your own personal collection. Enjoy two nights at a penthouse suite at The Setai Fifth Avenue hotel, including breakfast for two and one signature spa treatments. [continued]

Gallery: Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Auction

Tags: ad campaign, auction, Bedford, Bentley, bespoke, Boris Becker, Bugatti, car collection, Caribbean, Carlyle Hotel, charity, charitybuzz, classic cars, designer, fashion show, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, Jamaica, London, mens style, Mercedes-Benz, Nacho Figueras, Palm Beach, Paris, Pink Pony, polo, Ralph Lauren, Rhinelander Mansion, Setai, tennis, The Breakers, The Savoy, villa, Wimbledon

Continue reading “The Classicist: Win a Private Tour of Ralph Lauren's Car Collection & More”

The Classicist: Ralph Lauren Re-Launches Famed Rhinelander Mansion in NYC

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style, The Classicist, Architecture & Design, Luxury Shopping

Ralph Lauren has relaunched his famed flagship in the historic Rhinelander Mansion on Madison Avenue in New York, transforming it into the world's foremost mecca of men's style. Spanning nearly 16,000 square feet, the Mansion, originally converted into an opulent retail palace by Lauren in 1986, now exclusively houses the designer's various men's collections with the company's first Women's and Home flagships due to open across the avenue later this fall. Originally designed in the 1890s by Kimball & Thompson, the the large French Renaissance Revival Mansion is an architectural treasure as well with a classic Beaux Arts façade exemplary of the the Upper East Side's grand architecture.

The new space showcases the Purple Label, Black Label, Polo, RRL and RLX Ralph Lauren collections of men's apparel and accessories, with an emphasis on the most luxurious elements. Service has been stepped up as well, with butlers to serve snacks and drinks on silver trays and a fleet of Mercedes-Benzes to chauffer important clients on shopping trips. The store features a full range of impeccably crafted made-to-measure suits, dress shirts, trousers, topcoats, sport coats and formalwear customized to exacting measurements, and made-to-order accessories and leather goods. Every room in the Mansion has been updated with cinematic decor in keeping with the neoclassical style of the original grand residence, from antiques and fixtures to furniture and art, including 18th- and 19th-century oil portraits and noteworthy photographs from Ralph Lauren's personal collection.

Gallery: The New Rhinelander Mansion

Tags: antiques, architecture, Beaux Arts, boutique, decor, designer, furniture, Gilded Age, Harvard, interior design, Ivy League, leather goods, luggage, luxury shopping, Madison Avenue, mansion, New York, photographs, Polo, Princeton, Purple Label, Ralph Lauren, retail, Rhinelander Mansion, store, suits, Upper East Side

Continue reading “The Classicist: Ralph Lauren Re-Launches Famed Rhinelander Mansion in NYC”

Armani Beats Gates and Abramovich to Buy $190 Million Greek Island

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

Legendary Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has reportedly become the proud owner of one of the world's most beautiful and expensive private islands – Skorpios (above). In closing the deal, said to be worth about $190 million according to reports in the European press, the designer faced stiff competition from rival bidders including Bill Gates, Roman Abramovich and Madonna. Located in the Ionian Sea off the western coast of Greece, the island formerly belonged to famed Greek shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis and was the site of his wedding to Jackie Kennedy in 1968. It was sold to Armani by his granddaughter and heiress, Athina Onassis Roussel. There is a lavish villa on the island known as the Pink House which Onassis built for Jackie, along with tennis courts and plush gardens, though most of the island remains undeveloped and pristinely beautiful.

Source

Tags: Aristotle Onassis, Athina Onassis Roussel, Bill Gates, billionaires, designer, fashion designer, Giorgio Armani, Greece, heiress, island, Jackie Kennedy, Jackie O, jaqueline kennedy, Madonna, private island, Roman Abramovich, wealth

Claridge's Unveils First Diane von Furstenburg - Designed Suite

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Architecture & Design

Back in March we reported that famed fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg had signed on for her first interior design project, a series of rooms and suites for Claridge's, the ultra-luxe Art Deco hotel in London's Mayfair. Now the hotel has unveiled the first of the DVF-designed spaces, the legendary Piano Suite (above). The designer created custom pieces including a dressing table, travelling trunk, desk and cocktail bar, inspired by her glamorous travels and the mobility of campaign furniture, complementing the architectural details and elegant marble fireplace. "Claridge's is the most glamorous hotel in the world," says von Furstenberg. "Hotels like this don't exist anymore and the legacy must be respected! It is very important to keep the original architecture and the formality of the layout of the rooms in order to preserve the old style of grand hotel life that I love so much. It has been a true privilege to design new furniture, fabrics and rugs to keep it relevant for today's needs and taste."

Tags: architecture, Art Deco, designer, Diane von Furstenberg, fashion, furniture, hotel suites, hotels, interior design, London, Mayfair

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

"Designer Day" Sale at 6pm.com, July 22

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Timepieces / Watches, Shoes, Men's Style

Set a reminder on your PDA and in Outlook, put a Post-It on your desk and the fridge ... Thursday, July 22, is Designer Day at 6pm.com, the site where serious shoppers can go for a daily fix of name brands, up to 75% off every day. 6pm is a sibling site to Zappos.

As part of a weeklong summer sale, 6pm is having one day with the following brands marked down even further than its already low prices: Donald J Pliner, up to 75% off; Giuseppe Zanotti, up to 70% off; Stuart Weitzman, up to 70% off; Juicy Couture Swimwear, 70% off; Marc by Marc Jacobs Swimwear, 60% off; designer sunglasses, up to 85% off; and designer watches, up to 75% off.

Also check out the sales on the other days that week (Sunday, July 18 - Saturday, July 24) on summer, fall and winter apparel; footwear; and accessories.

Tags: 6pm, 6pm.com, designer, sale, shoes, sunglasses, watches, Zappos, Zappos.com