london

Rolls-Royce Breaks Out the Vintage Silver for London Centenary Parade

How does one celebrate 100 years of the Rolls-Royce mascot? With a one hundred-car parade through London, of course!

The Spirit of Ecstasy is celebrating its centenary this year, and among the other festivities already covered, Rolls-Royce led a procession of its historic automobiles past such landmarks as Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus on Feburary 6. In addition to the latest Phantom and Ghost saloons leading the parade were classic examples of the Silver Ghost, Silver Cloud, Silver Shadow and Silver Spur.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy Centenary Drive

Tags: london, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy, Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy Centenary Drive, Spirit of Ecstacy, Spirit of Ecstacy Centenary Drive

Dunhill Carbon Fiber Games Compendium

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Men's Style

London luxury goods firm Dunhill has come out with the ultimate gentleman sports car enthusiast's accessory, a carbon fiber games compendium for $4,000. A masterpiece of understated, elegant design, at first glance its merely a sleek black box made of carbon fiber, resembling a type used in the latest supercars. The compendium is handmade by expert artisans exclusively for Alfred Dunhill and is inspired by some of the finest pieces in the firm's archive, originally made of saddle leather. Inside the box you'll find all the requisites for playing two traditional and well loved games: chess and backgammon. A folding two-sided playing board is also finished in carbon fiber, with stainless steel playing surfaces, a steel dice cup and anodized aluminum counters and pieces.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: carbon fiber, Dunhill, games, London, UK

Four Seasons London Reborn on Park Lane

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

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

Four Seasons London Reborn on Park Lane
41 years ago this month Four Seasons opened the Inn on the Park in London's Mayfair, its first European property and one that would come to help define the brand as it expanded around the world. Now after a more than two-year hiatus during which time an entire new hotel was constructed on the existing site, the storied property has just been reborn as the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane. The stylish new hotel, designed by Eric Parry, features larger rooms, more suites, a new restaurant / lounge concept, and meeting spaces. The hotel, which now has 192 rooms, including 45 one, two and three bedroom suites – the most lavish of which, the Presidential Suite, costs about $14,000 per night – is designed to feature every luxury amenity whilst retaining the intimate feel of a private residence.

The restaurant / lounge, Amaranto, is a series of three flow-through spaces wherein guests can choose when and where they want to dine, without restriction on seating times or particular menus. With its own entrance in Hamilton Place as well as direct lobby access, Amaranto offers an airy conservatory space and private garden for outdoor seating, a more clubby lounge area including an innovative peek-through wine wall that allows guests to follow sommeliers in action, and a soaring atrium highlighted by a hand-moulded sculpture wall with motifs inspired by nearby Hyde Park. In the next phase of the project the hotel plans to open a spa, fitness and lounge area on the top floor, with sweeping views across London.

Gallery: Four Seasons London at Park Lane

Tags: Four Seasons, hotel, Hyde Park, London, luxury hotel, Mayfair, spa, suites, UK

Kate Moss Sells Her Money Pit Mansion for $16 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

It turns out that far from stretching her bank account to buy a new $12 million mansion in London, savvy supermodel Kate Moss actually made a killing by selling her trouble-prone previous residence for a whopping $16 million. As we reported last week Moss and rock star boyfriend Jamie Hince just moved into an historic brick estate in Highgrove with a literary history. Prior to that she'd been living in another mansion in posh St. John's Wood which had become something of a nightmare. In recent months Moss had been plagued by both flooding and burglars, while neighbors prepared to begin noisy construction work. Now the London Telegraph reports that despite all the problems she just unloaded the old place for an impressive $16 million, pocketing a cool $4 million by moving to new digs. Of course, as we noted in our earlier report some of that will go toward luxe upgrades in her new place, including a karaoke room and private gym.

Tags: celebrity, celebrity real estate, Kate Moss, London, mansion, supermodel

Kate Moss Parties the Night Away at the Ritz in Paris

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

She may be moving into an elegant new $12 million mansion in London, but that doesn't mean hard-partying supermodel Kate Moss plans to settle down. While in Paris the other day to attend a fashion show Moss went on an all-night bender at the chic Ritz hotel, the London Mirror reports, forcing management to shut down the fun in the wee hours. The hijinks began after Moss attended the raucous and racy Etam lingerie show, where her boyfriend Jamie Hince's band The Kills played a live show.

At the Etam afterparty she and Hince were spotted swigging Cristal champagne from the bottle, the paper reports. The she and some pals continued on to the posh Ritz in the Place Vendôme, where they took over the bar. Musician Mark Ronson played the piano while R&B star Janelle Monae sang; Moss climbed atop the piano and performed a seductive dance until the hotel's management finally asked them to leave at 4:30 a.m. after complaints of rowdiness. Moss and Hince then repaired to their lavish $5,700-per-night suite upstairs for a nightcap.

Tags: celebrity, Cristal, Etam, fashion, fashion show, Jamie Hince, Kate Moss, London, luxury hotels, Mark Ronson, Paris, Ritz, supermodel, The Kills

The Classicist: Barbour Launches the Ltd. Edition Steve McQueen Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style, The Classicist

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: Two icons of authentic sporting style come together in classic British outerwear brand Barbour's cool new limited edition collection designed in homage to the great Steve McQueen, set to launch this fall. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of their iconic International clothing range, which the King of Cool wore while motorcycle racing in the 1960s, the capsule collection of 19 pieces features several new jackets, shirts and sweaters inspired by archival photos of the actor racing motorbikes and driving his collection of classic sports cars. McQueen first donned a Barbour International jacket when he represented the United States team in the 1964 International Six Day Trials (ISDT) motorcycle race in East Germany. The ISDT (now known as the International Six Days Enduro), one of the most challenging moto racing events in the world, requires each rider to cover 200 miles a day over hellish terrain.

Prior to the event in '64 Steve McQueen and other members of U.S. team stopped off in London and bought six-pocket Barbour Internationals, derived from a one-piece racing suit first offered by the firm in 1936, as a defence against the vagaries of European weather. McQueen quickly became enamored of the International's weather-defying qualities and rugged utility, wearing it in several grueling moto races over the years. Classic images of McQueen in his Barbour grace the linings of the jackets in the new collection. Standout pieces include the Penton (above, $799) and Baker ($599) waxed cotton jackets featuring stars and stripes linings and U.S. flags on the left chest, faithfully recreating the jacket that McQueen wore in the '64 ISDT. Two other wax cotton jackets, the Trophy ($429) and the Greenham ($399), reflect McQueen's effortless style on and off the racecourse. [cont'd]

Gallery: Barbour Steve McQueen Collection

Tags: apparel, Barbour, Barbour International, celebrity, ISDT, jacket, London, mens style, motor racing, motorcycle, racing, Steve McQueen, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: Barbour Launches the Ltd. Edition Steve McQueen Collection”

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

Continue reading “Tory Burch Opens Flagship Boutique on New Bond Street in London”

Kate Moss Moves Into Her New $12 Million Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Who buys the eye-popping properties that make the grade as our Estate of the Day? Kate Moss just snapped one up for a cool $12 million – London's historic The Grove, which we featured back in April – and is spending millions more on renovations. The luxe brick and timber property in Highgate, built way back in 1688 with additions in 1930, has a literary pedigree; author Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived there for a number of years. These days the likes of Sting, Jude Law and Sienna Miller live next door. The nine-bedroom, four-story residence has 6,700-sq.-ft. of living space, wood paneling, seven fireplaces, a wine cellar and a large landscaped garden. [cont'd]

Gallery: The Grove

Tags: celebrity, celebrity real estate, estates, historic houses, Kate Moss, London, mansion, supermodels, UK

Continue reading “Kate Moss Moves Into Her New $12 Million Mansion”

Lotus to Launch Lotus Originals Lifestyle Brand

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

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

Famed British sports car marque Lotus has a super-stylish history, with the likes of James Bond and Steve McQueen among its best known enthusiasts. Now the storied firm, founded in 1952 by Colin Chapman, is looking to reclaims some of that former glory with a new lifestyle brand set to launch in February. Dubbed Lotus Originals, the diverse offerings will include everything from leather jackets and blue blazers to bags and backgammon sets. The company's motor racing and sports car heritage were used as inspiration for the collection, with tire tread patterns, vintage Lotus logos, racing stripes, car silhouettes and numbers relating to the dates of famous Lotus racing victories of the 1960s and 70s appearing on certain items.

"Our goal with the Lotus Originals concept was to create a range of apparel and accessories that really capture the true spirit of our iconic British brand," notes Lotus' Wiebke Bauer. "Lotus Originals isn't just for traditional car enthusiasts, on some of the pieces the branding is very subtle allowing the style and quality to shine, so we hope that it will appeal to a much broader audience. We have developed a collection that is luxurious in a classic, understated way so it is easy to wear every day yet still make you feel part of our very special brand." The Lotus Originals collection will be launched exclusively online at www.lotusoriginals.com on February 23 during London Fashion Week with a London flagship store slated to open later in the year. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Lotus Originals

Source

Tags: James Bond, London, Lotus, luxury cars, mens style, motor racing, sports car, Steve McQueen, UK

Vroom Vroom by Lorenzo Quinn

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Art

London's swanky Park Lane boulevard has just received a new art installation piece, and it's sure to turn some heads. Simply entitled "Vroom Vroom", the piece is the brainchild of one Lorenzo Quinn. It's built around the classic Fiat 500 that was the sculptor's first car, grasped by a giant hand crafted out of aluminum and modeled after his own son's.

The impression is that of an oversized child playing with a toy that to us would seem like a full-size car. The piece was previously displayed in Abu Dhabi and Valencia, Spain, before making its way to the neighborhood that is home to some of London's finest hotels and boutiques.

Tags: fiat 500, installation, installation art, london, lorenzo quinn, park lane, sculpture, vroom vroom

EXCLUSIVE: Former Harrods Owner Mohamed al Fayed Sells Off His Rolls & Ferrari Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, The Classicist, Wealth

Last summer we reported that Mohamed al Fayed had sold famed London department store Harrods to Qatar's royal family for $2.2 billion. Now the ultra-rich businessman, equally well known as the father of the late Princess Diana's lover Dodi Fayed, is selling off his incredible car collection, featuring stunning custom classic Rolls-Royces, Ferraris and more. There are ten cars in all from al Fayed's collection starring in Bonhams' Paris sale of Motor Cars at the Grand Palais on Feb. 5 - chief among them being the 1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 originally owned by John Lennon, expected to fetch up to $220,000, which we can now exclusively reveal comes from al Fayed's collection and was in fact owned by Dodi Fayed.

Next up are a remarkable pair of classic Rolls-Royce motorcars which al Fayed has refinished in custom Harrods Green livery, one with a royal pedigree. The 1963 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine (above) was the property of H.R.H. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent until al Fayed acquired it in 1996, and is expected to fetch up to $200,000. The Duke of Kent's Rolls, which was originally painted black, still has its blue bullet lamp on the roof signifying Royal ownership. There's also a matching Harrods Green 1969 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Limousine, estimated at up to $240,000. Read on for the full list of al Fayed's cars being offered for sale, including several other Ferraris:

Gallery: Mohamed al Fayed's Car Collection at Bonhams

Ex-Duke of Kent 1963 Rolls-Royce Phantom V

Tags: auctions, Bonhams, British royalty, classic cars, department store, Dodi Fayed, Ferrari, Harrods, London, mohamed+al+fayed, mohamedalfayed, Mohammed al Fayed, Paris, Princess Diana, Rolls-Royce, royalty, UK

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Former Harrods Owner Mohamed al Fayed Sells Off His Rolls & Ferrari Collection”

Gwyneth's Favorite Female Chef Snags a Second Michelin Star

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

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

Hélène Darroze (above), who runs the chic eatery in her name at London's posh Connaught hotel, has just been awarded a second Michelin star making her the only female chef in the UK with two of the coveted étoiles under her toque. Gwyneth Paltrow, who lived at the Connaught for a month and was a regular visitor to the restaurant while renovating her house in London, is one of Darroze's biggest fans. Reinforcing the legendary Mayfair hotel's 114 year old legacy of fine dining, Darroze, a protegé of Alain Ducasse, has established a loyal following among other notables and gourmets as well with traditional dishes from her native Southwest France combined with the best seasonal ingredients from the British Isles.

Gallery: Helene Darroze at The Connaught

Tags: Alain Ducasse, chef, Connaught, France, Gordon Ramsay, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hélène Darroze, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, London, luxury hotel, Mayfair, Michelin, UK

Continue reading “Gwyneth's Favorite Female Chef Snags a Second Michelin Star”

The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, The Classicist

As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Gallery: The World of Martin Miller

Tags: antiques, England, entrepreneur, gin, hotel, Iceland, London, luxury hotels, Martin Miller, Martin Millers Gin, spirits, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller”

$14 Million Francis Bacon Stars in Sotheby's Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

A triptych portrait of artist Lucian Freud by Francis Bacon is the starring attraction at Sotheby's' Looking Closely sale of 20th century works in London on February 10. Three Studies for a Portrait of Lucian Freud (above) is estimated at up to $14 million. However, now that Bacon enthusiast Roman Abramovich has a new $230 million mega-mansion to decorate, we bet it could go much higher. Other top lots in the sale, said to have belonged to the low-profile Geneva collector George Kostalitz, who died last year, include works by Freud himself, Salvador Dali and Marc Chagall. "The works were bought between the 1960s and the 1990s," Helena Newman, Sotheby's European chairman of Impressionist and Modern Art, tells Bloomberg. "It's a personal collection of pieces that can be lived with on a domestic scale." The total high estimate for the works on offer is $85 million.

Tags: art, auction, contemporary art, Francis Bacon, London, Lucian Freud, Roman Abramovich, Salvador Dali, Sothebys

Agent Provocateur to Open in Beverly Hills

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Shopping

Luxe British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur is opening a new boutique on Beverly Hills' famed Rodeo Drive this spring. The new location will be considered a West Coast flagship store for the company, known for steamy ads featuring the likes of Kate Moss, Helena Christensen and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the Beverly Hills Courier reports. The upmarket label, which saw profits soar 45 percent in the past quarter, plans to expand its lineup to include sunglasses, cosmetics and bedding. The London-headquartered chain also plans on growing online sales and opening up a flagship East Coast store in New York next month. It currently has 51 stores in the U.K., Europe, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Middle East and the U.S., with plans for branches in Russia and Japan in the works as well.

Tags: Agent Provocateur, Beverly Hills, boutiques, Helena Christensen, Kate Moss, lingerie, London, luxury shopping, Rodeo Drive, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, UK

← Previous Page|Next Page →

london

Featured Galleries

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular

Also on AOL