TRAVEL

 

Jakarta Jam with Harvey Nichols

With new world order shifting towards Asia against the backdrop of a less-than-merry economic climate, luxury brands are going where their newfound consumers are – Asia.

The new store at the  Grand Indonesia Shopping Town in Jakarta marks Harvey Nichols' fifth venture outside the UK and Ireland, after stores opened in Riyadh, Hong Kong, Dubai and Istanbul, with a sixth lined up for Kuwait in early 2011.

As a display of its commitment towards high-end fashion, Harvey Nichols has specially brought in international retail design firm Callison (who coincidentally also oversaw their business rival Harrods’ store designs) to design their 9,000 sq m luxurious overseas flagship outpost, so as to complement the upscale brands they carry.

The flagship store carries all of Harvey Nichols’ signature brands including up-and-coming shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood and Hollywood favorite Jimmy Choo’s well-loved footwear, Stella McCartney’s timeless fashion wear, and Miu Miu’s stylishly casual designs.

U*tique - Luxury At Your Convenience

Vending machines exist for quick fixes – a sandwich or Coke you want to grab on the go, that Mars bar you have been craving in between breaks at work.

But Mara Segal saw an innovative way to give this one-stop convenience device a “luxurious” makeover. The CEO and creator of U*tique came up with the idea of a vending machine that stocks 50 carefully handpicked ‘must haves’ – from gadgets, skincare and cosmetics to health supplements and delicious treats. The difference is, all of these products are from high-end and niche labels.

In an interview with W Magazine, Segal said: “I wanted to bring luxury personal-care products to women who are racing from a hotel to a meeting or a workout and perhaps forgot a lip balm.”

Each of the 50 items is displayed in a circular or diamond window, with product information and video demos readily available via an easy-to-use touchscreen. In addition, each window display is illuminated by an ambient light that matches, for example, the product’s packaging, thus creating a mood. When taken together, all 50 items make for an interesting LED spectacle.

To select the item you wish to buy, simply tap on the display, (instead of entering a combination of alphabets and numbers), swipe your credit card, and go.

“Our store is like an interactive gallery, each item is hand selected and celebrated.” Segal said. “Consumers can experience that wonderful kid-in-candy-store feeling -- their eye is delighted, their desires are met, the only difficult part is choosing which treat to buy.”

Segal, who used to work as a consultant for top brands like Dove, Absolute, AXE and Pepsi, says she was inspired by the idea of automated retail.

She said: ““We are savvy, information hungry, and time-strapped… e-commerce bridged the gap between products and information, automated retail will bridge the gap between information and instant gratification – it’s retail on demand.”

Several top brands like Lancome, ZIRH, Bliss and Lancaster have already signed on to Segal’s vision. The U*tique “shop” will also feature emerging brands like Hourglass Cosmetics, Vosges Chocolate, Eboost Energy Supplements, David Kirsch Wellness, Lipstick Queen, ZELENS and Ketty Sean.

Segal’s first U*tique “shop” debuted last month at specialty beauty boutique STUDIO at Fred Segal in a collaboration with STUDIO founder Robin Coe-Hutshing.

However, Segal is already looking beyond Los Angeles, and hopes to set up U*tiques in boutique hotel lobbies, gym locker rooms, shopping malls and airports within the next two years.

 

Beckham’s Buy Luxury Thailand Resort Style Villa

David Beckham and his wife Victoria Beckham had a luxury beach home built on the island of Koh Samui in Ban Tai, Thailand.

The construction of the resort style villa was completed in mid 2008. The three floor home set the Beckham’s back $5.8 million and sits on 8 acres amid the hills overlooking a private beach.

 

 

Financial Times - Business Of Luxury Summit 2009

Chaired by the Editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber, The FT Business of Luxury Summit will bring together leaders from one of the world’s most successful industries.

This year’s theme is “Beyond Green: Economics, Ethics and Enticement”.

The annual event, now in its fifth year, will be hosted at Monte Carlo’s Salles des Etoiles in June, and will be attended by luxury brands, luxury consultants and brand experts.

Debates are expected to centre around the impact of the economic crisis on the luxury sector and future plans for businesses to become more ethical and environmentally friendly.

“The global economic crisis has forced luxury sector companies to reassess their marketing strategies.

The increasing demand from consumers for ethical and environmental products means that achieving environmental goals is more important than ever.” Lionel Barber said.

Guests will be staying at several properties in Monaco, including the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort and the Hermitage.

 

Source Asia online magazine

The Source Asia officially launches its online magazine, a platform for holistic global and local news, featuring the latest in the world of wellness.

The internetbased hub provides articles in three sections; Mind, Body and Spirit, covering everything
from eco-fashion and natural cosmetics to environmental issues, yoga, meditation and alternative medicine.

The Source Asia also offers an extensive A-Z Directory, making the website your first stop for organic restaurants, eco-shops, holistic centres, alternative healing techniques and related events among other things.

The Source Asia creates a unique web of resources throughout Asia and is the perfect network place for citizens who are wellness-oriented and share an interest in healthy living.

In addition to Hong Kong, there are expansion plans for other Asian countries, such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and China.

The founder, Vivienne Tang, strongly believes in the eco/holistic movement and the change that it brings to individuals and the world.

The eco-lifestyle movement has shown a rapid increase within the last few years, and due to the missing hub for holistic and wellness related news and resources in Asia, she has developed a platform for its growing demand.

“The Source Asia serves as a source of inspiration for people who want to make a difference in the world we live in,” said Vivienne Tang.

“It reminds us to remember what really matters and to go within, returning to the Source of Oneness.”

Part of her mission is to bridge the world of luxury and the world of wellness, showing people that they no longer have to compromise one for the other, and that they can co-exist in harmony.

She has spent the last ten years in the fashion and publishing industries to now focus on holistic and environmental matters.

She has met and interviewed many leaders and pioneers from the music, fashion and wellness industries, including Yohji Yamamoto, Donatella Versace, Renzo Rosso, Alain Mikli, David Yurman, Pharrell Williams, John Mayer, David Swenson, Masaru Emoto and Eric Pearl.

She holds diplomas in Astrology, Kinesiology and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques).

Her mission is to make personal growth and self-empowerment accessible to everyone, and her goal is to create transformation.

The holistic evolution is no longer a grass-roots movement. It has gone global, introducing eco-living into our hectic daily lives and reaching everyone in the world.

As Asia’s premier online holistic and eco-lifestyle magazine, The Source Asia readers comprise a global network of individuals committed to healthy living, environmental awareness, social consciousness and spirituality.

 

Prince Harry Coming To America

Prince Harry will be making his first-ever formal visit to the United States later this month to participate in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic, taking place on Saturday, May 30th.

The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic will coincide with the 400th anniversary of New York and opening day of the Governors Island season.

Event proceeds will benefit American Friends of Sentebale, a U.S.-based charity that supports at-risk children in Lesotho, Africa.

Sentebale was co-founded by HRH Prince Henry of Wales and HRH Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho in honor of their mothers, Diana, Princess of Wales and Queen ‘Mamohato, respectively.

The event will feature areas that are both open to the public at no charge as well as those that will require tickets.

In reverence to the long-time polo tradition, VIP guests will be asked to wear traditional polo style: women in hats; men in summer suits.

This year, Veuve Clicquot has invited the iconic St. Regis New York to feature its legendary Afternoon Tea at the polo match.

In celebration, Sandro Micheli, Executive Pastry Chef at Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York, has created a special menu for the occasion.

While Prince Harry will play on the team captained by Nick Roldan, world renowned Argentine polo player and new face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo Fragrances, Nacho Figueras, will captain the opposite playing team, Black Watch.

“Veuve Clicquot is honored to support Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso and their inspirational charity, Sentebale,” stated Aisha Thompson, Veuve Clicquot Senior Brand Manager.

“The second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic marks the opening of signature Veuve Clicquot Summer Season, and we look forward to providing spectators with an afternoon of sport and
entertainment, surrounded by the magnificent Manhattan skyline.”

“This iconic event will help raise awareness for our organization,” said Sentebale’s Chairman Charles J. Denton.

“Lesotho faces some enormous problems, and our work there could not be more vital. The numbers of
orphans and vulnerable children suffering are staggering, and we are managing to make a real difference to help them.

Events like this are crucial to support our work and we look forward to our growing relationship
with Veuve Clicquot.”

 

Fendi Abici Amante Donna bicycle redefines luxury travel

Wednesday saw a lot of Fendi shoppers indulging themselves in new wheels at a shopping event held to celebrate Fendi Abici Amante Donna bicycle being featured in the Vogue’s Last Look page in June. This exquisite Fendi bicycle is designed especially for luxe city travelling. Equipped with all things luxurious, this bicycle is available in two versions. The low priced (still unaffordable for many) version comes with Fendi’s Selleria leather accessories like a key and bike chain cover and leather GPS navigation holder as well as a detachable Fendi case that on its own costs $975! The second extravagant version on the other hand comes complete with removable fur saddlebags. A beauty, it has redefined luxurious travel.

 

Underwater Museum for Egypt Sunken Treasures

Cleopatra’s palace sank long ago into the Mediterranean, but visitors to Alexandria, Egypt, may eventually view the complex’s remnants via the world’s first underwater museum.

A site for the museum has been proposed near the New Library of Alexandria, where the famed queen of Egypt is believed to have sheltered herself with her lover Marc Antony before taking her own life.

In early September the United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, announced it is funding a team to determine if such a museum would damage the submerged artifacts.

 

Shopping in Bangkok

Thailand is a shopper’s paradise, world famous for it’s incredible range of fun and wonderful treasures. It is no wonder that many tourists come to Thailand specifically as a shopping excursion.

Located at the prominent Rachaprasong intersection, Gaysorn is Thailand’s most exclusive shopping center, specializing in luxury designer brands, with flagship stores of Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, as well as a selection of Thailand’s most innovative designers such as Fly Now, ‘Senada Theory and Kloset Red Carpet.

Across the street from Gaysorn, CentralWorld is the largest lifestyle-shopping complex in Southeast Asia, with an unrivalled mix of products and services at prices that put the fun back into shopping for Thai consumers and tourists.

 

Samsonite Black Label Now in Shining Silver

Alexander McQueen’s already conspicuously acclaimed work for Samsonite’s Black Label business luggage will get two new highlights. The unusual ribcage Hero piece (A11) and the small hard-side crocodile skin textured upside trolley (A12) will get a futuristic limited edition shining silver overhaul.

Truly admirable additions with features like the scratch resistant surface, shipped shoe and laundry bags and a TSA lock. ”Created with Bayer, one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and high-performance plastics, the bags’ shiny silver coating feature a special UV resistant mirror paint that won’t crack.”

The luggage will be available at Samsonite boutiques worldwide from November 2008 retails from $800 to $2,500. If your goal is to freak out innocent bystanders using nothing but your luggage, then this is your bag

 

A first look at the new Celebrity Solstice

Celebrity Solstice is a cruise ship for Celebrity Cruises. She is the largest cruise ship built in Germany and she left the Meyer Werft on September 28, 2008. This colossal ship can house as many as nearly 3,000 passengers !

The 315m-long ship is so wide it barely squeezed out of the Papenberg watergates, but ably helped by two tug-boats it escaped on it’s to the North sea, where it will head to Denmark.

Onboard amenities will include a large theater, multiple restaurant dining options, The Patio on the Lawn, numerous bars and clubs, Solstice Deck, youth facilities, Online@Celebrity, and many other common and unique features. Some new innovations that have been revealed include glass-blowing classes/demonstrations as well as The Lawn Club, a live grass lawn between the ship’s funnels on the upper deck.
This U.S. cruise ship will have four sister ships, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, and two as-of-yet unnamed ships. The sisters will enter service in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Celebrity Solstice will be officially launched some time in November this year, giving a huge challenge to other liners that have suddenly become so puny in comparison to this giant.

 

 

 

The Samsonite Swarovski Trunk

If you are in the need of some new luggage and are looking for something that is a bit out of the normal and attracts attention, then you should check out this new collaboration between Samsonite’s Black Label and Swarovski.

This re-edition of a 1920’s trunk got entirely covered in Swarovski rhinestones that will succeed in grabbing every co-traveler’s attention.

As with any item given the Swarovski touch, it is sure to be expensive, and only a limited few will be able to get their hands on the Samsonite Black Label Swarovski Trunk—there are only thirty available worldwide

 

 

 

World’s most extravagant party

Sol Kerzner, the flamboyant hotelier, is to launch his new Dubai resort with a party so extravagant that organisers claim it will be seen from space.

The event, for the grand opening of the $1.5 billion Atlantis, The Palm, will have 2,000 VIP guests. Kylie Minogue will perform - her first concert in the Middle East - and the final bill for the four-day beachside celebrations is estimated to exceed $30 million, the London Telegraph reports.

The 1,500 room resort, located on the world’s largest manmade island, the Palm Jumeirah ( which has been built to resemble a palm tree when seen from above) features 16 restaurants including a branch of Nobu, and is partially bankrolled by the Dubai Royal Family.

 

 

Virgin Galactic unveils space tourism craft WhiteKnightTwo

The era of space tourism has begun. Out in the Mojave desert, Virgin Galactic has unveiled, the WhiteKnightTwo, the new transport ship they’ll be using to carry their not-yet-unveiled SpaceShipTwo into suborbital space.

The passenger ship is then launched from the underside of WhiteKnightTwo to continue its ascent to the very edge of space, about 65 miles (104 kilometers) above Earth.

With a 140-foot wingspan, it’s the largest all-carbon composite aircraft ever built and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time (A major benefit of using carbon composites is fuel efficiency.)