Filed under: What's Haute? | Tags: Home Collection, Interior Decor, Ladies Mansion, Madison Avenue, NYC, Ralph Lauren, Spring 2012
Over a year ago Ralph Lauren opened a luxurious store on New York’s Madison Avenue, which stands as the feminine counterpart to the historic Rhinelander Mansion dedicated to men’s fashion.
At the Ralph Laurent Ladies Mansion you will find everything from women’s made-to-measure suiting to sleepwear and of course, the latest interior collections (currently Desert Modern and Rosecliff photos below) and home merchandise.
Ralph Lauren Home Collection 2012 'Desert Modern'
'Desert Modern' in detail: inspired by the vast beauty of the Western frontier
Ralph Lauren Home Collection 2012 'Rosecliff'
'Rosecliff' in detail: the relaxed romance of a turn-of-the-century seaside manor
Recently Heather Clawson from Habitually Chic has attended a cocktail party to celebrate editor in chief Margaret Russell and the new Architectural Digest and took some shots of the gorgeous spring collection for Ralph Lauren Home, which we find absolutely Haute. See for yourself.
If you’re in NYC, make sure you stop by the 4th floor of new ladies Ralph Lauren mansion to check out the gorgeous new spring collection. It’s like visiting the hautest home where you can buy everything you see. What could be better than that?!
Photography by Heather Clawson
Filed under: What's Haute? | Tags: Eze, fragrance, France, Galimard, Kelly Cooke, luxury parfum, nose, perfume, Sandra Dziad
“Smell is the oldest sense, it touches the most emotional part of the brain” – Roja Dove, the only ‘Professeur de Parfums’ in the world.
Marilyn Monroe (1955)
Suspended above Monaco in the medieval village of Eze I was invited by perfume house Galimard to develop my signature scent. As I embarked on this fascinating journey under the guidance of Galimard’s resident ‘nose’ Parisian Sandra Dziad (formerly of Chanel and Jean-Paul Gaultier) I was overcome with an immense feeling of self-expressionism – to have your very own scent is the ultimate personal luxury.
La Maison Galimard
Bespoke perfume encapsulates the evolution of the luxury goods market, while sales for the $37 billion global fragrance industry are flat, fashion houses Christian Dior, Cartier and Guerlain are tapping into this niche – at dizzying price points. Christian Dior charges 40,000 euro for a bespoke fragrance while Cartier charges a reported 55,000 euro.
Lavender fields near Grasse
According to Christian Dior: “A woman’s perfume tells more about her than her handwriting”. With this firmly in mind I pondered what it was that I wanted my personalised olfaction to embody. Sandra begins our journey by asking about my favourite smells and we discuss fragrances that I have worn in the past.
Vintage Christian Dior ad
Seated in front of the scent organ, a glass of champagne in hand, Sandra outlines the process, stressing that it relies heavily upon emotion and instinct. As I begin sniffing the blotters before me I am transported to childhood memories of hot summer days spent frolicking on the beach and through my base note selections I channel the sweet warmth of a light summer breeze. The heart notes reveal a love of florals with peonies, lotus and magnolia heavily punctuating the finished product. While the addition of tomato leaf, bamboo and green tea add sharpness to the top notes.
Kelly creates her very own fragrance
Although mixing my perfume was not haute science (this was done patiently with a dropper and beaker) Sandra’s carefully considered formula, devised from the nineteen notes I selected is the result of years of study and training. And with a bibliotheca of 2000 notes her assemblage is the key to my scents success.
Galimard's scents library
Unlike Cartier who jealously guards its prices and recipes and only allows customers a five year exclusive on each scent, Galimard keeps your formula on file ensuring your signature scent can be re ordered for generations to come. To capture and create ones individual scent is a true style statement, an unforgettable experience that cannot be replicated.
by Kelly Cooke
La Maison Galimard
Place du General de Gaulle, Eze Village, France 06360
+33 (0) 4 93 41 10 70
info@galimard.com
Our Tip: if you’re planning to surprise someone special with the Galimard perfume creation experience, why not book a Scent…Sational Package via the Fairmont Hotel in Monte-Carlo that includes a perfect accommodation, buffet breakfast and of course you’ll get a VIP treatment at the Galimard Perfumery.
Filed under: Haute Vehicles, What's Haute? | Tags: 2012, Bugatti Veyron, Geneva motor show, Grand Sport Vitesse, Roadster, Speed, Supercar, Ultimate
If you’re still looking for an excuse to attend Geneva Motor Show this year, look no further. Please be upstanding for the most powerful factory-built roadster in the history – Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse (which means ‘Speed’ in French). It combines the ultimate performance enhancements of the Super Sport coupe with the open-top appeal of the conventional Grand Sport convertible.
Just like everything that Bugatti does with the Veyron lately, the Grand Sport Vitesse is completely ridiculous and over-the-top. According to Bugatti, the model is considered the most powerful serial produced convertible in the world, boasting of a monstrous 16-cylinder engine that produces an output of 1,200 horsepower. In order to accommodate the increased pony output, Bugatti engineers carefully modified the car’s chassis while also adding four enlarged turbochargers and intercoolers to the car’s overall technical equation.
Those numbers are Veyron-like, too, which is to say that they’ll sell of around €2 million.
Filed under: What's Haute? | Tags: Amanda Johnstone, Azerbaijan Tower, Caspian Sea off Garadag, New Formula 1 Track, Tallest Building
This is sure to put them on the map.
Azerbaijan (say it 3 times really fast!) is planning to build the world’s tallest building – taller than the iconic Burj Khalifa.
Azerbaijan Tower commences construction in 2015, and will rise more than 1 kilometre in height into the clouds upon its completion in 2018 or 2019.
The Azerbaijan Tower is being built on a series of artificial islands, called the Khazar Islands, constructed in the Caspian Sea off Garadag, southwest of Baku (Google it – we did!).
The development also includes schools, shopping, housing and of course a Formula 1 track.
by Amanda Johnstone
Filed under: Fashion, What's Haute? | Tags: China designers, fashion, Jiang Qiong Er, Kengo Kuma, Shanghai, Shopping guide
STUDIO P.I
Shanghai’s trendsetters head to this fashion-forward boutique for clothing by local female design duo Lu Min and Can. Min has quite the design pedigree, having worked in New York and Paris with Donna Karan and Givenchy’s haute couture lines, and she and Can bring a sense of sleek city chic to the unisex brand.
347 Zizhong Road, Shanghai
+86 21 5382 2893
studio-pi.co.uk
SHANG XIA
Launched in 2010 as a collaboration between Hermès and Shanghai-born CEO and artictic director Jiang Qiong Er, Shang Xia is a collection of read-to-wear and interior pieces that give a contemporary take on Chinese craftsmanship traditions. This shop is the brand’s first outlet. Visitors to the stunning boutique – which was designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and resembles a cloud, with undulating walls constructed from the white weaving fabric – will find scarves of Mongolian cashmere, sculptural cashmere felt jackets, hand-carved jade chains, eggshell porcelain vessels abd zitan wood chairs.
F1, South Tower, Hong Kong Plaza, 283 Haihai Middle Road
+86 21 6390 8899
shang-xia.com
SHANGHAI TANG
It wouldn’t be a Shanghai shopping feature without this design house, known globally for its distinctly modern brand of high quality China chic. But of all its boutiques, this location may be one of the best. Not only will you find sleek silk pyjamas, elaborately embroidered slippers, handmade dresses and leather accessories, but across the street there’s a world’s first Shanghai Tang Cafe with a menu of updated Chinese classics.
15 Xintiandi North Block, Lane 181, Tai Cang Road
+86 21 6384 1601
shanghaithang.com
MARY CHING
China’s answer to Manolo Blahnik, the London-educated, Shanghai-case shoe designer Alison Mary Ching Yeung presents a stunningly sexy selection of stilettos and more demure ballet flats (worn by the likes of Carla Bruni) at her funky, avant-garde boutique. Think mannequin legs clad in technicolor tights extending from frames hung on black-painted walls.
Ferguson Lane, 376 WuKang Road, Boutique 106
+86 134 8286 9378
marychingshanghai.com
MADAME MAO DOWRY
This two-floor boutique is well-know for its cultural revolution-themed relics, like life-size Mao statues and vintage propaganda posters. Those not-so-into the communist-era curiosities will still find much to love, including antique curios and colourful hand-woven silk jackets.
No. 207 Fumin Road
+86 21 5403 3551
madamemaosdowry.com
HONG MERCHANT
China-philes looking for inspiration for their abodes should make a beeline for this 1920s mansion. Hong Merchant (or the House of Pia Pierre) is the go-to place for antiques – whether you’re looking for the chairs from the Qing dynasty or Art Deco lacquerware. It also functions as a contemporary art gallery that displays pieces created through its artists-in-residence program. The showroom is by appointment only, so be sure to have concierge to call ahead.
No.3, Lane 372, Xingguo Road,
+86 21 6283 2696
hongmerchant.com
