Luxury Insider's Current Affairs

Royal Horseguards on the Thames, London

Admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:15:00 +0800

London’s iconic Whitehall Court has been home to luminaries such as George Bernard Shaw, William Gladstone, Grand Duke Michael of Russia and many others.

Throughout its hundred-plus year long history, Whitehall Court has remained an indispensable part of the English cityscape, having weathered everything from fires to the Second World War, when the Secret Service called the eighth floor home.

Now, following an extensive refurbishment and 16-million pound investment from new owner Guoman Hotels, the French chateau-styled hotel has reopened its doors to globetrotters eager to live in the lap of fine English luxury, as the new Royal Horseguards.

The hotel’s 280 bedrooms mostly already have state-of-the-art luxury accompaniments, upgraded for the 21st century and in keeping with the grounds’ regal feel, all of the rooms are to be upgraded by early 2009 when the hotel officially joins the Guoman collection of hotel brands.

These upgrades include surround-sound iPod stations, free wi-fi access among others, but no changes have been made to the hotel’s historic exterior.

A stone’s throw from other quintessential English landmarks such as 10 Downing Street, the old Admiralty and Scotland Yard headquarters, the historically charming Royal Horseguards provides a unique experience to visitors of the city.

The Royal Horseguards

It's A Golden Christmas for Porsche Design

Admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:30:00 +0800

By ASHOK SOMAN

Luxury brand Porsche Design puts a gold accent on Christmas in 2008 with a selection of men’s accessories – watches, cufflinks and sunglasses – in the precious metal.

Three Dashboard chronographs and the Worldtimer P’6750 have been selected for the festive season, along with 18 carat rose gold cufflinks with onyx and crystals and P’8440 sunglasses in Light Gold Matt. Two models from the Dashboard collection feature rose gold cases with rubber and titanium layered bezels.

The cufflinks are hand-polished while the sunglasses are a nod to the classic Porsche Design “Exclusive Sunglasses” from 1978.

Porsche Design

Selections: LG DVS450H DVD Player

Admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:24:00 +0800

LG brings 'sexy' back to DVD players (now the neglected cousin of the favored Blu-ray players) with the DVS450H.

Mount it on a wall below your LCD TV or lay it flat, the player’s design, which LG calls ‘floating” will add a new conversation piece to your living room. It is also DivX certified, so you can watch all your movies in full 1080p high-definition (HD), though other formats like DVD, CD, MP3, WMA, JPEG, and Xvid-H are supported as well. There’s also a USB port to plug in your portable movie collection.

Browse other cool products in Selections, our dedicated luxury shopping guide.

The Bazaar at SLS Hotel, Beverly Hills

Admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:17:00 +0800

By LISA ZAHRAN

SLS Hotel, the luxury collection hotel line, sets its mark at the crossroads of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. Joining in on the debut of SLS Hotel’s luxury hospitality is an unprecedented assembly of dining and retail experiences at The Bazaar.

Reinventing the concept of a traditional hotel lobby, The Bazaar by José Andrés is a melting pot of European luxury, Spanish creativity and American craftsmanship.

First up on the list is Bar Centro, a surrealist gathering place that serves up cutting edge cocktails, caviar menu and raw bar selections. Sleek and seductive, a winding 30-seat communal table and a starry showpiece bar etched in black glass is the center showcase of the bar.

For a taste of Spain, Rojo y Blanca blends tradition and ingenuity to give a rustic yet modern atmosphere. Amidst the vibrant and charming Rojo area, diners can enjoy authentic regional Spanish dishes juxtaposed to modern interpretations. In the Blanca area, crisp clean lines of blonde woods lead out to a lavish outdoor terrace reminiscent of the French Riviera.

Lastly, Saam brings fine dining restaurant to The Bazaar. With wood paneling, layered bookshelves and a hidden entrance, Saam exudes an air of exclusivity and privacy. An integral part of the Bazaar is the Patisserie, which is centered in front of a glass-encased pastry kitchen where chefs and their creations are on display.

The Bazaar, located within SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, is a truly unique culinary journey. Reservations will be taken starting November.

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills

Waterfall Audio Niagara Loudspeakers

Admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:19:00 +0800

By LISA ZAHRAN

Audiophiles worldwide will be tickled pink to learn that finally, someone has married audio luxury with visual heaven.

Sleek, modern and minimalist, the Waterfall Audio Niagara is not just a luxurious speaker system; it is also a spectacular piece of art that can be aesthetically integrated into any style of home.

Since its foundation in 1996, Waterfall has stood out with its outstanding design, technology and innovation. A specially designed 15mm diamond glass cabinet houses the drivers, making them appear to float mid-air whilst absorbing unwanted vibrations because of its high density characteristic.

Some of the parts are hand-stitched with Nappa leather while others are machined from solid aluminum.

But above all that, the Waterfall Audio Niagara bears an unprecedented quality for sound. The three-way loudspeakers has a frequency response of 36 Hz to 28,000 Hz and the glass horn tweeter is crossed over to the two 7-inch midrange drivers, while the 8.26-inch woofer sits at the bottom of the loudspeaker.

The end result is clear and deep, for both the auditory and visual senses. Each pair retails at US$53,000.

Waterfall Audio

via Home Entertainment

Selections: Hard Graft 2UNFOLD Multi-use Laptop Bag

Admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:19:00 +0800

Crafted from premium Italian leather, every step that goes into the making of Hand Graft's Limited Edition 2UNFOLD laptop bag is done entirely by hand – from picking, tanning and finishing the leather.

There’s enough space inside for more than just your laptop, and plenty of pockets for your mobile phone, power adapter, iPod and makeup kit. Folded down like a clutch, or opened up like a shoulder bag, there’s eight different ways to wear it, depending on your mood.

Browse other cool products in Selections, our dedicated luxury shopping guide.

The Dalmore 50-Year-Old Whisky

Admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 06:15:00 +0800

By MICHAEL OMAR

Against the fitting backdrop of his new home off the Cannes coastline, UB Group Chairman Dr Vijay Mallya’s British company Whyte & Mackay recently announced the release of one the world’s oldest and most precious Scotch whiskies under the prestigious Dalmore brand.

Containing whisky first distilled 140 years ago, this ultra-rare concoction promises drinkers “a real taste of a bygone era that no other product or brand can offer,” and is qualified to make the rare claim of having started its maturation process even before monuments like the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower were built.

The whisky, described as soft and elegant, with a multitude of complex, lingering flavours including orange peel, liquorice, almonds and cinnamon, will be released in only 191 hand blown Portuguese crystal decanters – a figure that would have been higher if not for the process of natural evaporation, which eroded a large percentage of the company’s already limited stockpile.

Weighing in at 52.8% ABV, the whisky is expected to fetch upwards of USD7,400 per 70cl bottle, and comes with a handwritten and signed letter from its founder Richard Paterson.

Whyte & Mackay

Selections: Art Lebedev Optimus Maximus Keyboard

Admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:11:00 +0800

There's never been a keyboard like the Art Lebedev Optimus Maximus Keyboard. Not only are all 113 keys customizable to a different function or application, each key halso as a tiny embedded OLED screen, which displays what each button can do, and yes, the keys can play GIF animation or even Quicktime clips.

And the best part is, you can remove each key easily to clean it, and then pop it back in place – something that hygiene-conscious users would definitely appreciate.

Browse other cool products in Selections, our dedicated luxury shopping guide.

Sandy Island Villas at Singapore's Sentosa Cove

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:18:00 +0800

By ASHOK SOMAN

Luxury property, hospitality and retail group YTL unveiled its plans to develop villas at Sentosa Cove, Singapore. Designed by architect Caludio Silvestrin and landscape designer Jamie Durie, the 18 Sandy Island four-storey villas are targeted at ultra-high net worth individuals, according to YTL’s official statement.

Each one of the villas will have its own purpose-built character and the villas are the only residences at Sentosa Cove with car-lift access to a two-car basement garage.

Each villa also comes with a private berth for boats measuring up to 12 meters. The villas vary from 7,500 to 9,200 sq ft of built-up area, on land which ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 sq ft. The villas start at S$13.9 million (US$9.22 million).

Sandy Island

Selections: Brunopasso PD-1 Coffee by Ishibashi Design

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:21:00 +0800

Designed by Tadahito Ishibashi, the Brunopasso PD-1 Coffee is the espresso machine to end espresso machines. This made-in-Sweden machine is clearly inspired by the world of automobiles, especially when viewed from the front. In profile, it might be more reminiscent of Britt Ekland.

The Brunopasso PD-1 Coffee features auto-inspired designs such as a stick shift-like pull-handle, race car motifs and speedometer-like gauges and a design lines reminiscent of 1960’s race cars.

Browse other cool products in Selections, our dedicated luxury shopping guide.

Selections: Mitsubishi LaserVue

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:45:00 +0800

Japanese electronics giant Mitsubishi debuted the LaserVue television set collection at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2008. This larger-than-life collection features two models - a 65-inch and 73-inch.

These new large-format televisions employ ground-breaking laser technology that provides the widest range of rich, complex colors, along with the most clarity and depth of field. These laser televisions represent yet another historic milestone in a long legacy of industry-firsts for Mitsubishi.

Browse other cool products in Selections, our dedicated luxury shopping guide.

US$50,000 Crocodile Skin Umbrella from Billionaire Couture

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:27:00 +0800

By LAWRENCE TAN

This crocodile skin umbrella by Italian men’s luxury brand Billionaire Couture gives a whole new meaning to the oft used phrase “saving for a rainy day”. That’s because with a price tag of US$50,000, the prospective owner of this brolly is unlikely to allow his prized possession to touch a drop of rain.

Made of black top-grade crocodile skin, specially treated for water resistance, you would have to place a special order exclusively through Billionaire Couture’s new London boutique on Sloane Street, SW1 to get your hands on this umbrella.

Billionaire Couture is the brainchild of Formula One mogul Flavio Briatore and designer Angelo Galasso, and was billed by its founders as the “first international haute couture line exclusively for men”.

It features both made-to-measure and ready-to-wear collections, which include bags, shoes, coats, clothing and accessories like watches, ties, cuff links and belts, all handmade in limited quantities.

Among its list of equally illustrious clientele include the likes of Paul McCartney, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Moore, David Beckham, Mike Tindall and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Browse highlights from their Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 Accessories Collection here.

Billionaire Couture

Traum Heirloom Safe - Your Very Own Swiss Bank Vault

Admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:33:00 +0800

By LAWRENCE TAN

Never mind the thick wads of hundred-dollar notes or the jewellery that it is designed to store in its interior, the Traum Heirloom Safe is an ultra expensive storage facility in itself.

Inside the safe, there are rows of drawers to stow away your precious heirlooms. You can specify the number of drawers for your storage needs, as well as the safe’s interior lighting.

Traum will also listen to all bespoke requests you may have, from the exterior finishing to the placement of the lock, and build a safe to your specifications. The safe can also be connected to your existing security system for that heightened sense of “invincibility”.

Traum Safe

Porsche Panamera Goes Official

Admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:17:00 +0800

By MICHAEL OMAR

Auto enthusiasts now have a date – the Porsche Panamera is scheduled to hit the showrooms in summer 2009. And along with that date comes a slew of confirmed details from the horse’s mouth, including its selection of standard and turbocharged V6 and V8 engines (300 – 500hp), a tamer silhouette that strays ever so slightly from the company’s usual sleekness, and a choice between rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Described as a four-door grand touring sports car, the Panamera carves a look of its own with implements like highly individual, strongly contoured air intakes in place of a conventional radiator grille, while paying tribute to traditional Porsche design through its use of elements like the 911’s characteristic wheel arches and engine compartment.

Inside, drivers and passengers alike have been told to expect the “pilot feeling”, a name Porsche gives to the interior’s supreme ergonomic comfort and space. The company expects to sell 20,000 Panameras within a year of the 2009 launch, which will see a hybrid variant following not long after.

All pictures are taken from Autoblog

Porsche Panamera

Marsilli's Domespace Homes

Admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:20:00 +0800

By LAWRENCE TAN

Lest you think aliens have landed and set up residence on Earth, these dome-shaped extraterrestrial-looking homes have been around for 20 years now.

The brainchild of Patrick Marsilli, who built his first dome in 1988, Marsilli then started his own company Domespace Homes, which has since gone on to build more than 130 of these domes in France, and around the world.

More than just a futuristic design, these domes are conceptualized to serve a more noble purpose. The domes are constructed using FSC-certified wood, and insulated with cork. The hemispherical roof features skylights that allow natural lighting to bathe the interiors.

Solar panels on the roof capture solar energy which can be harnessed for the home’s energy needs, and the best part is, there’s a mechanical structure at the base of the house that gently rotates the dome 360 degrees to maximize absorption of sunlight.

Like the dome’s facade, the interiors are mostly made out of wood, with an open concept layout built around a centralized floor-to-ceiling fireplace.

Marsilli’s domes have been proven to withstand category 5 hurricanes and earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8 (which corresponds to a “Damaging” status) measured on the 12-tiered MSK Scale. These domes are now available in the United States exclusively through Solaleya.

All pictures are taken from Domespace International

via Inhabitat