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Baselworld 2017, Press conference

LuxuryActivist

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22 March 2017

Reading Time: 3 minutes

3, 2, 1… we declare Baselworld 2017 opened. The international Watch fair starts with the traditional Press conference. After a 2016 business year quite tough for the Swiss watch industry, Everybody expects to see a better incoming year. Swiss Watch brands are ready to take the challenge. Facing all difficulties there is only one answer: Innovate, Create and be brave.

2016, a battlefield with severe losses

The environment confronting the Swiss watch industry remained dif cult throughout the year 2016. Swiss watch industry exports fell for the second year in succession. Their value stood at 19.4 billion francs, 9.9% lower than in 2015. With this result, the industry has returned to its 2011 level and seen an end to the growth of 15% achieved between 2011 and 2014. Here are some key interesting charts with details of how 2016 concluded.

Representing two-thirds of export sales, watches priced at over 3,000 francs (export price) accounted for some 80% of the annual decline, with -11.6% in value. The 500 to 3,000 francs segment (-3.9%) showed a reduction that was three times less subs- tantial. In units terms, watches costing less than 200 francs set the tone (-11.3%), with 2.1 million fewer timepieces sold than in 2015. Almost three-quarters of the decline were attribu- table to watches in precious metal (-18.5%). Steel timepieces were less affected because their value was down by just 3.3%. On the other hand, in terms of units, steel products (-7.8%) contributed to a substantial overall reduction. The Other materials (-9.5%) and Other metals (-17.2%) categories also penalized the result. Watch industry imports declined on all the main markets in 2016. Activity in Hong Kong was subs- tantially lower with a fall of 12.8% (excluding foreign exchange effects). Its imports, three-quarters of which consisted of watches, stood at 8.3 billion dollars. This trend explains the decline in exports of goods in transit. The United States suffered a comparable reduction of imports (-11.8 % at 5.0 billion dollars), re ecting the challenging situation experienced by this mar- ket in terms of sales in 2016.
Switzerland reduced its procurement from other countries signi cantly with a 4.4% decline in the total value of its watch imports. It took a substantial share of the global traf c with 3.9 billion dollars. Among the main markets China reported the most moderate downturn (-1.6% in local currency), while Japan saw a big reduction of its watch imports (-13.6%).

2017 Baselworld Press conference

Baselworld has developed year after year the leadership marketplace for Swiss watch industry. There are strong roots and Baselworld has shined for decades allowing Swiss watchmaking to connect to the world and bring the Swiss industry to shine. Madame Ritter reviews 100 years of history and show the gratitude to exhibitors and journalists for their presence and their loyalty. They all make Baselworld a great place to be. It’s been one century that Swiss watch makers had presented their best creative work. Three key dates:

1917 – First watch fair at Baselworld with Swiss watch makers.
1923 – The fair is destroyed by the fire and decision is taken to rebuild the fair with a strong vision.
1973 – Opened to European exhibitors and rename of the fair – “Foire Europééne de l’horlogerie et de la Bijouterie”

Baselworld is just starting and being my first time here, we feel honored to see so many talents gathered for several days in the nice city of Basel.

Marcelo Zamenhof

Info sourced at Baselworld 2017 Press conference. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. #Baselworld2017

Sisley Izia, a fragrance for all the facets of a woman

José Amorim

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18 March 2017

0

Reading Time: 5 minutes

When Sisley launches a new fragrance, it is an outstanding moment for the brand. Each Sisley fragrance has a specific story and represents a personal chapter of the French brand story. Izia tells the story of five women united by one irreducible fragrance. Along with Isabelle d’Ornano, Amandine Clerc-Marie, Christine d’Ornano, Quentin Jones and Sonia collectively created Izia as one would sketch a work of art. With Izia, Sisley draw a magnificent garden filled with extraordinary roses. Izia, pronounced Ijia, is a Polish diminutive for Isabelle. Handwritten letters signed by Isabelle d’Ornano to members of her family are peppered with these two sing-song, childlike syllables. Here the video explaining the project.

Isabelle d’Ornano reveals her passionate story for Roses and deep written from her family roots. Sisley is a true family business as all members are involved. To represent the new face of the new fragrance, Isabelle d’Ornano has chosen Sonia d’Ornano, her niece. Izia is a fragrance that was built around a Rose with a unique scent. after that, there is a all universe made of vibrant poetry that will wrap you in a warm and gentle aura.

Izia, the name with a meaning

Isabelle d’Ornano was born in Poland and after a great journey that brought her to meet her husband and found Sisley, She was always truly attached to her roots. In most of correspondance with her family, she often signed her messages with Izia, pronounced Ijia, which is a short version of Isabelle. By naming this fragrance with her short name, she reveals to the world a more intimate facet of Sisley creation, like a part of herself, a generous gift to all the fans around the world.

The Fragrance… the Rose

The origin of this story revolves around the rose gardens at the family estate in Łańcut, south-eastern Poland. A memory that Isabelle d’Ornano wanted to recreate at her home in the Berry region of France, not far from the House of George Sand… A delightful oasis that she has enriched with cedars, hydrangea trees, honeysuckle, wisteria and sculptures. In creating this garden, she also planted rose bushes, not realising that one day, one of them would produce the distinctive notes that inspired Izia.

When you smell this fragrance you have the feeling to embrace a big, opulent, fresh bouquet of roses. The opening is quite interesting with a dazzling combination of Bergamot from Calabria, Pink Peppercorn and Aldehydes. Obviously the work of the perfumer brought a true dentelle of freesia and tea. It creates a very facettes start.
The more you get into the heart of the fragrance, the more the story is revealed. The perfumer had to recreate the perfect memory of the Ornano Rose with its unique lemony scent and refreshing pear note. So the floral bouquet is crafted with rose notes as well as fresh jasmine, peony and lily of the valley. Last but not least we can sense a vibrant green Angelica that adds a clear powdery and natural feeling to the fragrance heart notes.
The olfactory journey ends with a warm feeling of woods and amber notes. A true richness that is enlighten by the brightness of modern musk notes. It brings a soft and enveloping character for an undeniably feminine signature scent.

Izia, a flacon like a glass sculpture

The fragrance flacon was created by Bronislaw Krzysztof, friend of the Ornano family and great artist, under the direction of Isabelle d’Ornano. An abstract piece comprised of two glass sculptures placed one upon the other, the work brings Isabelle’s vision to fruition.

The creative minds of Quentin Jones and Christine d’Ornano

Christine d’Ornano has a passion for and knowledge of modern art. She chose her friend Quentin Jones, an English artist, to bring the image of Izia to life. Step by step, they worked together to devise this image of the fragrance including a visual and then a film. Isabelle d’Ornano’s great-niece Sonia embodies Izia in a collage inspired by both surrealism and neo- classicism.

Educated at the University of Cambridge and at Saint Martins School of Design, artist Quentin Jones lets her imagination run wild in graffiti, collages, and videos where she sets the stage for herself. For Izia, Quentin Jones tied the romance of roses into an enlightened patchwork where the tenets of street art mingle naturally with surrealistic graphic design.
Collage, from the French “Coller” (to glue) is a technique of an art production, primarily used in the visual arts, where the artwork is made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. The origins of collage can be traced back hundreds of years, but this technique made a dramatic reappearance in the early 20th century as an art form of novelty. The term collage was coined by both Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso in the beginning of the 20th century when collage became a distinctive part of modern art. It has a very expressive design with aa lot of contrasts. Quentin Jones completely masters this technique that got modernized thanks to the addition of computer graphics as well.

To discover this fragrance and much more you can connect to the brand’s website:
http://www.sisley-paris.com
Izia is a poem to the queen of flowers, the rose. One of the most prestigious themes in perfumery and so often used, here Sisley brings a more intimate yet fresh natural rose interpretation that will please the women whom will wear it.

José Amorim

Info sourced in the Sisley official communication release and product testing by LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Hermes Baselworld 2017, new watches you need to know.

Watches

Arsene Wargas

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17 March 2017

1

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Baselworld has more than 1’000 brands represented in the fair. It is by far the biggest international watch event. Some watchmakers are legends and some watches became iconic. Hermès has for the past 30 years adopted a high-qualitative position by taking care of each single detail of their watches. Each Baselworld is a surprise and generally a good one. Before starting the watch fair, Hermes has released 2 amazing incoming creations:

Hermes Cape Cod Hommes
Hermes Slim Quantième Perpétuel Platine

The history of Hermès watches is not new. It already started back then in the beginning of the 20th century when Jacqueline Hermès would wear a pocket watch for which Hermès would built a wrist bracelet. This was back in 1912. This definitely shows the earlier interest of the Hermès family for wrist watches and a very innovative approach. From the 1920’s and especially from 1928, Hermès officially started selling wrist watches in parallel of its business of bracelets. And it was a long journey filled of innovation, poetry and love for the good work.

Image source here.

Almost a century later, Hermès pursuits its paths of story-telling, crafting and innovation. For the incoming Baselworld fair, the French brand will present its new collections and we thought we would give you a sneak peak on 2 great new models.

Hermes Cape Cod for men

This story tells the story of a man who dreamed one day to place a square in a rectangle. We are not talking about mathematics or geometry, it is about innovative design and watchmaking. Born from the singular vision of Henri d’Origny, who invented it in 1991 by sketching a square inside a rectangle, Cape Cod consistently adapts to the mood of the times, expressing creative abundance through fascinating interpretations of the original design. The new masculine models are also presented with a distinct infusion of watchmaking expertise, in turn featuring a movement, a case or a dial made in the ateliers of the Maison – and all enhanced by the signature Hermès ne leather craftsmanship.

Blue, anthracite or black: the Cape Cod dial appears in new shades that are echoed in an indigo blue, graphite matt or black matt alligator strap. At the heart of these subtle visual orchestrations, time is steadily marked off to the rhythm of a watch mechanism created by Hermès: the Manufacture H1912 movement. This year, the dials are also attired in lacquer, as Cape Cod sets the stage for subtly graded shades of red and brown, creating re ections that shimmer delicately across the surface.

Hermes Slim Quantième Perpétuel Platine

Slender, pared-down, minimalist: the Slim d’Hermès welcomes a new entirely in-house- crafted model in platinum. After an amazing launch, the Hermes Slim became a new icon for the watch brand. Its unique design makes this watch very recognizable. Hermes is now bringing the slim to a new level in terms of watchmaking. By introducing a Quantieme Perpetual calendar. What is a Quantieme Perpetual? It is a watchmaking complication in which the watch displays the day of the month, the month and the position of the year within the leap years cycle. A watch containing a Quantieme Perpetual is a watchmaking masterpiece. Considered as one of the most prestigious complications in the industry, especially for mechanical watches, Hermes provides an extra layer of prestige to the Slim. The watch case is done in Platinum, probable the most prestigious material in watchmaking

The Hermes Slim has a mechanical self-winding movement, crafted in Switzerland. Manufacture ultra-thin H1950 movement of 2.6mm only. In terms of functions:

Hours
Minutes
Moon phases
Second time zone
Day/night indication
Perpetual calendar

You can visit the brand official website to learn more about the beautiful and poetic universe of Hermes.
http://www.hermes.com

Arsene Wargas

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Krug Carnotzet in partnership with Lausanne Palace – Ultimate Luxury experience.

José Amorim

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17 March 2017

1

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Luxury brands have the creative gift to make you dream and to invite you to amazing journeys. The Champagne house Krug invite you until mid-April to live an amazing experience called the Krug Carnotzet. In partnership with Lausanne Palace in Switzerland, you are able to book an evening to remember. Enjoy an ultimate luxury diner in a very exceptional place.

Krug, the ultimate luxury champagne, every glass is exceptional

Every glass of Krug Grande Cuvée is the fruit of many years of craft and patience. The art of blending many years gives Krug Grande Cuvée its unique plethora of flavours and aromas, incredible generosity and an absolute elegance that would be impossible to express with the wines of a single year. As you taste it, notes of toasted bread, hazelnut, nougat, barley sugar and jellied fruits may take you by surprise. You may even taste hints of apples still on the tree, flowers in bloom, ripe and dried fruit, almonds, marzipan, gingerbread, sweet spices and even brioche and honey. You may also notice its exceptional freshness in the mouth, with rich and tangy flavours of lemon and grapefruit enhanced by the subtlety of its fine and elegant bubbles. Krug Grande Cuvée can age beautifully. Here below what Julie Cavil says about Krug Grande Cuvée. Ms Cavil is winemaker at Krug Champagne.

Krug Champagne is a Champagne house founded by Joseph Krug in 1843. It is based principally in Reims, the main city in France’s Champagne region and is one of the famous Champagne houses that formed part of the Grande Marques.Today the house is majority owned by the multinational conglomerate LVMH whose portfolio includes other well known wine brands such as Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Château d’Yquem and Ruinart. Despite LVMH’s majority ownership, the Krug family is still actively involved in all the key decisions of the house but does not manage the day-to-day operations. Champagne Krug was well known as well as the Concorde champagne. Every client flying on Concorde would enjoy this amazing champagne and the French Champagne house became the symbol of a modern and stylish lifestyle. We can consider that Krug is the perfect companion for very special moments. Like the Concorde, now the Krug + Lausanne Palace partnership allows you to discover an exquisite experience where time is suspended. This is the Krug Carnotzet.

The Krug Carnotzet, a culinary experience in the heart of Romandie traditions.

Krug announced a little while ago its exclusive partnership with the 5 star hotel Lausanne Palace. For this occasion, an unforgettable experience has been created: a dinner, in a unique setting, able to guide their guests to a culinary journey marrying the traditions of the two Houses.
Dinner takes place in a carnotzet – an expression commonly used in Romandie to describe a small cellar, in which the wine is stored. It is in this rustic and intimate atmosphere that a delicious fondue as well as the emblematic signature of the House Krug – the Great Cuvée – will be served. A simple but exclusive meal, made up of the best ingredients. Challenging traditions, the cuisine served in the Carnotzet will take exotic forms for those who wish, offering its guests the opportunity to order sushi or tapas.

You still have a couple of weeks to book this amazing experience, so do not hesitate to call the Lausanne Palace in order to get a chance to become a happy few. You can also visit Krug official website by clicking here:
https://www.krug.com/champagne/krug-grande-cuvee

José Amorim

Info sourced at Krug official communication release. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Cool, New Hairstyles For Guys To Try in 2017 [Infographics]

LuxuryActivist

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16 March 2017

0

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We’re already months into the new year and, for many of us, not much about our lives has changed. And while the certainty of a steadfast routine can positively influence many aspects of life, it can also be boring. If you’re never changing, adapting, and growing, you’ll be left behind. Now, most men would default to changing up their wardrobe when it comes time for a change, but this can be extremely costly and time consuming. However, a simple hairstyle transformation can go a long way when revamping your style and look. The beauty of a hairstyle change is that it’s cheap and completely temporary – if you don’t like your new cut, it will grow back in a few weeks.

When getting a new cut, it’s important to pick a hairstyle that is going to make a statement that is fashion-forward and awesome. Men’s haircuts with short sides and long tops continue to reign king. According to the experts at MensHairstylesNow.com, today’s hottest hairstyles include the retro quiff, modern pompadour, and slicked back undercut, just to name a few. For a more complete analysis of the top cool men’s hairstyles of 2017, check out these amazing illustrations.

Gary

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Baselworld 2017, a new year of hope.

Watches

Arsene Wargas

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15 March 2017

4

Reading Time: 6 minutes

2016 was a tought year for the Swiss watchmaking. With a negative growth, things became quite complicated for some established brands. SIHH 2017 is over and we can see that things went pretty conservative. Probably the bad mood from the end of the year was still present. With Baselworld, brands already started by activating themselves and everybody hope that the business will re-start growing again. What should we expect from Baselworld 2017? Here somme interesting facts.

The Swiss Watchmaking Federation, 2016 facts and figures

Last year was not the greatest year of all for the Swiss Watchmaking industry. Thanks to a good holiday season, Swiss watchmakers ended up the year at -9.7%. It could have been much worse. The segment of > CHF 8’000 were responsible for the biggest part of these negative results with -11.6%. Watches between CHF 500 to CHF 3’000 only decreased by 3.9%. The total exports for 2016 is at CHF 19.4 billion. Here are some interesting tables provided by the Swiss Watch Federation.

As we can see in the above graphics, 2016 ended up a little better than expected. With an exportation level of CHF 19.4 Billion, this represents a drop of almost 10% in comparison with the CHF 21.5 billion in 2015. Obviously we need to put things in perspective. Compared to 6 years ago, 2016 represented an increase of 20%. According to some numbers, Swiss watch makers sold more than 500 million watches in the past 15 years. Brands who have been managing their assets wisely get a better game now. You can see the table below with the evolution in details since 2010.

What can we say more about the figures? In terms of results by price positioning, The end of the year was saved by a strong performance of brands positioning their watches between CHF 200 and CHF 500. What really hurt the industry was the -8% drop in the above CHF 3’000 category.

When we look in the sales evolution by market, we can see that China and HongKong were responsible for a great majority of this bad performance. When we look to the top 5 markets, Hong Kong dropped by -25%, USA and japan dropped by -3.2% and United Kingdom increased by 3.6%. Brands with great interests or a big sales % based in China/HK like the Richemont group got a really bad time during 2016. See the evolution since 2014 below.

Baselworld 2017, a new hope?

It sounds like a starwars movie but we are talking about reality here. Baselworld 2017 represents a lot of hope for the Swiss watchmakers. After the very conservative mood of the beginning of the year, everybody hopes things will be better. Watchmakers are organizing themselves. Some are still in a restructuration mode but others are keeping innovation high while some will for sure focus on their core products. Here are a few examples of watch creations that some brands will reveal next month.

Jaquet Droz, 2017 Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother of Pearl

Jaquet Droz unveils an exceptional version of its iconic Grande Seconde designed with a tourbillon that embodies a past-perfect fusion of its supreme mastery in mechanics and adornments. A new marvel of feminine beauty and watchmaking virtuosity.

With this watch, Jaquet Droz display several strong know-how and legitimate work. Grande Seconde is the heart of the Jaquet Droz legend. A model harking back to the Enlightenment, this bold design was a permanent departure from watches that simply told time. Pierre Jaquet-Droz was the impetus behind time becoming a series of artistic moments of musings and journeys. The Grande Seconde carries the very essence of the 18th century when the brand known by its twin stars took flight. The shimmering effects play off the gleam of red gold on the 39 mm case set with brilliant-cut diamonds plus the highlight on the dial and the folding clasp. Roman numeral indexes for hours and minutes are a touch of classicism in their own right, accentuating the blued-steel hands. Laid on a white satin strap, there is also a bit of mystery about the Grande Seconde Tourbillon Mother-of-Pearl, like the gold oscillating weight adorned with white mother-of-pearl and the movement’s bridges with a fanned Côtes de Genève design.

Breguet Tradition Dame 7038

The Tradition collection from Breguet belongs to the select circle of Haute Horlogerie icons. First introduced in 2005, it now welcomes a rose gold Tradition Dame. With this self-winding timepiece, Breguet has succeeded in feminising a model whose aesthetic essence lies in mechanical horology, a field that many tend to reserve for men. Clearly visible front and centre of the watch, the barrel is decorated with a rosette motif and overlapped at 12 o’clock, by a mother-of-pearl dial adorned with hand-crafted engine-turned “Clou de Paris” hobnailing.

Mechanical self-winding Calibre 505SR
Numbered and signed Breguet, 38 jewels, 3 Hz
Inverted in-line lever escapement with silicon pallets
Breguet balance-spring in silicon
50-hour power reserve.

Omega New Speedmaster Automatic Racing Dial

Completely aligned in the Speedmaster theme, Omega brings the racing design back with a much more thinner watch, mainly due to the interesting work done on the sapphire glass. The new Omega Speedmaster Automatic Racing Dial was built on a Speedmaster Caliber 9300. Two interesting features are the ceramic bezel, highly resistant and the rally bracelet. The details in the dial provides a racing look to the watch.

Swiss watchmakers are definitely showing their added-value by capitalizing on their know-how and the icons of their brands. It is a way to fight last year crisis and hoping for the best.
Baselworld 2017 will take place from March 23rd to March 30th 2017. The attention to the watch fair is growing each year. Last year they had 4’400 journalists from 100 different countries. The live opening ceremony was followed by 11’000 members of the press worldwide and during the fair almost 150’000 visitors came to Baselworld. You can see more about the fair by connecting to the official website and if you plan to visit the fair do not hesitate to download the official app. https://www.baselworld.com

Arsene Wargas

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Le Beau Dormant with Omar Sy by J.M. Weston – A modern tale for a perfect shoe.

Luxury

José Amorim

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14 March 2017

0

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The more we step into 2017, the more we wish the world to be a better place. Away from politics and hard news, J.M.Weston brings a window of poetry and do-good message thanks to a new artistic collaboration. This Spring, the French luxury house reveals a collaboration with French actor Omar Sy and Oxmo Puccino. The short film is called “Le Beau Dormant”, Male Sleeping beauty in French. J.M.Weston rolls-out its amazing universe with a modern vision of masculine elegance. Omar Sy represents strong common values with the French Manufacturer. It is also the good occasion to reveal the new summer collection.

J.M.Weston, the spirit of freedom

JM Weston invented in 1946 one of the most iconic men’s shoes of all: the Mocassin or Penny Loafer. The famous model n.180 became an icon of masculine elegance throughout the years. Years later, J.M. Weston dared to reinvent the Mocassin by launching the MOC, a flexible, essential version of the 180. The interior buttresses disappeared, the leather skins are carefully chosen for their flexibility and their maintenance, assembly is carefully achieved through expertise always perfected. It is a story about comfort and absolute lightness, an inimitable look in keeping clean the lines of moccasin 180. With this new shoe, J.M.Weston remains truthful to the foundation spirit of the house made of freedom, creativity, spontaneity and elegance. It is also a way to remind the “bande du Drugstore” which is a strong symbol of youth and eternal dynamism.

Despite its English-sounding name, J.M Weston embodies a very French – and more precisely, very Parisian – form of elegance, in which timeless style is given a bold twist with contemporary influences. The great classics are injected with the freshness of a rather nonchalant rock ‘n’ roll aristocracy, rich and raw materials rub shoulders, calfskin suede goes hand in hand with box leather, cashmere is found alongside denim, and the medallion wing-tip derby echoes the loafer.

“ In 1966, we were all wearing Weston ‘mocs’. If ever the Drug launched a lasting fashion craze, this was it ” – François Armanet – La Bande du Drugstore, Editions Denoël, 1999

J.M. Weston, friend of artists

As a generous luxury house, J.M.Weston opens its doors to many artistic collaborations. From these collaborations rises amazing film projects. Artists co-interpretate the spirit of J.M.Weston and the results are generally very interesting. The main goal being in general to present or reveal a facet of the French Manufacturer via an artistic prism. So far here is the list of artistic collaborations:

André Saraiva and The Shoe
Cédric Klapisch and La Chose Sûre
James Bort and the film dedicated to the Moc’
Thomas Tyman et Paris est un ballet, avec Mathieu Ganio
Thomas Tyman et le clip des Citizens Fade Out
Oxmo Puccino et Le Beau dormant, avec Omar Sy et Alexia Giordano

Omar-Sy-for-JM-Weston — *In the photo from left to right: Omar Sy, Alexia Giordano and Oxmo Puccino*

J.M. Weston and Le Beau Dormant – A contemporary fairy tale.

With the new artistic collaboration, J.M.Weston brings back a great story telling. As every fairy tale, it all start with a “once upon a time” there was a funny and elegant actor who dreamed of playing the charming prince. Once upon a time there was a candy-colored shoe that would be the star of the day. To tell the story of this modern tale, Omar Sy gathered a bunch of friends and collaborators. Alexia Giordano, young actress and dancer of classical formation, plays the spirited princess. The rapper Oxmo Puccino passes behind the camera and co-signs with Edouard Ardan the music of the Beau Dormant whose decoration was imagined by the artist and designer Mathias Kiss. As the original Loafer gathered a group of young and talented people around the same spirit, here we can see Le Moc that inspires a great story telling. All to be revealed at the heart of Paris, in the ephemeral boutique in Champs Elysées.

The film is also the story of a group of friends. Omar Sy is a good friend of Oxmo Puccino and they wanted to have a collaboration for quite a while. The French rapper leaves the microphone to be behind the camera. He will portrait a modern look of all the references from our childhood. Of course there was a need to find the right partner for Omar Sy. The choice of Alexia Giordano was an evidence. She has already played with Omar Sy in the movie called “Chocolat”. She is also an accomplished dancer and represents this contemporary idea of youth.

Le Moc, the summer rendez-vous

Omar Sy wears the new collection for summer 2017. Le Moc gets new colors and this film illustrated marvelously the spontaneous elegance of the new collection. With Le Moc Weston, the French luxury house highlights one of the key elements of its know-how: the leather! By destructuring the mocassin, JM Weston needs to pay a huge attention to the quality and the choice of the leathers in order to keep comfort and shape. With the amazing colors, it is a hint of summer that Weston reveals. The Moc escapes the urban formal ambiences to get more summertime spirit. You can associate the Moc with a rolled up pants, a linen shirt slipped casually: that’s when the Moc makes sense in an eternal quest for freedom. With the new pink color, J.M.Weston redefines the codes for elegance. It brings originality to men’s wardrobe and gets you away from a grey landscape that sometimes the world is. Like the artistic collaboration with Le Moc Klein Blue, this time another intense color will dress your feet.

You can visit the official website of the French Luxury manufacturer by clicking in the following link:
http://www.jmweston.fr

JM Weston has been French avant-garde since 1891. The iconic style of the luxury house has shaped masculine elegance throughout several generations of men. By associating the Brand values and image with someone like Omar Sy, J.M.Weston signs a strong portrait about French panache, creative culture, a contemporary and young vision of elegance. This summer, your feet deserve the best.

José Amorim

Info sourced at J.M. Weston official communication release. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Friday Chronicle N.26: The “Mon” trend – Mon Guerlain, Mon Paris….

José Amorim

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10 March 2017

0

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The Fragrance market is an amazing creative industry in which every year more than 400 new major products are launched. The best creative minds (and noses) of this world meet to create the next big thing, the next Chanel N.5 or the new Tresor by Lancôme. Unfortunately for a lot of these creative people, from all these 400 launches, only 1 or 2 are still ranked in the market 18 month after the initial launch. Some big trends just take over the market and become a standard. Here is what we call the “Mon” trend:

Mon Guerlain by Guerlain vs Mon Paris by Yves Saint Laurent.

It is not the first time that the word “Mon”,which means “Mine or My” in French, is used in a fragrance name. Other brands have added this word into their fragrance names. It procures a more personal style to the fragrance that is suppose to reveal a more personal, almost intimate side of things.

1984 – “Mon Parfum” by Paloma Picasso

Paloma Picasso was probably one of the first brands to use this personal approach of “Mon Parfum” back in 1984. She was by the way quite a pioneer in many aspects. Her strong personality would be the best legitimacy to do anything. She empowered women in the 1980’s and was one of the first global brands to gather fragrances and make up together.

2004 – Mon Coeur by Fragonard

Fragonard is one of the iconic names with a deep attachment to the South of France and Grasse – the birth place of French Perfumery. This white flower bouquet due of Jasmine and tuberose became a classic at Fragonard.

2011 – Mon Parfum Chérie by Annick Goutal

Annick Goutal is for decades the preferred brand of celebrities and influential people. From Catherine Deneuve to Hollywood, the French is the little pretty secret of their customers. Mon Parfum Chéri par Camille reveals a signature fragrance. It is a feminine story of Patchouli, Plum, Violet, Orris and Heliotrope. It will literally melt in your skin and provide you an extra femininity.

2011 – Mon Jasmin Noir by Bulgari

Bulgari crafts its fragrances as a precious jewel. The best ingredients, the best quality of packaging, flacon and amazing brand ambassadors like Kate Moss or Kristen Dunst. Bulgari always chooses the very best quality in terms of raw materials. Mon Jasmin noir reveals a contrast between the delicate character of Lilly of the Valley with the strong vibrancy of a Jasmine Duo: Sambac and Ailes d’Anges. The base notes are powdery and a very beautiful Patchouli reveals itself for the pleasure of all of us.

2012 – Mon Précieux Nectar by Guerlain

Guerlain is the shinning jewel in the French Perfumery crown. By developing exclusive fragrances based on the heritage, the olfactory know-how and beautiful raw materials, Guerlain is today a true icon of luxury and timeless elegance. The first notes of this fragrance reveals an interesting brightness of Petit-grain and Bitter Almond – which is an unusual combination. Very original and sparkling. Later the olfactory story of this fragrance tells a interesting combination of Orange flower and Jasmine. The conclusion being a composition of warm woods and the Guerlain signature.

2013 – Mon Parfum Cristal by M. Micallef

Imagined by Martine Micallef, Mon Parfum Cristal is a modern oriental thought as a personal feeling and to be wear by women who tend to have a quite intimate approach of fragrances. They will wear this fragrance for themselves, for their well-being and self-confidence. Mon Parfum (2012) and Mon Parfum Cristal (2013) was an interesting exploration of a spicy floral bouquet as an interesting perfurmistic exercice.

2017 – Mon Guerlain by Guerlain and Mon Paris by YSL

By pursuing this trend of a more personal approach of perfumery, Guerlain and Yves Saint Laurent also launched theirs “Mon” fragrances. Guerlain launches Mon Guerlain, a new feminine fragrance featuring Angelina Jolie. Yves Saint Laurent launched Mon Paris, the exciting modern love story.

Mon Guerlain created a huge buzz thanks to the teasing revelation of Angelina Jolie as the fragrance face. The buzz escalated in Social Media and all the press started talking about. You can read our full review here about Mon Guerlain. The fragrance shows a peaceful warm-hearted Angelina Jolie and the fragrance itself tend to wrap yourself into a cashmere feeling.

Yves Saint Laurent took Paris back to the story-telling. For decades his love for the French capital made more than one woman dream. It was all about the French elegance and the beauty of Parisian woman. This time, with Mon Paris, Yves Saint Laurent presents a more personal story between two lovers in Paris. They are young, beautiful and elegance. Probably the “daughter of Paris Eau de Parfum” now has her own story.

It is interesting to see that in Fragrances there is for sure a “M” trend. We had the series of different “Madame”, then “Mademoiselle”, also the “Midnight” and now the “Mon…”. There are still many letters in the alphabet so we are pretty sure that the fragrance industry still have many good years ahead.

José Amorim

Info sourced at the different brands websites, Fragrantica, Osmoz and wikipedia. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Planning For Another Type Of Two-Wheeled Tour Of The UK

LuxuryActivist

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9 March 2017

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Travel is all about participation. If you aren’t able to get involved in what’s going on around you, you aren’t getting the full experience. That includes the process of actually reaching your destination. An airplane flight is functional; that is, it rapidly gets you from point A to point B. But you don’t experience anything situated in between, and sometimes that’s the best part.

Hence, the appeal of the motorcycle. Riders know that their mode of travel is superior not just to air, but also to auto and rail. Aboard a motorcycle, you can hear the rushing ocean waves on the rocky cliffs of Dover. You can smell the fragrant hay of countryside farms. And without the interference of a roof, you can fully enjoy the bright rays of the sun. So a motorcycle ride through any part of the UK is absolutely amazing. If you’re convinced and just need to choose a route, pause first to make sure you have covered all the logistics involved in a tour on motorbike.

Protecting Your Bike…And Yourself

Despite their appeal for recreational riding, motorcycles are less frequently used for driving. As a result, many owners skimp on the expenditures that they take for granted with a car. They may also simply omit other items just because they ride rarely, or only over short distances. Insurance is one example. Doing without it or buying it on the cheap may sound good as you consider your money, but with a big trip in the offing, you should reconsider. You may find that motorcycle insurance rates are more affordable than you expect, and they’re certainly well worth the expense.
Safety gear matters, too. A helmet is a must for even the shortest ride, and many people do have them. But for a true countryside sojourn along steep and curving roads, more gear is necessary. Leather isn’t just a fashion statement, it’s a safety item when it comes to riding a motorcycle. Shop for some good leather gear to reduce the damage to your skin should you experience an accident.

Planning Lodging

Although your means of conveyance will be different from your usual four-wheeled methods, much of the rest of the travel logistics will be the same. You’ll need to plan out lodging options, and it’s a good idea to hedge against bad weather by identifying hotels that are closer together than your ideal spacing. Should you be shooed off the road by a downpour, it would be unfortunate to be stuck an hour’s drive from a nonrefundable reservation. You may also want to review hotel layouts before making reservations. Because motorcycles are so easily stolen, you may want a room where you can easily survey the parking lot and keep an eye on your transportation. You also should consider the hotel’s location relative to restaurants and attractions; if the road between is unpleasant, you may grow weary of running up and down it every time you want to go somewhere.

Preparing For Problems

Once again, the casual rider can get in trouble here. Mechanical issues on a motorcycle may not reveal themselves on short jaunts around town; it may take a longer trip to bring problems to a head. It’s important before you head out, of course, to have everything checked. Look at oil, check chain tension, examine tire tread, and verify tire pressure. But things can still go wrong after you hit the road, so it’s wise to do some research to locate repair shops along your route. Look through customer reviews to see who’s reputable, and store telephone numbers in your cell so that you can quickly access them while you’re out.

Travel by motorcycle is unique, and not just in how you move about. You’ll have to make some special considerations to be sure your trip will go as planned because things will be different than when you go by automobile. Make your plans carefully and enjoy the ride.

Liz Becker

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

When digital becomes the new hollywood for movies

José Amorim

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2 March 2017

0

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Last weekend Amazon got 3 Oscars, which is a first in Amazon Studios history. While everybody is talking about the Academy Awards messed-up Best movie, at LuxuryActivist we were impressed to see how digital is now becoming the new Hollywood. Amazon Studios had 2 movies in the Oscars competition:

Manchester by the Sea
The Salesman

With these 2 movies, Amazon Studios won 3 Oscars. With Manchester by the Sea, they won Best Male Actor with Casey Affleck and Best Screenplay. With The Salesman, Amazon Studios won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It is the first time a Digital player wins an Oscar. It shows that the world is shifting and that digital audio-visual world is taking over.
Amazon Studios is a division of Amazon.com, that focuses on developing television shows, distributing and producing films, and comics from online submissions and crowd-sourced feedback. It was started in late 2010. Content is distributed through Amazon Video, Amazon’s digital video streaming service, and is a competitor to services like Netflix and Hulu. Already in 2015, Transparent was the first show produced by Amazon Studios to win a major award and the first show produced by a streaming media service to win a Golden Globe for Best Series. Amazon’s founder and CEO is Jeff Bezos. He is the 5th richest man on earth and he definitely enjoyed his night at the Oscars.

Another remarquable fact is the Netflix trailer for one of the most expected incoming movies of this year: BRIGHT. The new movie features an amazing casting:

Will Smith
Joel Edgerton
Noomi Rapace

The chosen Director is David Ayer, same director as Suicide Squad and the screenplay is signed by Max Landis. Netflix invested USD$ 90 million to produce this movie. Netflix evolution is very interesting. After distributing other’s content, they started producing their own original content. First with TV series like House of Cards or Orange is the new Black. Both series were a tremendous success, which allowed Netflix to pursuit its path as independent producer. The step into the movies business was then an easy one. We assume that with all the incoming productions about original content, at one point Netflix might get its Oscar one day.

Netflix became a worldwide giant in terms of content distribution and production. Here are some key numbers about Netflix:

Netflix was founded in 1997
1999: year of distribution launch
2002: year of Netflix IPO
Number of total subscribers : 93.8 Million (February 2017)
Number of Netflix users outside the US: 47%
Number of hours Netflix users watched in 2016: 45 billion streaming hours
57% of new users cite the main reason is “Original programming”
Netflix users avoid about 160 hours of ads per year
Amount Netflix will invest in 2017 in original content: USD$ 6 Billion
Netflix is worth USD$ 60 Billion

Giants from digital are taking over the off-line world. After being a strong distribution channel, companies like Amazon and Netflix realized that Content is all! Who owns the content owns the power. With a distribution market place that has the size of the world, nothing can block Amazon or Netflix to start their own Hollywood. Probably the next challenge would be the “eight-o-clock-news”, meaning the development of news thanks to the powerful platforms. Let’s see next year to whom the Oscar will go to.

José Amorim

Info sourced at the Oscars night, companies respective websites, wikipedia, Forbes, L2 Think Tank, GeekWire, Journal du Geek and Business Advisor. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

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1984 – “Mon Parfum” by Paloma Picasso

2004 – Mon Coeur by Fragonard

2011 – Mon Parfum Chérie by Annick Goutal

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2012 – Mon Précieux Nectar by Guerlain

2013 – Mon Parfum Cristal by M. Micallef

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