Swiss luxury report: millionaires per households: Switzerland is now number one!

José Amorim
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1
Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Early bird catches the worm! This is what popular culture says. But the one with loads of money as well, especially if he comes from Switzerland. In deed for the first time, Switzerland overpassed Bahrain and Qatar in the number of millionaires per 1000 households. These are consolidated figures from 2014. In terms of Luxury news for the country, it shows how strong the national market is.
millionaires-per-country
The last study made by Boston Consulting Group about the world wealth shows that the world has in total 16.3 million households being millionaire. This means 1.1% of all households in the world. 43% of these millionaire households are located in the US. Nevertheless, Switzerland has 12.7% of total households being in this case. This places the Helvetic Federation as the number one country in the world with the highest rate of millionaires per 1000 of households. It is a lot for such a small country.
What we can say is that millionaires are doing well. No matter how hard the economic crises hits the countries, people are getting rich. Between 2012 and end of 2014, the number of millionaires in the world increased by 19% (BCG study). China gets the biggest growth. In the past 12 month, Chinese millionaires households increased by 76% with 2.3million new wealthy people. This means 4 new millionaire households every minute. Numbers are crazy.
If we take a good look into Switzerland wealthy people, a lot of them are not Swiss. Several millionaires and billionaires decide to move to Switzerland because of several reasons:

  • Perfect location in the world between Asia and the Americas
  • Safety and comfortable conditions of life
  • Discreet culture and respect of personal life
  • Financial and tax conditions

If we check some of the very wealthy people living in Switzerland, here is an interesting top 5.

Birgit Rausing, $14 Billion, Tetra Pak

Birgit-Rausing
Ms Rausing was born in Sweden and when his step-father died, she inherited of all his fortune. He was the founder of a multi-billion dollar business about packaging. He was the inventor of Tetra Pak. She lives in Switzerland in Canton Vaud. Her fortune was estimated at $14 billion.

Viktor Vekselberg, $13 Billion in Aluminum and oil

Viktor-Vekselberg
Mr Vekselberg was born in Russia and this self-made business man gathered a real fortune. First he started in the Aluminum business and then got some interests in Oil which made his huge personal fortune. He lives in Canton of Zug in Switzerland, 30mn south of Zürich.

Ernesto Bertarelli, $10 Billion in Pharmaceuticals

Ernesto-Bertarelli
Mr Bertarelli was born in Rome. After inheriting the pharmaceutical giant Serono in 1998, he sells it to Merck in 2007 for $9 Billion. Since them he dedicated himself to his passion: sailing. He won twice the America’s Cup as he owns Alinghi boats. He lives since his childhood close by Geneva lake.

Klaus-Michael Kühne, $10 Billion in Sea transports

Klaus-Michael-Kühne
Mr Kühne was born in Germany and he receives the group Kuhn & Nagel from his grand-father. It is a huge business in sea transportation operating worldwide. He lives in Canton Schwyz and he is today 74 years old.

August Von Fink, $8.6 Billion with Allianz insurances

August-Von-Fink
Mr Von Fink was born in Germany and he got from his father the Allianz group, one of the world leaders in multiple insurances. He lives in Canton Thurgovie.

Switzerland is a paradise on earth. The country has a healthy economy. It exports more than imports, so the country finance is positive. Watchmaking and Machinery are two strong activities following by Banks, Insurances and Pharmaceuticals. An interesting last statistic is the fact that Switzerland has more millionaires than people depending on Social help. And this is pretty much unique in the world.

LA

rich-people-worldwide
Info sourced at Quartz Atlas , Bilanz.ch, Bilan.ch, La Tribune de Geneve, Administration Federale Suisse, Boston Consulting Group and Forbes. Images for illustration purposes: Viktor Vekselberg by Buzzquotes.com, Birgit Hausing by sydsvenskan.se, Klaus-Michael Kühne by dvz.de, August Von Fink by celebritynetworth123.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.

Luxury news: India, the other giant luxury market

José Amorim
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0
Reading Time: 5 minutes

Luxury-News-Indian-Market

United States, Europe or China has been ruling the luxury market for several years now. Another interesting country is India. The 1.252 billion inhabitants country represents an amazing opportunity for brands who know how to play it right. In 2016, the luxury market in India will represent a $18.3 billion sales, which is a +25% growth. This is big Luxury news!

We might wonder why India is having such a strong growth of its luxury market. There are several explanations. The first interesting point is the fact that several international brands are increasing constantly their reputation and awareness in the country. Indian luxury goods remains fragmented. International players such as LVMH Watch & Jewellery India Pvt Ltd, Gucci India Pvt ltd, Burberry India Pvt Ltd and Swatch Group India Pvt Ltd continue to lead this fragmented landscape. The presence of domestic Indian players is mainly within categories such as traditional jewellery and dresses in the luxury space. The market has also witnessed an increase in number of international brands entering India to tap into the potential offered by this niche and high growth area.

Naturally, if luxury sales are going up, it means there are more and more people buying luxury. It is obvious. Currently there are 137’100 millionaires households in India (source: Kotak wealth management). If we base the calculations on the current evolution, this number will reach 345’000 in the next incoming years owning a little less than US$ 700 million. This constant growth shows the country incredible dynamism and wealth.

India-Luxury-Market

The interest for luxury goods is also increasing. The very wealthy Indian households will spend up to 44% of their revenue in luxury goods and services. International luxury brands command only a tiny share of the Indian market, where they face strong competition from local fashion designers and jewelry makers. Indians prefer traditional dress and jewelry but shoes, bags and watches from global brands are a hit. Indians are also developing a taste for high-end skin care, expensive luggage and fine wine.

Of course as many wealthy people around the world, Indians travel a lot, especially to Europe. Due to high importation taxes, many luxury goods are very expensive in India and historically speaking, the country always got the old stocks. Indian buyers do not want this anymore. They buy premium so they expect first choice.

India has been voted as the seventh most valued nation brand. With an increase in 32 percent in its brand value to $2.1 billion, India has moved up one position in the most-valued nation brands list. Not only that, this surge is the highest among all the Top 20 countries on the list. The nation brand valuation is based on five-year forecasts of sales of all brands in each nation and follows a complex process. The gross domestic product (GDP) is used as a proxy for total revenues. Among the BRICS nations, India is the only country to have witnessed an increase in its brand value with Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa seeing a dip in their respective brand valuations. In addition, India is the second most valued among these emerging economies after China, followed by Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

India is a highly digitally inclined nation. Digital influence and online purchase is projected to rise exponentially. It is estimated that by 2020, approximately 350 million consumers are likely to digitally influence as compared to 150 million now. This will account for $240 billion to $250 billion, which is between 20 percent and 25 percent of the total retail spending. It is also estimated that by 2020, 200 to 250 million Indians will shop online, as compared just 90 million currently.

India-internet-consumer

Significant brands across various verticals that performed well in 2015 included Gucci, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Canali India, LVMH India, Judith Leiber, The SPA Group, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts and Reliance Brands. Increasing brand awareness and the growing purchasing power of the upper class in tier II and III cities is fueling further growth. Service areas such as fine dining, electronics, luxury travel, luxury personal care and jewelry saw increasing revenues and are expected to grow by 30 percent to 35 percent over the next three years. Spending on luxury cars continues to grow at 18 percent to 20 percent over the next three years. As the purchasing power of women grows in India, the luxury beauty products market is witnessing a fast-paced growth. Interestingly, three Indian companies have entered the Top 50 luxury brands of the world.

Titan-Industries-Bhaskar-Bhat

Ranked at 31, 42 and 44, respectively, these are Titan Company Ltd., Gitanjali Gems Ltd. and PC Jeweller Ltd. PC Jeweller Ltd. is also one of the world’s 20 fastest-growing luxury goods companies. There is a growing need for individuality and exclusivity as consumers get richer.

Luxury goods in India is still in its nascent stages and has many opportunities for growth. The recent slowdown in Chinese luxury goods has also shifted the focus of luxury players to India. The government has also been taking steps to make the process of entering Indian luxury goods easier and these steps are expected to help bring in more luxury brands to the country over the forecast period. The young demographics of the Indian population, strong economic growth and rising income levels over the forecast period are expected to help drive luxury goods. LuxuryActivist, as a Luxury Blog will follow up this evolution with incoming articles. Stay tuned.

José Amorim

Luxury-News-Indian-Market

Info sourced at Forbes, Forbes Asia, Fortune, IndiaTimes, Euromonitor and wikipedia. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. 

Spring Holidays: the Côte d’Azur or the Alps?

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Seasoned holidaymakers to France face a dilemma each spring: should they spend their holiday on the Riviera’s coast or in the Alps? Although an idyllic beach setting is amplified in its allure after the harshness of winter, an escape to the mountains could still be a wiser decision. With the weather still somewhat unpredictable, ambitious plans for a sunny beach-break could quickly diminish as the Mediterranean skies fill with clouds; an Alpine setting perfectly combines sports and leisure in the rain or shine.

Spring spent in the Alps is ideal since you’ll be able to catch the last of the snowfall, revel in sunshine when it comes and find something exhilarating to do regardless of the weather. In fact, with many ski resorts open until the end of April and the use of snowmakers a favourable possibility; spending spring in the mountains is often the better choice.

The huge French ski region of Serre Chevalier Vallée in the southeastern Alps is a great choice for springtime skiing. It has over 3,900 hectares of terrain and contains more than 100 slopes, which are aided by one of the most extensive snowmaking networks in Europe to ensure the best snow conditions for a long ski season. Even though it boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, snow is more reliable since many of the slopes are north-facing and a third of the entire ski area is covered by a network of snow cannons.

Serre-Chevalier-holidays-in-the-alps

Fans of Serre Chevalier affectionately call it “Serre Che”, and return time and time again to enjoy the great woodland runs, characterful villages and friendly locals. Serre Chevalier is made up of thirteen villages linked by a by road over the valley floor. The villages start with the old town of Briançon, Europe’s highest at an altitude of 1,326 metres, and the location of France’s first ski school in 1902. It then passes through the main villages of Chantemerle, Le Monetier and Villeneuve, up to the Col du Lautaret pass. What it lacks in the glitz and glamour of France’s ultra-luxurious resorts, it makes up for in rustic charm and authenticity. Even the main resorts have a number of traditional buildings and have largely retained its authentic character.

Luxury-News-Serre-Chevalier-Briancon

Serre-chevalier-alps-holidays

Le Christiania – one of the most atmospheric hotels, which caters to both skiers and summer visitors – is a charming hotel in Villeneuve la Salle. The hotel offers comfortable rooms, featuring wood panelling and other alpine touches, making them perfect for relaxing in after a long day skiing or hiking. Le Christiania also has a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the Guisane River and a spa, which includes a sauna-hammam, massage room and beauty treatments, along with a less conventional fish spa treatment. The hotel is close to the ski runs and also provides easy access to the summer pursuits of hiking, mountain biking, rafting, hang gliding, fishing and horse riding. As you can imagine, the views are beautiful too.

hotel-christiania-restaurantc

Indeed, if you come to Serre Chevalier in the spring, you don’t need to spend all your time on the mountain range that gives the resort its name. The southern coast is less than 100km away and, if the weather is favourable, you can combine the Alps with the Cote d’Azur on a road trip or have a leisurely day out at the beach between days on the slopes. Since it is one of the most southerly resorts in France and located close to the Italian border, it’s the perfect gateway for Mediterranean adventures. Maybe it’s not always such a tough choice to make each spring, after all!

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

Luxury-News-Serre-Chevalier-Briancon

Victorinox Alox Limited Edition 2016 – Violet for your eyes

LuxuryActivist
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Victorinox Alox Limited Edition 2016 – Violet for your eyes
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Last year, Victorinox started a series of limited editions on the Alox range. Each year a new color will mark the passing years with a memory of their own. This year the Alox scales dresses up with a crispy Violet Orchid color. Every year, 3 pocket knives receive new colored scales:

  • The Classic Alox 58mm
  • The Cadet 84mm
  • The Pioneer 94mn

Alox-2016-limited-edition-series-zoom

Each pocket knife will have the year engraved in the back, so you know which year belong each limited edition. While the traditional Swiss Army Knife has the Cellidor scales, the Alox family is about another story. The scales are made in aluminum oxide, generally called Alox. The alox scales are thinner and more resistant to chemicals and daily usage, than the cellidor scales.  However, the Alox forgoes the tweezers and toothpick that the traditional cellidor version includes. What Alox fans like as well on these scales is the work done on the aluminium. The Embossing brings a technical, modern and edgy look to the Swiss Army knife. Younger as well. This material has a high hardness and a very high melting point, compared to basic aluminum. The textured alox scales are still in production, but not as much as in the past. The newer alox models are using smooth alox.

Alox-2016-limited-edition-series-zoom Alox-2016-limited-edition-zoom

The first usage of Alox in a knife is not very clear but for sure the Soldier’s knife adopted the Alox s scales in 1961 for the first time. Since then Victorinox has true aficionados of the Alox and some of the fans prefer this variant than the regular one. Victorinox is definitely pleasing the fans with this annual limited edition.

Alox-2016-limited-edition-mood2

The new limited edition comes in a practical yet elegant box that highlights the beauty of the product. It really gives the aim to collect them all!

Alox-2016-limited-edition-orchid-violet Alox-2016-limited-edition

It’s a new year, and that means there’s a beautiful new color for the Alox Limited Edition. But there’s more to these knives than just a gorgeous shade of orchid. The celebrated Alox scales have been upgraded with a process called Eloxal, which uses anodic oxidation to create an extra layer of protection against damage and corrosion. Available in three sizes, and only for 2016. If we focus on the pocket knives themselves, here are the technical specs:

Alox Classic Limited Edition 2016 58mm

  1. blade, small
  2. scissors
  3. nail file
  4. screwdriver 2.5 mm
  5. key ring

Online: https://www.victorinox.com/Classic-Alox-2016

Alox Cadet Limited Edition 2016 84mm

  1. blade, large
  2. can opener
  3. screwdriver 3 mm
  4. bottle opener
  5. wire stripper
  1. screwdriver 5 mm
  2. nail file
  3. nail cleaner
  4. key ring

Online: https://www.victorinox.com/Cadet-Alox-2016

Alox Pioneer Limited Edition 2016 93mm

  1. blade, large
  2. reamer, punch
  3. can opener
  4. screwdriver 3 mm
  1. bottle opener
  2. wire stripper
  3. screwdriver 5 mm
  4. key ring

Online: https://www.victorinox.com/Pioneer-Alox-Limited-Edition-2016Alox-2016-limited-edition-range

With this new limited edition, Victorinox explores the richness of its universe. Every year, Victorinox surprises us with a new interpretation of their classics, almost like if it was the first time we would discover the models. In the heart of a urban life or somewhere in the wildness, the Alox Limited Editions will seduce you by its look, functionality and design. The year just started so you still have time to buy at least one of these beauties.

José Amorim

Alox-2016-limited-edition-mood2

Info sourced at Victorinox official communication and LuxuryActivist product testing. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Friday chronicle #23 – What if Hedi Slimane joins Chanel as Artistic Director?

José Amorim
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0
Reading Time: 10 minutes

Hedi-Slimane-chez-Chanel

Hedi Slimane officially left Yves Saint Laurent, a lot of fashion experts are speculating about what would be his next move. At LuxuryActivist we know there is only one possibility. It is Chanel. Not only because it is Chanel but there are several reasons that proves that this move would be the only obvious move for Hedi Slimane. Here are the arguments.

1- He dreams about a French Global multi-category brand

Hedi Slimane was never such a rebel that he would dare going to a more alternative parcours. He always dreamed to work for well known-brands and his versatility as an artist, fashion designer and photographer makes him consider different angles in terms of products and activities. That’s why Chanel would be the perfect brand with equally strength between Fashion, Make-up and Fragrances. Its international aura would allow him to deploy his art at a global scale.
Hedi Slimane started his career already in this perspective. At the age of 24 he assisted Jacques Picart on his project around the Louis Vuitton monogram 100th anniversary (1994). Almost just after that Pierre Berger asked him to take care of the Men’s Collections Direction of Yves Saint Laurent and in 1996 he becomes Artistic Director for the luxury French house. In Autumn-winter 2000 to 2001, Hedi Slimane launched the Black Tie collection and it was his initial skinny silhouette signature. After that, he was offered to become the Artistic Director of Jil Sander but he had bigger plans as he wanted to have a more global and multi-facetted beautiful luxury house. That is why he decided to accept the offer from LVMH and become the Artistic Director of Christian Dior Men’s collection. For the first time he had the feeling to get a platform that would allow him to deploy all his art. He reshape Dior Homme in such ways that the franchise would go from a dying business to the mot hot brand of the decade. It was the start of the Hedi Slimane influence in the entire fashion industry. Under the “Dior Homme” franchise he completely redesigned the Dior man’s silhouette: skinny, punk-rock and glamourous. He launched a series of cutting edge fragrances, the Dior homme colognes that was considered as true references from a creative perspective. In the same range of fragrances he launched a series of Candles as well and the Black candle became almost a cult to Hedi Slimane’s personality. After fragrances, he launched a collection of men’s grooming products called Dior homme Dermo System. All these products were minimalistic, white and black and the formulas as the scents were raw, highly qualitative and completely unique. For the first time Hedi Slimane was able to develop his universe across several activities under a same brand.
Chanel would represent for Hedi Slimane the possibility to work on several categories, from Prêt-à-Porter, Haute Couture, Make.up, Cosmetics and Fragrances as well as accessories. After reshaping the men’s fashion landscape in the years 2000, he dream to do the same thing with women’s fashion and for that he needs a brand with legitimacy in that domain. Chanel would definitely bring that to him.

Chanel-Haute-couture-2016

2- Karl Lagerfeld loves Hedi Slimane

One mandatory condition to see Hedi Slimane join Chanel is the capacity of Karl Lagerfeld to accept it. In this case Karl Lagerfeld loves Hedi Slimane. He worship his work as fashion designer. Like Karl Lagerfeld, Hedi Slimane is sharp, contrasted and has a minimalistic sense of things that would go perfectly a long with the approach of the Fashion Kaiser. Heidi Slimane is a photographer, like Karl Lagerfeld, and he is probably one of the few photographers in the world that Karl Lagerfeld would accept to be photographed by. Naturally there is a natural fit here that would facilitate the arrival of Hedi Slimane in Chanel’s Artistic Direction. Karl Lagerfeld met Hedi Slimane 20 years ago for the first time. He liked him immediately and when he was asked to photograph Hedi Slimane Dior Homme clothes, he realized one needed to be skinny to get into his apparel. That is why he went on a severe diet. So as we can see Karl Lagerfeld could only work with Hedi Slimane today.

3- Hedi Slimane has the right reputation to perpetuate Chanel’s legend

A French luxury house like Chanel, needs strong charismatic and iconic people in its leading positions. For years Karl Lagerfeld and Jaques Helleu built and perpetuated the Chanel’s iconic story. Such a brand can only have charismatic and strong artists at the head of operations. Heidi Slimane would be the right person. He has a huge PR coverage, he is for sure one of the most influential person in fashion for the past 16 years. He dedicated himself to work and has gained the respect of many and the desire of the press. He might not reach the same “universality” as Karl Lagerfeld but he will definitely get the attention of the entire fashion industry. In order to embrace the Chanel world, an Artistic Director needs to be ultra talented, educated to the world of fashion and beautiful brands, he needs to have a strong personality so that he can drive the brand forward and yet enough respect for what has been accomplished. Hedi Slimane would be perfect for Chanel in these sense. His vision and his determination would definitely lead Chanel torwards a new decade of success.

Hedi Slimane would reconnect Chanel N.5 to fashion. The brand was never successful with that.

Chanel-n-5

One tremendous challenge for Chanel is still today the connection between the fashion activity and the iconic fragrance Chanel N.5. So far there is a link missing in this story and potentially Hedi Slimane would be able to find the missing link. When Chanel N.5 was launched in 1921, Coco Chanel would offered it only to her best customers. If you would wear that fragrance this would mean that you were a Chanel woman. At that time you could not buy the fragrance. It was exclusive and even elitist. It was a fragrance connected with Coco Chanel fashion and character: classic with a hint of cutting edge modernity. Several decades later, Chanel N.5 became the most sold fragrance in the entire world, almost a brand by itself. Why Chanel never succeeded to connect the mythic fragrance to the fashion world? Probably it was Marilyn Monroe’s fault. By associating herself to the Chanel’s fragrance, she went beyond the brand itself and installed Chanel N.5 as the ultimate feminine symbol. For several years, Chanel kept alive the myth of Marilyn Monroe but they never connected the woman to the fashion. All advertising campaigns, from Carole Bouquet, to Audrey Tautou, Nicole Kidman or Gisele Bundchen, never made the bridge. Hedi Slimane has a true global approach. He would invest the feminine fashion and connect it to the iconic femininity of Chanel N.5. He would join the dots between Coco Chanel, Marilyn Monroe and fashion. One image, one approach and one allure.

Hedi Slimane knows how to do IT products and Chanel needs it.

Several brands have iconic IT products. When it comes to fashion, most of the brands have iconic handbags for example.

  • Hermes has the Kelly
  • Prada has the Bowling bag
  • Fendi has the Baguette
  • Bottega Venetta has the Woven bag
  • Givenchy has the Antigona
  • Gucci has the Jackie
  • Alexander McQueen has the Novak
  • Longchamp has the Pliage
  • Dior has the Lady Dior

Naturally Chanel has the 2.55 but definitely not at the level of the previous ones and in all cases it has been a while that there is no news from this handbag. For sure Chanel has strong brand codes. Everybody knows that bi-colored shoes for women were invented by Coco Chanel. But it is hard to put a  name on a pair of shoes, handbag or piece of clothe. Hedi Slimane is a machine to build IT products. Sometimes everything he touches becomes pure gold. When he got back to Yves Saint Laurent, the French luxury brand had a total sales of €350million. When he left the brand this year, Yves Saint Laurent reached €900million. He almost tripled the company turnover in only 4 years. Chanel would definitely need some Slimane magic in order to place the brand in todays news.

Chanel-leather-handbag-2.55

Hedi Slimane would modernize Chanel Haute Couture

Chanel and haute couture is a big love story. No haute couture season can happen without Chanel. The brand kept a strong guideline throughout the years and Karl Lagerfeld has perpetuated the work of Coco Chanel by providing a modern vision of the Chanel style. Naturally the luxury Kaiser places himself in a certain classical approach that still unites the past and the present. What Hedi Slimane would bring to Chanel Haute Couture? Well, probably a window to the future. The way he cuts women’s silhouettes, the choice of materials and the way the piece of clothe lays on the body, brings a futuristic timeless elegance that takes you at least 5 to 6 years ahead in the future. When we see the amazing work he has started doing at Yves Saint Laurent, we can sense the potential to bring women fashion to a next level. His understanding of the woman body would create a revamped Chanel woman, still attached to the incomparable sense of sensual elegance but with some spice on top. Sometimes Chanel gets more press for the places and the “mise en scene” rather than what they are really accomplishing as a Fashion house. Please do not take me wrong, Karl Lagerfeld is still pursuing the perpetuation of the Chanel woman. The pitch is the following: The Chanel woman needs to evolve in 2016 as the world changed and people see certain values in a slightly different way. Hedi Slimane represents a intense modernity that Chanel could benefit from.

His salary would be astronomic, only a brand like Chanel would be able to afford him.

We do not that Hedi Slimane is like the fashion Midas. Everything he touches becomes gold. He is capable of reshaping a brand, make it more connected to the air of times and boost the brand aura. Naturally his salary would go in consequence of his talents. With an annual salary of more than €12million, you need to be a brand with a certain scale to be able to count on him among collaborators. With all these financial groups holding the decisions of most of luxury brands, probably only Chanel would put on the table the right amount to get the very best. If you pay peanuts you get monkeys, so if you want to get the God of fashion, how much would you be able to afford? Chanel would do it because they understand what an artist like Slimane would accomplish for the brand. As you have read, Hedi Slimane can only go work for Chanel now. It is inevitable. After his experiences with Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, the choice of Chanel is the obvious one. Let’s see what will be his next move.

José Amorim

Hedi-Slimane-chez-Chanel

Info sourced on the different brands websites, Hedi Slimane website, wikipedia, Forbes, Vogue UK and International New York Times. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available, Images are for illustration purposes only. 

Nomadous – a new name in the international Design world – Made in Portugal

José Amorim
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0
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Nomadous-design-portugal

LuxuryActivist is always looking for new brands and new artists to share. This month, we are happy to discover NOMADOUS, a new Portuguese luxury design brand created in 2016 by two young female entrepreneurs who are passionate about exclusive design, luxury interiors and travelling. With its roots in Portugal, the brand spreads all over the world by getting inspired by the most remarkable and diverse landmarks, people, nature and cultures. Nomadous is a luxury furniture design brand which intends to epitomize the world through unique design pieces. We see the world as an endless source of inspiration and our pieces reflect the most iconic landmarks, remarkable people, varied cultures and breath taking nature elements.  Nomadous was born in Portugal but it is not fixed in one place as it belongs to the world!

Nomadous proposes a variety of styles, materials and finishes. It gathers several artisans who put into practice what they have learned from generations f wood working mastery. This unique design approach resulted in a first collection of five pieces with different typologies, materials, finishes and techniques. The inspiration comes from the most different places, from Alberta Canada to the Zulu tribe in South Africa or Paris in France, resulting in very different pieces. With such a variety of backgrounds, the collection is so versatile that it can fit in any interior decoration.

  • Manuel Sideboard
  • Lwazi Folding screen
  • Chloe dining table
  • Sophia console
  • François Chest Drawers

manuel-sideboard-nomadous

Lwazi-folding-screen-nomadous

Chloe-dining-table-nomadous

sophia-console-nomadous

Francois-chest-of-drawers-nomadous
The founders , Liliana Silva (26 year old) and Marlene Alves (28 years old), were born and raised in Portugal – Porto. Both have a similar background in Business Sciences (Marketing and Business Communication), a wide experience in customer service, a global knowledge of the luxury market and the dream of being recognized by the brand’s exclusive design pieces. Nomadous was created by the founders with the intention to interpret the world through their unique lens and join together their passion for subjects as different as art, travel, design and luxury in a new and innovative way. Thus, providing the most demanding clients with the perfect solutions for their most exclusive interior projects. This is very relevant today in the Design industry and only brands that would understand the importance of the customer expectations, that will win the day.

It is not surprising that Portugal has such tremendous talents in Design. In deed, the country was always the cross-road of different cultures. In Portugal history, they had great explorers and navigators who, by daring crossing the seas, brought back amazing richness of materials, objects, people and techniques. Also, the arabic occupation centuries ago, left amazing craftsmanship techniques and unique shapes and materials. Portugal continues to explore all these thanks to their youth. Young people are conscious of their country heritage and wish to use the legacy to build the future. This is one of the foundations of Nomadous. Portugal has a strong cultural heritage when it comes to wood working so of course the brand take advantage of that. In the end Nomadous mostly use wood carving and faceting, marquetry, gilding and high gloss varnishing, with a modern twist.
Portugal has a long-time tradition of exotic wood and metal usage, dating back from the Discoveries Era, when they had strong connections with countries like Brazil and India where many exotic materials come from. The brand revisit those roots and bring it to the present through amazing pieces. The usage of such rare and noble finishes adds value to the proposed pieces which represents another reason for them to be included in any type of interior project.

The name of the brand, Nomadous, also translates this philosophy of travels and how to be inspired by countries with their richness and heritage in design and craftsmanship. By launching this first collection with 5 different pieces inspired by five different places around the world, Liliana Silva and Marlene Alves set the tone of their brand. After that, the following pieces can only be interesting.

To see more about this very promising brand, please connect to the official website and look for more information:
http://www.nomadous.com

The “Made in Portugal” is a strong powerful statement when it comes to manufacturing furniture and interior design. For many years Italy and Germany would lead design, each one on their own style. Now, it is the time for Portugal to shine and to take over the design world. Only good things will happen. When passion meets history and design, only masterpieces can be the result.

José Amorim

 

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

The rarest flowers in the world

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 4 minutes

Flowers! Flowers! Flowers! There are numerous flowers available that can lift our moods and enlighten our spirits with their great smell. Albeit telling an exact number differs, still there are 422,000 flowering plants available in world today. Flowers are available in all sizes, species, colors, shapes; however at times what makes a flower truly special is its shortage. The flowers which can’t be found in every florist bouquet or garden can be the rare diamond, just like the following list of world’s rarest flowers.

Jade Vine

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The beautiful greenish blue flower jade vine puts up a stunning display. The flower has rarest structure like a claw & usually introduced as a flower delicate in nature. It is a rare flower in the family of pea and bean. The color generally varies from blue to light green.  As the Jade Vines are sometimes pollinated by bats you can even see them lighting at the night, and this makes a spectacular view. It is one of rare flower as it is highly scarce due to difficulties to propagate because of destruction of natural pollinators.

Parrot’s beak

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The Parrot’s beak flower is one of the rare beautiful flowers native to the Canary Island. The flower is named as parrot’s beak because of the curvature of flower and this shape makes the plant more beautiful. It is even known as Lotus vine, a tender perennial from Canary Islands which is most mostly grown as annual plant. The golden-yellow flowers tripped with red or orange are seen from late spring through early summer to early fall when the temperatures begin to cool. The flower blooms in the spring season, however, soon often we won’t see this plant.  Just few species of this flower are available in the world. Flowers delivery of this flower disappeared since 1884.

Chocolate Cosmos

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The chocolate cosmos – dark red say almost like maroon colored flower includes a ring of seven to ten petals and it releases sweet vanilla like essence reminiscent of coca beans or vanilla pods and these qualities give the name – chocolate cosmos. They are one of the most awe-inspiring flowers which can be found on this world native to Mexico. The flowers usually bloom at evening time in end of summer. However, consider it our misfortune that now just single clones of chocolate cosmos are in world today, due to the vegetation reproduction experienced 100 years ago. And the existing chocolate cosmos areas are protected by law.

Kadupul flower

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I would love to name kodupul as – the white shinning star. The rareness and beauty are the essential features that make kodupul so special. Rarely few got the chance to witness the beauty of the flower as the flower blooms only after midnight and withers away before dawn. May be this is the reason that it is most expensive flower – in truth I would better say it priceless as no one has ever had this flower long enough to sell it. The flower comes from Sri Lanka. As shown in picture it is white yellow colored and usually grows about 10-40 centimeters in diameter. The blooming of this beautiful flower will take place under few circumstances only. Till date no botanist can explain about the sudden death of kodupul flowers.

Snowdonia Hawkweed

Snowdonia-Hawkweed-rare-flowers

The Snowdonia Hawkweed, the yellow beauty was rediscovered in the year 2002. The flower is seen on Mountain slope in Wales, and that too after decades when the botanists told that it had become extinct. The unique and beautiful flower was last seen in 1953 and it was believed to have been nibbled to death by sheep. However, thankfully this wasn’t the reality.

Daniel

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

Helicopter Transfer for Summer Events on the Cote d’Azur in 2016

LuxuryActivist
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The spectacular scenery and glorious weather make summering on the Cote d’Azur one of the easiest choices you will have to make. And with such a varied and enticing series of events planned for the summer of 2016, your short summer break may turn into an extended stay. With regards to choosing which glamorous event to choose to attend, the question on the lips of the most discerning traveler may well turn from ‘how about?’ to ‘how many?’ Such an alluring events calendar necessitates the use of luxury helicopter transfer, which not only offers a convenient way to catch the flying cork from every popped bottle of champagne along the coast, but also offers a comfortable and stylish way to arrive.

We have hand-selected some of the most luxurious events that are sure to imbue elegance, frivolity and decadence into the region, and will undoubtedly have you taking to the skies.

The Cannes Film Festival 2016

Taking place between 11th and 22nd of May, the 69th Cannes Film Festival 2016 is the first landing spot for anybody looking to indulge in the French Riviera’s luxurious offerings this summer. Whether you’re arriving via helicopter transfer or on a glorious yacht, the most important thing is that you’re seen when you arrive, such is the way at an event that captures the attention of the world’s media. With a countless number of stars and critics walking the famous red carpet to the Palais des Festivals, your impressive entrance will keep in fitting with the style of the event.

Anticipation is reaching fever-pitch as the film industry eagerly awaits the announcement of the official selection, which is due to be released in mid-April. Although film releases are the main focus of the festival, many anticipate the fabulous parties that illuminate the city at the coming of night. These are some of the most exclusive events in the world; expect to socialise with the social elite.

Monaco Grand Prix 2016

At 2pm on the 29th May, the lights will flash green to signal the start of an internationally acclaimed event. The Monaco Grand Prix 2016 coincides with the Film Festival, and attracts automotive fanatics, socialites and everybody in between from the world over. Monaco’s historic street circuit is revered by race fans, renowned for its tight corners and unique, scenic setting. Offering an electric atmosphere, the event is equally as exciting on the track as the celebrations are off of it. Taking place in the inimitable principality of Monaco, with luxury exuding from every bar, restaurant and apartment terrace, you wouldn’t be the first party to arrive with the whirling swoosh of helicopter rotors. A Monaco helicopter transfer means arriving in style.

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Jumping International of Monte Carlo 2016

Another sporting event that demands the attention of those in the Cote d’Azur is Jumping International of Monte Carlo 2016. Taking place between 23rd and 25th of June, the internationally accredited circuit in Port Hercule regularly offers impressive riding, as well as some of the best soirees in the social calendar.

Les Voiles d’Antibes 2016

No list of summer events would be complete without a sailing regatta; and no sailing regatta is better celebrated than Les Voiles d’Antibes. The Mediterranean Sea plays host to one of the Riviera’s most eagerly anticipated races between 1st and 5th of June. The spectacular sailing yachts depart from Port Vauban, which offers a helipad for easy access. Enjoy the spectacle of dozens of classic yachts cutting through the waves with the wind in their sales.

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The Cannes International Yacht Festival 2016

To conclude the summer in style, there is only one place to be between 6th and 11th September: The Cannes Yachting Festival 2016 is the final summertime hurrah for the Cote d’Azur’s high society. What better way to end the summer than by arriving at Cannes via helicopter transfer and landing to see some of the world’s most glorious vessels? With a new helipad installed just a short distance from the festival’s setting, it seems only right to gain an aerial view of the event.

With so many options for summer events along the French Riviera – be it with film stars in Cannes, sailing boats in Antibes or the fastest cars in the world in Monaco – you’re sure to find the perfect outing for a truly memorable occasion. Amid the sun, sea and glamour of the Cote d’Azur, it isn’t a question of what will you do but of how will you do it all? Well, by helicopter transfer in the French Riviera of course!

Here is what you did not know about Coachella festival.

José Amorim
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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Coachella-festival

Music festivals became a real big deal worldwide and it is a positive thing. People can share a nice moment around music and amazing singers. By far, one of the most popular festival in the world is the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, or simply mentioned as Coachella Festival. From an interesting programme to all the celebrities you can see there, the Californian Festival is more than just jeans shorts and make-up. Here is what you did not know about the most fashionable festivals in the world.

Who owns the Coachella Festival?

We could say that the people owns Coachella. With 200’000 tickets sold every year in less than 20 minutes, the festival is always breaking new records. Behind the festival there is Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Live, the second biggest concerts organizer just after Live Nation. AEG live was founded in 2002 by Philip Anschutz, after acquiring several small promoters in Los Angeles. Two of them were ConcertsWest and Goldenvoice. This last one was founded by Gary Tovar, music promoter and manager of the Coachella Festival. AEG Live owns the Manchester Arena, the new Galatasaray home stadium as well as sports teams like Los Angeles Galaxy, Manchester Monarchs, and even some interests in Los Angeles Lakers.
The beginnings were not easy and after a couple of trials, Gary Tovar ended up selling Goldenvoice to AEG Live. Since then, the festival got bigger and wider. Last year it generated 198’000 tickets and grossed $ 84.3million making the festival as one of the most profitable festivals in the world.

Coachella is the stage for legendary reunions

The Coachella festival programme is a very edgy one. Everybody says that what you see at Coachella is going to be big that year. From new groups and artist to iconic legends, the Coachella music choice represents a good balance of the music industry at its best. The Californian festiva was also the stage of some unique reunions like these ones:

  • 2003: Iggy Pop and the Stooges
  • 2007: Jesus and Mary Chain
  • 2008: Swervedriver
  • 2010: Faith No More and Pavement
  • 2016: Axl Rose and the Guns’nRoses


The music festival also had amazing rare performances like Leonard Cohen, Björk, The Cure, The Verve or the Throbbing Gristle. This year The Coachella Festival will feature Bob Dylan, The Who or Neil Young. A blast!

Coachella is also an Art Festival

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival became worldwide renowned for it’s music but did you know it is also an arts festival? Paul Clemente is the Arts Director for the festival. Initially the idea was to recycle arts installations from Burning Man festival but very quickly the festival gathered more than 300 artists building interactive art installations. One of the most interesting artists in the festival is Poetic Kinetics. It has designed several giant moving art installations for past Coachella festivals, including a snail in 2013, an astronaut in 2014, and a caterpillar that metamorphosized into a butterfly in 2015. The artists have an exclusive access to the location only 10 days prior to the festival starts. They need to build their installations and test it in a record timing. The festival art reputation has grown year after year and some of these artworks were already featured at Art Basel. Paul Clemente’s team and himself travel the world in order to discover new promising artists and bring to Coachella Festival a cutting edge choice.

Coachella-festival-artists Coachella-festival-arts-sculptures Coachella-festival-arts

There are things you cannot bring with you at Coachella Festival

Each festival has its own rules, DOs and DON’Ts. At Coachella, the list of forbidden things are pretty funny actually. To start, you cannot bring your “Selfie-stick”. This is absolutely forbidden. Last year almost one out of 10 people had one. Imagine the ambiance at several concerts with people trying to make a shot! So this year, do not bring one.
Another interesting forbidden object is a child buggy without a child in it. You can bring your son or daughter buggy but please bring the child with it. Otherwise the festival will end up with supermarket trolleys on site. Last but not least, the Glow Sticks! These are completely forbidden from the festival. Last year, glow sticks were distributed to the crowd and unfortunately they were used to pelt people with them. So no more sticks.

Celebrities are the best entertainment in the crowd

One thing about Coachella is the fact that sometimes the true show and entertainment is in the crowd. Actually so many celebrities are attending to the concerts that yoy might end up standing between one of the Kardashians and Lenny Kravitz or Jared Leto. Some of these celebrities would not miss one single edition of the festival. They come every year since 2007 or even before. Here are some of the festival big fans among celebrities.

  • Paris Hilton, since 2007
  • Diane Kruger since 2011
  • Joshua Jackson since 2011
  • Kellan Lutz since 2010
  • Alessandra Ambrosio since 2010
  • Kate Bosworth since 2009
  • Katy Perry since 2011
  • Jared Leto since 2009
  • Lindsay Lohan since 2007
  • Dita Von Tease since 2009

Coachella-celebrities

Festivals are definitely a big thing right now. Not only there is an economical reason why festivals are better than isolated concerts, but it also provides the participants to a more holistic experience, which is much more a 2016 trend anyway. Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival became a tremendous reference in the music and entertainment business and also opens the festival season with a great level of quality and originality. You can check the official Festival website to get the feeling of the event:
http://www.coachella.com

José Amorim

Coachella-festival

Info sourced at Coachella website and communications, Forbes, Wikipedia, Popsugar, highsnobiety. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.

Victorinox 2016 Damast Limited Edition – Alox Pioneer X

José Amorim
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Victorinox 2016 Damast Limited Edition – Alox Pioneer X
Reading Time: 4 minutes

2016-Damast-limited-Edition-alox-angle

Victorinox has been manufacturing amazing products since 1884. Every year, Victorinox surprises us with its endless universe of creativity and Swiss ingenuity. In 2016, one of the new masterpieces is the 2016 Damast Limited Edition. For several years Victorinox has explored the Damast steel in several limited editions. This year it is the time of the Pioneer X Alox to get a magnificent Damast blade. Here is our unboxing where you can see all the facets of this amazing product.

Its strength remains its big precious steel blade of Damascus, the manufacture refers to ancient crafts. The different types of steel assembled by hot welding and bending thus possible to obtain a particularly resistant and unbreakable steel. The apotheosis of making a Damascus steel blade rests, then as now, on its finish – because it is only thanks to the sanding, polishing and engraving appears a unique pattern of its kind. There are a lot of legends and stories around the Damascus steel. Still today we do not really know exactly how sword-smiths from middle-age would really produce such specific blades. The earlier descriptions found by historians and archeologists are dated from 300 BC in India. A blade made of this steel is characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Such blades were reputed to be tough, resistant to shattering and capable of being honed to a sharp, resilient edge. Today it represents a luxury item as only Sweden is capable of producing such steel at an industrial level. The big blade of this knife is manufactured from stainless high quality Damascus steel, 60 HRC. Victorinox has placed a lot of attention into all details. The case in which the pocket knife is placed, the support with the small magnet that blocks the blade, so it is perfectly placed in the box… all these details of quality and ingenuity makes this product a true piece of art. With a black soft-touch box, the new Limited Edition has a magnificent place, completely highlighted by the front transparent window. It makes the perfect display for your collector.

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2016-Damast-limited-Edition-alox-big-blade

For this year’s limited edition, Victorinox has chosen the new Pioneer X with Alox scales. The Pioneer X is the first Pioneer Swiss Army Knife ever to feature a pair of precision scissors. They’re perfect for opening packages, snipping string, clipping out articles and so much more. They make an excellent addition to a pocket knife that already includes a versatile steel blade, a sharpened reamer and a host of other functions. And you’ll find them all in the same beautifully designed, remarkably durable and exceptionally resilient package that so many people have come to love. The ribbed scales are made of high-grade aluminum and will provide you an interesting touch and durability.

There are only 5’000 pieces worldwide. This makes this pocket knife a unique piece, you will probably not see 2 of them in a lifetime. Another interesting point to add to the uniqueness of this product is the fact that the Damast steel provides unique patterns that makes each blade different from another. So we are truly in the presence of a unique piece of craftsmanship. We realize that we could spend hours admiring this pocket knife for its beauty, complexity and design.

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In terms of functions:

  1. blade, large in Damast steel
  2. scissors
  3. reamer, punch
  4. can opener
  5. screwdriver 3 mm
  1. bottle opener
  2. wire stripper
  3. screwdriver 5 mm
  4. key ring

If you wish to learn more about Victorinox and their products, do not hesitate to connect to the official website here:
http://www.victorinox.com/Damast-Limited-Edition

This Spring, Victorinox is definitely making the luxury news headlines and will make you crave for this amazing Limited Edition. You better hurry up if you wish to be one of the lucky owners of this unique product.

José Amorim

2016-Damast-limited-Edition-alox-mood

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

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