Aerial Photography Over the Big Apple

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

If you’re a photographer by passion or profession who hasn’t tried aerial photography, then you’re missing out on something. And if you are into it, then you know how amazing it can be. While there are many aerial views to capture in your camera, in this article we will be particularly talking about aerial pictures of the New York City taken from a plane or a helicopter.

NewYork_Helicopter

#1:Start With the Light
Light is an important factor when it comes to aerial photography, so that’s where you start. What effect are you looking for? If you choose to shoot at noon (on a bright day) then you will have fewer shadows to play with. On the other hand, you will have a softer light if you choose to go for an overcast day.

Depending on your subject’s orientation, your chosen side could be in shadow, which is naturally not appealing. So assuming that you pick a sunny day to shoot, make sure you the right time for flying during the day so that the light is optimal. Since New York has great weather, this can be achieved with a little bit of planning.

#2: Shoot on a Clear Day
When it comes to beautiful photography, misty mornings can give you great results. However, due to the moisture in the air, a long distance shot can get spoiled. You will be hundreds of feet up in the air and since you’ll be shooting at an angle, there could be up to 3,000 feet of atmosphere between your subject and you.

It j makes more sense to shoot on day with clear air. This is exactly why those images shot in Arizona or National Parks of Utah come out so amazing. The clear and dry air lets the landscape shine bright with clarity. The same can said about the Big Apple – you just have to see to it that the day is clear enough before moving ahead.

#3: Get the Settings Right
Adjusting the settings on your camera the right way is important to make your aerial photography successful. It’s recommended that you either go for shutter priority or manual. The fact remains that your camera will bounce a lot when you’re traveling in a plane, even if the flight is smooth (since it’s moving in 3 dimensions). This will lead to blurry images.

The solution to this problem is to be “smooth” in your approach when shooting, and shoot lots of pictures. It’s a good idea to set your camera at continuous high speed. For example, if you want to take pictures of the Statue of Liberty when you pass by it, take 20-25 images in the span of 6 to 8 seconds. Once you get back home, you can pick out the sharpest images of all, and leave out the blurry ones.

Conclusion
A very important thing that you need to consider before you begin your aerial photography adventure is if you’re comfortable flying. If you’ve got a fear of heights or acrophobia or don’t feel comfortable for some reason, you should take advantage of a quality flight simulation system such as the Saitek Flight Simulator to get an idea on what flying would be like. If you’re seriously considering aerial photography, you cannot afford to be afraid of heights.

By Liz Becker

 

Info sourced by the author for Luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. 

Sony Xperia Z: the best Sony Mobile phone ever

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Discover the new Sony Xperia Z. According to the brand itself, it is by far the best Sony mobile phone ever made.

 

During this year CES, 2 brands are trying to have their comeback: Sony and Nokia. With the new Xperia Z, Sony is trying to strike strongly in the smartphone market.

Sony Xperia Z CES 2013

Here are the main characteristics of the Xperia Z, that make it as an outstanding smartphone:

  • Weight: 146 gr / 5.15 oz
  • Display: 5.0 inches TFT with 16 million colours
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • Durability: Water-resistant and Dust proof.
  • OS: Google Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
  • 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8064+MDM9215M – Quad Core
  • Battery: Talk time up to 11 hours and standby time up to 550 hours
  • Camera: 13.1 megapixel camera with Auto focus

Sony Xperia Z camera

What are the interesting features to highlight?

  • Introduction for the first time of HDR to Video
  • Adding the world’s only Dual Exmor R for mobile camera (you can take self-portraits or chat in lowlight conditions)
  • Take pictures in Video mode
  • A screen as impressive as a HDTV
  • Super slim, only 7.9 mm
  • One touch connectivity, TV screen mirroring, sharing photos and music with just one touch with any other Sony Device.
  • Adreno 320 GPU, discover outstanding 3D games.
  • LTE/4G technology
  • HD Voice

What is interesting with the Xperia Z is that Sony has finally taken inspiration from what they achieve in the TV area in order to boost their mobile offer. All the technologic breakthroughs you may found in the Bravia TV, now they are available in the palm of your hand.

 

We hope this is just the beginning of something and not a one shot by chance.
LA

 

Info sourced at Sony website and CES news. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.

Why it is Worth It: Upgrade Your Hotel to Luxury

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

A bad hotel or resort can completely ruin a vacation in short order. Unfortunately, many economy packages are cheaper for a reason. Balancing cheap air fare with an expensive hotel or resort can make a world of difference on a vacation. Here’s an overview of what you can expect when your upgrade your hotel:

The Benefits of an Upgrade

The whole point of going on a vacation to a foreign destination, such as South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Russia or anywhere else that isn’t home is to relax and try new things. At the end of a long day of relaxation, touring or generally enjoying the new atmosphere, it is essential to have somewhere nice to rest. Even on vacation, when a person doesn’t get enough quality food and rest, things deteriorate quickly.

All-inclusive resorts, for instance, sound like a fantastic idea. Pick out a cheap flight, and find a bargain resort to enjoy a new region without breaking the bank. Along with the money savings, a person will have to deal with sub-par service, food and beds. None of that is relaxing at all, and it is often compounded by shoddy cleaning. Luxury hotels and resorts, however, tend to let a person enjoy a vacation to the fullest.

With extreme attention to detail with food prep, cleaning, beds and overall look and feel, luxurious accommodations are a nice place to put up sore feet at the end of the day. In addition to the details, the quality of service is excellent. They are definitely worth the upgrade, but the cost may seem prohibitive. However, there are ways to lover them.

Offsetting the Cost

The best way to afford luxury is to minimize excess spending. For example, a trip to a casino city can easily be done in style without spending an arm and a leg by simply not giving in to the number one temptation there: gambling. The hundreds you save by not hitting the slots can be parlayed into a wonderful stay at a top notch hotel like the Tropicana Las Vegas for instance, where you’ll be treated like the king and queen.

tropicana_las_vegas

Consider visiting in the off-season as well. Hotels and resorts, even the luxury ones, like to have guests at all times. In regions where there is a distinct “tourist” season, many locations either close up in the off-season or offer spectacular deals with the hope of filling up. For many, the local slowness of the off-season provides even more relaxation in addition to the luxury accommodations. The upgrade is definitely worth it.

By Liz Becker

 

Info sourced by the author for Luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. 

The International Art Prize Arte Laguna 2013 – Venice

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Italian Cultural Association MoCA (Modern Contemporary Art), in collaboration with Arte Laguna, organizes the Seventh Edition of the International Art Prize “Arte Laguna”, aimed at promoting and enhancing contemporary art.

logo_Arte_Laguna

 

Fope Gioielli has confirmed its collaboration with the International Art Prize Arte Laguna also for this year.

fope_gioielli

This important event will take place in Venice in March 2013 and will contemplate prizes in money, a collective exhibition in Venice Arsenale, a special exhibition at the Romanian Institute for Arts Culture and Research, a number of exhibitions in art galleries and an official catalogue.

The total value of the Prize is 170,000 Euros. The Prize is open to all Artists, without any limit of age, sex, nationality or other qualifications. Each artist can participate with one or more artworks, in one or more sections.

  • Painting
  • Sculpture and installation
  • Photographic art
  • Video art and animation
  • Performance
  • Virtual Art

This year again, Arte Laguna has a very prestigious jury:

Prize Curator:
Igor Zanti (Italy, Art Critic)

IGOR ZANTI

Panel:
Umberto Angelini (Italy, Director of Festival Uovo)
Gabriella Belli (Italy, Director of Musei Civici of Venice)
Adam Budak (United States, Curatorr of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden of Washington)
Cecilia Freschini (China, Independent Curator; founder and director of lab-Yit | the Italian Contemporary Art Platform in China)
Mario Gerosa (Italy, Senior editor of AD, Digital Art Curator)
Lina Lazaar (Great Britain, Expert in International Contemporary Art for Sotheby’s)
Kanchi Mehta (India, Founder and Chief Curator of Chameleon Art Projects & and India Editor for Flash Art)
Sabine Schaschl (Switzerland, Director and Curator of Kunsthaus Basel)
Felix Schöber (Germany, Independent Curator)
Claudia Zanfi (Italy, Art Historian and Cultural Manager)

Here are the different prizes:

INSTITUTIONAL PRIZES

PRIZE Painting: 7,000 euros*
PRIZE Sculpture: 7,000 euros*
PRIZE Photographic Art: 7,000 euros*
PRIZE Videoart and Animation & Performance: 7,000 euros*
PRIZE Virtual Art iFOPE: 7,000 euros*
* The awarded artworks will remain artists’ property. Withholding taxof 25% on money prizes. The money prizes will be given during the awarding ceremony.

SPECIAL PRIZE “BUSINESS FOR ART”

Within this event, Fope supports Business for Art, a special prize dedicated to the section of virtual art, which was established by the company from Vicenza last year. It includes artworks entirely created with computer software, graphics and 3D animation, virtual installations, net art, and artworks made through smartphone or tablet applications, and net art productions. The winner will receive an award, as well as a prize in money, and will have the chance to participate in an art project made in collaboration with Fope Gioielli.

FOPE is an Italian goldsmith that since 1929 has been a symbol of elegance, artisanal skill and continuous experimentation.

fope_gioielli_jewel
FOPE was founded by Umberto Cazzola in 1929, in Vicenza where he opened his jewellery workshop. Now in its fourth generation, this family-owned company proudly continues to keep its production, management and headquarters in Vicenza, staking itself on the solidity of timeless values such as Made in Italy (from conception to creation), product quality, originality of design and material innovation.
FOPE has always been astonishing for more than 80 years: the creative and innovative footprint is recognizable in every jewel which is at the same time unique and distinctive.

Fope Gioielli advertising

In addition to the handcraftsmanship with which every jewel is created, FOPE is also distinctive for a most surprising approach to communication: new projects and frequent forays into the world of art make the Vicenza brand a dynamic business, with a strong worldwide image. You can learn more about this very elegant brand and its collections by visiting the official website:
http://www.fope.com

We will keep you posted on the winners!
LA

 

Info sourced at official Press release. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.

 

Diamond Emerald by Boca do Lobo

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Boca do Lobo launched a new limited edition master piece called Diamond Emerald. It is an amazing Sideboard faceted and coloured as a true Emerald. This amazing furniture has the hit colour for 2013.

diamond-emerald-Boca-do-lobo

When we push the boundaries of imagination at the service of home design, everything is possible. This incredibly sideboard is faceted in a way that colour and light play their role as on a precious jewel.

diamond-emerald-Boca-do-lobo-mood

The new sideboard also features three highly sculptured doors leading to a gold leaf interior with shelving and two drawers. The exterior of this fanciful piece is now presented in silver leaf finished with a luxurious shade of translucent green emerald with high gloss varnish.

diamond-emerald-boca-do-lobo-side

Here are the details according to Boca do Lobo:

Product features
Faceted sideboard totally manually produced. Contains two doors, two drawers and a shelf. The interior is finished in golden leaf. Legs are manually carved lined with golden leaf. The sideboard is made from wood finished with a luxurious shade of translucent green emerald with high gloss varnish.

Arts and Techniques
Joinery, Carving, Varnishing and Application of Golden and Silver Leaf.

Materials and Finishes
Wood, Golden and Silver leaf finished with a luxurious shade of translucent green emerald, High Gloss Varnish.

Product Options
Limited Edition, Singular Products.

Customization
Custom sizes and colors are available with an upcharge.
Observations for mounting: It contains pads on the base to protect the support area.

For more information, please connect to the brand website:
http://www.bocadolobo.com

Highlight a precious moment with the right jewel!
LA

Info sourced at the brand official website. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.

Crans-Montana Photo Panorama contest

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Swiss Ski station Crans-Montana is organizing an online contest called Photo Panorama. Compete and win a ski weekend for 2 people at Hotel Helvetia Intergolf, Ski passes or a meal for 2 at Le Mayen Restaurant. Check the official video for the competition here:

The competition is organized by the official Crans Montana Tourism office and runs from December 1st 2012 to 31st of January 2013.

The principle is simple: Take pictures from your best spots at Crans Montana resort, then share them on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #cmpanorama. You can also use the dedicated Facebook app called Panorama competition on Crans Montana Tourism Facebook fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/cransmontana?sk=app_244041225639079

CransMontana Photo panorama

Crans-Montana is one of the best Ski resorts in western Switzerland. In the true heart of Swiss Alps, the ski area is composed of 140 km of slopes. Crans-Montana is famous in alpine ski racing for the 1987 World Championships and is often on the World Cup schedule, usually for women’s speed events. It also hosts the only winter mountain pop rock festival Caprices Festival and the second largest European golf event Omega European Masters, (an event from the European and Asian Tour) which takes place each September.

Crans-Montana_resort

Play and win a great beginning of the year at Crans-Montana thanks to this great Panorama contest.

LA

Info sourced at Goviral networks for Crans-Montana Tourism. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.

 

Rolls-Royce Ghost – the last luxury car?

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

With prices going up and down, the car industry lost a lot of its prestige. Bank credits and new fortunes, made cars much more accessible than before, so only a few cars are still considered as luxury. And one of them is the Rolls Royce Ghost.

The Rolls Royce Ghost was firstly launched in 2009 during the Shanghai Auto show. Its name is inspired from the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost of 1906. The original concept car, named the 200EX, was officially unveiled at the March 2009 Geneva Motor Show, indicating the styling direction of the production model Ghost. Unlike the aluminum-bodied Phantom, the 200EX was made from steel, which has a higher tensile strength and can therefore be made thinner. The chassis used an intelligent four corner air suspension system and multi-link aluminum front and rear axles. Systems such as Active Roll Stabilization, four corner air springs and Variable Damping Control operate as one, imperceptibly, to provide the best possible comfort for occupants. Connected to the main computer, the suspension is able to detect the movement of a single rear passenger from one side of the seat to the other, and compensates accordingly.

2012_Rolls-Royce_Ghost

 

Rolls-Royce_ghost_interior

 

Rolls_Royce_Ghost_backseats

 

The Ghost was designed by Andreas Thurner and engineered by Helmut Riedl, who led the development of the larger Rolls-Royce Phantom. Helmut Riedl joined BMW as an automotive engineering graduate in 1980 working in the advanced development area for chassis. He has since worked extensively with chassis technology in a number of positions, which led to his appointment as Director, Chassis for the BMW Group where he was responsible for the chassis development for BMW, MINI and of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. He became Director of Engineering at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in February 2004 and, with his team, has been responsible for the technological development of Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coupé, Phantom Coupé, Ghost, Ghost Extended Wheelbase and a host of the most impressive bespoke cars produced at Goodwood.

The engine is a Twin Turbo V12 48 valves:

  • Direct injection
  • 6.6 liters
  • Stroke: 88.3mm
  • Bore: 89.0 mm
  • Power output: 563 bhp / 420 Kw / 570 PS @ 5250 rpm

The engine allows the Ghost to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 seconds, and has an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).

  • Acceleration 0-100Km/h : 4.7 s
  • Acceleration 0 – 1000 m: 23.1 s

In terms of price, it goes from 180,000 up to 260,000 US$. All the best Goodwood workshop can offer in a 5,6m beautiful car.
LA

Info sourced at the brand official website and wikipedia. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.

A List Of 5 Guitarists Of The Current Generation

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

A List Of 5 Guitarists Of The Current Generation

You may have read many lists mentioning the greatest guitar players of all time. These lists tend to become repetitive, with many of the same rock stars making it to the top of the list. We decided to highlight the major guitar players who have been in the limelight in the last 10 years.

1. Chris Broderick
Chris-Broderick 

He made his debut as the lead guitarist of Megadeth on 4th February, 2008. He has toured the world in the last few years playing at sold out stadiums. He re-invented the band as proved by their albums Endgame and THIRT3EN. He appreciates all guitar playing styles. This year, he was on the GiganTour.

2. Tosin Abasi
Tosin-Abasi 

He is famous for playing the 8 string guitar. Tosin is the part of Animals as Leaders. He made way with the release of ‘Illusion of Democracy’ in 2004 with the band Reflux. He did a single in 2010 titled Wave of Babies. Apart from Animal as Leaders, he has also been the lead guitarist for Born of Osiris. He has been touring different countries in 2012 with his band.

3. Dan Auerbach
Dan-Auerbach

He is the part of the rock group The Black Keys from Ohio. He is best known for playing blues music on his guitar. He also released a solo album in 2009 name Keep It HID. He has progressed from his lawn-mowing days to traveling band tour vans and from playing for empty bars to jam-packed halls.

4. Stephen Carpenter
Brad-Delson

He is the lead guitarist of Deftones, a rock band. His career began with the band where he started off with a 6 string guitar. He moved on to the 8 string guitar in 2010 with the album release; Diamond eyes. The Koi No Yokan album released this year also showcased Stephen playing an 8 string guitar.

5. Brad Delson
Stephen-Carpenter

He is the part of the famous rock band, Linkin Park. He added creativity into the remix album, Reanimation, which was released in 2002. Minutes to Midnight released in 2007 allowed Brad to experiment with different guitars, both new and old. He has been towards shred in recent times, and is known was wearing large headphones while playing the guitar.

If you want to be on this list someday, you better start practicing – if you are looking for guidance, you can find guitar teachers here. For those not quite ready for private lessons, you can also find valuable tips online through popular forums and resource sites.

By Liz Becker

 

Info sourced by the author for Luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. 

Victorinox Black Ceramic knife, black is beautiful.

LuxuryActivist
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Reading Time: 2 minutes

When it comes to blades, Victorinox is a cutting edge brand. Of course the Swiss company is known for the legendary Swiss Army Knife, but they also developed an extreme talented Professional and Household Cutlery. Every year the company with the Cross&Shield surprises us with new products and this winter, discover the new Victorinox Black ceramic line. In deed they launched a while ago a very successful line in White ceramic and now they complete the offer by a very elegant line in black.

Black_Ceramic_Victorinox_blade

Made from the purest Zirconium oxide, almost 100%, this knife is almost as hard as diamond. The ultra-pure zirconium oxide powder is compressed at a pressure of 1 500 bar and is sintered in special sinter furnaces at temperatures of 1 500 °C.

A blade has extreme strength and is almost as hard as diamond. The ceramic blade is very sharp over a long period and keep its original characteristics for a long while. Its impressive high cutting quality makes it as the perfect stylish companion for your kitchen.

Black_Ceramic_Victorinox_detail

What are the advantages of a Ceramic Knife? According to Victorinox there are several:

  • Durable and extremely sharp
  • Light and handy
  • Does not transfer taste or odor
  • Hygienic and anti-allergic
  • Food safe
  • Resistant to corrosion and acids
  • Low maintenance

Black_Ceramic_Victorinox_handle

The handle is the perfect match between quality, functionality and design. It is truly a beautiful piece of Cutlery for your kitchen in the daily activities as in special occasions.

Victorinox Black Ceramic knife - Cutlery

Victorinox_Black_Ceramic_15cm

The new line has 5 different elements:

  • Paring knife 8cm
  • Paring knife 12 cm
  • Paring knife 15 cm
  • Santuko knife 17 cm

In the pictures you see the 15cm Paring knife which makes it the ideal size for multiple purposes. For the best experience, use a wood support to use your Ceramic knife rather than a plastic or glass. Ceramic knives are a much more suitable culinary tool for slicing boneless meat, vegetables and fruit. Nevertheless, since they are brittle they may break if dropped on a hard surface, and cannot be used for chopping through bones, or frozen foods.

Please visit Victorinox.com, section Cutlery and then Collections. You will have all the descriptions for all products of this line.

Your kitchen always deserves the best, right?
LA

 

Info sourced at Victorinox website. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.  

 

Antoine Martin, contemporary elegance in watchmaking

Sebastien Eich
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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Antoine Martin was lanched last year and represent a new alternative to luxury Watch making. Born from a solid and innovative know-how of its founder, Martin Braun, it is now a player of the watchmaking industry located in Alpnach, in the heart of Switzerland.

Martin Braun
Martin Braun

Every time someone try to create a new Watch brand, eyes are pointed on this person as we all wish to be surprised, excited and taken to a new journey in the watch industry. Of course others might see a threat so they might hope it will not work or just keep it small enough to not disturb the business. Anyway, After many fights between big groups to get the number one position, it is always inspiring to see people daring to bring something different to the market. This shows how dynamic the Swiss Watch industry is and how big is its power of innovation.

When Mr Martin Braun, created MHO AG (Manufacture Horlogère Obwalden) in 2009, we knew he wanted  to bring to the market a new proposition and this would start by the creation of a new caliber: the AM 39.001.

It is a hand-wound movement with Perpetual Calendar and 6 days power reserve. The creation of this movement was preceded by years of study of the Swiss lever escapement, its motion, and its dynamic processes.

AM-39.001-movement

The Swiss lever escapement is the single most widely used form of escapement used in modern wristwatches. It was invented by Thomas Mudge in 1757, the genius who adapted the anchor escapement to the portable wristwatch, and improved upon by Georges Auguste Leschot in 1825, the inventor of the angle of draw. It has been utilized practically unmodified since this date.

AM-39.001-movement details

AM-39.001-movement details

AM-39.001-movement details caliber

AM-39.001-movement details 2

For years, Martin Braun has thought about improving the Swiss lever escapement for his own movements. However, what he was envisioning was not possible with conventional production methods; the advent of silicium for common use has allowed him to finally realize the solution he imagined. His modified escapement is called the High Performance Escapement, or HPE for short. The angles of the Swiss lever escapement have always represented a compromise between effectivity and retaining oil using the capillary effect of certain angles.

To run the business, one man got the mission letter to make Antoine Martin an exceptional luxury brand: Bruno Jufer. He has an important experience in the watchmaking industry. From Maurice Lacroix, Jaquet Droz, Zenith and most recently at Carl F. Bucherer, Mr Jufer has gathered an excellent vision of the market, the future challenges and a clever management.

Bruno Jufer Antoine Martin
Bruno Jufer

And the first models were just after produced with a very high level of details and luxury care.

QP01_710

QP01_710-details

Since last year, the Brand also brought into the market a new variation of the flying tourbillon combined with a perpetual calendar. A pure master piece, between great watch making heritage and innovative vision. And here is the Caliber AM 39.002.

AM_39002_tourbillon_details

Martin Braun chose silicium as the material for the pallet lever, escape wheel and impulse pin, and opted for a balance of nickel silver. Precision adjustment is achieved via the two half-round-head screws made of 18-carat gold, while the tourbillon cage is poised using two gold rings. The result is a tourbillon consisting of precisely 65 parts and weighing a total of 0.62 grams. And here is the TQP01.710.1 by Antoine Martin.

TQP01.710.1

AM_Tourbillon_details

You can see the other Timepieces by Antoine Martin in his online catalog here:
http://www.antoinemartin.ch/brochure.html 

Or visit the brand website to see more about its incredible universe.
http://www.antoinemartin.ch 

 

 

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