Sisley is launching in October its new masculine fragrance called EAU D’IKAR. Eau d’Ikar gets its inspiration on the myth of Icarus. In greek mythology, the main story told about Icarus is his attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax. He ignored instructions not to fly too close to the sun, and the melting wax caused him to fall from the sky. For Sisley, Ikar is a name that represents a poetic intention. The deep desire of men to fly. Not to challenge the sky but to take off of the land, gain lightness and an intense feeling of freedom. Ikar is courage and fantasy. It is a powerful man that knows his limits and plays with it. It is a man who are not afraid of looking into the limitless boundaries of the sky. If you want to read more, check my full article here about it: Eau d’Ikar by Luxury Activist.
And here, please check a new exclusive video, revealing the final artwork for the advertising. It is simply beautiful, elegant and meaningful.
Victorinox is launching a beautiful pocket knife called the Victorinox Damascus Limited Edition 2011. It is based on the Victorinox Climber, their Alpinist and trekking tool.
The creator of the Swiss army knife reinvents itself each year by bringing to the market surprising products generated on the trail of its heritage. Before summer, they launched a very original product called the Victorinox Tomo in partnership with Abitax Tokyo. Now they tell a new story thanks to the exploration of a special stainless steel technique: the Damascus steel. According to history, Damascus steel was a term used by several cultures from the Medieval period onward to describe a type of steel used in swordmaking from about 300 BC to 1700 AD. These swords are characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Such blades were reputed to be not only tough and resistant to shattering, but capable of being honed to a sharp and resilient edge. Today, the term is used to describe steel that mimics the appearance and performance of Damascus steel, usually that which is produced by either crucible forging or pattern welding.
This beautiful edition is presented in a luxury black, soft touch box revealing the pocket tool through a glass window. Once in the hand, we can experience a very elegant product. The handle is made of ebony wood. This strong and solid exotic wood, once polished, becomes soft, texturized and really refined.
Only 4,000 units will be produced. So only a happy few number of people will be the owners of these little beauties. The recommended retail price will be 160 euros. Victorinox considers itself as a “practical luxury” brand, which means high-qualitative products for our everyday lives at an affordable price. All these products will always carry the four key values of the brand: Quality, Innovation, Iconic design and functionality. We can see that more and more Victorinox Brand guidelines are pushing the brand towards a more lifestyle area and for these I would say we have a brand that I would describe as “Intelligent luxury”. This means a Brand who will manufacture a product with all the elegance and the different important details but with the goal of serving you in a daily base. Luxury with a purpose versus luxury for Bourdieu’s “luxe ostentatoire”.
Concerning the pocket tool itself we rediscover the classic Climber functionalities. It is the alpinism and trekking tool. “Whether a climbing or a trekking expedition: the Climber helps you to get further”, says the Brand. So the perfect elegant adventurer would carry the Victorinox Damascus Limited Edition 2011. Here are the list of functionalities:
large blade
small blade
can opener with
-small screwdriver
corkscrew
reamer, punch
Key ring inox
cap lifter with
-screwdriver
-wire stripper
scissors
multi-purpose hook (parcel carrier)
As I was quite lucky to borrow one, I made an unboxing, so you can see this beautiful creation closer. Here the video below. Of course you can also find it in my youtube channel.
For more details, please check the Brand official website: www.victorinox.com. With Victorinox Damascus limited edition, you just carry a beautiful piece of luxury just inside your pocket.
At Luxury Activist we realized that Trains and Fragrances are very linked. Not that trains smell or that Fragrances look like trains, but we realized that 2 of the market leaders in the fragrance business decided to use a similar story to illustrate their iconic fragrance: a train travel.
The First one was Chanel with it’s famous N.5. We can see a very elegant film in which a woman takes a train and lives an intense adventure, mostly thanks to the fragrance. The second one is Thierry Mugler who basically does the same for it’s iconic Angel Fragrance. Of course the 2 brands are different so the execution is different. But we can really ask ourselves why trains?
Here below are some differences and similarities between the 2 movies.
– Both have a woman, Audrey Tautou for Chanel and Eva Mendez for Mugler.
– Both have a trip in a train. Chanel is about the Orient express and a nostalgia hint, very elegant, classy and timeless. Mugler has a futuristic Fast train. Everything is very edgy, modern and almost in a science-fiction context.
– The Chanel woman is late, so she runs to catch her train. The Mugler woman looks a little more organized as she is calmly waiting for her train on the platform.
– Both are alone in their cabins and experience an intense emotion thanks to the fragrance
– In the Chanel story there is a man, so a status of seduction and desire. In the Mugler story, no room for men, it is just a strong story between women and their fragrance.
– In both stories, it is important to show that our 2 heroines get out of the train. It seems it is important to show that
Here are the 2 advertising films, so you can judge:
CHANEL N5 with Audrey Tautou
THIERRY MUGLER ANGEL
Here are 2 of the most important fragrances in the feminine market, playing on the same creative idea. So if you had the choice and some holidays, which train would you catch?
LA
Stephanie Fonteyn is an English painter, living in Switzerland where she works. She grew in an artistic environment and start painting in 2002. She is a self-made Artist and Painter and we can see she has her own style. She is this week at the Comptoir Suisse, a popular fair in Lausanne – Switzerland. When I visited the Comptoir, I had the chance to discover Ms Fonteyn’s work.
I like the spontaneous way she paints. I am not sure that Marylin and Ms Hepburn would be my choices, as they are very mainstream themes but “it is the Comptoir Suisse”. It needs to be a little more democratic. Anyway, I discovered online other paintings from Stephanie fonteyn which I definitely really find more interesting. Color is an important point to the Artist as she uses it like an expression of emotions.
Since 2002, she explored different themes that her translation looks colorful, lively and fresh. We can definitely see some influences from Mondrian, especially on the more abstract painting. Very close to neo-plasticism we recognize the lines and the primary colors. This is what Stephanie Fonteyn call “Organized Chaos”. It is a brilliant idea in which she gets away from Mondrian extreme precision, without surprises, to a more passionate path where the perfect lines become like ink drawings, much more emotional.
Since she is living in Switzerland, close to Montreux, she got inspired by the famous Jazz festival and we can see the intense emotion of special moments took from the jazz performers. Check here this beautiful interpretation of Maceo Parker portrait. We can see a great intensity on the eyes like if we could see all his passion. The artist strokes all around this expressive illuminated face also gives a sort of redemption of the Montreux ambience. Warm and intimate.
Check here some other interesting work from Stephanie Fonteyn, mainly my preferred ones:
Some of her paintings have almost a Comics style. We could imagine a full story illustrated by Stephanie Fonteyn.
After this interesting (for its modernity) portrait of Duke Ellington, I invite you to check the artist website for more displays: www.stephfonteyn.com
LA
All information sourced @Comptoir Suisse and on the artist website
This month at mor.charpentier gallery there is a new exhibition called CUSTOMARY BEAUTY. Several artists are participating to it: Alexander Apóstol, Milena Bonilla, José Dávila, Laura Gannon, Terence Gower, Pablo León de la Barra and Mateo López. The curatorial ambition of this exhibition is to interpret this transformations not like a failure but as a peculiar form of beauty generated by the routine. It also has an aim to initiate a dialogue between Western artists and Latin America, between First World and its distorting mirror that is Latin America. Through differentiated languages, the artists participating in this exhibition reinterpret the unpredictable dimension of modernism and reinvest the geographical and mental spaces that once inhabited this doctrine.
Photos and videos witness all these changes and bring a different look on the evolution of society.
Mor.Charpentier gallery continues its aim to reveal different talents from Latin America, which refreshes the parisian art landscapes.
Curator: Natalia Valencia.
« Customary Beauty »
10th September – 29 October 2011
galerie mor ! charpentier
8, rue Saint-Claude Paris 3ème T +(33) 0 1 44 54 01 58
contact@mor-charpentier.com – www.mor-charpentier.com
Hi, I discovered a very interesting designer called James DeWulf. All the Industrial Design world knows his unique work on hightech and luxury concrete furniture. He is launching a very original, elegant and interesting Light fixture called Triton Pendant. From sinks, tables, fireplaces, outdoors pieces, and coutertops, James DeWulf developed his own style. And today he is evolving towards other materials like glass and metal.
In 2004, the artist established DeWulf Concrete, a small design studio and since then he has been working for Architects, interior decorators or even retail stores. He has invented the concept of Concrete-Couture or Concrete Design. It is the art of blending top qualitative and hightech concretes in order to integrate luxury concrete pieces in a contemporary environment.
During the past years, James DeWulft design and work grew into a full-scale product line and it is available at exclusive stores. He has several projects, from Los Angeles night clubs and boutique hotels to architectural spaces and new yorkers homes.
His team, a group of passionated professionals is always trying to push harder the boundaries of the materials and of industrial design.
Today, James DeWulf is exploring new materials for him, glass and metal thanks to this amazing lamp called the Triton Pendant. He used solid brass pendant with a 10″ steel chain. Last detail: an old fashion light buld.
In development for six months, the Triton Pendant symbolizes a theme of beauty in a refined Gothic form. The design takes the medium of pounded metal and shapes it with feminine curves; to create a structure that guards the light. A protective principle of a rough and strong outside with a beautiful exposed bulb and soft brass inside.
The Triton Pendant is sixteen inches tall, eight inches in diameter, and comes with 10 feet of chain. It is one of several new lighting fixtures DeWulf introduced at ICFF.
DeWulf comments, “I like materials that last and are real. My mission in life is to bring beautiful things into the world and I do my best to let these come from my deepest self.” As for the Triton Pendant, he went on to say, “The Triton Pendant is a celebration of light. The design is a control of negative space while the fixture honors and protects the light.”
By the way, the concrete seat you can see on the above advertisement image was also made by James Dewulf. Do not hesitate to visit the designer website: www.jamesdewulf.com.
Balenciaga is launching a new fragrance under Balenciaga Paris line. It is called Balenciaga Paris l’Essence. It is a more intense version of the original fragrance, a more intimist approach. Charlotte Gainsbourg is still the timeless beauty of one of the most elegant fashion houses in France.
When Balenciaga launched Le Dix in 1947, the Fashion house started writing its legend in the Fragrance history books. A great fragrance defying time and trends. In 2010, under the impulsion of Nicolas Guesquières artistic guidelines, the Brand launched Balenciaga Paris. A beautiful and elegant fragrance, already a classic somehow. Nicolas Guesquière asked his Muse, Charlotte Gainsbourg, to embody the fragrance line.
Now, one year after the launch of Balenciaga Paris, the Brand is launching a more intense version called L’Essence. It is the essence of Balenciaga, something less institutional and more intimate. According to the creative director, it is a closer look into the fragrance itself, “something closer to Charlotte’s skin”.
Here is an interesting video with Nicolas Guesquières himself explaining the fragrance with the complicity of Charlotte Gainsbourg. As was mentioned in other friend blogs, Nicolas Guesquières speaks about the fragrance as if he did it all. He could have talked about the perfumer, Olivier Polges and also about the photographer, quoted by the interviewer and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
The new fragrance range is a short range focusing for the moment on the Eau de Parfum references. There is nevertheless one special product: the perfumed candle.
The perfumer is Oliver Polges, from IFF. He developed a clean soft and sensuous fragrance with a sort of paradox: intense and subtle at the same time. He revisited a great floral theme of the perfumery history, the ultra-feminine duo of Rose-Violet.
The Photography was done by Steven Meisen. One of the most powerful photographers in the fashion industry, Meisel is credited with “discovering” or promoting the careers of many successful models, including top models Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell or Christy Turlington. He is also a personal friend of Madonna and did the 1984 disc cover Like a Virgin. Just huge! He is very talented to capture the precise moment in which the model is revealing THE authentic emotion. Passionated by women, he also sublime women under his camera objective. We can see on the advertisement the striking look of Charlotte de Gainsbourg. Very impressive.
During these hard financial moments, in which brands are quite wise in terms of investments, we are happy to see that some of them are still pushing things towards beauty, elegance and luxury.
LA
Thierry Mugler Parfums is launching for this winter, a prestigious and innovative collection of 4 fragrances based on their best-sellers. It is called Thierry Mugler Le Goût du Parfum, “the taste of Fragrance” in english.
Thierry Mugler always writes its own track in the middle of the Fragrance industry landscape. Since 1992 and the launch of Angel, a true olfactive UFO, Thierry Mugler cultivated the art of surprise by offering new fragrances, always out of the box. A*men, Mugler Cologne, Alien and recently Womanity are the witnesses of Mugler courage to reinvent himself no matter trends or fashion influences… He reinvented high-perfumery and offered to the world a new olfactive family thanks to Angel: the Gustative notes. The Praline note of Angel opened a window on a new way to formulate oriental fragrances towards a more “tasteful” path.
Since then, and always loyal to its heritage, Thierry Mugler Parfum capitalizes on its strengths: creativity, audacity and a hint of humor. Last year, they revealed a very prestigious collection of 3 fragrances called “Les Liqueurs de Parfum”. The encounter of the Perfumer and the luxury spirits world. It was innovation at all levels. First they highlighted the existing fragrances under a new light, based and inspired by the luxury Cognacs (Angel), Rhum (Alien) and Whisky (A*men). Then, they added a true distillation of those spirits and finally they made the fragrances macerate in wooden barrels. The Fragrances limited editions were sold independently and also in a prestigious coffret for Christmas 2010. For the brand it was the opportunity to keep the luxury and sophisticated universe of the creator alive towards the fragrances. Even a especial adverting was shot in order to stage the scene…
This year, Thierry Mugler continue on this exploration of the senses. The perfumers, as olfactory explorers, seek a new path, this time in the high-gastronomy world. Taste and smell are completely inner linked and cannot live one without the other.
Angel, Alien, Womanity and A*men are highlighted in a different way thanks to the creative work of Pierre Aulas, the brand olfactive Director, and Ms Hélène Darroze. She is one of the most passionate and prestigious french chefs with multi-stars at the famous Michelin guide. Together, the 2 “chefs” developed with the perfumers what they called “Flavour enhancers”. Like in gastronomy, the perfumers developed real flavor enhancers in order to boost Thierry Mugler’s key ingredients for each fragrance.
ANGEL LE GOUT DU PARFUM – Taste enhancer = Bitter Cocoa powder.
Star and mother of the Gustative fragrances, this time the Cocoa powder is used to boost the mythical notes of Angel, Praline, vanilla and red fruits. Incorporated into the original formula, the bitter cocoa powder was chosen as a taste enhancer, and it vibrates the gourmand notes of Angel to make them intensely sensual. Even the famous Patchouli is transcended in order to bring a “nature-like taste” for the fragrance.
ALIEN LE GOUT DU PARFUM – Taste Enhancer = Salted butter Caramel
The Salted-Butter Caramel wraps the elegant ambery notes of Alien in order to create unctuosity and a water-mouthering effect. The citrus and spicy notes of the original fragrance, are revealed and highlighted in this exercise.
WOMANITY LE GOUT DU PARFUM – Taste Enhancer = Fig Chutney
18 years after the launch of Angel, Thierry Mugler reveals Womanity. The invisible link between all women. Being true to the brand gustative heritage, Womanity proposes a sweet and sour innovative accord of fig and Caviar. In this specific new exercise, Thierry Mugler boosts the mystery of this fragrance by adding an amazing fig chutney into it.
A*MEN LE GOUT DU PARFUM – Taste Enhancer = Pimento Berry
In 1996, Thierry Mugler launched A*men, a strong, charismatic fragrance for men based on the gustative heritage of the brand. A Toffee accord that revealed a magnificent note of Coffee absolute, vanilla and Patchouli. In the Le Gout du Parfum, the brand added an amazing, powerful and bitting Pimento berry. It fires the entire fragrance and presents a raw power that seduces from the first seconds.
The brand capitalizes on the existing flacons with some color modifications like this red slamming star of A*men. All details are present in the packaging for a very prestigious collection for the Holiday season. The Michelin Guide could give a triple star to this exercise! Do not hesitate to track more information on the Brand official website, www.thierrymugler.com.
If this winter, you want to please your senses, you might get into this tasteful adventure just thanks to a few drops of Mugler fragrances…
LA
This month, the Swiss Watch brand, Vacheron Constantin, is opening its first US store in New York. The opening will take place on the 12th september and the store is located on 729 Madison Avenue at East 64th Street New York.
Vacheron Constantin was founded 250 years ago and its relationship with the US is a long love story. According to the brand, 180 years ago, on September 17th 1831, Jacques Barthélémy Vacheron wrote a letter stating his intention to expand business to the US. Just one year later, in 1832, the company established its first agent in New York. By mid-century, business had taken off, helping Vacheron Constantin to take firm root in the United States and ushering in an era of close cooperation with New York. the building, built in 1908, is the work of architect William E. Mowbrayand. It is reminiscent of the Palazzo Strozzi, a 15th century Florentine palace. Located on the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and 64th Street, it exemplifies the splendour of classic Italian art and expresses the brand universe in a truly exceptional location.
The store is magnificent, a real temple for luxury and pleasure. When some of Vacheron Constantin watches reaches the state of Art, now they have the perfect temple to be seen.
LA
Please note all images belong to Vacheron Constantin. All rights reserved. Information sourced at www.vacheron-constantin.com/
At Luxury Activist, we discovered that Scarlett Johansson sings! And it is not bad at all. Who remembers the famous “Bonnie & Clyde” song by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot? It is based on an English language poem written by Bonnie Parker herself a few weeks before she and Clyde Barrow were shot, entitled “The Trail’s End”.
Here is the original text written by Bonnie herself:
The Trail’s End by Bonnie Parker
“You’ve read the story of Jesse James
of how he lived and died.
If you’re still in need;
of something to read,
here’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Now Bonnie and Clyde are the Barrow gang
I’m sure you all have read.
how they rob and steal;
and those who squeal,
are usually found dying or dead.
There’s lots of untruths to these write-ups;
they’re not as ruthless as that.
their nature is raw;
they hate all the law,
the stool pidgeons, spotters and rats.
They call them cold-blooded killers
they say they are heartless and mean.
But I say this with pride
that I once knew Clyde,
when he was honest and upright and clean.
But the law fooled around;
kept taking him down,
and locking him up in a cell.
Till he said to me;
“I’ll never be free,
so I’ll meet a few of them in hell”
The road was so dimly lighted
there were no highway signs to guide.
But they made up their minds;
if all roads were blind,
they wouldn’t give up till they died.
The road gets dimmer and dimmer
sometimes you can hardly see.
But it’s fight man to man
and do all you can,
for they know they can never be free.
From heart-break some people have suffered
from weariness some people have died.
But take it all in all;
our troubles are small,
till we get like Bonnie and Clyde.
If a policeman is killed in Dallas
and they have no clue or guide.
If they can’t find a fiend,
they just wipe their slate clean
and hang it on Bonnie and Clyde.
There’s two crimes committed in America
not accredited to the Barrow mob.
They had no hand;
in the kidnap demand,
nor the Kansas City Depot job.
A newsboy once said to his buddy;
“I wish old Clyde would get jumped.
In these awfull hard times;
we’d make a few dimes,
if five or six cops would get bumped”
The police haven’t got the report yet
but Clyde called me up today.
He said,”Don’t start any fights;
we aren’t working nights,
we’re joining the NRA.”
From Irving to West Dallas viaduct
is known as the Great Divide.
Where the women are kin;
and the men are men,
and they won’t “stool” on Bonnie and Clyde.
If they try to act like citizens
and rent them a nice little flat.
About the third night;
they’re invited to fight,
by a sub-gun’s rat-tat-tat.
They don’t think they’re too smart or desperate
they know that the law always wins.
They’ve been shot at before;
but they do not ignore,
that death is the wages of sin.
Some day they’ll go down together
they’ll bury them side by side.
To few it’ll be grief,
to the law a relief
but it’s death for Bonnie and Clyde.”
The song by Gainsbourg tells the story of the outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde. It was released on two albums in 1968: Gainsbourg’s album Initials B.B., and Gainsbourg and Bardot’s album Bonnie and Clyde. Of course Gainsbourg and BB were in an affair, quite sulfurous for that time. So this song had an interesting context based on their real relationship.
43 years later, Lulu Gainsbourg, his son, decided to record a new album called “From Gainsbourg to Lulu”. It will be out in november this year. among the songs, there is a very sexy duo with Scarlett Johansson on Bonnie & Clyde. In the original song, Brigitte Bardot sings in french and here, Scarlett Johansson sings in english, which gives a new twist on the song.
Here is the youtube release for the song. Scarlett is real good.
Then, Ms Johansson is featuring a song with the legendary Crooner Dean Martin for Christmas. The american velvet voice is launching this month an album with Christmas songs and the one called “I’ll be home for Christmas” will be done in duo with Scarlet Johansson.
Is she looking for a new career? Actually no. She is an actress and A SINGER. On May 20, 2008, Ms. Johansson debuted as a vocalist on her first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, which comprises mostly cover versions of Tom Waits songs. Her second album, Break Up, with Pete Yorn, was released in September 2009.
She also participated on a beautiful video of Justin Timberlake for the song “What goes around…comes around”. You might not like Justin Timberlake but the video is a little “pearl”. It was written by Nick Cassavetes and directed by Samuel Bayer. Look here the video. I found the photography of the clip just beautiful:
I can see a delicate sensual voice, a little shy but with an interest, especially reviewing such great songs with a modern twist. What do you think?
LA
Sisley is launching in October its new masculine fragrance called EAU D’IKAR. Eau d’Ikar gets its inspiration on the myth of Icarus. In greek mythology, the main story told about Icarus is his attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax. He ignored instructions not to fly too close to the sun, and the melting wax caused him to fall from the sky. For Sisley, Ikar is a name that represents a poetic intention. The deep desire of men to fly. Not to challenge the sky but to take off of the land, gain lightness and an intense feeling of freedom. Ikar is courage and fantasy. It is a powerful man that knows his limits and plays with it. It is a man who are not afraid of looking into the limitless boundaries of the sky. If you want to read more, check my full article here about it: Eau d’Ikar by Luxury Activist.
